Small planetary (行星) bodies is the big focus of space exploration in 2023 and People are eager to solve many of the mysteries about these tiny worlds. In 2023, the launching of two spacecrafts aims to explore some of the solar system’s smaller bodies, in an effort to understand how worlds become suitable habitats for humans to live in.
The first task Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) was launched in April 2023 and is scheduled to land in 2031. This spacecraft from the European Space Agency (ESA) is designed to explore three of Jupiter’s major moons: Europa, Callisto and Ganymede. They are thought to have oceans of liquid water beneath their frozen shells.
“The thing we are most interested in is the liquid oceans and in particular with Ganymede –we don’t know the location, the depth ,the composition of these oceans,” says ESA’s Olivier Witasse, the project scientist. “While JUICE has many goals, the most exciting one is to hunt for life there as water is crucial to life ”.
Due to launch in October 2024 and arrive in 2030, the other spacecraft Psyche from NASA is named after the asteroid (小行星) it will land. Researchers believe Psyche to be an exposed iron core of a young planet. Studying planetary cores is nearly impossible on actual planets because they are so deep underground, so Psyche could present a unique opportunity.
“The core is always crucial. For the Earth, it creates magnetic field and gives off heat,” says one of the researchers of Psyche, “One of the ways to answer why Earth is habitable is to study how it was built, and Psyche is part of that story. We don’t know what we’re going to find, and if blessed, we’re going to be completely surprised because there was no previous data.”
Habitability (宜居性) in our solar system is still a huge mystery, but the two spacecrafts should bring us one step closer to understanding it.
1. What is the aim of the two spacecraft launching tasks?| A．To study planetary bodies. | B．To solve mysteries about worlds. |
| C．To explore the solar system. | D．To understand how worlds become habitable. |
| A．Its most important goal is to hunt for life. |
| B．It is scheduled to travel about 8 years before it reaches its destination. |
| C．It has found there are liquid oceans under frozen shells of Jupiter. |
| D．It is designed by EAU to explore three of Jupiter’s major moons. |
| A．Psyche will be launched to explore Psyche. |
| B．There was a little previous data about the asteroid. |
| C．People have known how the earth is built through it. |
| D．Psyche’s core creates magnetic field and gives off heat. |
| A．Ganymede attracts particular attention of scientists of ESA. |
| B．Psyche is key to helping people solve mysteries about space. |
| C．JUICE is scheduled to explore three of Jupiter’s major moons. |
| D．The launching of two spacecrafts is to help understand habitability. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】For the most part, American children aren’t great at math. But Chinese children tend to be excellent. It’s consistently found Chinese students at the top of the academic pile and Americans much nearer the bottom.
In Lenora Chu’s book “Little Soldiers: An American Boy, a Chinese School”, she begins to reveal the cultural differences that lead to this gap. The differences she notices in children’s focus and discipline are dramatic, but she also notices cultural differences that influence how Chinese schools are run, and the reason why its students test so well. Along with factors such as highly trained teachers and an emphasis on memorizing before pursuing deeper understanding, the difference comes down to a belief that has begun slowly making its way across the US: achievement is the result of hard work, not natural ability.
This approach comes from a firm belief that anything is possible with hard work, with chiku, or “eating bitter”. Studies show that for kids who score poorly. Chinese teachers believe a lack of effort—rather than of smarts — is to blame.
Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck, author of “Mindset (心态)”, is responsible for making up the terms “growth mindset” and “fixed mindset”. Chinese students are trained to have a growth mindset: if they aren’t doing well, they’11 work harder, and they’ll be successful. American children tend to be trained to have a fixed mindset about academics: their abilities are largely predetermined and static. If they aren’t doing well, it’s because they’re not good at it.
In America students are told that learning is fun and easy. But real learning is actually very difficult and takes suffering and anxiety. If you’re not willing to go through that you’re not going to learn deeply. The downside is these students often give up when something gets hard or when it’s no longer fun.
1. According to Lenora Chu, what contributes most to the Chinese students’excellent academic performance?| A．School operation model. | B．The emphasis on memorizing. |
| C．High-qualified teachers. | D．Chinese culture. |
| A．lazy | B．slow |
| C．unfocused | D．foolish |
| A．A majority of Chinese students are born excellent learners. |
| B．American students tend to believe learning ability is genetically determined. |
| C．Amerlcan students should choose a Chinese school to achieve success. |
| D．American students are lacking in a fixed mindset, compared to Chinese students. |
| A．Students should study in a fun way. |
| B．American students are always anxious about their study. |
| C．American students have no difficulty in learning deeply. |
| D．Diligence plays an essential part in learning. |
As China plays a more and more important role in the world economy, the Chinese language is forever developing, attracting more attention from people who want to understand this ancient yet lively language．
For instance, the word “shanzhai” is used to describe the countless knockoffs（名牌仿制品）of iPhones or designer bags imprinted with Louis Vuitton logos．
Another new term in the new edition is the word “fangnu”, or a “mortgage slave” —a term used to describe the phenomenon in large cities where well-educated youth complain of a miserable existence due to the heavy burden of a home mortgage．
All these new or often fashionable terms can be found in the new Oxford English –Chinese, Chinese-English dictionary that was unveiled(公布于众的)in the recently concluded Beijing International Book Fair last week．
The dictionary now is available for retail sales since the beginning of this month．This dictionary is the largest single volume English-Chinese, Chinese-English dictionary and contains 670,000 words and phrases after five years of preparation．Sixty editors from the Oxford University Press and its partner in China—the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press—worked together on the project．According to Julie Kleeman, the dictionary’s chief editor, most of the firm’s editors were Chinese, while about one fourth were native-English speakers．
“We don’t want to make it florid（绚丽的）, we want it to be modern and conversational．．．many of the words in the present dictionary are no longer in use,” said Kleeman．“The need for studying Chinese by foreigners today is totally different from decades ago．．．Precise, native and practical—that is our main advantage,” she said．
Kleeman said newer publications updates will be available only for the online version as language often changes too quickly for book versions to keep pace．The online version will also offer a Chinese phonetic pronunciation guide．The online version, allowing access via different platforms from the PC to the iPad, will be ready “as soon as possible”, Kleeman said．
1. According to the above passage, we learn that ________．
| A．knockoffs can be found in China but not very often. |
| B．the Oxford University Press made the dictionary without outside aid. |
| C．most Chinese editors are also native speakers of English. |
| D．well-educated youth in China’s big cities have difficulty buying houses. |
| A．book versions can’t keep up with the changes of language. |
| B．the computer network is available everywhere. |
| C．book versions can’t offer a Chinese phonetic pronunciation guide. |
| D．computer technology like the PC and the iPad keeps pace with language. |
| A．New Chinese terms like “shanzhai” and “fangnu” have got into Oxford Dictionary． |
| B．The latest Oxford English-Chinese, Chinese-English Dictionary is on the market． |
| C．Oxford Dictionary has become more fashionable due to the Chinese language． |
| D．Beijing International Book Fair was where the new Oxford Dictionary was published |
But a new trend calls on people to unplug and enjoy reading slowly, listing benefits beyond intellectual stimulation.
A recent story from The Wall Street Journal reported on a book club in Wellington, New Zealand, where members meet in a cafe and turn off their smart phones. They sink into cozy chairs and read in silence for an hour.
Unlike traditional book clubs, the point of the Slow Reading Club isn’t exchanging ideas about a certain book, but to get away from electronic devices and read in a quiet, relaxed environment. According to the Journal, the Wellington book club is just one example of a movement initiated (发起) by book lovers who miss the old-fashioned way of reading before the Internet and smart phones.
Slow readers, such as The Atlantic’s Maura Kelly, say a regular reading habit sharpens the mind, improves concentration, reduces stress levels and deepens the ability to empathize.
Some of these benefits have been backed up by science. For example, a study of 300 elderly people published by the journal Neurology last year showed that regular engagement in intellectually strenuous activities like reading slowed the rate of memory loss later in life.
Slow reading means a return to an uninterrupted pattern in a quiet environment free of distractions. “Aim for 30 minutes a day,” advises Kelly from The Atlantic. “You can squeeze in that half hour pretty easily if only during your free moments – whenever you find yourself automatically firing up your laptop to check your favorite site, or scanning Twitter for something to pass the time – you pick up a meaningful work of literature,” Kelly said. “Reach for your e-reader, if you like. Kindles make books like War and Peace less heavy, not less substantive(真实的), and also ensure you’ll never lose your place.”
1. We prefer speed –reading because ____.
| A．we rely on e-mails and tweets too much. |
| B．we are busier than before |
| C．we have to read faster to get more information |
| D．we do not enjoy reading any more |
| A．share their ideas about a certain book |
| B．read old-fashioned books |
| C．read as many books as possible |
| D．to enjoy slow reading |
| A．the benefits of regular reading hasn’t been proved |
| B．for elderly people ,a good reading habit helps slow memory loss |
| C．speed reading can improve concentration and reduce stress levels |
| D．more elderly people enjoy slow reading now |
| A．a software for downloading e-books |
| B．a software that helps people read slowly |
| C．a website for people to exchange books |
| D．a website for people to share their ideas about a book |
| A．Enjoy Speed-reading | B．Enjoy Slow-Reading |
| C．Enjoy Effective Reading | D．Enjoy Online Reading |
【推荐1】Scientists have long believed that Mars was wet around three billion years ago and then lost much of its water. But a new study presents evidence of water activity from about 700 million years ago, posing a new puzzle about Mars and its history for scientists to crack in their future studies.
The new study is based on data from China’s Zhurong rover (“祝融号”火星车), part of the Tianwen-1 mission that touched down on the surface of Mars in May 2021. In particular, the scientists used data the rover gathered during its first 92 Martian days, at its landing site in Utopia Planitia. Yang Liu, a researcher from the Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS), and his colleagues analyzed data from three different instruments on Zhurong. Those instruments studied minerals that suggest the presence of a large quantity of liquid water at the site about 700 million years ago, which scientists previously thought was dry.
“This is a very interesting result. We have very little recorded evidence of young liquid water systems on Mars. And for the ones we have, they were usually in the form of salt minerals,” says Dr. Scheller, a scientist at the California Institute of Technology. He explained Zhurong’s instruments spotted water molecules locked away in the rock, which was different from other young liquid water environments that have been observed.
“One of the major things we’ll have to find out and that I look forward to seeing from the Zhurong rover is how extensive these ‘young’ water-bearing minerals are,” Dr. Scheller said. “Are they common or uncommon in these ‘young’ rocks?” Zhurong has now covered about two kilometers during its more than 350 Martian days and has analyzed a range of features on its travels, meaning more new Martian insights are likely still to come from the rover.
NASA has so far sent its Mars rovers to ancient landing sites, dating back to more than 3.7 billion years ago. Zhurong is not just an extra set of wheels on Mars, but a powerful suite of instruments exploring a new, geologically young site to open new windows of opportunity for research on Mars.
1. What does the underlined word “crack” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Keep. | B．Doubt. | C．Solve. | D．Create. |
| A．The inaccuracy of data gathered on Mars. |
| B．Functional limitations of instruments on Mars. |
| C．Main reasons for the failure of the Tianwen-1 mission. |
| D．The misconception of past thinking about Martian water. |
| A．The result has been recorded by many scientists. |
| B．Zhurong’s wide analyses will bring more surprises. |
| C．Salt minerals are younger than water-bear ing minerals. |
| D．Young water-bearing minerals are common in young rocks. |
| A．Ancient. | B．Common. | C．Alarming. | D．Promising. |
【推荐2】Humans have been living and working on the space station for over 20 years. Their meals are packaged, though sometimes astronauts receive fresh treats from resupply missions. The longer that packaged food is stored, the more it loses nutrients like vitamin C and vitamin K.
Astronauts have successfully grown 10 different crops on the space station since 2015 and had the chance to sample (品尝) each one. The International Space Station hosted a party for astronauts on Friday as they celebrated the harvest of the first chili peppers (辣椒) grown in space. The crew finally had a chance to taste the peppers after initially kicking off the plant experiment on the space station in July.
Plant Habitat-04 is one of the most complex plant experiments on the orbiting laboratory to date because peppers take much longer to grow than the previous experiment plants. After growing for four months, the peppers were harvested on Friday.
Peppers provide a great source of vitamin C, as well as other key nutrients. Pepper plants self-pollinate (自花授粉), so they are easy to grow, and they are a pick-and-eat crop that doesn’t have to be cooked. They are also safe to eat raw.
A side effect of life in zero gravity is that astronauts often lose some of their taste and smell, so spicy or well-seasoned foods are a favorite. Adding fresh greens or peppers to the menu allows astronauts to liven up their regular meals. But growing and tending to the plants can also produce other benefits.
Astronauts have described the joy from seeing — as well as smelling and caring for — leafy green plants on the space station that remind them of Earth.
“Growing colorful vegetables in space can have long-term benefits for physical and psychological health,” said Matt Romeyn, principal investigator for the experiment. “We are discovering that growing plants and vegetables with colors and smells helps to improve astronauts’ well-being.”
1. How is the food astronauts eat on the space station?| A．Always fresh. | B．Lack of nutrients. |
| C．Never tasty. | D．Full of vitamins. |
| A．The technology. | B．Growing process. |
| C．The varieties of plants. | D．Growing time required. |
| A．Peppers are delicious. | B．Peppers can improve memory. |
| C．Peppers help prevent diseases. | D．Peppers can restore appetite. |
| A．The Fun of Growing Chili Peppers in Space |
| B．The Agricultural Goal in the Space Mission |
| C．The First Chili Peppers Grown in Space |
| D．The Chili Peppers Used in the Space Mission |
【推荐3】In July 2021, astronauts on board the International Space Station (ISS) planted pepper seeds as part of an experiment to test which plants could be successfully grown in space. The peppers were harvested four months later, and the team celebrated with a party and taste test.
For astronauts living mostly off prepackaged foods for months at a time on the ISS, fresh and flavourful produce is welcomed. With long missions to the Moon and Mars in focus, NASA is working to find sustainable ways for astronauts to enjoy fresh foods, which will add key nutrients to their diets and improve their state of mind.
Astronauts have grown radishes, zinnias and a variety of lettuces on board the ISS before, but this is the first time they grew peppers, which posed a new challenge, reports Elizabeth Howell for Space. com.
Biologists at the Kennedy Space Centre spent two years picking the perfect pepper. They wanted to try peppers because they’re a great source of vitamins and nutrients, and they can be eaten raw or cooked. Plus, peppers are fairly low maintenance to grow.
In June, a carrier delivered supplies to the ISS along with a package of 48 pepper seeds. Astronauts on board planted the seeds in a microwave oven-sized growing container. The conditions in it—such as lighting, watering and air circulation—were controlled by a crew based at the Kennedy Space Centre. On board, the astronauts collected data and offered feedback on the flavour of the peppers.
“This is important because the food astronauts eat needs to be as good as the rest of their equipment,” LaShelle Spencer, a plant scientist at NASA, said over the summer. “To successfully send people to Mars and bring them back to Earth, we will not only require the most nutritious foods, but the best tasting ones as well.”
1. Why did astronauts attempt to plant pepper in space?| A．There were no enough food for astronauts. |
| B．Only pepper can grow in space. |
| C．Pepper can grow better than other plants. |
| D．Humans wanted to test which plants can grow in space. |
| A．It needn’t too much later care. | B．Its nutrients are the highest. |
| C．The vitamins in it are the most. | D．It improves their state of mind most. |
| A．Package. | B．Container. | C．Seed | D．Microwave. |
| A．The idea that pepper is grown in space is silly. |
| B．Astronaut need special nutrition to keep the best state of mind. |
| C．Pepper can’t be eaten cooked in space but it can be eaten raw. |
| D．It is the carrier that is in charge of sending feedback on the peppers. |
