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Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) may soon be able to turn their used forks and knives into tools and satellite parts.
Tethers Unlimited Inc., an aerospace technology company, has developed a system that combines a waste recycling machine with a 3D printer.
Astronauts will put waste items made of plastic into the recycling machine, called the Poistrusion Recycler. When they press a button, the Recycler will melt down the plastic and turn it into 3D filament (长丝).
The filament will e used in a 3D printer on the ISS-called the Refabricator-to make tools, spare parts and satellite components.
The waste will come from packaging materials, food containers, trays and eating utensils (器具) used on the ISS. Astronaut currently use disposable wet wipes to clean their food containers and utensils. The used wipes are stored as trash (垃圾), and replacement wipes must be sent up to the ISS on cargo missions.
By recycling old food containers and utensils, astronauts will reduce the amount of trash they produce. To get rid of trash from the ISS, astronaut load it into empty cargo capsules (航天舱) and release it into space. The capsules burn up when they enter Earth’s atmosphere.
Turning trash into useful new items will also help NASA save money because astronauts will need fewer supplies. It costs about $ 6,000 for every kilogram launched into orbit. These benefits will be even more important for longer missions in the future-such as the two-year journey to Mars. Astronauts will be able to recycle old waste materials into new tools and parts as they need them.
Tethers have successfully tested the systems in its laboratory. They will test it on the ISS in late 2018. The company is also developing a version of the system for use here on Earth.
1.What material are the forks and knives for astronauts made of?
A. Gold. B. Iron
C. Plastic. D. Wood.
2.At present, the astronauts mainly get supplies by .
A. 3D printers B. reusing the old ones
C. collecting from the space D. the capsules launched from the earth
3.What can the new technology help the astronauts do?
A. Reuse the trash.
B. Send the trash to Mars.
C. Take the trash to the earth.
D. Load the trash into empty capsules and throw it away.
4.What is the biggest benefit of the new technology mentioned in the text?
A. It can save some space for the ISS.
B. It can gave more time for the astronauts.
C. It can provide more conditions to explore space.
D. It can help to reduce the journey from Earth to Mars.
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
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语法填空
Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) have fixed a hole in the shell of its outer wall. The ISS is a large satellite in space 1. scientists live to do scientific experiments. The first part of it 2. (put) into space in 1998. Last week, NASA warned astronauts on the ISS that air was 3. (slow) leaking out of the station. Astronaut Alexander Gerst and five other astronauts spent a lot of time 4. (look) for the leak. Mr. Gerst eventually found it and he put his finger over the hole. Luckily, the hole was only two millimeters wide, so it was not serious, but it did need 5. (fix).
The hole was in a Russian Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft. NASA said it could have been caused 6. a small piece of space junk. The ISS travels at 7.speed of around 28,000 kph. Even a tiny object 8. (hit) it can cause a lot of damage. Flight 9. (control) in the USA and Russia worked together with the crew to repair the hole.
A NASA official said the crew on the ISS are 10. (health) and safe after the repair.
高三英语语法填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
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Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) recently tested an oven they used to bake five chocolate chip cookies. We now know the results of that experiment: the cookies took a lot longer to bake in space than on Earth. The cookies that came out best required two hours of baking time inside the International Space Station. The baking time for cookies on Earth is generally only about 20 minutes.
The cookies returned to Earth earlier this month aboard a SpaceX-built spacecraft that splashed down in the Pacific Ocean. The cookies are the first food baked in space from raw food materials. They remain frozen in a laboratory in Houston, Texas. The American company Nanoracks designed and built the cookie oven. Hilton DoubleTree hotels supplied the cookie dough.
The makers of the oven did expect some difference in the baking time in space, but they were surprised that that difference was so large. "There's still a lot to look into to figure out really what's driving that difference, but definitely a cool result," said Mary Murphy. She is with the company Nanoracks, which is based in Texas. Murphy said the baking results will continue to be examined in order to better understand why space baking took so much longer. In addition, researchers will study the effectiveness of the baking tray, which was designed to work in microgravity conditions.
The five chocolate chip cookies were frozen when they were sent to space. Each had to be baked separately in the oven. Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano took charge of the baking experiment in December. He reported that the first cookie stayed in the oven for 25 minutes at 149 degrees Celsius. When it came out of the oven, it was seriously under-baked. For the next two cookies, Parmitano more than doubled the baking time. Those cookies came out better, but were still under-baked. The fourth cookie stayed in the oven for two hours, after which Parmitano was able to report success. "I can't tell you whether it's cooked all the way or not, but it certainly doesn't look like cookie dough anymore," he reported to controllers back on Earth. For the fifth cookie, Parmitano turned the oven temperature up to 163 degrees Celsius and baked it for 130 minutes. This time, he reported the best baking results.
No one has tasted the space-traveling cookies just yet. Organizers of the experiment say additional testing will need be carried out to determine whether they are safe to eat.
1.How long do it takes to bake cookies in ISS?
A.About 20 minutes. B.25 minutes.
C.About an hour. D.2 hours.
2.What is the oven maker's attitude towards the large difference?
A.Critical. B.Amazed.
C.Indifferent D.Worried
3.What can we infer from the fourth paragraph?
A.The baking experiments ended up in a success.
B.Each of the five cookies was cooked in different time.
C.The more time, the better baking results.
D.The five cookies were frozen after baking.
4.What can be concluded in the passage?
A.The space-traveling cookies are safe for astronauts to eat.
B.Cookies on Earth are the same as the space-traveling cookies.
C.More tests will be taken for the space-traveling cookies.
D.The five cookies ended up in the Pacific Ocean.
高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
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The International Space Station (ISS) is a huge space station. It is being ____ by thousands of people from 16 countries. All these people are trying to find out if humans can one day build ____ in space.
Floating 230 miles above Earth, the International Space Station currently ____ a huge building-block project out in space. US space shuttles and Russian rockets have been ____ tools and pieces of the ____ into space to help finish building it. From the beginning of its construction in 1998 to its ____, more than 100 major pieces will be put together to create this ____ space station. When ____, it will be the largest structure ever to fly above Earth. The ISS will be ____ than a football field and will weigh about one million pounds.
In addition to helping build the space station, ____ are trying to answer such questions as these: How does space travel affect germs? Does the human body break down food ____ in space? Someday, the station may even serve as a launchpad (发射台) for trips to other ____, such as Mars.
Because of its ____ size, the ISS needs a lot of ____. Like other man-made bodies in space, its power comes from the ____. To create solar energy, large panels (嵌板) are lined with special materials. These materials ____ the sun's energy and change it into electricity.
So what does it cost to build such a ____? It costs over $60 billion dollars. ____ this may seem astronomical, it may be a small price to ____ a project that enables some of the world's finest scientists to work together, exploring space for the world's ____.
1.A. discussed B. used C. driven D. constructed
2.A. schools B. shops C. homes D. factories
3.A. looks like B. comes from C. turns into D. belongs to
4.A. changing B. transporting C. breaking D. dividing
5.A. station B. material C. metal D. product
6.A. design B. progress C. popularity D. completion
7.A. ordinary B. small C. Amazing D. attractive
8.A. applied B. closed C. entered D. finished
9.A. longer B. larger C. better D. more
10.A. scientists B. professors C. architects D. workers
11.A. differently B. actively C. instantly D. wholly
12.A. surfaces B. planets C. locations D. lands
13.A. limited B. standard C. middle D. impressive
14.A. astronauts B. experts C. power D. space
15.A. wind B. air C. sun D. water
16.A. collect B. produce C. provide D. consume
17.A. house B. structure C. mode D. system
18.A. Since B. If C. When D. Although
19.A. take ove B. set up C. pay for D. lead to
20.A. existence B. future C. peace D. dream
高三英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
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We can video chat with astronauts aboard the International Space Station and watch live footage from the frozen heights of Everest. But communicating with a submarine (潜艇）or a diver is not so easy. The lack of practical methods for sharing data between underwater and airborne devices has long been a frustration for scientists. The difficulty stems from the fact that radio signals work perfectly in air travel but poorly in water. Sonar (声呐）signals used by underwater sensors reflect off the surface of the water rather than reaching the air.
Now，researchers at MIT have developed a method with the potential to revolutionize underwater communication. “What we’ve shown is that it’s actually feasible to communicate from underwater to the air," says Fadel Adib，a professor at MJT’ s Media Lab，who led the research.
The MIT researchers designed a system that uses an underwater machine to send sonar signals to the surface, making vibrations (震动)corresponding to the ls and Os of the data. A surface receiver then reads and decodes these tiny vibrations. The researchers call the system TARF. It has any number of potential real-world uses, Adib says. It could be used to find downed planes underwater by reading signals from sonar devices in a plane' s black box and it could allow submarines to communicate with the surface.
Right now the technology is low-resolution. The initial study was conducted in the MIT swimming pool at maximum depths of around 11 or 12 feet. The next steps for the researchers are to see if TARF is workable at much greater depths and under varying conditions—high waves, storms， schools of fish. They also want to see if they can make the technology work in the other direction— air to water.
If the technology proves successful in real-world conditions, expect “texting while diving” to be the latest underwater fashion.
1.What does the author mainly talk about in Paragraph 1?
A. The future of video chat underwater and in air.
B. The frustrations of developing underwater devices.
C. The difficulty of communication from water to air.
D. The current situation of communicating with a submarine.
2.What does the underlined word “feasible” mean?
A. Achievable. B. Convenient.
C. Changeable. D. Alternative.
3.What do we know about TARF?
A. It is widely used to find downed planes.
B. It can work well at great depths underwater.
C. It is an underwater machine that sends signals.
D. It can send，receive and read signals from underwater.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A. The Real-world Uses of Sonar Technology
B. Full Water-to-air Communication Closer to Reality
C. A Breakthrough in the Application of Video Chat
D. TARF Becoming a New Means of Communication
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
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Astronauts aboard the space station celebrated a space first on Wednesday by drinking water that had been recycled from their urine(尿), sweat and water got from air. They said "cheers," clicked drinking bags and toasted NASA workers on the ground.
The urine recycling system is needed for astronaut stations on the moon and Mars. It also will have NASA money because it won’t have to ship up as much water to the station by space shuttles or cargo rockets. Besides, it’s important as the space station is about to expand from three people living on board to six.
The recycling system had been brought up to the space station last November by space shuttles Endeavour, but it couldn’t be used until samples(样品) were tested back on earth. So when it came time to actually drink up, NASA made a big deal of it. The three-man crew stood holding their drinks and congratulated engineers in two NASA centres that worked on the system.
“This is something that had been the stuff of science fiction,” American astronaut Michael Barratt said before taking a small mouthful. “The taste is worth trying.”
The new system takes the combined urine of the crew from the toilet, moves it to a big tank, where the water is boiled off, and the vapor(水蒸气) is collected. The rest of the urine is thrown away. Then the water vapor is mixed with water from air, and then it goes through filters (过滤器). When six crew members are aboard it can make about six gallons from urine in about six hours.
“Some people may find the idea of drinking recycled urine distasteful, but it is also done on earth, but with a lot longer time between urine and the tap,” said Marybeth Edeen, the space station’s national lab manager.
The technology NASA developed for this system has already been used for quick water purification after the 2004 Asian tsunami.
1. According to the text, the recycling system is important because ___________.
A. it makes traveling to the moon for the average person possible
B. with it NASA won’t need to ship any water up the space station
C. it can help meet the need for more water after the crew is expanded
D. it protects the environment in space by reducing the amount of waste
2.What’s the RIGHT time order of the following events?
a. The samples of the recycled water were tested on earth.
b. Astronauts celebrated the space first of making water from urine
c. The recycling system was brought up to the space station.
d. The technology for the system was used to quickly purify water.
A. a, d, c, b B. a, c, b, d C. d, a, c, b D. d, c, a, b
3.From Para. 5 we can know ____________.
A. the theory behind the recycling system B. the effect of the recycling system
C. the process of recycling urine D. an opinion on recycling urine
4.What did Edeen say about recycled urine and the recycling system?
A. The taste of recycled urine is not as good as that of common water.
B. The recycling system has made a science fiction story come true.
C. The idea of drinking recycled urine makes astronauts feel unpleasant.
D. It takes a longer time on earth to make water from urine than in space.
5.What is the best title for the passage?
A. The Research of NASA Has Made Great Progress.
B. New Technology Is Used in the Space Station.
C. Drink up: Space Station Recycles Urine to Water.
D. Good News: Water Recycled from Urine Tastes Good
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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Astronauts aboard the space station celebrated a space first on Wednesday by drinking water that had been recycled from their urine(尿), sweat and water got from air. They said “cheers,” clicked drinking bags and toasted NASA workers on the ground.
The urine recycling system is needed for astronaut stations on the moon and Mars. It also will save NASA money because it won’t have to ship up as much water to the station by space shuttles or rockets. Besides, it’s important as the space station is about to expand from three people living on board to six.
The recycling system had been brought up to the space station last November by space shuttle Endeavour, but it couldn’t be used until samples(样品) were tested back on earth. So when it came time to actually drink up, NASA made a big deal of it. The three-man crew stood holding their drinks and thanked engineers in two NASA centers that worked on the system.
“This is something that had been the stuff of science fiction,” American astronaut Michael Barratt said before taking a small mouthful. “The taste is worth trying.”
The new system takes the combined urine of the crew from the toilet, moves it to a big tank, where the water is boiled off, and the steam is collected. The rest of the urine is thrown away. Then the water steam is mixed with water from air, and then it goes through filters (过滤器). When six crew members are aboard it can make about 18 liters from urine in about 6 hours.
“Some people may find the idea of drinking recycled urine distasteful, but it is also done on earth, but with a lot longer time between urine and the tap,” said Marybeth Edeen, the space station’s national lab manager.The technology NASA developed for this system has already been used for quick water purification after the 2004 Asian tsunami.
1. According to the text, the recycling system is important because __________.A. it makes traveling to the moon for the average person possible
B. it can help meet the need for more water after the crew is expanded
C. with it NASA won’t need to ship any water up the space station
D. it protects the environment in space by reducing the amount of waste
2. From Paragraph 5 we can know __________.
A. the process of recycling urine
B. the effect of the recycling system
C. the theory behind the recycling system
D. an opinion on recycling urine
3. What did Edeen say about recycled urine and the recycling system?
A. The taste of recycled urine is not as good as that of common water.
B. The recycling system has made a science fiction story come true.
C. The idea of drinking recycled urine makes astronauts feel unpleasant.
D. It takes a longer time on earth to make water from urine than in space.
4. What is the best title for the passage?
A. The Research of NASA Has Made Great Progress
B. New Technology Is Used in the Space Station
C. Drink up: Space Station Recycles Urine to Water
D. Good News:Water Recycled from Urine Tastes Good
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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It may be 5 or 10 years __________ it is possible for people to find a space station on the moon.
A. since B. before C. after D. when
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
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The Columbia has finished the task in the International Space Station and is reported to come back to the earth tomorrow, or to be more _____ , at 3:32p.m. local time.
A．brief
B．special
C．general
D．specific
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
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British singer Sarah Brightman began training for a 2015 flight to the International Space Station where she hopes to become the first professional musician to sing from space, the company arranging the trip said on Tuesday.
Brightman, a famed soprano (女高音) who starred in Andrew Lloyd Webber' s "Phantom of the Opera" , will pay about $ 52 million for a 10-day stay aboard the orbital outpost, Tom Shelley, president of privately owned Space Adventures, said.
Brightman, who will become the eighth privately funded space tourist, is scheduled to fly in September 2015. Her training to fly on a Russian Soyuz capsule began last fall.
Brightman has planned to be the first professional musician to sing from space. But she faces competition from Lady Gaga, who, according to media reports late last year, intends to be the first when she performs one song in space in early 2015 on a Virgin Galactic flight. Virgin Galactic, part of Richard Branson's Virgin Group, plans to offer suborbital(亚轨道的) space flights.
Brightman said in 2012 that she would travel to the space station, but her plans haven't been confirmed until now. So far. Space Adventures has arranged for nine private missions to the space station, a $ 100 billion research laboratory that flies about 260 miles above the earth. Microsoft co-founder Charles Simonyi made two trips.
Brightman will be the first private citizen to visit the station since Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Lalibarte paid about $ 35 million for an 11-day stay in September 2009.
Google co-founder Sergey Brin has an option to fly on the next available Soyuz seat after Brightman, which most likely will be in 2017, Shelley told Reuters.
1. What is the purpose of the passage?
A. To praise Brightman.
B. To persuade the readers that Brightman is more famous than Lady Gaga.
C. To instruct the readers how to begin a space flight.
D. To give some information about Brightman.
2. When did Brightman start training for her space travel?
A. Last winter. B. Last autumn.
C. Next spring. D. Next summer.
3. The underlined word "she" in Paragraph 4 refers to ____.
A. Brightman B. Lady Gaga
C. Andrew Lloyd Webber D. Tom Shelley
4. The fifth paragraph is mainly carried out ____.
A. in time order B. in space order
C. by giving examples D. by comparison
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
1. According to the text, the recycling system is important because __________.