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The Apollo Missions
“That's one small step for a man. One giant leap for mankind.”
— Neil Armstrong
Apollo’s Goals
The national effort that enabled Astronaut Neil Armstrong to speak those words as he stepped onto the lunar surface fulfilled a dream as old as humanity. Project Apollo’s goals went beyond landing Americans on the moon and returning them safely to Earth.
Apollo 13
Apollo 13 has been called a “successful failure,” because the crew never landed on the Moon, but they made it home safely after an explosion crippled their ship. When the associated heater was turned on during flight, the tank exploded depleting almost all of the power from the command module and forcing the crew to use the lunar module as a lifeboat. Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert came home safely thanks to the mission control team’s improvised procedures and their own ability to implement them.(Launch: April 11, 1970; splashdown: April 17)
Apollo 14
Notable for the return of America’s first astronaut, Alan Shepard, to space, Apollo 14 also was probably the smoothest lunar landing to that point. The crew spent more than nine hours outside the lunar module and set up a number of experiments. Shepard set a new distance record by walking more than 9,000 feet on the lunar surface, pulling a hand cart to carry their tools and samples.(Launch: Jan. 31, 1971: lunar landing: Feb. 5: splashdown, Feb. 9)
Apollo 15
For the first time, humans drove a car on the Moon. The first of the Apollo “J” Missions-designed for longer stays on the Moon - the mission carried a lunar rover, which Commander David Scott and Lunar Module Pilot James Irwin used while they were on the surface for more than I8 hours. They traveled more than 17 miles in the rover, setting up experiments and collecting 170 pounds of samples. Before leaving the lunar surface, Scott conducted an experiment to test Galileo’s theory that objects in vacuum, without air resistance, would fall at the same rate. He dropped a geological hammer and a feather, which hit the ground at the same time, proving Galileo right.(Launch: July 26, 1971, lunar landing: July 30: splashdown: Aug. 7)
1.Why has Apollo 13 been called a “successful failure”?
A.Apollo 13 finally exploded as planned in space.
B.All the crew succeeded in landing on the Moon.
C.The crew managed to escape from a severe accident and returned to Earth.
D.The crew finished the experiment although they failed to land on the Moon.
2.Which of the following is True according to the passage?
A.It took five days for Apollo 14 to reach the Moon.
B.The lunar rover was used as a lifeboat for space travel.
C.Shepard tested Galileo’s theory successfully on the Moon.
D.Apollo 15 remained in space for the shortest period of time.
3.Which of the following column is this article most likely to be found?
A.Booming Science B.Exploring the Unknown
C.Mechanical World D.Transforming Moon
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The most powerful rocket to leave Earth since the Apollo missions launched(发射)from Florida on February 6．
What was the launch trying to achieve?
The Falcon(猎鹰)Heavy test flight was mostly a proof-of-concept，showing the world it is possible to successfully fly a rocket with three re-usable boosters(助推器)beyond orbit．SpaceX billionaire Elon Musk said that the company planned to aim the rocket so the electric car reached Mars’(火星)orbital path around the sun about six months after launch．
He added that the car could pass close to the red planet as it crossed its orbit，though he admitted this was‘extremely unlikely’．
What does SpaceX gain from the flight?
SpaceX was built around the idea that reusable rockets could greatly reduce the cost of carrying cargo(货物)into space for paying customers，such as satellites or space station resupplies．
Showing that the huge Falcon Heavy rocket actually works is important if SpaceX plans to sell cargo space on the craft in future，with the company planning to charge customers $90 million per flight．
Has SpaceX achieved its goals?
Musk repeatedly warned Falcon Heavy would likely explode on the launch station as a result of its huge power．SpaceX had slightly overcooked one of the rocket’s booster burns，sending the main capsule out of its planned track．The car will likely end up further into the solar system than intended，missing Mars．
In short，the rocket made it beyond Earth’s orbit—SpaceX’s primary goal—but missed its targets to re-land all three boosters and send Musk’s Tesla to Mars．
Does that matter?
SpaceX’s failure to re-land all three of its boosters will be a concern for potential customers．Despite the faults，the launch has still been praised by industry experts as a game—changer because of its potential to motivate the company to the very forefront of the modern day space race．
Once it irons out the errors，SpaceX will offer cargo rides aboard the most powerful operational rocket in the world．
1.Why did SpaceX launch the Falcon Heavy—the most powerful rocket?
A. To fly a rocket with three re-usable boosters beyond orbit．
B. To test the function of his eclectic car—Tesla．
C. To send the electric car to the orbital path of Mars．
D. To help the government to explore the Mars．
2.What effect will the reusable rockets bring?
A. The cost of satellites or space station resupplies will be reduced．
B. More customers can afford the space flight in the future．
C. SpaceX will gain less profit from the flight．
D. They would likely cause explosion．
3.What goal did SpaceX achieve in the last?
A. It sent the main capsule into its planned track．
B. The car ended up further into the solar system as intended．
C. The rocket made the car beyond Earth’s orbit．
D. It re-landed all three boosters and sent Musk’s Tesla to Mars．
4.How would the professionals feel about the future of SpaceX?
A. It’s unexpected． B. It’s ambiguous．
C. It’s discouraging． D. It’s hopeful．
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One man’s white bread is another man’s green vegetables.
That’s the key from The Personalised Diet, a new book from Israeli authors Eran Segal and Eran Elinav. The authors say it’s time to admit to ourselves that one-size-fits-all diets don’t work, and when it comes to nutrition,it’s about doing what works best for your body, not catching the latest diet fashion.
“For years,we’ve been trying to search for that silver-bullet diet and we’ve been miserably failing,” Segal said. “And that’s because the best diet for each person really has to be tailored to that individual.”
They conducted a personalised nutrition project at Weizmann, where hundreds of volunteers agreed to have their blood sugar tested after meals. One participant in the study, a woman named Ruti, said she was surprised that it was tomatoes -- not ice cream or candies -- that were raising her blood sugar level. Ruti recalled, “I have now significantly reduced my intake of tomato and I’m feeling much more energetic, which still surprises me. I have already lost a couple of pounds, and I have high hopes that I have finally found the answer to my weight struggle, too.”
The Israeli scientists found that some people can consume traditionally unhealthy foods with little or no rise in their blood sugar levels, while others have a stronger response, and therefore shouldn’t eat those foods. It’s those kinds of results that you can only find from a personalised diet.
“What we were surprised to find out was just like any other food, there is no such thing as good bread,” Elinav said. “The response to bread was completely individualised.”
1.What is suggested in the first sentence?
A.Everyone has their own tastes.
B.Nutrition serves your body best.
C.People’s response to the same food is different.
D.The latest diet doesn’t fit each person.
2.What does “that silver-bullet diet” refer to?
A.A diet that is low in fat.
B.A diet that begins a new diet trend.
C.A diet that works best for everyone.
D.A diet that provides all the nutrition.
3.Ruti’s example suggests that to control weight, one needs to .
A.eat much fewer tomatoes
B.control their blood sugar levels
C.struggle for weight loss constantly
D.eat according to his or her blood sugar level
4.Why is Elinav’s opinion on bread mentioned in the last paragraph?
A.To advise people not to eat unhealthy food.
B.To stress the need of the personalised diet.
C.To explain the popularity of white bread.
D.To show the importance of good bread.
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For one tired out from work, autumn is one of the best times to step into the open air to kick back and enjoy some great music. And that’s what many Beijingers have done this past weekend.
Family, friends, laughter; beautiful grass, fresh air and live music echoing (回响) off the forest and the Great Wall that surround this place. A weekend in this music paradise（乐园） just seems too short. Besides, a brand new world-class outdoor theater has just been open at this year’s festival, which will surely make the festival a better and more permanent experience.
A full house is before the new outdoor amphitheater (圆形剧场). Even the thunderstorm couldn’t break up the crowd completely absorbed in the music. Thanks to the new theater, this year’s Great Wall Forest Festival offers even more superb acoustics（音效的）and an overall outdoor theatrical experience, even though the project is still half complete.
The festival is now in its fourth year. Since its first show in 2010, the festival has seen a steady increase in festival-goers and has expanded its length from two days to four days, divided over two weekends. It has also been experimenting with a variety of styles, from classical to pop, with this year’s theme “Celebrating 20 Years of Chinese Folk Song.” Folk Song legend Lao Lang explains how folk songs have helped encourage more amateur folks to express themselves through music.
“Before music was reserved for the professionals. But folk songs made young people realize that they can express themselves through music as well. And that’s what characterizes folk songs. It’s popular music and it always has a story.” said Lao Lang.
Unlike some of the other outdoor festivals, the Great Wall Forest Festival appeals to a wide range of audiences. It’s a rare place where teens, parents and families can all enjoy the outdoors and have a great time.
Great music and scenery aside, many children’s workshops, master music classes, and interactive art activities have also been introduced this year. If music is the reason to come to the festivals, you’ll find even more reasons not to leave.
1.What is the meaning of the underlined phrase “kick back” in Paragraph 1?
A. to hit with legs. B. to work harder
C. to relax oneself D. to make people leave
2.Which of the following is NOT true?
A. The place where the Festival is held is near the Great Wall.
B. The completed project adds to the attraction of this year’s Festival.
C. The audience attending the festival bury themselves in the music.
D. The year 2010 saw the beginning of the Great Wall Forest Festival.
3.The 2014 Great Wall Forest Festival has got improved in the following aspects except that _________.
A. it has included different types of music
B. it has attracted a wide range of audiences
C. it has introduced more activities besides music
D. it has been expanded from 2 days to 4 days in a week
4.According to Lao Lang, we can know that _________.
A. folk songs can help amateur singers become famous easily
B. folk songs are the ones just intended for the professionals
C. a folk song, always with a story, belongs to popular music
D. popular songs are used by the young to express themselves
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One day, a train was approaching the small town of Cheekyville. On the train was a 1man with a big suitcase. He was called William Warbler and he looked very 2indeed. But what made him most unusual was the fact that whenever he needed to3 , he did so by singing opera. Even if someone said “good day” to him, he would clear his throat and 4 : “Goood dayyy to youuuuuu..... toooooo!”
Almost everyone considered William unusual, since no one could get a normal 5 word out of him. As no one knew how he made his living — he lived quite6 , always wearing the same old second-hand suit — they often had no ___7__for him and sometimes even made fun of him.
William had been in Cheekyville for some years, when one day a rumor (谣言) spread that William had received a role in a very important 8in the nation’s capital, that there had been posters everywhere advertising the event, and that it had been a great9. And to everyone’s surprise, when William was being interviewed by reporters, he answered their questions by speaking with good10, and with a clear and pleasant voice.
From that day on, William gave up11at all hours. Now he sang only during his stage appearances. People wouldn’t have thought him 12if they had seen what William kept in his big suitcase. It was a large13, with a hand-carved message on it.
The message said, “Practice every second, for you never know when your 14 will come.” Little did people realize that he only got the role in the opera because the 15 had heard William singing while out buying a newspaper.
1. A. tall B. sensitive C. handsome D. strange
2. A. common B. concerned C. wealthy D. confident
3. A. appear B. practice C. communicate D. debate
4. A. whisper B. respond C. repeat D. tease
5. A. advised B. printed C. written D. spoken
6. A. simply B. naturally C. calmly D. fortunately
7. A. mercy B. respect C. trust D. money
8. A. concert B. documentary C. opera D. film
9. A. experience B. benefit C. discovery D. success
10. A. movements B. manners C. efforts D. signs
11. A. pretendingB. recording C. singing D. wandering
12. A. mad B. skillful C. artificial D. desperate
13. A. knife B. stone C. medal D. diamond
14. A. solution B. inspiration C. performance D. chance
15. A. neighbor B. visitor C. director D. Teacher
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One step too far
Scientists have been trying to figure out how to alter the genes of humans for many years now, and it looks like they've finally cracked (破解) the code. But while this may seem like a great step forward in science, some also believe that it's one step back when it comes to ethics.
In August, a group of scientists from the US and South Korea worked together to successfully edit a human embryo and remove a genetic mutation (突变) that would have led to heart disease, reported The Guardian.
This was achieved with the help of CRISPR, a gene-editing tool that allows scientists to “cut and paste” human DNA.
Although this was the first example of an embryo's genes being changed successfully, the benefits of gene editing have already been tested in living patients.
In 2015, a five-month-old girl from the UK was saved after doctors used edited cells to fight off her cancer. As of today, she's alive and well.
And in the US last year, scientists managed to remove HIV cells from several patients by editing the genes inside their bodies.
Some people hope that in the future, diseases or birth detects could simply be “edited out”. However, others believe this could lead to so-called designer babies, giving parents the option to choose everything from eye color to intelligence.
“You could find wealthy parents buying the latest ‘upgrades’ for their children, leading to even greater inequality than we already live with,” Marcy Darnovsky, director of the San Francisco Center for Genetics, told BBC News.
In spite of these ethical concerns, experts say it’s not possible to create the “perfect” human being. Despite the progress scientists have made, we don’t understand human genes enough to give all unborn child great brainpower or amazing singing abilities.
“Right now, we know nothing about genetic enhancement,” Hank Greely, a director of sciences at Stanford University, US, told The New York Times. “We’re never going to be able to say, honestly, ‘This embryo looks like it would score high on the two-part SAT.’”
So it looks like if we want good exam results, or to impress people with our piano skills, we’ll have to stick with the old fashioned method of plain hard work — at least for now.
1.The underlined word “alter” in Paragraph 1 probably means ______.
A.record
B.change
C.remove
D.increase
2.Why do some people consider human gene editing a step backwards？ ______
A.They don't think it is an effective way to light diseases.
B.They are concerned that it could lead to genetic mutations.
C.They think it could lead to designer babies and increased inequality.
D.They worry that it could make parents abandon children with birth defects.
3.What was the first successful example of human embryo gene editing？ ______
A.A genetic mutation related to heart disease was removed by scientists
B.A newborn baby with cancer was saved by edited cells.
C.HIV cells were removed from patients’ bodies.
D.Some birth defects were simply edited out.
4.What can we conclude from the text？ ______
A.Gene editing is regarded as the perfect way to treat birth defects.
B.There is still a long way to go to fully understand human genes.
C.Gene editing could help enhance human intelligence in the near future.
D.Scientists are pessimistic about the future of gene editing.
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One dark and stormy night, an elderly man and his wife entered the hall of a small hotel in Philadelphia, hoping to get shelter for the night.
The clerk, a friendly man with a beautiful smile, explained that there were three conferences in town. "All of our rooms are taken," the clerk said, "but I can't send a nice couple like you into the rain at one o'clock in the morning. Would you perhaps be willing to sleep in my room? It's not a suite, but it will be good enough to make you comfortable for the night." The couple agreed.
As the elderly man paid the bill the next morning, he told the clerk, "You are the kind of person who should be the boss of the best hotel in the United States. Maybe someday I’ll build one for you." The clerk looked at them and smiled. The three of them had a good laugh.
Two years passed. The clerk had almost forgotten the incident when he received a letter from the elderly man, asking the clerk to pay him a visit. The elderly man met him in New York, and led him to the corner of the Fifth Avenue and 34th Street. He then pointed to a great new building there, a reddish stone one with watchtowers thrusting (插入) up to the sky, and told the clerk that it was the hotel he had just built for him to manage.
That wonderful building was the original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. And this young clerk whose name was George C. Boldt never foresaw the return of events that would lead him into the manager of one of the world's most attractive hotels.
1.Why did the elderly man build a hotel for the clerk?
A .He was grateful to the clerk.
B. They had a bet at first.
C. He wanted to please the clerk.
D. He wanted to sell the hotel.
2.Which of the statements about the story is NOT true?
A. The story took place at about one a.m.
B. The old couple were too poor to afford a luxurious room.
C. The clerk was willing to help those in need.
D. The clerk received an unexpected invitation from the old man.
3.According to the text, the clerk .
A. helped the couple because he thought they were poor.
B. hoped that the old couple could give him a large amount of money.
C. didn't expect to receive things in return from the old couple.
D. became rich, thanks to his own efforts.
4.Which of the following proverbs suits the story the best?
A. Every little thing helps.
B. Make hay (干草) while the sun shines.
C. Accidents will happen.
D. One good turn deserves another.
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One dark and stormy night，an elderly man and his wife entered the hall of a small hotel in Philadelphia，hoping to get shelter for the night．
The clerk，a friendly man with a beautiful smile，explained that there were three conferences in town．“All of our rooms are taken，”the clerk said，“but I can't send a nice couple like you into the rain at one o'clock in the morning．Would you perhaps be willing to sleep in my room? It's not a suite，but it will be good enough to make you comfortable for the night．”The couple agreed．
As the elderly man paid the bill the next morning，he told the clerk，“You are the kind of person who should be the boss of the best hotel in the United States．Maybe someday I’ll build one for you．” The clerk looked at them and smiled．The three of them had a good laugh．
Two years passed．The clerk had almost forgotten the incident when he received a letter from the elderly man，asking the clerk to pay him a visit．The elderly man met him in New York，and led him to the corner of the Fifth Avenue and 34th Street．He then pointed to a great new building there，a reddish stone one with watchtowers thrusting (插入) up to the sky，and told the clerk that it was the hotel he had just built for him to manage．
That wonderful building was the original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel．And this young clerk whose name was George C．Boldt never foresaw the return of events that would lead him into the manager of one of the world's most attractive hotels．
1.Why did the elderly man build a hotel for the clerk?
A． He was grateful to the clerk．
B． They had a bet at first．
C． He wanted to please the clerk．
D． He wanted to sell the hotel．
2.Which of the statements about the story is NOT true?
A． The story took place at about one a．m．
B． The old couple were too poor to afford a luxurious room．
C． The clerk was willing to help those in need．
D． The clerk received an unexpected invitation from the old man．
3.According to the text，the clerk．
A． helped the couple because he thought they were poor．
B． hoped that the old couple could give him a large amount of money．
C． didn't expect to receive things in return from the old couple．
D． became rich，thanks to his own efforts．
4.Which of the following proverbs suits the story the best?
A． Every little thing helps．
B． Make hay(干草)while the sun shines．
C． Accidents will happen．
D． One good turn deserves another．
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The popular wisdom for years has been that drinking in moderation (适度)—that’s one “standard” drink a day for women and two for men-is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular (心血管的) disease. But recent studies are casting some doubt on that long-held learning. Science now says it depends on your age and drinking habits.
A 2017 study of nearly 2 million British with no cardiovascular risk found that there was still a modest benefit in moderate drinking, especially for women over 55 who drank five drinks a week. Why that age? Alcohol can influence the substance in the blood in positive ways, experts say, and that’s about the age when heart problems begin to occur.
Also, a 2018 study found that drinking more than 100 grams of alcohol per week—equal to roughly seven standard drinks in the United States or five to six glasses of wine in the UK—increases your risk of death from all causes and in turn lowers your life expectancy. Links were found with different forms of cardiovascular disease, with people who drank more than 100 grams per week having a higher risk of stroke, heart failure.
Another 2018 study found that consistently drinking a moderate amount of alcohol, within recommended guidelines, had a protective effect on the heart over time. Unstable drinking habits were associated with a higher risk of heart disease, which the authors reflected might indicate broader lifestyle changes, such as poor health or stress. Former drinkers were also at greater risk.
Overall, however, the latest thinking is that any heart benefit may be outweighed by other health risks, such as high blood pressure, certain cancers and liver damage.
Women who drink are at a higher risk for breast cancer; alcohol contributes about 6% of the overall risk, possibly because it raises certain dangerous hormones in the blood. Drinking can also increase the chance you might develop liver, mouth and oral cancers. One potential reason: Alcohol weakens our immune systems, making us more likely to inflame (发炎)—a driving force behind cancer.
1.Why does moderate drinking benefit women over 55?
A. It helps them live longer than men.
B. It reduces the chance of some heart problems.
C. It destroys the harmful chemicals in their blood.
D. It helps them recover from cardiovascular disease.
2.What can we learn from paragraph 3?
A. Drinking more than 10 grams of alcohol per week is surely harmful.
B. Solid links were found between the disease and the amount of alcohol.
C. The lifespan varies according to amount of consumed alcohol.
D. Seven standard drinks are the recommended amount of drinking in the UK.
3.Who will be at a lower risk according to the 2018 study?
A. Consistent drinkers with lifestyle changes.
B. Unstable drinkers with lifestyle changes.
C. Consistent drinkers within recommended amount of alcohol.
D. Unstable drinkers within recommended amount of alcohol.
4.Which can be the best title for the text?
A. Moderate drinking habits benefit the heart.
B. Moderate drinking weakens our immune systems.
C. Moderate drinking can prevent cancer.
D. Moderate drinking does more harm than good to health.
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The killdeer, a small bird known for its high-pitched call, could lead to the cancellation of one of Canada’ biggest music festivals.
The first hint of trouble for Ottawa’s Bluesfest, an outdoor festival that draws around 300,000 people each year, came last week after workers at the site found one of the birds. It had laid four eggs nearby, effectively claiming the main stage area as its nesting ground. “This is one of the most challenging problems we’ve been presented with, but we feel we can work through this,” said Mark Monahan, executive director of the festival.
“Anything that changes the schedule has a major effect, so we’re taking it very seriously.” The discovery meant that government officials rushed to protect the nest and the eggs, hiring a security guard to watch over them 24 hours a day. Environmentalists were also brought in.
“We don’t know when the eggs might hatch,” said Monahan. What is known is that the young killdeer will likely leave the nest soon after they are hatched, leading many to hope that the eggs hatch in the next day or so.
The festival is now seeking permission from Environment Canada to relocate the nest some 50 meters away or take it to a wildlife center. Moving the nest would also ensure the bird and its young would be protected during the festival’s 11-day run, said Monahan. It’s highly likely that the festival’s thousands of attendees would cause huge problems for the bird and its eggs.
Monahan was confident that the festival would go on as planned, however. “Most of the people we’re working with are looking for a positive solution,” Monahan said. “There is no one saying that the festival can’t go on.”
As news of the dilemma spread, it left residents divided. Some supported the bird, saying that moving the nest might result in the eggs being abandoned. Others expressed annoyance that protecting the eggs of the small bird, which is widespread across North America, was risking an annual festival that contributes millions of dollars to the local economy.
The killdeer’s tendency to build its nest in open fields or flat areas has caused issues in other areas of the US: earlier this year, construction on a health center in Wisconsin was temporarily stopped after a killdeer and its four eggs were discovered.
1.Which is TRUE about Bluesfest?
A.It is the first music festival in Canada.
B.It is an important event for music lovers.
C.It is a music festival held every two years.
D.It is a challenging outdoor activity in Ottawa.
2.What was especially challenging for Bluesfest this year?
A.Pressure from the government.
B.Disagreements with the public.
C.The need to protect the bird’s eggs.
D.The lack of experience in hosting the event.
3.How did the festival plan to deal with the problem?
A.Move the nest to another place.
B.Ask government officials for help.
C.Seek advice from environmentalists.
D.Hire security guards to protect the eggs.
4.What was Monahan’s attitude toward hosting the festival?
A.Negative. B.Indifferent.
C.Unsure. D.Positive.