1 . Dangerous junk

On Nov 16, seven astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) woke up to an alarm. A Russian missile (导弹) test had just blasted (炸毁) a satellite (卫星) into more than 1,500 pieces of space debris (残骸) . Some got very close to the ISS.

NASA says space debris like this can travel at more than 28,000 km/h. That’s much faster than a bullet (子弹) (about 3,500 km/h). Even a pea-sized piece of debris could “wipe out” a space station or kill an astronaut if he or she is doing a spacewalk, says Live Science.

Since the 1950s, humans have sent thousands of rockets and satellites into space. Many are still there, and we now face an ever-increasing risk of space junk.

In 2006, for example, National Geographic reported that a tiny piece of space junk hit the ISS, taking a chip (一小块) out of a window. In June of this year, a piece of debris ran into one of the station’s robotic arms and left a hole.

Scientists are trying different ways to deal with the problem. One way is to use a huge net.

In 2018, the UK’s Surrey Space Center caught some space junk with a net in an experiment. It first found the debris, and then collected it with a net and a harpoon (鱼叉) .

Another solution is to use robotic arms. ClearSpace 1, the European Space Agency’s mission (任务) to clean space junk, is going to be sent into space in 2025. It will use robotic arms to catch debris. The mission plans to throw the debris into Earth’s atmosphere (大气层) , where it will burn up as it falls because of intense friction (摩擦) .

3 . Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. Named after the Roman god of war, Mars, it is often described as the “Red Planet”. Mars sometimes can easily be seen from Earth with just our eyes.

Some people believe that humans could live on the planet Mars by the year 2100. At present, however, our space ships are too slow to carry large numbers of passengers to Mars—it would take months. With the development of technology, by the year 2100, the journey might only take about 20 minutes in space ships that travel at the speed of light! However, the space ship would travel so fast that the journey to Mars might be quite uncomfortable. Many people would feel ill.

Humans cannot live without water, oxygen（氧气）or food. So far, nobody knows whether there would be enough water or oxygen on Mars for people there. Besides, scientists are not sure whether plants could grow on Mars. Food would most probably be in the form of pills（药片）and would not be so delicious.

Gravity（重力）could be another problem. The gravity on Mars is only about three-eighths of that on the Earth. People would have to wear shoes that are specially designed to prevent themselves from floating（漂浮）off into space.

Compared with life on the Earth, life on Mars would be better in some ways. People would have more space. They might live in houses with large comfortable rooms. Also, robots would do most of their work so that they could have more time to relax.

There would probably be no schools on Mars. Every student would have a computer at home connected to an interplanetary（星际间的）network. They would study at online schools with “e-teachers”.

Anyhow, so many problems and challenges are there, but one thing is clear: Life on Mars would be interesting as well as challenging.

Some scientists believe that Mars is the planet that is more likely to support human life away from Earth.

They believe that it’s possible for humans to reach Mars by 2030. However, there are many things to prepare before this can happen.     1     Recently, scientists have sent robots to Mars to gather information about the planet.

Putting people on Mars will include planning how a person will live on Mars. At its shortest distance Mars is 55 million kilometers away from Earth.     2     And astronauts would have to stay on Mars for over 18 months before Earth and Mars are at their closest distance again. The difficulties would include how much food and other things would be needed for over two years in space and how such things would be carried.

    3     They would need to prepare both their minds and bodies for such a long trip away from Earth. NASA set up a special research building in Hawaii. A group of astronauts stayed in this research building for 366 days. During their stay, they had to deal with what they might have to deal with on Mars.     4     They had to live with each other in a very small space. They also had to deal with the problem of having lots of time with little or nothing to do. They couldn’t receive help from people outside for the whole time they were inside.

    5     There is no doubt about it.

7 . China’s Shenzhou-13 crew members Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu livestreamed the first science lecture from the country’s space station on Thursday, December 9th, 2021, which amazed many students on the earth.

All crew members greeted students, teachers and other participants when the lecture started. They showed viewers how they lived and worked inside the space station, which currently consists of a core module(核心舱), a spacecraft and two robotic cargo(货物) spaceships.

The astronauts displayed their exercise equipment and a specially designed space suit, and conducted demonstrations(演示) on physical phenomena(现象) in microgravity, such as “disappearing buoyancy(浮力)” and a “water ball”. Ye, who is on his first spaceflight, showed how he rotated his body in the weightless environment. The astronauts also answered questions from students during the lecture.

Tens of millions of primary and middle school students across China watched the televised event hosted by the China Manned Space Agency, the Ministry of Education and other government departments.

It was the first lecture of the Tiangong Class, China’s first extraterrestrial(外星的) lecture series to popularize space science.

More lectures will be held based on the country’s manned spaceflights and will also be presented by Chinese astronauts, the manned space agency said. Such activities are intended to spread knowledge about manned spaceflights and spark enthusiasm for science among young people.

Shi Yi, deputy head of teaching and a physics teacher at the Beijing No. 101 Middle School, said the space lecture was an eye-opening experience that would ignite students’ interest in science.

Wang Yihan, a fifth-grade student, said, “The astronauts’ experiments really interested and surprised me. I have great interest in spaceflight and would like to take part in our country’s space exploration program in the future.” Vincent Wong Wai-shing, deputy principal of Hong Kong’s Pui Kiu College, said after watching the lecture that the event gave Hong Kong students an opportunity to communicate with the astronauts while stimulating their interest in space and science. “It also helped to enhance(增强)their sense of national identity as they saw the rapid development of our country’s space technology,” he said.

8 . “Hello, everyone! Welcome to Tiangong Class.” With this greeting, a special lecture began _____ Tiangong space station on Dec 9.

Lasting for about _____ hour, the space lecture was broadcast live to the students. “Three astronauts from the Shenzhou XIII crew — Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu — hosted the lecture, showing _____ there and doing some interesting experiments that can only _____ in space. This is the second live space lecture in China. In 2013, with the help of other Sheinzhou X crew members, Wang decided _____ a speech to over sixty _____ schoolchildren across China.

Compared with the class eight years ago, this year’s space lecture is greatly different. According to Pang Zhihao, a Beijing-based space expert, the “classroom” is much _____. Instead of Tiangong I experimental module, this year Wang delivered the space lecture in the Tianhe space core module (核心舱) which is the biggest spacecraft developed by China.

Eight years ago, Wang _____ students the laws of physics and focused on the interesting phenomenon (现象) of weightlessness (失重) in space. _____ this year, biology was added. The astronauts compared the growth and shape of cells in artificial gravity (人工重力) and zero gravity in order to study their changing rules and mechanisms (机械装置).

“The spirit of science in the youth is an important driver of the progress of mankind,” Zhou Jianping, designer-in-chief of China’s manned space program; added. “Space activities can help _____ build the spirit of pursuing science and facing challenges.”

Fifty years ago, China     1     (successful) launched its first satellite Dongfanghong 1 and started a new page in space exploration. To     2     /mɑːk/ its 50th anniversary, the China National Space Administration announced the name for the country’s Mars planetary exploration program on April 24.

The mission Tianwen got     3     (it) name from a long poem Tianwen written by Qu Yuan,     4     famous poet of the Warring States Period. In the poem, Qu raised a series of questions about the sky, stars and the real world which reflected his doubts on traditional ideas and his pursuit (追求) of     5     (true).

So far, China has made great progress     6     space exploration. In 1970, China launched its first man-made Earth satellite, making China the     7     (five) country in the world to launch man-made satellites independently.

Over the past few years, China’s Shenzhou series have been     8     (design) to explore outer space. This time the Tianwen series carried out the first Mars exploration mission,     9     it is a milestone (里程碑) for China’s move toward space. With the names     10     /diːp/ roots in Chinese traditional culture, Tianwen shows the determination of Chinese people to move farther into space than ever before.