Wang Yaping’s dream of becoming an astronaut was inspired by Yang Liwei’s 2003 space flight, which was China’s first manned space mission.
Born in a small village in Yantai, Shandong Province in 1980, Wang had been an enthusiastic long-distance runner since primary school, and competed in local sports meetings.
In 1997, Wang, a high school student, was encouraged to register for the pilot recruitment program by her classmates because she was good at sports and didn’t wear glasses. The 17-year-old had been considering applying to a teaching college, as her parents suggested.
Given her strong build and ability to stay calm under pressure, Wang passed all tests as well as physical examinations and became a female pilot in China. After four years of systemic education and tough training, Wang eventually learned to fly four different types of aircraft before graduation.
During her service as a military pilot, she accumulated 1,567 hours of flight time and was involved in major tasks such as the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake relief effort and the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
In May 2010, Wang became a member of China’s first batch of female astronauts. The joy of being selected did not last long as the hard training quickly sank in.
In the first year, Wang could not get the top level in the high-G training, during which she had to endure eight times the force of gravity in a spinning centrifuge. The training imitates the environment when the spacecraft takes off, enters orbit and returns. Wang improved her performance by doing extra core-strength exercises every day to strengthen her back and abdominal muscles. She got the top level at the end of 2011. Wang realized her space dream in 2013 as part of the Shenzhou-10 mission.
Over the past two years, Wang has logged in over 6,000 hours of strict training. The most tiring exercise was the seven-hour underwater training session during which she had to wear a special suit that weighed over 100 kilograms to simulate extravehicular activities in a weightless environment.
Wang has become the first female taikonaut to work in China’s Tiangong space station as well as the first Chinese woman to perform a spacewalk.
8. Why did Wang want to become an astronaut?
A.Because she was able to stay calm under pressure. |
B.Because she was good at sports and didn’t wear glasses. |
C.Because she was advised to register for the pilot program by her parents. |
D.Because she was influenced by China’s first manned space flight. |
9. From this passage, we can know that
.
A.Wang was the first Chinese female to take a spacewalk |
B.Wang won a long-distance runner championship in college. |
C.Wang went to a teaching college encouraged by her classmates. |
D.Wang thought the seven-hour underwater training session was easy. |
10. What did Wang do after she joined China’s first batch of female astronauts?
A.She learned to fly four different types of aircraft. |
B.She received four years of systemic education in university. |
C.She participated in the Shenzhou-10 mission of China. |
D.She got involved in the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake relief effort. |
11. Which of the following words can best describe Wang?
A.Calm and friendly. | B.Hardworking and determined. |
C.Modest and honest. | D.Warm-hearted and creative. |