Want to see 16 sunrises in one day? Float in zero gravity? Be one of the few to have gazed upon our home planet from space? In just four years’ time, and for an astronomical $9.5 million dollars, it’s claimed you can.
What’s being billed as the world’s first luxury space hotel, Aurora Station, was announced Thursday at the Space 2.0 Summit in San Jose, California. Developed by US-based space technology start-up Orion Span, the fully modular space station will host six people at a time, including two crew members, for 12-day trips of space travel. It plans to welcome its first guests in 2022.
“Our goal is to make space accessible to all,” Frank Bunger, CEO and founder of Orion Span, said in a statement. “Upon launch, Aurora Station goes into service immediately, bringing travelers into space quickly and at a lower price point than ever seen before.” While a $10 million trip is outside the budget of most people’s two-week vacations, Orion Span claims to offer a real astronaut experience.
During their 12-day adventure, the super-rich travelers will fly at a height of 200 miles above the Earth’s surface in Low Earth Orbit, or LEP, where they will see incredible views of the blue planet. The hotel will orbit Earth every 90 minutes, which means guests will see around 16 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours.
Activities on board include taking part in research experiments such as growing food while in orbit--which guests can take home for a super-smug souvenir—and soaring over their hometown. Guests can have live video chats with their less-fortunate loved ones back home via high-speed wireless Internet access and, upon return to Earth, will be greeted with a specially arranged hero’s welcome. While enjoying the thrills of zero gravity, the travelers will be able to float freely through the hotel, taking in views of the northern and southern Aurora from the station’s windows.
DepositsHYPERLINK “https://www.orionspan.com/aurora-station-reservations”（订金）are already being aHYPERLINK“http://www.orisonspan.com/aurora-station-reservations”cHYPERLINK“http://www.orionspan.com/aurora-station-reservations” cepted for future stays on the space hotel. The $80,000 is fully returnable, should applicants find themselves unable to rise to the full $9.5 million. Travelers will complete a three-month Orion Span Astronaut Certification (OSAC) program before takeoff. Orion Span has a team of space industry veterans who together have more than 140 years of human space experience.
1. What’s the purpose of questions in Paragraph 1?| A．To ask questions about space travel. |
| B．To describe what you can do in space. |
| C．To arouse interest and introduce the topic. |
| D．To tell us scientific facts about space and planet. |
| A．old soldiers | B．doctors specializing in treating animals |
| C．researchers | D．experienced people |
| A．The luxury space hotel is designed specially for super-rich travelers. |
| B．A 3-month training program is unnecessary before space travel. |
| C．The space hotel will orbit the earth 16 times in total. |
| D．The space hotel can only host 4 guests at a time. |
| A．taking incredible photos of the earth |
| B．receiving warm greetings from people back on earth |
| C．buying a souvenir for loved ones from the space store |
| D．participating in research experiments and appreciating Aurora |
| A．they can not finish the Orion Span Astronaut Certification |
| B．they are physically unfit for space travel |
| C．they cannot hand in the full payment |
| D．the space hotel is not ready in 2022 |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Google must be the most ambitious company in the world. Its stated goal, "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful," deliberately omits the word "web" to indicate that the company is reaching for absolutely all information everywhere and in every form. From books to health records and videos, from your friendships to your click patterns and physical location, Google wants to know. To some people this sounds uplifting, with promises of free access to knowledge and help in managing our daily lives. To others, it is somewhat like another Big Brother, no less frightening than its totalitarian（极权主义的）ancestors for being in the private information.
Randall Stross, a journalist at the New York Times, does a good job of analyzing this unbounded ambition in his book "Planet Google". One chapter is about the huge data centers that Google is building with a view to storing all that information, another about the sets of rules at the heart of its web search and advertising technology, another about its approach to information bound in books, its vision for geographical information and so forth. He is at his best when explaining how Google's mission casually but fatally smashes into long-existing institutions such as, say, copyright law or privacy norms.
And yet, it's puzzling that he mostly omits the most fascinating component of Google, its people. Google is what it is because of its two founders, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, who see themselves as kindly elites and embody the limitless optimism about science, technology and human nature that is native to Silicon Valley. The world is perfectible, and they are the ones who will do much of the perfecting, provided you let them.
Brin and Page set out to create a company and an entire culture in their image. From the start, they professed that they would innovate as much in managing-rewarding, feeding, motivating, entertaining and even transporting（via Wi-Fi-enabled free shuttle buses）their employees—as they do in Internet technology. In reality, Google's as prone to power struggle and office politics as anyone else.
None of that makes it into Mr. Stross' account, which at times reads like a diligent summary of news articles. At those moments, "Planet Google" takes a risk similar to trying to board a speeding train: the Google story changes so fast that no book can stay up to date for long. Even so, a sober description of this moment in Google's quest is welcome. Especially since Google fully expects, as its chief executive, Eric Schmidt, says at the end of the book, to take 300 years completing it.
1. By describing Google as a "Big Brother", people think that Google .| A．is a pioneer in IT industry | B．is an invader of privacy |
| C．breaks its promise of free access | D．overestimates its own influence |
| A．They compete against each other in the office. |
| B．They are hard-working and talented. |
| C．They appreciate the managing techniques. |
| D．They feel encouraged by the company's benefits. |
| A．Planet Google will be in danger if it stays up to date for long. |
| B．Planet Google has to take 300 years to catch the speeding train. |
| C．A written book can only cover a little part of the on-going technology. |
| D．The board of Google welcomes Randall Stross to cover Google story. |
| A．Planet Google, a detailed description of Google's ambition |
| B．Google, a company with promises of free access to knowledge |
| C．Google, another big brother playing a political game |
| D．Planet Google, a half story of the real Google |
【推荐2】Scientists from Tufts University have developed tiny groups of human cells that can move on their own-and in a lab experiment, these so-called “anthrobots” inspired sheets of human neurons to repair themselves when damaged. The researchers hope the collections of cells could one day be used to treat diseases or aid with healing in humans.
The study comes on the heels of earlier work from one of its authors, who produced tiny robots by stitching together frog embryo cells. These robots, known as “xenobots”, could assemble themselves, move across surfaces and travel through liquid.
Since they're not made from human cells, xenobots can't be used to treat humans, writes Matthew Hutson, a freelance science writer. But the anthrobots in the new study could theoretically. Each anthrobot started with a single cell from an adult human lung. It then grew into a multicellular biobot after being cultured (培养) for two weeks.
These lung cells are covered in cilia. But at this point in the research, the cilia were growing inside the clumps of cells. So, for the next week, the researchers grew the cells in a solution (溶液) that caused the cilia to face outward instead, enabling these structures to move the anthrobots, which could move in tight loops, travel in straight lines or wiggle in place. Their speed varied as well.
The researchers also tested how these robots might heal wounds. They mimicked (模拟) a wound by scratching a layer of neurons in a dish. Then, they introduced anthrobots to the site of the scratch, and within days, the neurons regrew, bridging the gap created by the wound. The findings show new structures that might have uses in biomedical settings can be developed without gene editing and without having to design the structures manually, the study authors write.
“Unlike xenobots, anthrobots don't require tools to give them shape, and we can use adult cells-even cells from elderly patients-instead of embryonic cells,” says Gizem Gumuskaya, the paper's lead author. "We can produce these robots in large amounts in parallel, which is a good start for developing a therapeutic tool.”
1. How are the advantages of the anthrobot highlighted in the text?| A．By showing comments from users. | B．By explaining some terms. |
| C．By making comparisons. | D．By listing the data of questionnaires. |
| A．The weaknesses of the anthrobot. | B．The culture of the anthrobot. |
| C．The structure of the anthrobot. | D．The application of the anthrobot. |
| A．It can travel both on land and in water. | B．It requires no genetic modification. |
| C．It can be applied in a controlled way. | D．It can develop from any cells of humans. |
| A．Regenerative medicine. | B．New materials. |
| C．Environmental protection. | D．Individualized education. |
【推荐3】SHOULD WE FIGHT NEW TECHNOLOGY?
This morning, I saw the shocking headline: “Passenger Dies When Car Crashes in Driverless Mode”. In the article, a lot of people said that the public should oppose the idea of developing driverless cars. They said that some advances in technology were unnecessary and could even be dangerous. Hence, we should cease accepting technology just because it is new. The newspaper reported that the car company had already apologized for the accident, but the families of the deceased said it was not enough. Nevertheless, the company still claimed that most people would be travelling in driverless cars one day soon.
On the one hand, there are many different groups of people around the world who live happily in the absence of new technology. Probably the most well-known are the Amish, a group of Christians living in rural America. They do not own or drive cars, watch TV, or use the Internet. They have lived mainly as farmers since the 18th century, and they will probably be living the same way in the distant future. They advocate a simple life with an emphasis on hard work, family, and community. They think that is better than caring about luxuries or following the lives of the rich and famous. It could even be argued that the Amish’s quality of life is better since they live in and appreciate the natural environment rather than living in large, polluted cities.
On the other hand, new technology has provided people everywhere with many benefits over the years. For example, the latest weather-tracking computer programs give people lots of warnings about potential natural disasters, which saves many lives. Moreover, the Internet has made it possible for friends and family to keep in touch easily even if they are on opposite sides of the world. It has also made finding opportunities in life much easier, as it allows people to make larger networks of friends through using social media.
Personally, I have benefited quite a lot from technological advances. I found my career as an AI designer through a social media network. My health monitor, which I wear all the time, has also helped me get into the best shape of my life. Of course, when new technology changes the way we live, it can be a scary prospect. Nevertheless, I will always look on the positive side of change and accept it rather than resist it.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．A person died in an accident while driving his brand-new car. |
| B．The relatives of the victim would never accept the apology. |
| C．Many people took a negative attitude to this new technology. |
| D．The company was very concerned about the future of this new technology. |
| A．To persuade us to follow their natural living style. |
| B．To tell us the Amish prefer a harmonious and peaceful life. |
| C．To prove people can still live better without new technology. |
| D．To advocate a simple life with family and community by hard work. |
| A．Monitoring people’s physical health. |
| B．Providing chances in life more easily. |
| C．Predicting the earthquake and tsunami. |
| D．Helping people contact each other easily. |
| A．To praise the advantages of new technology. |
| B．To show his supportive idea of new technology. |
| C．To criticize the disadvantages of new technology. |
| D．To arouse people’s concern about new technology. |
【推荐1】The sea could be the food bowl of the future. In Jervis Bay, south of Sydney, seaweed, which is rich in fibre and omega 3, is grown and harvested.
Pia Winberg is a marine scientist who runs Australia's first food-grade fanned seaweed company. Her crop is grown alongside mussels (贻贝)and is used as an additive in pasta (意大利面)and other products.
Seaweed is also raised in large tanks, where it absorbs carbon dioxide waste from a wheat processing factory. The business is small, but could help to reduce the ecological footprint of traditional farming.
“We used ten percent of seaweed instead of wheat in breads and pastas, we've eliminated a million hectares of land, we've eliminated all of the carbon dioxide emissions associated with that, and we've also reduced the pressures on very precious fresh water.” said Pia Winberg.
Spiny sea urchins (多刺海胆虫)are another blue economy resource. They can destroy marine habitats, but a recent competition for environmental start-ups in Australia, saw them not as a pest but a delicacy (美味).
Martina Doblin, CEO of Sydney Institute of Marine Science, said, “By 2050 we will have some ten billion people on the planet, and about half the food they eat will come from the ocean. So, we really do need to pay attention to the way that we manage the blue economy-generating wealth from the ocean but in a sustainable (可持续的)way.”
Farming at sea has its challenges. Infrastructure (基础设施)has to be sound, as do supply chains and biosecurity. But get these things right, and the ocean might just be the next great economic frontier.
1. What is the function of the first paragraph?| A．To lead to the main topic. |
| B．To describe a new kind of seaweed. |
| C．Tell how important the food safety is. |
| D．To explain the meaning of blue economy. |
| A．Ocean exploration has made little progress so far. |
| B．More and more people will die of hunger in the future. |
| C．More work is needed for a better use of the natural resources. |
| D．Sea farming will be a good way to solve the coming world food problem. |
| A．Skeptical. | B．Objective. | C．Tolerant. | D．Negative. |
| A．How to Protect the Marine Animals |
| B．Measures to Develop Blue Economy |
| C．Farming the Sea for the Future of Food |
| D．Traditional Farming is Gradually Disappearing |
【推荐2】SHOULD WE FIGHT NEW TECHNOLOGY?
This morning, I saw the shocking headline: “Passenger Dies When Car Crashes in Driverless Mode”.In the article, a lot of people said that the public should oppose the idea of developing driverless cars.They said that some advances in technology were unnecessary and could even be dangerous.Hence, we should cease accepting technology just because it is new.The newspaper reported that the car company had already apologized for the accident, but the families of the deceased said it was not enough.Nevertheless, the company still claimed that most people would be travelling in driverless cars one day soon.
On the one hand, there are many different groups of people around the world who live happily in the absence of new technology.Probably the most well known are the Amish, a group of Christians living in rural America.They do not own or drive cars, watch TV, or use the Internet.They have lived mainly as farmers since the 18th century, and they will probably be living the same way in the distant future.They advocate a simple life with an emphasis on hard work, family, and community.They think that is better than caring about luxuries or following the lives of the rich and famous.It could even be argued that the Amish’s quality of life is better since they live in and appreciate the natural environment rather than living in large, polluted cities.
On the other hand, new technology has provided people everywhere with many benefits over the years.For example, the latest weather-tracking computer programs give people lots of warnings about potential natural disasters, which saves many lives.Moreover, the Internet has made it possible for friends and family to keep in touch easily even if they are on opposite sides of the world.It has also made finding opportunities in life much easier, as it allows people to make larger networks of friends through using social media.
Personally, I have benefited quite a lot from technological advances.I found my career as an AI designer through a social media network.My health monitor, which I wear all the time, has also helped me get into the best shape of my life.Of course, when new technology changes the way we live, it can be a scary prospect.Nevertheless, I will always look on the positive side of change and accept it rather than resist it.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．A person died in an accident while driving his brand-new car. |
| B．The relatives of the victim would never accept the apology. |
| C．Many people took a negative attitude to this new technology. |
| D．The company was very concerned about the future of this new technology. |
| A．To persuade us to follow their natural living style. |
| B．To tell us the Amish prefer a harmonious and peaceful life. |
| C．To prove people can still live better without new technology. |
| D．To advocate a simple life with family and community by hard work. |
| A．Monitoring people’s physical health. |
| B．Providing chances in life more easily. |
| C．Predicting the earthquake and tsunami. |
| D．Helping people contact each other easily. |
| A．resistance | B．future | C．advance | D．positivity |
| A．The author wanted to praise the advantages of new technology. |
| B．The author wanted to show his supportive idea of new technology. |
| C．The author wanted to criticize the disadvantages of new technology. |
| D．The author wanted to arouse people’s concern about new technology. |
【推荐3】No spacecraft will ever land on the sun. the sun is a flaming ball of gas that reaches thousands of degrees Fahrenheit. But next year, a ship from Earth will fly closer to it than any man made craft has flown before. The mission(任务)is a big development for scientists and, maybe, for everyone else.
In September 2018, NASA plans to launch the Parker Solar Probe. After a journey of nearly 90 million miles, it will fly within 3.8 million miles of the sun. within two months of launching, the probe is expected to reach the sun’s corona(日冕). That’s the sun’s outer atmosphere of gases.
Getting there won’t be easy. Designing a spacecraft tough enough to hold up to the sun’s heat has proved difficult. But that hasn’t stopped engineers from trying. Temperatures in the corona can reach millions of degrees. The probe will limit itself to regions where things get no hotter than 2,500oF. That’s still a heavy heat load for a spacecraft. But a 4.5-inch-thick heat shield(罩)will protect the probe’s camera and scientific instruments.
NASA says the data the probe collects could provide knowledge into the physics of stars. Our sun is special to us. But as a star, it’s rather common. So the better we understand how it works, the better we understand all stars of its mass and color.
Perhaps the most important is what the probe may show us about solar storms. During solar storms, charged particles stream through the solar system. They can disable communications satellites and shut down powder systems. One study has found that a very intense solar storm could cause up to $2 trillion in damage in the US alone. It could also black out the East Coast for a year.
Understanding solar storms might allow us to predict them and protect ourselves. That could make even a mission with a billion-plus price tag one of NASA’s great bargains.
1. What can we learn about the probe?| A．It’ll fly closer to the sun that the previous ones |
| B．It’s the first man made instrument to fly to the sun |
| C．It’ll get to the core of the sun in nearly two months |
| D．It’ll fly about 3.8 million miles to reach the corona. |
| A．Directing the probe to collect data |
| B．Reducing the temperature of the probe |
| C．Building a shield against the heat |
| D．Limiting the probe to proper regions |
| A．Exploring the stars | B．Getting close to the sun |
| C．Designing a spaceship | D．Protecting the earth |
| A．Monitoring satellites | B．Exploring solar energy |
| C．Developing scientific instruments | D．Forecasting solar storms |
