In July 1994 Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, was struck by 21 pieces of a comet (彗星). When the fragments (碎片) landed in the southern part of the giant planet, the explosions were watched by scientists here on earth. But what if our own planet was hit by a comet?
The year is 2094. It has been announced that a comet is heading towards the Earth. Most of it will miss our planet, but two fragments will probably hit the southern part of the Earth. The news has caused panic.
On 17 July, a fragment four kilometers wide enters the Earth's atmosphere with a huge explosion. About half of the fragment is destroyed. But the major part survives and hits the South Atlantic at 200 times the speed of sound. The sea boils and an enormous wave is created and spreads. The wall of water rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometres an hour. Cities on the African coast are totally destroyed and millions of people are drowned. The wave moves into the Indian Ocean and heads towards Asia.
Millions of people are already dead in the southern part of the Earth, but the north won't escape for long. Tons of broken pieces are thrown into the atmosphere by the explosions. As the sun is hidden by clouds of dust, temperatures around the world fall to almost zero. Crops are ruined. Wars break out as countries fight for food. A year later civilization has collapsed. No more than 10 million people have survived.
Could it really happen? In fact, it has already happened more than once in the history of the Earth. The dinosaurs were on the Earth for over 160 million years. Then 65 million years ago they suddenly disappeared. Many scientists believe that the Earth was hit by a space fragment. The dinosaurs couldn't survive in the cold climate that followed and they became extinct. Will we meet the same end?
【小题１】55.Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the author's description of the disaster in 2094?
A. The whole world becomes extremely cold
B. All the coastal cities in Africa are destroyed
C. The visit of the comet results in wars
D. The whole mankind becomes extinct
【小题２】56.Why does the author mention dinosaurs at the end of the passage?
A. Because they could only live in the warm climate
B. Because their extinction indicates future disasters
C. Because they once dominated the earth
D. Because dinosaurs and humans never live in the same age
【小题３】57.In writing the passage, the author intends to ______.
A. give an accurate description of the possible disaster in the future
B. prove that humans will sooner or later be destroyed
C. warn of a possible disaster in the future
D. tell the historical development of the Earth
58.It can be concluded that the passage is most probably part of a(n) ______.
A. article of popular science B. news report
C. research paper D. horror story
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
In July 1994 Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, was struck by 21 pieces of a comet (彗星). When the fragments (碎片) landed in the southern part of the giant planet, the explosions(爆炸) were watched by scientists here on the earth. But what if our own planet was hit by a comet?
The year is 2094. It has been announced that a comet is heading towards the Earth. Most of it will miss our planet, but two fragments will probably hit the southern part of the Earth. The news has caused panic.
On 17 July, a fragment, four kilometers wide, enters the Earth's atmosphere with a huge explosion. About half of the fragment is destroyed. But the major part survives and hits the South Atlantic at 200 times the speed of sound. The sea boils and an enormous(巨大的) wave is created and spreads. The wall of water rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometres an hour. Cities on the African coast are totally destroyed and millions of people are drowned. The wave moves into the Indian Ocean and heads towards Asia.
Millions of people are already dead in the southern part of the Earth, but the north won't escape for long. Tons of broken pieces are thrown into the atmosphere by the explosions. As the sun is hidden by clouds of dust, temperatures around the world fall to almost zero. Crops are ruined. Wars break out as countries fight for food. A year later civilization has collapsed(崩溃). No more than 10 million people have survived.
Could it really happen? In fact, it has already happened more than once in the history of the Earth. The dinosaurs were on the Earth for over 160 million years. Then 65 million years ago they suddenly disappeared. Many scientists believe that the Earth was hit by a space fragment. The dinosaurs couldn't survive in the cold climate that followed and they became extinct. Will we meet the same end?
1.Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the author's description of the disaster in 2094?
A. The whole world becomes extremely cold
B. All the coastal cities in Africa are destroyed
C. The visit of the comet results in wars
D. The whole mankind becomes extinct
2.Why does the author mention dinosaurs at the end of the passage?
A. Because they could only live in the warm climate
B. Because their extinction indicates future disasters
C. Because they once dominated(控制) the earth
D. Because dinosaurs and humans never live in the same age
3. In writing the passage, the author intends to ______.
A. give an accurate description of the possible disaster in the future
B. prove that humans will sooner or later be destroyed
C. warn of a possible disaster in the future
D. tell the historical development of the Earth
4.It can be concluded that the passage is most probably part of a(n) ______.
A. article of popular science B. news report
C. research paper D. horror story
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
In July 1994 Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, was struck by 21 pieces of a comet (彗星). When the fragments (碎片) landed in the southern part of the giant planet, the explosions were watched by scientists here on earth. But what if our own planet was hit by a comet?
The year is 2094. It has been announced that a comet is heading towards the Earth. Most of it will miss our planet, but two fragments will probably hit the southern part of the Earth. The news has caused panic.
On 17 July, a fragment four kilometers wide enters the Earth's atmosphere with a huge explosion. About half of the fragment is destroyed. But the major part survives and hits the South Atlantic at 200 times the speed of sound. The sea boils and an enormous wave is created and spreads. The wall of water rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometres an hour. Cities on the African coast are totally destroyed and millions of people are drowned. The wave moves into the Indian Ocean and heads towards Asia.
Millions of people are already dead in the southern part of the Earth, but the north won't escape for long. Tons of broken pieces are thrown into the atmosphere by the explosions. As the sun is hidden by clouds of dust, temperatures around the world fall to almost zero. Crops are ruined. Wars break out as countries fight for food. A year later civilization has collapsed. No more than 10 million people have survived.
Could it really happen? In fact, it has already happened more than once in the history of the Earth. The dinosaurs were on the Earth for over 160 million years. Then 65 million years ago they suddenly disappeared. Many scientists believe that the Earth was hit by a space fragment. The dinosaurs couldn't survive in the cold climate that followed and they became extinct. Will we meet the same end?
【小题１】55.Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the author's description of the disaster in 2094?
A. The whole world becomes extremely cold
B. All the coastal cities in Africa are destroyed
C. The visit of the comet results in wars
D. The whole mankind becomes extinct
【小题２】56.Why does the author mention dinosaurs at the end of the passage?
A. Because they could only live in the warm climate
B. Because their extinction indicates future disasters
C. Because they once dominated the earth
D. Because dinosaurs and humans never live in the same age
【小题３】57.In writing the passage, the author intends to ______.
A. give an accurate description of the possible disaster in the future
B. prove that humans will sooner or later be destroyed
C. warn of a possible disaster in the future
D. tell the historical development of the Earth
58.It can be concluded that the passage is most probably part of a(n) ______.
A. article of popular science B. news report
C. research paper D. horror story
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Scientists said they have found evidence of a giant planet far out in our solar system. In a statement, the California Institute of Technology(Caltech) said this planet travels a strange “highly elongated orbit in the distant solar system”.
The discovery was made by two researchers at Caltech; Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown. They used mathematical modeling and computer simulations (模拟)to find the planet. So far, there have not been any direct observations of the planet. “My jaw hit the floor,” said astronomer Mike Brown, the moment he realized there might be a ninth planet.
The scientists said it would take this planet 10,000to 20,000 years just to make one full orbit around the sun. The new planet, called “Planet Nine” has a mass about 10 times the size of Earth.
It is believed that the planet orbits, or travels, around the sun from a great distance. The planet Neptune’s average distance to the sun is about 4.5 billion kilometers. But “Planet Nine” could be 20 times farther away from the sun than that. While they did not get a picture of “Planet Nine” yet, the scientists say they are using the biggest and best telescopes on Earth to try to find it.
Brown and Batygin reported their finding in The Astronomical Journal. They say that this new planet is so large that there should be no doubt that it is a true planet, once they confirm it.
Robert Massey is with the Royal Astronomical Society in London. He told AFP that planets have been predicted before, and then were not found. But, he said the work of the these researchers is definitely worth following up. “It would be a really exciting thing to find. At the moment it’s simply a prediction.”
1.How was the evidence of the ninth planet found?
A. Through a special telescope
B. Through researchers’ direct observation
C. Through studying its special orbit in the solar system
D. Through mathematical modeling and computer simulations
2.What can we know about “Planet Nine” from the text?
A. It is much smaller than the earth
B. It travels a normal orbit like other planets
C. Its distance to the sun is about 90 billion kilometers
D. Its picture has been caught by the biggest and best telescope
3.What’s Robert’s attitude towards the discovery of “Planet Nine”?
A. Worried B. Supportive
C. Indifferent D. Opposed
4.What’s the best title for the text?
A. The discovery of the largest planet
B. A big prediction of the solar system
C. A ninth planet may be in the solar system
D. The ninth planet has been found in the solar system
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
282. Our earth, one planet of the solar system, is only a very small part of the__________.
| A．universal | B．university | C．universe | D．Union |
高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
________ excited Geoff Marcy most was whether there were planets in other solar system where life might exist.
A．It B．That C．What D．Why
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
The world's largest solar thermal plant(太阳热能发电站)is set to begin producing power in the United States by the end of the year. Wind and energy from the sun are generally considered clean, unlike energy from coal-burning power stations. However, environmentalists now worry that too much solar power development could harm the local environment.
A California company — BrightSource Energy is building a huge solar power plant in the Mojave desert, about 60 kilometers southwest of Las Vegas, Nevada. The plant is known as the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System. Joe Desmond works for the company. "This is actually one of the highest concentrations of sunlight in the world, out here in Ivanpah." explained Desmond. BrightSource Energy will deploy 170,000 specially designed mirrors to direct solar energy towards boilers on top of three power towers. The steam produced in the boilers will drive turbine (涡轮) to make electricity. Joe Desmond says the steam can reach temperatures of more than 260 degrees Celsius. "We can store the sun's thermal energy in the form of molten salt, so we can produce electricity even when the sun goes down. There is a lot of interest in concentrating solar power around the globe in environmnents where you have lots of sun, such as China, South Africa, the Middle East, North Africa, explained Desmond.
Environmentalists generally support the idea of solar power, however, many are concerned about the effect of power plants on sensitive environment. Lisa Belenky is a lawyer with the Center for Biological Diversity, a private group. She says environmentalists are specifically worried about the effect of the Ivanpah Solar Project on the sensitive plant and animal life in that part of Mojave desert. "Even though the desert seems big, when you start cutting it up, it can really affect how the species and the animals and the plants are able to survive in the long run,"said Lisa Belenky. BrightSource Energy has already spent more than $ 50 million to move endangered desert tortoises away from the power plant. but Lisa Belenky says this is not the answer. "We should be reusing areas that have a1ready been disturbed, like old mining sites, for example...either on homes, on businesses, parking lots." said Belenky.
There have also been reports of birds dying at the Ivanpah Plant and others like it.
Some birds die after colliding with solar equipment which the animals mistake for water. Other birds were killed or suffered burns after flying through the intense heat at the solar thermal plant. As solar projects increase, environmentalists and developers are considering what to do to reduce bird death.
1.Why is the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System being built in the desert?
A. Because the temperature is extremely high in the desert.
B. Because there is no life in the desert.
C. Because there is much salt in the desert.
D. Because sunlight is highly focused in the desert.
2.Why can the plant make electricity at night?
A. Because the sun's thermal energy can be stored in the form of steam.
B. Because the sun's thermal energy can be stored in the form of molten salt.
C. Because the sun'ss thermal energy can be stored through mirrors
D. Because the sun's thermal energy can be stored in the boilers.
3.According to Lisa Belenky, in order to reduce the effect,_____.
A. we should move all the plants and animals away from the solar plant
B. we should guide the bird not to hit the solar plant
C we should build the solar plant in disturbed areas
D. we should build the solar plant in the desert
4.The author’s attitude towards the solar projects is _____.
A. supportive B. critical C. indifferent D. cautious
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
A new report says only about half of all students in the main school systems of America’s largest cities finish high school. The report notes higher rates of graduation — over 70% —in areas surrounding the cities. Researchers studied high school graduation rates from the 2003, 2004 school year. They also identified the nation’s fifty largest cities. The largest, New York City, had a population of more than eight million. The smallest city was Wichita, Kansas. It had about three hundred and sixty thousand people.
Researchers used a system of measurement called the cumulative promotion index to find graduation rates. School officials in many of the cities studied said the resulting numbers were too low. That is because different areas use different methods to find graduation rates. Critics say many methods do not give a true picture of the number of students who leave high school before finishing.
Other studies have put the national graduation rate at about 70%. But experts agree that too many students are not completing high school. They estimate the number at more than one million each year. The report was prepared for America’s Promise Alliance. The private group aims to help children receive services they need to succeed.
General Colin Powell was chairman of America’s Promise Alliance when it was formed in 1997. He attended the press conference Tuesday where the report was released. He said studies have shown that the US must do more to educate the leaders and work force of the future.
Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings also spoke. She said the government will propose that states use the same methods when reporting graduation rates. Alliance officials also announced the start of a nationwide campaign to improve graduation rates. It is to include a series of meetings to be held in every state over the next two years. The meetings will bring together elected leaders, business owners, students, parents and education officials. They will develop plans to increase the number of Americans who finish high school.
1.The author wants to tell us ___________.
A. too many Americans do not finish high school
B. different methods to find graduation rates
C. services American children need to receive
D. the increase of the number of Americans who finish their high school
2.From Paragraph 1 we can infer that __________.
A. there are 8,360,000 people in the US’ fifty largest cities
B. Wichita in Kansas is the smallest city in the US
C. 50% of the people in the US don’t finish their high school education
D. high school graduation rates in or near the biggest cities are higher
3. The underlined word “picture” probably can be replaced by “_______”.
A. situation B. scene C. image D. mood
4.From the last paragraph, we can draw a conclusion that _______-.
A. secretary of Education Margaret Spellings didn’t believe that number from the report
B. the government will stop using the cumulative promotion index to find graduation rates
C. secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced the start of a nationwide campaign to improve graduation rates
D. the low graduation rates should be paid attention to by the government and the society
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
A new report says only about half of all students in the main school systems of America’s largest cities finish high school. The report notes higher rates of graduation — over 70% —in areas surrounding the cities. Researchers studied high school graduation rates from the 2003, 2004 school year. They also identified the nation’s fifty largest cities. The largest, New York City, had a population of more than eight million. The smallest city was Wichita, Kansas. It had about three hundred and sixty thousand people.
Researchers used a system of measurement called the cumulative promotion index to find graduation rates. School officials in many of the cities studied said the resulting numbers were too low. That is because different areas use different methods to find graduation rates. Critics say many methods do not give a true picture of the number of students who leave high school before finishing.
Other studies have put the national graduation rate at about 70%. But experts agree that too many students are not completing high school. They estimate the number at more than one million each year. The report was prepared for America’s Promise Alliance. The private group aims to help children receive services they need to succeed.
General Colin Powell was chairman of America’s Promise Alliance when it was formed in 1997. He attended the press conference Tuesday where the report was released. He said studies have shown that the US must do more to educate the leaders and work force of the future.
Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings also spoke. She said the government will propose that states use the same methods when reporting graduation rates. Alliance officials also announced the start of a nationwide campaign to improve graduation rates. It is to include a series of meetings to be held in every state over the next two years. The meetings will bring together elected leaders, business owners, students, parents and education officials. They will develop plans to increase the number of Americans who finish high school.
1.The author wants to tell us ___________.
A. too many Americans do not finish high school
B. different methods to find graduation rates
C. services American children need to receive
D. the increase of the number of Americans who finish their high school
2. From Paragraph 1 we can infer that __________.
A. there are 8,360,000 people in the US’ fifty largest cities
B. Wichita in Kansas is the smallest city in the US
C. 50% of the people in the US don’t finish their high school education
D. high school graduation rates in or near the biggest cities are higher
3.The underlined word “picture” probably can be replaced by “_______”.
A. situation B. scene C. image D. mood
4.From the last paragraph, we can draw a conclusion that _______-.
A. secretary of Education Margaret Spellings didn’t believe that number from the report
B. the government will stop using the cumulative promotion index to find graduation rates
C. secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced the start of a nationwide campaign to improve graduation rates
D. the low graduation rates should be paid attention to by the government and the society
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Life may have evolved on at least three planets within a newly discovered solar system 39 light years from Earth. Astronomers at the NASA have discovered no less than seven roughly Earth-sized worlds orbiting a dwarf star in the system. Scientists had previously identified a tiny number of "exoplanets", which are believed to have the qualities needed to support life. However, the new system contains an unprecedented(前所未有) number of Earth-sized, probably rocky planets, and is being acknowledged as an "accelerated leap forward" in the search for extraterrestrial (外星球的)life.
Three of the new planets are said to be particularly promising because there might exist oceans. Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA, told a press conference in Washington: "This gives us a hint that finding a second Earth is not a matter of 'if', but 'when'."
The planets were discovered using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, which was able to track how fast each of the planets crossed the star Trappist-l and completed an orbit. From this the research team calculated how far the planets were from their star, and therefore how likely they are to be habitable.
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope is already being used to search for atmospheres around the planets. Future telescopes, including the proposed European Extremely Large Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope, may be powerful enough to discover markers of life, such as oxygen in the atmospheres of exoplanets.
Astronomers believe there could be as many as 40 billion potentially habitable worlds in our galaxy, the Milky Way. Prof Zurbuchen said that now was a "gold-rush phase" in the search for these exoplanets.
1.What makes the new discovery significant?
A. Ample markers of life. B. The potential to support life.
C. Great distance from Earth. D. The search for extraterrestrial life.
2.What helps explore atmospheres around the exoplanets?
A. Spitzer Space Telescope. B. Hubble Space Telescope.
C. European Extremely Large Telescope. D. James Webb Space Telescope.
3.What may be the best title for the text?
A. New Solar System Found B. Second Earth Discovered
C. Why to Explore Outer Space D. Gold-Rush Stage to Come
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
One of the consequences of our planet’s being warming up is a(n) ______ in the number of natural disasters.
A. account B. reason C. increase D. occurrence
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析