The universe is very big. But how large is the universe? It is impossible     1     how large the universe is.

But we know the earth is our home. It is a planet and it     2     around the sun. The moon goes around the earth. There are seven other planets go around the sun. The sun and its planets are a system     3     the solar system. So far, some astronauts     4     to the moon. Some scientists     5     many spaceships to some other planets. But we haven’t     6     life on other planets, because none of them     7     an environment like the earth.

Scientists have also found many other galaxies in the universe. But they are very far away, so no spaceship has travelled far enough     8     them. Is there any life out of the solar system? Have there been visitors to the earth from other planets? I think there is still a long way     9     to know that. When I grow up, I     10     an astronaut and work for China’s space station.

As space science develops, man has learned more and more about space. Space is not only     1     but also dangerous. While working in space, spacemen are facing danger as well as success.

Scientists have     2     out that the radiation (辐射) is the greatest danger to spacemen. When     3     are working in space, they are in danger of the radiation from the sun and other stars, which is bad for their health.

Space     4     is also thought to be a great danger to spacemen. It’s reported that there were 9,000 man-made things flying in space. About 30% of these are satellites, 10% are     5     , and the rest are space rubbish. A small     6     of rubbish even knocks a spaceship window and     7     some damage (损坏).

Scientist are watching and reporting any possible danger all the time. They are working to deal     8     space rubbish.     9     space is really dangerous, it interests many people on the earth. In the near future, it may become     10     for people to spend a few days in a space hotel. We may even choose to leave the earth and live in space in a few years. So we should do something to help improve the space environment.

The moon     1     around the earth. It is quite near to us in     2    . It is only 380,000 kilometres away and man has     3     visited it. So far, no man has travelled     4     than the moon, but spaceships without people have     5     other planets of the universe.

Many countries have     6     up satellites(卫星) into space.

These satellites go     7     the earth and help us to learn more about the earth, the weather and other things. Many countries use these satellites to send and receive     8    . For example,     9     their help, China can send its TV and radio programmes to other countries. We can also use satellites to     10     us make telephone calls to foreign countries.

A lot of families in Britain grow vegetables, and a great many people grow     1    . My neighbor grows the biggest, sweetest, happiest ones in the world. “Can you tell me how to     2     it?” I ask. “Why can’t I grow ones like     3    ?”“ I talk to them,” my neighbor says,”I spend lots of time     4     to my plants.” Up to now, I have always laughed at this.

This summer, some scientists did many experiments and found     5     interesting result. I just read their report. They grew three sets of plants. Nobody talked to the ones in Set A, but every day for a month, workers played a recording of a man’s voice to the ones in Set B, and a recording of a     6     voice was played to the third set.     7     the end of the month, the     8     set of plants grew four centimeters taller than the first, and the third set of plants grew nine centimeters taller than the first.

“We can’t explain it,” a scientist said. “But sound waves (声波)     9     help the plants grow. Plant growers always pay attention to light and water. But in fact,     10     you want better plants, you will have to think of sound waves in the same way.”

There are many interesting and useful Chinese idioms. For example, we use “wanku zidi” (纨绔子弟)     1     playboys from rich families. What does “wan ku” mean?

    2     Chinese, we often use clothing-related words to refer to certain people. For example, jinguo, a women’s headdress, is     3     to refer to women. We use paoze to refer to a soldier’s robe. Like these     4    , wanku is also related to clothes.

Wan is     5     kind of fine cloth. It is made out of silk and is closely woven (编织). Ku, just like today’s ku, means trousers or pants. Wanku     6     a type of expensive pants in the past,     7     silk was very rare at that time. Only rich people could afford it.

Gradually, people started to use wanku to refer to playboys from wealthy families. This type of clothing showed     8     luxurious (奢侈的) and wasteful their lives were. The richer they were, the     9     clothes they wore.

Unlike rich people, common people could     10     wear plain cotton clothes. That’s why they were called buyi.

【推荐1】

There is no doubt that traveling into space is one of the greatest adventures (冒险经历) a person can have. However, living in space is not always as     1     as it appear on TV or in movies. In real life, sometimes astronauts stay in the International Space Station for several     2    . The station is not very big, so the astronauts don’t have a lot of room to     3     around. What’s more, the spaceship that carries astronauts into space is even much     4    . Astronauts eat, sleep and do their work in its very small space. To keep themselves healthy and happy, astronauts must follow strict rules.

However, astronauts can     5     have fun and relax after a hard day’s work. They can watch movies, play cards or talk to     6     friends and family on earth. Some astronauts even play musical instrument. That’s a     7     talent, no matter where you live!

They enjoy doing silly things     8     they are under weightless conditions, such as somersaults (翻筋斗). They run in circles up and down walls, and across the ceiling (天花板). They laugh as their hair sticks out in all     9    . Astronauts may have a serious job, but they must also have a good     10     of humor to deal with the pressures of living in space.