This year marks the 20th anniversary (周年纪念) of China’s first manned space task, with Yang Liwei becoming the first Chinese astronaut to go to space. Since then, another 17 astronauts have reached for the stars. The choice of the fourth generation (代) of astronauts began in 2022 and is now in full swing. Experts showed how difficult the training is before astronauts can rise to space.
“To make sure that Chinese astronauts accomplish their tasks and return to Earth safely, eight kinds, including over 200 subjects of training, were set,” Huang Weifen, leading designer of the astronaut system for China’s manned space project, told CCTV News. Apart from physical fitness training, it also includes basic scientific knowledge, health, and so on.
Among the training subjects, the most tiring one is underwater training. This training is designed for astronauts to get used to the microgravity (微重力) environment in space. According to Huang, astronauts stay underwater in suits weighing over 100 kilograms for six hours at a time. Water resistance (阻力) and the heavy suit make every move tiring. “Nie Haisheng once reported he lost two kilos after one under-water training exercise,” said Huang. Each astronaut receives training for at least three and a half years before having the chance to go to space.
Chinese astronauts also require language and cultural training to have better communication with their international partners. Their strong mind and hard work have made China a great player in the space race, and they continue to encourage future generations to reach for the stars.
19. Which word is close to the underlined word “accomplish”?
A.Finish. | B.Know. | C.Accept. | D.Receive. |
20. How does the writer show the hard work of underwater training?
A.By listing numbers and telling a story. | B.By listing a fact and giving an example. |
C.By answering a question and listing a fact. | D.By giving an example and comparing with others. |
21. Why do Chinese astronauts need language and cultural training?
A.To make their life in space more interesting. |
B.To communicate with foreign astronauts better. |
C.To inspire future generations to study for the stars. |
D.To keep them not stop learning even in the space. |
22. What is the text mainly about?
A.The Chinese astronauts’ hard training. | B.The great achievements of Chinese space field. |
C.The rapid development of Chinese space field. | D.The future training plans of Chinese astronauts. |