The fish eggs, all 200 of them, were settled and ready to go. The ground crew had counted the eggs carefully, and sealed them tightly within a plate filled precisely to the edge with seawater.
The countdown, and then—ignition (点火)! For two full minutes, the precious eggs suffered a violent shaking as the rocket’s engines exploded to life, and then rise to the heavens. These eggs were on their way to low Earth orbit. Next stop: the moon.
Well, they haven’t actually left yet. But after a recent simulation (模拟) designed to re-create the intense shaking of a typical takeoff, researchers in France found that the eggs survived. It’s a crucial discovery in the progress of the Lunar Hatch, a program that aims to determine whether astronauts could successfully raise fish on a future moon base.
Finally, Cyrille Przybyla, an aquaculture (水产养殖) researcher at the French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea who led the research, dreams of designing a lunar fish farm that uses water already on the moon to help feed residents of the future Moon Village set to be established by the European Space Agency (ESA).
Przybyla’s hope is to offer lunar residents fresh, inviting, protein-rich fish—not just packets of freeze-dried food. “I proposed the idea to send eggs, not fish, because eggs are very strong,” he says.
Besides, Przybyla suggests there will be other benefits for astronauts who may one day find themselves raising animals in space. “From the psychological point of view, it’s better to have a reminder of Earth–you have a garden; you have a tank with fish,” he says.
Designing self-contained and self-supporting systems for food production beyond Earth will be crucial for future space exploration programs, says Luke Roberson, a researcher at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. And he says Przybyla’s study is “a great first step” toward showing that aquaculture is a practical part of that future.
1. What is Paragraph 2 about?| A．An imagination. | B．An experience. | C．An experiment. | D．An adventure. |
| A．To offer eggs to astronauts as food. | B．To test whether the eggs are strong. |
| C．To promote aquaculture on the earth. | D．To see the possibility of raising fish on the moon. |
| A．It can get rid of loneliness. | B．It diversifies the space food. |
| C．It gives astronauts something to do. | D．It helps astronauts remember the Earth. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Favorable. | C．Disapproving. | D．Neutral. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Keeping kids busy with various activities provides them with a well-rounded social life. Growing up, I knew many teenagers who were actively involved in both sports and student government. Those teenagers all ended up going to college and graduating. This may not be the situation in all cases, but from what I have noticed, teens who stay active and do good in the community are typically the ones who deal with anxiety and depression(抑郁) better.
A 2015 study published by professor of biology Theodore Garland concluded, “If kids exercise regularly through the school years, they may be more likely to exercise as adults, which could have far-reaching positive effects on human health and well-being. Our results suggest that any positive effects of early-life exercise on adult exercise tendencies will require reinforcement(强化) and maintenance if they are to be long-lasting.” This study found that along with physical activity, having a spirit of adventure would also help improve children’s physical and mental health.
Some parents disagree. They feel that pushing a child to stay active and involved causes unnecessary stress and can have the opposite effect, making him/her hate being involved or being active. Parents also fear their children will experience failure, which they believe could lead to low self-confidence.
The key to helping the youth stay motivated is not pressuring them too hard. People who have strict parents typically rebel(反抗) or feel they will never be good enough. Keep in mind that encouraging the youth to be competitive isn’t the best thing. Some of the unhappiest people I have met are competitive. Positive reinforcement is the best way to keep people motivated.
An active and involved youth will show personal qualities that will become useful in the future. Some of these include leadership, teamwork, a healthy lifestyle, educational benefits, respect and trust, which will lead to success in the future.
1. According to the author, active teens _________.| A．get much better education | B．concentrate more on self-improvement |
| C．do well in both sports and management | D．deal with some mental problems better than others |
| A．the positive effect of early-life exercise is not necessarily lasting |
| B．physical activity helps children become more confident |
| C．early-life exercise has positive effects on relationships |
| D．school life experience has a long-lasting influence |
| A．They believe it may take a lot of time. | B．They think it is unnecessary to push kids. |
| C．They are worried about the opposite effect. | D．They are afraid it makes their children feel depressed. |
| A．The importance of trusting the youth. | B．The key to keeping the youth motivated. |
| C．The possible problem faced by the youth. | D．The reasons for helping the youth stay positive. |
【推荐2】When should a child begin to take music lessons? To answer this question, it’s important to look at the reasons why a parent might want their child to take music lessons.
There is a growing body of research that shows a “window of opportunity” from birth to age nine for developing a musical sensibility within children. During this time, the mental structures and mechanisms(机制) associated with processing and understanding music are in the best stages of development. And that is why it is important to expose children in this age range to music.
The important question then is not when to start lessons, but the goal of music lessons for young children. For example, very young children are exposed to instruments not to master them, but to gain experience and learn to develop meaningful relationships with music. If this is your goal, then the “lessons“ can and should start soon after birth and certainly within the child’s first year. These “lessons” do not have to be-in fact, at first probably shouldn’t be very formal.
Once the child is around age three, it may be time for more formalized “lessons”. Again, the goal is not to learn to play an instrument but to further develop skills like identifying(识别) a beat in music, identifying melody, or identifying instruments.
By age five, most children have built a foundation that has prepared them for formalized music lessons. Even now, the goal of the lessons is not to become a great performer on the instrument but the same as when they play music at three. Piano and violin are the two most common instruments played at his age, but others have tried the recorder, guitar, or ukulele with success.
By age ten, the child will have a variety of skills associated with their instrument of choice. They’ll also have the physical strength to try a different, bigger instrument that requires a higher level of strength and determination. Around this time, the goal of lessons properly changes from gaining experience with music to improving performance ability.
1. Why does the author mention the research finding in Paragraph 2?| A．To tell us how to develop a musical sensibility. |
| B．To explain the phrase “window of opportunity”. |
| C．To inform a new finding in the field of child development. |
| D．To show the importance of experiencing music at a young age. |
| A．To learn to play an instrument. |
| B．To just have some fun with others. |
| C．To recognize different musical instruments |
| D．To become a great performer on an instrument. |
| A．At the age of 1. | B．At the age of 3. |
| C．At the age of 5. | D．At the age of 10. |
| A．The reasons to take music lessons. |
| B．The right age to begin music lessons. |
| C．The importance of formal music education. |
| D．The best way to learn a musical instrument. |
【推荐3】Travelling overseas for medical treatment requires adequate preparation ahead of your jour ney to ensure its success.
In the first place, you need to work closely with your doctor—even at a distance—to understand exactly what procedure you need and what it involves.
“Provide your doctor with a detailed medical history, so that he can give you the most accurate judgment of the treatment you'll need,” says Ella, CEO of a healthcare group.“That way, you won't face any unwelcome surprises when paying for the treatment.”
Research the countries, institutions and doctors that perform your required procedure at a price that fits your budget, and select those that are accredited (授权) by independent authorities and that previous patients rate highly, says Lee, manager at a recovery centre.
An efficient way to do this is to visit hospital websites or ask others who have received similar treatments abroad, says Shally, a spokeswoman for a cancer hospital.
Make sure the arrangements for your visa are handled correctly. "Difficulties with visa applications and extensions (期限) are among the most common issues faced by foreign patients when they're in Malaysia," says Dr Ray, director for the National Eye Hospital.
“Language can also be a hurdle for foreign patients, so visitors should look at whether the hospital can arrange for a person who will help with language problems if needed."
Dr Mollien, president of Penang Adventist Hospital, says that medicat tourism agencies can help with your preparations and offer plenty of information for comparison.
Your chosen hospital should have an international patient centre to assist with visa applications, ground transport and accommodation.
“This is in addition to managing and responding to enquiries and collecting medical reports of patients." says Dr Thomas, president of the Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia.
Make sure all your credit cards are valid for the duration of your expected stay, advises Thomas. Don't be afraid to ask your bank for an increase in your credit limit if you think that will be needed.
David, managing director of a healtheare center, adds that if you intend to use your international insurance plan to pay for you medical expenses, make sure that you fully understand what your plan covers, that it is accepted overseas, and that you know what documentation you insurer will require to process your claim.
1. A person who is going abrad to havea medical treatment should first_______.| A．communicate with the doctor about the treatment |
| B．apply for a visa with the country he will go to |
| C．get familiar with the intemational insurance plan |
| D．make sure the credit cards can last him through his stay |
| A．asking for an increase in the credit limit |
| B．arranging ground transportation |
| C．collecting medical reports of the patient |
| D．responding to patients' questions |
| A．widely-known facts | B．research results |
| C．experts' opinions | D．patients' experiences |
IS EXPLORING SPACE
A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY?
NASA satellite image of Typhoon Goni
Countries around the globe are spending billions of dollars and lots of time on various space missions, whether to Mars or other planets much further away. Some people argue that we should stop wasting time and money exploring space. Instead, we should feed the world’s poor and find immediate solutions to other problems, such as pollution and fatal diseases. However, others feel this is a shallow view which fails to realise how exploring space helps us.
Firstly, exploring space has already made a difference in the fight against world hunger. It has directly resulted in the many satellites that now orbit Earth. A number of the satellites record data on land and weather patterns. Then the data is transmitted to scientists on Earth. After careful analysis, the scientists can provide useful recommendations and advice for farmers. As a result, space-based science has helped farming in its efforts to grow enough food to feed Earth’s increasing population.
Secondly, space exploration has already promoted technological improvements that benefit us all. High-end products around the world are made to a higher standard now because of advanced technology which was first created to meet the requirements for space exploration. For example, space technologies have helped the research and development of different types of new material. They have also helped companies make better heart monitors and other machines that doctors regularly use. Today, space technologies are widely used in all kinds of industries, and everyday products such as GPS, memory foam pillows, and smartphone cameras are changing our lives.
Finally, sending astronauts into space has helped people to think about the world’s problems and even to find ways to solve them. Seeing pictures of our planet as an island in a black sea made people realise that our planet’s resources are limited. In order to provide for such a rapidly increasing population, scientists are trying to find other planets that could one day be our new home. The greatest attention at present is on Mars because it is closer to Earth. In the future, humans may live on both planets.
In closing, exploring space provides the world with many different benefits. Therefore, it should continue so as to provide new and better solutions to people’s short-term and long-term problems.
| A. Space exploration has already promoted technological improvements that benefit us. B. Sending astronauts into space has helped people to think about the world’s problems and even to find ways to solve them. C. Different opinions about space exploration. D. Exploration space provides the world with many benefits, so it should continue. E. Exploration space has made a difference in the fight against world hunger. |
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【推荐2】Astronaut Scott Kelly has been living on the International Space Station(ISS) since March 28, 2015. And just like any other home, the ISS requires some housekeeping, in the form of regular work and repairs.
That is why Kelly and his partner Kjell Lindgren performed activities, outside the station on Wednesday. The operation began at 8: 03 a. m. and lasted for more than seven hours. It was the first spacewalk for both men.
The ISS has been in continual use for 15 years, and has hosted over 200 people, including astronauts and private tourists. During their activities, Kelly and Lindgren did basic electrical work, such as attaching new wires that will provide power to docking ports (舱门) on the station. The ports will be used when other people arrive at the ISS. Also, the two astronauts fixed a thermal(防寒的) cover on a key scientific instrument on the station to protect it from the freezing temperatures of space.
As the more senior astronaut, Kelly led the spacewalk. However, Lindgren dealt with some of the more challenging parts of the job as he has longer arms than Kelly.
During a spacewalk, the simplest work becomes a difficult task. Kelly and Lindgren spent months training and practicing for the operation. The preparation began in NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab(NBL). Here astronauts are made to work in an environment similar to the one outside the space station.
Even getting the space suits ready can take days. While each suit is built to fit the astronaut perfectly who will wear it, adjustments(调整) need to be made right up to the time when the spacewalk begins. The adjustments address any change in the astronauts’ bodies that have occurred as a result of being in a gravity-free environment.
1. Why did Kelly and Lindgren take the spacewalk?| A．To set up the ISS. | B．To keep the ISS in good condition. |
| C．To test their new space suits. | D．To carry out a scientific experiment. |
| A．How the ISS is working properly. | B．Why the docking ports are useful. |
| C．How the astronauts performed the spacewalk. | D．What the two astronauts did in the spacewalk. |
| A．He knew more about the station. | B．He was the leader of the team. |
| C．He had a longer reach. | D．He had more experience of spacewalk. |
| A．Deal with. | B．Belong to. | C．Set off. | D．Dress up. |
【推荐3】Most Chinese know the story of mythological Chang’e. It’s a story about a woman who takes an immortality pill and flies to the moon. The story is s0 popular that people can’t hear the word Chang’e without thinking of romantic images of a moon goddess.
For this reason, China’s mission to the moon was calling for a strong female figure. Therefore, pictures of a 24-year-old female space commander have gone viral on Chinese social media for her work on the Chang’e-5 Moon exploration programme with comments about how she is a “frontline soklier in the field of aerospace” that young Chinese can look up to.
Ms Zhou, 24-year-old lady of the Tujia ethnic group, is China’s youngest ever space commander. She was involved in the successful launch of the Chang’e-5 lunar probe on 24 November, in charge of the rocket connector system, described as a key role.
In Wenchang space launch site, though she is only 1.58 meters tall and looks “mini”, she is called “Big Sister” for her powerful core and energy. Since senior high, she has dreamed! of being a member of a space research team. With her great efforts, she was admitted to an aircraft system and engineering major of a domestic university in 2014, making her acrospace dream come true. To grow into a commander, in two and a half years, she changed five positions to be familiar with multiple posts and types of work, each of which takes great courage and is full of challenges. In a working space with no air conditioning and narrow space to accommodate only three people, she worked for 60 days until the completion of “the Long March 5 rocket goes around” battle.
Her story has received attention from Chinese state-run media as well as overseas media outlets. However, it has not appeared to have had much of an effect on her. According to the media, she declined repeated requests for interviews because she does not wish to let fame get in the way of her work.
1. Why does the writer mention the myth of Chang’e at the beginning of the passage?| A．To tell a romantic story. | B．To spread Chinese culture. |
| C．To introduce the topic. | D．To give an example. |
| A．Her youth and beauty. | B．Her pictures on the media. |
| C．Her identity of the Tujia ethnic group. | D．Her performance in the moon-landing program. |
| A．She was the youngest space commander of the Tujia ethnic group. |
| B．She was called “Big Sister” not because of her physical strength but her central status. |
| C．To become a commander, she took five challenging and courageous jobs in two and a half years. |
| D．She worked in severe conditions for 60 days until the Long March 5 rocket was-launched. |
| A．Because she was too shy. | B．Because she was not available. |
| C．Because she was devoted to work. | D．Because she hated being famous. |
| A．Attitude is altitude. | B．The early bird catches the worm. |
| C．Many hands make light work. | D．Diligence makes up for inability. |
