If asked if space exploration should continue, most Americans would give an immediate response either in favor of continuing or in favor of ending space exploration. A common response would be that space exploration is a waste of money. An average American, uneducated on the subject, might believe that the government is wasting billions of dollars on the research that has no merit.
Someone strange to the subject might say that a space shuttle goes up once in a while and that is about all that happens. Research is ongoing and continues when there are no shuttles being launched. This also costs the government money. Does the extreme cost of space exploration make sense?
One argument is that the government is wasting money on the research not being used on Earth. Actually, the money goes to workers and scientists that support National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) missions ( 任务), and goes to major companies that play important roles in major sectors of the US economy. Boeing is a partner of NASA for aircraft, the same company that makes commercial aircraft for the airline industry.
Another benefit to continuing space exploration is the many spinoff ( 衍生的) technologies it provides. The artificial heart resulted from experiments on the space shuttle. The handheld Jaws of Life used to save victims from car accidents originated from the system used to separate the space shuttle from its booster rockets. Insulation in homes that keeps them warm and energy efficient is based on the technology used to insulate the space shuttle.
There are direct benefits to the economy provided by NASA missions as well as spinoff technologies. These advances are found in food, building materials, medical procedures and the vehicles we drive. While it can be proven that billions of dollars that could be used elsewhere is being spent on space exploration, the benefits it provides outweigh the terrible aspects. As a matter of fact, the money spent helps to improve the quality of our lives.
1. How is Paragraph 2 mainly developed?| A．By offering analyses. | B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By giving some examples. | D．By presenting research findings. |
| A．save people from traffic accidents |
| B．do experiments on the space shuttle |
| C．keep houses warm and energy efficient |
| D．separate the space shuttle from its booster rockets |
| A．has changed our life completely | B．costs too much of our time |
| C．benefits us in many ways | D．has nothing to do with us |
| A．Benefits of Space Exploration |
| B．Is Space Exploration Worth the Cost? |
| C．How to Make Space Exploration Affordable |
| D．Missions of the NASA Space Shuttle Program |
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【推荐1】A picture may be worth a thousand words, but thanks to an artificial intelligence program called DALL-E 2, you can have a professional-looking image with far fewer.
Open Al researchers built DALL-E 2 from an enormous collection of images with captions. They gathered some of the images online and licensed others. Using DALL-E2 looks a lot like searching for an image on the web: you type in a short phrase into a text box, and it gives back six images.
But instead of selecting pictures from the web, the program creates six brand-new images, each of which reflects some version of the entered phrase. Nearly all of them could probably pass for professional photographs or drawings.
It’s easy to imagine this tool transforming the way people make images and communicate, whether via memes, greeting cards, advertising – and, yes, art.
You might say there’s little artistic merit in an image produced by a few keystrokes. But this line of thinking echoes the classic take that photography cannot be art because a machine did all the work. Today the human authorship and craft involved in artistic photography are recognized, and critics understand that the best photography involves much more than just pushing a button.
Some artists, like Ryan Murdoch, have advocated for prompt-based (基于提示的) image-making to be recognized as art. ‘They argue that the art, in using a system like DALL-E 2, comes not just from the final text prompt, but in the entire creative process that led to that prompt. Different artists will follow different processes and end up with different results that reflect their own approaches and skills.
It’s too early to judge the significance of this art form. The first films by the Lumiere brothers in the1890s were novelties, not cinematic masterpieces; it amazed people to see images moving at all.
Al art software develops so quickly that there’s continual technical and artistic novelty. It seems as if, each year, there’s an opportunity to explore an exciting new technology – each more powerful than the last, and each seemingly ready to transform art and society.
1. What can DALL-E 2 do for you?| A．It edits your photographs. |
| B．It reproduces your paintings. |
| C．It collects images from the web. |
| D．It turns your words into pictures. |
| A．To explain a rule. | B．To illustrate a point. |
| C．To present a finding. | D．To define a concept. |
| A．lt is promising. | B．It is risky. | C．It is unreliable. | D．It is superior. |
| A．DALL-E 2 Has Arrived. Are Artists in Trouble? |
| B．DALL-E 2:What Exactly Is“ AI-generated Art”? |
| C．DALL-E 2 Can Produce an Incredible Image ---- But Is It Art? |
| D．DALL-E2:Why Is the AI Program a Revolutionary Invention? |
【推荐2】People’s distrust of scientists arises partly from the blurring (模糊的) of boundaries between science and technology, between discovery and manufacture. Most governments, perhaps all governments, justify public expenses on scientific research in terms of the economic benefits the scientific business has brought in the past and will bring in the future. Politicians remind their voters of the splendid machines “our scientists” have invented, the new drugs to relieve old disorders, and the new surgical equipment and techniques by which previously unmanageable conditions may now be treated and lives saved. At the same time, the politicians demand of scientists that they tailor their research to “economics needs”, and that they award a higher priority to research proposals that are “near the market” and can be translated into the greatest return on investment in the shortest time. Dependent, as they are, on politicians for much of their funding, scientists have little choice but to obey. Like the rest of us, they are members of a society that rates the creation of wealth as the greatest possible good. Many have reservations, but keep them to themselves in what they regard as a climate unfavourable to the pursuit of understanding for its own sake and the idea of an inquiring, creative spirit.
In such circumstances no one should be too hard on people who are suspicious of conflicts of interest. When we learn that the distinguished professor assuring us of the safety of a particular product holds a consultancy (顾问工作) with the company making it, we cannot be blamed for wondering whether his fee might cloud his professional judgment. Even if the professor holds no consultancy with any firm, some people may still distrust him because of his association with those who do, or at least wonder about the source of some of his research funding.
This attitude can have damaging effects. It questions the integrity (诚实正直) of individuals working in a profession that prizes intellectual honesty as the supreme virtue, and plays into the hands of those who would like to discredit scientists by representing them as corruptible (腐败的). This makes it easier to dismiss all scientific pronouncements (声明), but especially those made by the scientists who present themselves as “experts”. The scientist most likely to understand the safety of a nuclear reactor, for example, is a nuclear engineer, and a nuclear engineer is most likely to be employed by the nuclear industry. If a nuclear engineer declares that a reactor is unsafe, we believe him, because clearly it is not to his advantage to lie about it. If he tells us it is safe, on the other hand, we distrust him, because he may well be protecting the employer who pays his salary.
1. What is the chief concern of most governments when it comes to scientific research?| A．Quick economic returns. | B．Support from the voters. |
| C．The reduction of public expenses. | D．The budget for a research project. |
| A．translate knowledge into wealth | B．impress the public with their achievements |
| C．pursue knowledge for knowledge’s sake | D．obtain funding from the government |
| A．some of them do not give priority to intellectual honesty |
| B．they could be influenced by their association with the project concerned |
| C．their pronouncements often turn out to be wrong |
| D．sometimes they hide the source of their research funding |
| A．Scientists themselves may doubt the value of their research findings. |
| B．It makes things difficult for scientists to seek research funds. |
| C．People will not believe scientists even when they tell the truth. |
| D．It may wear out the enthusiasm of scientists for independent research. |
【推荐3】For decades, the homework standard has been a“10-minute”rule, which suggests a daily maximum of 10 minutes of homework per grade level.
But some schools have begun to give their youngest students a break. A Massachusetts elementary school has announced a no-homework pilot (试点的) program for the coming school year, extending the school day by two hours to provide more in-class instruction. “We really want kids to go home at 4 o’clock,” Kelly Elementary School Principal Jackie Glasheen said. “We want them to enjoy their families. We want them to go to soccer practice or football practice.”
New solutions to homework differ by community. These local debates aren’t easily understood by the fact that even education experts disagree about what’s best for kids.
The most all-round research on homework so far comes from an analysis (分析) by Duke University professor Harris Cooper, who found evidence (证据) of a positive relationship between homework and student achievement, meaning students who did homework performed better in school. Cooper’s analysis focused on how homework influences test scores. The relationship was stronger for older students-in 7th through 12th grade-than for those in younger grades, for whom there was a weak relationship between homework and performance.
Although there is the weak relationship between homework and performance for young children, Cooper argues that a small amount of homework is useful for all students. Second-graders should not be doing two hours of homework each night, he said, but they also shouldn’t be doing no homework.
However, Cathy Vatterott, an education professor at the University Missouri-St. Louis, thinks there is not enough evidence that homework is helpful for students in elementary school, “Relationship is not a root,” she said “Does homework cause achievement, or do high achievers do more homework?” Vatterott thinks there should be more stress on improving the quality of homework tasks, and she supports efforts to ban homework for younger kids.
1. What will Kelly Elementary School have in the new term.| A．No homework. | B．Some football practice. |
| C．“10-minute” homework. | D．More physical education classes. |
| A．Younger students in all grades with no homework. |
| B．Younger students in lower grades with no homework. |
| C．Older students in lower grades with more homework. |
| D．Older students in higher grades with more homework. |
| A．事业 | B．原因 | C．根系 | D．要求 |
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. | C．Unknown. | D．Doubtful. |
【推荐1】NASA’s spacecraft Dart hit an asteroid (小行星) 11.3 million kilometers away at a speed, changing the asteroid’s orbit and lowered its cycle period by 15 minutes, the space organization announced on Monday.
Some said the move shows the world might now be able to prevent asteroids—the kind that made the dinosaurs extinct—from hitting the Earth. The asteroid that was controlled belonged to a double-asteroid system. It had a 160-meter diameter while the other asteroid’s diameter is over 500 meters. The bigger asteroid can be compared to the one that ended the dinosaur era 67 million years ago. A hit from an asteroid that size can cause unimaginable destruction.
However, it is too early to assert that the world has gained the ability to prevent asteroids from hitting us. The asteroid that was controlled was only 160 meters in size. Its cycle period was changed, without changing its orbit significantly. It is still not clear if the orbit of a much larger asteroid headed toward the Earth can be changed successfully.
In brief, NASA’s success in changing the course of a harmful asteroid is definitely praiseworthy, but much more needs to be done before we can say the world’s security from some unpredictable asteroid is guaranteed.
It should be noted that changing the orbit of an asteroid involves more than just sending an object into space and commanding it to hit the asteroid. While it is hard enough to hit an asteroid, it is even more difficult to lock onto one in the first place. It means having the ability to observe approaching asteroids, measuring their respective speeds, and deciding which ones might pose a danger to the Earth.
Therefore, there’s more to Dart hitting the asteroid than meets the eye. And these are key areas where global scientists need to work harder in the future.
1. What was the latest news about NASA?| A．Its new program failed. |
| B．Its manned spaceship hit an asteroid. |
| C．Its spacecraft changed an asteroid’s orbit. |
| D．Its spacecraft saved the earth from being destroyed. |
| A．It was comparatively small in size. |
| B．Its orbit was changed significantly. |
| C．It travelled at a higher speed than before. |
| D．It was powerful enough to end dinosaur era. |
| A．Neutral. | B．Optimistic. | C．Pessimistic. | D．Not mentioned. |
【推荐2】Women in the US never had the chance to become astronauts until 1983, when Sally Ride became the first American woman to travel to space.
Since Ride’s historic trip, more than 40 other American women have traveled to space. On July 23, 2012, Ride died at the age of 61.”Sally was a national hero and a powerful role model,” former President of the USA, Barack Obama said in a statement. “She inspired generations of young girls to reach for the stars.”
Ride became interested in space when she was a kid. “If you asked me when I was 12 whether I wanted to be an astronaut, I’m sire I would have said yes,” she said in a 2010 interview. “But I didn’t even think about that as a possible career.”
After studying physics in college and graduate school, Ride got her chance. She was accepted into NASA’s astronaut training program in 1978, and then chosen to be the first American female in space. In 1983, she got into space aboard the Challenger shuttle. “There is no amusement park ride on the Earth that even comes so close,” she said.
Ride returned to space on the Challenger a second time in 1984. After that, she remained involved with the space program and also worked to share her love for science with kids. She wrote six science books with others for children, and started her own science education company.
Ride knew that she held a unique place in history. “I realized how important it was for a woman to break that barrier(屏障) and open the door for other women to be able to do the same exciting things that the men had been doing,” she said.
1. Why was Sally Ride considered a national hero by Obama?| A．She was the first American to travel to space. |
| B．She was an example for women to find suitable jobs. |
| C．She was the first American female in space. |
| D．She was the first woman to pick a star home. |
| A．The trip to space was more interesting than a ride on Earth. |
| B．The trip to space was like that in an amusement park. |
| C．She came close to an amusement park on the Earth. |
| D．She preferred a ride in an amusement park on the Earth. |
| A．She inspired more American women to travel to space. |
| B．She wrote six science books with others for children. |
| C．She started her own science education company. |
| D．She worked to share her love for science with kids. |
| A．A novel. | B．A report. | C．A diary. | D．A play. |
【推荐3】NASA is making preparation to send a crew to the moon who will explore the lunar surface with the hopes of constructing a stable habitat. Although the American space agency is focused on just sending astronauts, other companies are looking further into the future for when humans will colonize the natural satellite.
Experts at Money, a company for consumer credit products, released the first-ever moon mortgage (按揭) guide that reveals living on the lunar surface would cost $325,067 a month.
“With Earth becoming increasingly populated and space technology advancing, it won’t be long before lunar living becomes the new normal,” reads the study.
The team from Money used various factors to calculate the cost of a house on the moon: raw materials needed to build a house, the special materials needed to build on the moon’s atmosphere, astronauts required to travel to build, and the average cost of transporting materials to the moon.
According to the moon mortgage guide, the first fully functioning house on the moon would be $48,454,063, which is a high price for a home. The price includes adding life-saving details to homes such as air seals, industrial-strength air-con and heaters, meter (流星)-proof windows, insulation (绝缘) and organic sources of energy.
The idea of living on the moon may sound like an exciting life, but those brave enough to take the leap have to consider the “lunar lifestyle” that comes with it.
“Generating energy is vital when living in such extreme conditions, and therefore the cost of some suppliers may force you to consider some alternative options. The most efficient way to generate. electricity on the moon is to buy a small nuclear reactor costing $1.3 billion,” Money shares in the study. “Alternatively, 34 solar panels would generate enough electricity to run one house and cost only $23,616 in comparison.”
The guide also reveals the most ideal locations on the moon, with “Sea of Rains” being deemed “the perfect family suburb”—this region sits at the north and is one of the largest impact craters (陨石撞击坑) in the Solar System.
1. What does the word underlined in Para 1 mean?| A．Send plenty of scientists. | B．Live in large numbers. |
| C．Have more knowledge. | D．Exploit more energy. |
| A．Average people can’t afford to live on the moon due to the high cost. |
| B．It’s estimated that the cost of living on the moon is roughly $425,067. |
| C．Life on the lunar surface would be expected similar to that on the earth. |
| D．Compared with nuclear reactor，solar panels cost less to generate electricity. |
| A．The high land. | B．The flat ground. |
| C．The deep hole. | D．The mountainous area. |
| A．Living on the Moon | B．Exploring the Moon |
| C．Sending Astronauts to the Moon | D．Travelling on the Moon |
