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NASA on September 28, 2015 announced the strongest evidence yet for liquid water on the red planet, increasing the possibility that astronauts journeying to Mars could someday rely on the planet's own water for their drinking needs.
You may feel like you've heard about the hunt for liquid water on Mars before—and the researchers involved know it may seem played out. But science has yet to truly prove that water flows on Mars once and for all, and doing so could completely change the way we view the planet. This new data is a big step in the right direction.
"Liquid water is an attractive topic, and we like the thousandth time someone has discovered water on Mars," Lujendra Ojha, the Georgia Tech PhD candidate who led the research announced Monday, told The Post. But there's a good reason that liquid water is so "attractive": Mars is now the only planet in our solar system to show evidence of the stuff on its surface, other than our own. Other worlds have it in subsurface oceans, or scattered around as vapor in the atmosphere. But Mars is the only place where we have solid evidence for liquid that sits right there in the open air. While it would be a major leap to suggest that Mars might harbor life—even microbial life—liquid water at least makes it possible that parts of the planet are habitable.
The study builds on research from April, when scientists using data from the Curiosity rover noted that the planet had the seasonal potential for liquid water. We know that because of the extremely low pressure on Mars, water has a boiling point of just a few degrees Celsius, after which it evaporates. The April study noted the presence of perchlorates (高氯酸盐) —a kind of salt—which could make the boiling point of Mars' water much higher, theoretically allowing it to remain liquid. They affirmed that the planet's temperature would be right for liquid, perchlorate-filled water to form every day during winter and spring.
1.What does the Paragraph 2 mainly tell us?
A. The significance of the discovery.
B. The doubt of the discovery.
C. The difficulty of the discovery.
D. The expense of the discovery.
2.The underlined words "our own" in Paragraph 3 refer to ________.
A. Mars
B. the earth
C. liquid water
D. the solar system
3. What plays an important role in making Mars' water in the state of liquid?
A. The thick atmosphere around Mars.
B. The physical structure of Mars.
C. The extremely low pressure on Mars.
D. Perchlorates in Mar's water.
4. The best title for the passage can be "________".
A. Water on Mars could be used for dringking
B. There might be some kinds of life on Mars
C. NASA would send astronauts to journey to Mars
D. NASA confirms the best-ever evidence for water on Mars
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Washington: NASA has announced evidence that Jupiter's largest moon, Ganymede, has a saltwater ocean under its icy surface. The ocean seems to have more water than all the water on Earth's surface, according to new Hubble observation.
New Hubble observations of Ganymede's magnetic field strongly suggest that the moon, which is the largest in our whole solar system, is home to a subsurface ocean.
Scientists estimate the ocean is 95 kilometres thick, which is about 10 times deeper than Earth's oceans. But unlike our salty waters, Ganymede's ocean is buried under 150 kilometres of ice.
While scientists have speculated(推测) since 1970s about the presence of an ocean on Ganymede------the largest moon in our solar system------ until now the only observational evidence came from a brief flyby by the Galileo spacecraft, which didn’t observe the moon long enough to confirm a liquid ocean.
This discovery marks an important milestone, highlighting what only Hubble can accomplish. In its 25 years in orbit, Hubble has made many scientific discoveries in our own solar system. A deep ocean under the icy surface of Ganymede opens up further exciting possibilities for life beyond Earth.
Scientists have already confirmed the existence of an ocean on Europe, another moon orbiting Jupiter, and NASA has announced plans to send an unmanned mission there searching for the life that might come with liquid water.
Hubble is a telescope that orbits Earth, but because of its impressive gravitational analyses it can be used to study the inside of far distant planets. Using these same principles, scientists could theoretically detect oceans on distant planets as well.
1.What can we learn about the Ganymede from the passage?
It is a planet with the largest moon in our whole solar system.
B. Its ocean adds to people’s excitement about life beyond Earth.
C. It will be used by NASA as a base for the Hubble telescope.
D. Its liquid ocean was first proved by the Galileo spacecraft.
2.Which of the following best describes the writer’s attitude towards Hubble?
A. Cautious B. Doubtful
C. Negative D. Favourable
3.What does the underlined part in Paragraph 6 mean?
An underground ocean has been found in Europe.
B. The presence of an underground ocean in Europe is not possible.
C. It is now certain that there is an ocean on Europe.
D. No evidence has shown the existence of an ocean on Europe.
4.What type of writing does this passage belong to?
A. A term essay
B. A news report
C. An experiment report
D. An exploration review.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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阅读理解
Washington: NASA has announced evidence that Jupiter's largest moon, Ganymede, has a saltwater ocean under its icy surface. The ocean seems to have more water than all the water on Earth's surface, according to new Hubble observations.
New Hubble observations of Ganymede's magnetic field strongly suggest that the moon, which is the largest in our whole solar system, is home to a subsurface ocean.
Scientists estimate that the oceanis 95 kilometres thick, which is about 10 times deeper than Earth's oceans. But unlike our salty waters, Ganymede's ocean is buried under 150 kilometres of ice.
While scientists have speculated (推测) since the 1970s about the presence of an ocean on Ganymede — the largest moon in our solar system — until now the only observational evidence came from a brief flyby by the Galileo spacecraft, which didn't observe the moon long enough to confirm a liquid ocean.
This discovery marks an important milestone, highlighting what only Hubble can accomplish. In its 25 years in orbit, Hubble has made many scientific discoveries in our own solar system. A deep ocean under the icy surface of Ganymede opens up further exciting possibilities for life beyond Earth.
Scientists_have_already_confirmed_the_existence_of_an_ocean_on_Europa,_another moon orbiting Jupiter, and NASA has announced plans to send an unmanned mission there searching for the life that might come with liquid water.
Hubble is a telescope that orbits Earth, but because of its impressive gravitational analyses it can be used to study the inside of far distant planets. Using these same principles, scientists could theoretically detect oceans on distant exoplanets as well.
1.What can we learn about Ganymede from the passage?
A．It is a planet with the largest moon in our whole solar system.
B．Its ocean adds to people's excitement about life beyond Earth.
C．It will be used by NASA as a base for the Hubble telescope.
D．Its liquid ocean was first proved by the Galileo spacecraft.
2.Which of the following best describes the writer's attitude towards Hubble?
A．Cautious. B．Doubtful.
C．Negative. D．Favourable.
3.What does the underlined part in Paragraph 6 mean?
A．An underground ocean has been found in Europa.
B．The presence of an underground ocean in Europa is not possible.
C．It is now certain that there is an ocean on Europa.
D．No evidence has shown the existence of an ocean on Europa.
4.What type of writing does this passage belong to?
A．A term essay.
B．A news report.
C．An experiment report.
D．An exploration review.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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NASA scientists have found evidence of flowing water on Mars. This opens up the possibility of___ and wonders we can’t begin to imagine. The____undoubtedly is an astonishing achievement.
We may be excited by the thought of living things on another ______, but we seem to have lost _______in our own. In the past four decades, the world has____50% of its vertebrate( 脊 椎 )wildlife. But across the latter half of this period, there has been a steep___ in media coverage (报道)of the subject.
Think of what would change if we valued_____ on the earth as much as we value the possibility water on Mars._____ 3% of the water on this planet is fresh and of that, two-thirds is frozen. Yet we lay waste to the ___part. Sixty percent of the water used in farming is____by careless irrigation. Rivers, lakes and aquifers ( 地 下 蓄 水 层 )are sucked dry, while what remains is often so bad that it____the lives of those who drink it. As for salty water, which so______us when apparently detected on Mars, however, on Earth, we express our___ by destroying it. A new report suggests fish numbers have halved since 1970. Coral reefs are under such___ that most could be gone by 2050.
A couple of weeks ago, I launched a column focusing on extreme consumption, and___ suggestions. They have flooded in. Here are just a few of the _____:wigs(假发)for babies, to allow “baby girls with little or no ___at all the opportunity to have a beautifully realistic hair style”; The iPotty, which _____little children to keep playing while toilet training; a smartphone for dogs to take pictures of themselves....
As clever new ways of wasting stuff are continually___ , we become more and more used to the___ consumption of the world’s precious resources. Isn’t it time for us to have second thoughts about our lifestyle?
1.A.peace B.trust C.life D.danger
2.A.appearance B.discovery C.performance D.operation
3.A.planet B.stage C.level D.island
4.A.courage B.hope C.pride D.interest
5.A.spread B.lost C.ignored D.found
6.A.climb B.turn C.increase D.decline
7.A.water B.plants C.animals D.air
8.A.Often B.Only C.Even D.Last
9.A.private B.public C.unclear D.accessible
10.A.checked B.chosen C.wasted D.polluted
11.A.saves B.threatens C.enriches D.changes
12.A.interests B.satisfies C.frightens D.terrifies
13.A.complaint B.doubt C.appreciation D.surprise
14.A.pressure B.control C.guidance D.attention
15.A.made B.considered C.invited D.followed
16.A.benefits B.reasons C.features D.products
17.A.time B.hair C.help D.knowledge
18.A.allows B.promises C.persuades D.advises
19.A.criticized B.reported C.replaced D.created
20.A.expensive B.limited C.pointless D.stable
高三英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
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The announcements by the NASA，in the form of several Web site postings and a video posted on YouTube，were in response to worries that the world will end on Dec．21，2012．
The doomsday(末日) rumour reached a high point with the release of the new movie “2012”，directed by Roland Emmerich．In the movie，Yellowstone blows up, showering the continent with black ash．Tidal waves wash over the Himalayas，where the governments of the planet have secretly built a ship which a select 400，000 people can ride out the storm．There are hundreds of hooks devoted to 2012，and millions of Web sites，depending on what combination of“2012”and“doomsday”you type into Google．All of it，astronomers say, is nonsense．“Most of what's claimed for 2012 relies on wishful thinking and ignorance of astronomy．”Ed Krupp， an expert on ancient astronomy，wrote in an article in the November issue of Sky＆Telescope．
“I get angry at the way people are being influenced and frightened to make money,” Morrison said．“There is no right to frighten children to make a buck．”suggested David Morrison，an astronomer at the NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field，Calif．He said he had been getting about 20 letters and e—mail messages a day from people as far away as India scared out of their wits．Morrison said he did not blame the movie for all this，as much as many other supporters of the Mayan prediction．But then，he said，“my doctorate is in astronomy，not psychology．”
In an e—mail exchange, Krupp said：“We are always uncertain about the future，and we always consume representations of it．We are always attracted by the romance of the ancient past．”A NASA spokesman，Dwayne Brown，said the agency did not comment on movies，leaving that to movie critics．But when it comes to science, Brown said, “we felt it was careful to provide a resource．”
If you want to worry，most scientists say，you should think about global climate change or nuclear war．But if ancient prophecies(预言)get you going，here are some things Morrison and the others think you should know．
64．Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A．Dr．Morrison blamed the Movie“2011”for the panic it aroused in the public around the world．
B．People who watched the movie were seared and firmly believed that the end of the world was coming．
C．In terms of science it was better to provide evidence and theory at the same time．
D．Dr．Morrison thought it was not right to make money by frightening people．
65．It can be inferred from the text that ．
A．astronomers think that doomsday is likely to happen in the near future
B．the reason why the NASA posted web site postings was to make people interested in astronomy
C．scientists think we shouldn't worry about doomsday but show concern about environment protection
D．most astronomers agree that the world is not ending—at least anytime soon
66．Which of the following would be the best title?
A．A New Movie“2012” B．Is Doomsday Coming?
C．End-of-the-World Stories D．Astronomers Comment on Movies
67．What would the author probably discuss in the paragraph that follows?
A．Evidence that the Mayans thought something special would happen in 2012．
B．What will really happen in 2012．
C．The reason why there is no need to worry about doomsday．
D．Ancient stories about the end of the world．
高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
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Next Stop: Planet Mars
Fly me to the moon? That’s not far enough. On September 14, 2011, NASA released designs for a superrocket, the Space Launch System (SLS). This time the final destination will be Mars.
The SLS is a huge, liquid-fuelled rocket. If it is fully developed, it will be the most powerful rocket ever built. Its lift capability will be much bigger than that of the space shuttle of Saturn 5, the rocket that sent the Apollo missions to the moon.
NASA is planning to launch its first unmanned test flight in 2017. It is hoped that the first crew will fly in 2021 and astronauts will make it to a nearby asteroid(小行星) in 2025. NASA hopes to send the rocket and astronauts to Mars from the asteroid by the 2030s, according to the Associated Press (AP).
NASA used liquid rockets to send Apollo, Gemini and Mercury into space, but later changed to solid rockets boosters(助推火箭) because they were cheaper. Tragically, however, a booster flaw(缺陷) caused the space shuttle Challenger to crash in 1986. The new project plans to return to liquid fuel.
According to AP, the rockets will at first be able to carry 77 to 110 tons of payload(净载重量). Eventually they will be able to carry 143 tons into space, maybe even as many as 165 tons, NASA officials said. By comparison, the Saturn 5 booster could lift 130 tons and the space shuttle just 27 tons.
However, unlike reusable shuttles, these powerful rockets are mostly one use only. New ones have to be built for every launch. This will be very costly.
NASA estimates that it will cost about $3 billion (19 billion yuan) per year, or $18 billion until the first test flight in 2017. NASA hopes to make money by allowing private companies to send astronauts to the International Space Station like giant taxi services, so that the program can be “sustainable”.
“This is perhaps the biggest thing for space exploration in decades,” said Senator Bill Nelson, a former astronaut. “The goal is to fly humans safely beyond low-Earth orbit(轨道) and deep into outer space where we cannot only survive, but one day also live.”
1.What is the outstanding feature of the SLS?
A．It’s equipped with an advanced control system.
B．It’s the first unmanned space shuttle in the world.
C．It’s the only vehicle that can fly astronauts to the moon.
D．It can send a lot more goods and passengers into space.
2.What is Saturn 5?
A．An aircraft that had a deadly flaw and crashed in 1986.
B．A series of rockets that once sent astronauts to the moon.
C．An unmanned space shuttle that was once famous in the world.
D．A kind of launch vehicle that will be used to carry astronauts to Mars.
3.NASA plans to use liquid fuel in the new project because ______ than solid rockets boosters.
A．it is less costly
B．it is much safer
C．it can last longer
D．it is more environmentally friendly
4.According to NASA’s schedule, it will take ______ years to fully complete the SLS program.
A．about 6 B．about 10
C．less than 14 D．more than 19
5.It can be inferred from the passage that ______.
A．the SLS program is planning to make reusable rockets
B．the goal of the SLS program is to enable humans to live on the moon
C．the US government may not have provided enough money for the SLS program
D．NASA will use SLS as a space taxi between the Earth and Mars
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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E
New research at Yale University has provided the strongest evidence that humans are evolving（进化）- and suggests that women of the future will be shorter, heavier, and healthier, and will have children for longer.
As medicine has allowed people who would previously have died young to live to childbearing age and beyond, many have assumed that natural selection no longer works on our species. But Prof Stephen Stearns, the evolutionary biologist at Yale University behind the study, says: "That's just plain false." While survival to reproductive age（生育年龄） is no longer such a barrier（障碍） for humans, other evolutionary pressures – including sexual selection and reproductive fitness – are still working away in full force. If the trends the research detected are representative and continue for another 10 generations, Prof Stearns says that the average woman in 2409AD will be 2cm shorter and 1kg heavier, will bear her first child five months earlier.
Prof Stearns and his team studied the medical histories of 14,000 residents of the Massachusetts town of Framingham, using medical data from a study going back to 1948 and spanning three generations. It looked at 2,238 women past reproductive age – so that they had had all the children they were going to – and tested their height, weight, cholesterol（胆固醇）, blood pressure, and other traits, to see if there was a correlation with the number of children they had borne. It found that shorter, heavier women had more children than lighter, taller ones. Women with lower blood pressure and cholesterol were also more likely to have large families. Women who gave birth early or had a late menopause were likely to have more children as well. More importantly, however, these traits were then passed on to their daughters, who also, on average, had more children.
The study has not determined why these factors are linked to reproductive success, but it is likely that they indicate genetic, rather than environmental, effects. Prof Stearns’ team controlled for other factors, including social and cultural change.
Research suggesting humans are evolving has been carried out before, but this is believed to be the first that directly compares reproductive success of individuals with physiological changes（生理变化）.
72. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Natural selection no longer works on our species, especially the woman.
B. Woman of the future will be shorter, heavier, and healthier, and will have children for longer
C. Some genetic, rather than environmental effects has more influence on the evolvement of the humans.
D. Evolutionary pressures are still working in full force on the evolvement of the humans.
73. Which of the following statements is False about the women’s evolvement according to the research?
A. women will shorter
B. women will be fatter
C. The time for the women to have baby will be longer
D. women will be cleverer
74. Which factor is the most promising related to reproductive success?
A. Genetic B. Social C. Environmental D. Cultural
75. This passage may most likely be taken from .
A. a geography magazine
B. a medicine and technology research journal
C. a daily newspaper
D. an entertainment book
高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
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Li Na officially announced his retirement on September 18, 2014, ________ tennis for 26 years.
A. having played B. had played
C. played D. having been played
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【原创】On Sunday, Samsung used the 2015 installment of Mobile World Congress to announce the latest models of its Galaxy line of smartphones: the S6 and S6 Edge, aiming to retake its throne.
Both devices take the Galaxy line in a completely new direction. The most apparent change is the noticeable lack of plastic formerly synonymous with Samsung smartphones. With the S6 lineup, Samsung chose to go with a combination of metal and a glass housing.
The S6 Edge features a curved display on both edges of the screen. A fingerprint sensor sits below the home button. The user only needs to place a finger on the button and wait for the scan to complete. The change makes the experience nearly identical to that of Apple’s Touch ID.
Sure to disappoint Samsung loyalists, the South Korean company rejected two features long used to mock(嘲弄)Apple’s AAPL 0.49% iPhone: expandable storage and a replaceable battery. Looking beyond the changes in appearance are a faster processor, higher-quality camera, curved display, and wireless charging capabilities.
The new feature called Samsung Pay is very appealing and will bring users more convenience.
And it has a leg up on Apple Pay, which is limited to working only at retail locations and outlets with the necessary equipment to process NFC payments. With Samsung Pay, users won’t be caught in the middle of a spat between competing payment platforms. So go right ahead.
Another thing: Each year when Samsung would announce the latest Galaxy device, it would announce some software-based features that served little purpose. With this year’s release, Samsung cut the fat. Any unnecessary menus were left out.
For years, Samsung’s flagship phones have been long on features, but short on follow-through. The new Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge appear to lay the groundwork for a lineup of devices that are quite the opposite.
1. What is the main idea of this passage?
A. The competition between Samsung and Apple.
B. The introduction of the latest models of Samsung.
C. The development of Samsung company.
D. The similarity between Apple and Samsung.
2.Which is NOT the new feature of the S6 and S6 Edge?
A. An emergency battery B. A faster processor.
C. Samsung Pay. D. Higher-quality camera.
3.According to the passage, we can know Apple ______.
A. has a replaceable battery
B. has Touch ID
C. uses plastics as material
D. has no payment function
4.In which aspect may Samsung’s latest models disappoint its users?
A. It is more expensive than expected.
B. Mobile payment function is inconvenient.
C. It has more useless software.
D. Its storage can’t be expanded any longer.
5.What can we know from the last paragraph?
A. Samsung is longer in shape.
B. Samsung is good at creating new models.
C. Samsung has an advantage of function.
D. Samsung is always following trends.
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Are we alone in the universe? A team of scientists announced on January 6, 2015 that they had identified eight planets beyond our solar system, three or four of which orbit in their stars’ “Goldilocks Zone” --- the region where temperatures are not too hot or too cold for water, which is a necessary ingredient for life as we know it, to exist liquid form.This may be good news for people hoping that Earth is not the only inhabited world in the universe.
The scientists, led by Dr. Guilermo Torres of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, made the discoveries using data collected by the planet-seeking Kepler telescope.
NASA launched Kepler in 2009. Since then, the telescope has identified more than 1,000 planets outside of our solar system. Torres and his team analyzed the data about the eight newly discovered world to determine which ones are most likely to be similar to our Earth.
Among the new discoveries, the scientists say the planets called Kepler438b and 442b are the closest to Earth. Kepler 438b is just about 10% larger than our planet, and gets 40% more of its energy from its star than Earth receives from the Sun. Temperatures there would be about 140 degrees. Kepler 442b is about 33% larger than Earth, but receives 30% less energy from its star. That would make it a potentially chillier world than our own.Torres says it is possible for life to exist and survive in either of those temperatures, but for that to happen, these planets would need to have another key ingredient for life: a heat-trapping atmosphere like Earth’s.
While these findings add to the possibility that life exists beyond Earth, Torres cautions against drawing conclusions, “We are not claiming they are inhabited,” he says. In fact, these planets are so far away that the scientists cannot observe them directly, which can be explanation for why for now it remains unknown whether these planets contain life. But the discovery of planets in their stars’ habitable zones suggests that somewhere out there, some form of alien life may have taken hold.
1.The scientists have identified eight planets, .
A. which are suitable for humans to live on
B. some of which are possible for life to exist on
C. some of which have the same situations as Earth
D. which are not too hot or too cold for water to exist on
2.Which statement about the discovery of Torres and his team is TRUE?
A. Kepler 438b is too hot for any life to exist on
B. Kepler 438b and 442b are the farthest to Earth
C. They have made the discoveries through Kepler
D. They have discovered over 1000 planets in 7 years
3.What is the possible thing that Kepler 442b lacks for life to exist on?
A. The water B. The sunlight
C. The soil D. The atmosphere
4.About their exploration, Torres wants to indicate that .
A. there is a lot left to learn
B. they have had decisive gains
C. it is the first in human history
D. it is certain for life on the planets
5.Which can be the best title for this passage?
A. Are We Alone?
B. Eye on the Stars
C. Discover Another Earth
D. Discovery of New Stars to Live on
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析