1 . The Milky Way is full of habitable (宜居) places, with roughly half of all sunlike stars hosting Earth-size worlds that could be friendly to life.
Here’s a good sign for alien hunters: More than 300 million worlds with similar conditions to Earth are spread throughout the Milky Way galaxy. A new analysis concludes that roughly half of the galaxy’s sunlike stars host rocky worlds in habitable zones where liquid water could pool or flow over the planets’ surfaces.
Astronomers estimated the number of these planets using data from NASA’s planet-hunting Kepler spacecraft. For nine years, Kepler stared at the stars and watched for the brief twinkles produced when orbiting planets block a portion of their star’s light. By the end of its mission in 2018, Kepler had spotted some 2,800 exoplanets (外星行星) — many of them nothing like the worlds orbiting our sun.
But Kepler’s primary goal was always to determine how common planets like Earth are. The calculation required help from the European Space Agency’s Gaia spacecraft, which monitors stars across the galaxy. With Gaia’s observations in hand, scientists were finally able to determine that the Milky Way is populated by hundreds of millions of Earth-size planets orbiting sunlike stars — and that the nearest one is probably within 20 light-years of the solar system.
It took more than half a century for scientists to start pinning down how many planets could possibly host life. In 1961, astronomers knew of no worlds orbiting stars other than the sun — and although planetary formation theories suggested exoplanets should be common, we had no observational evidence that they existed. But over the past decade, it’s become clear that planets are extremely common, outnumbering stars in the Milky Way. On average, nearly every star is home to at least one orbiting world.
Early estimates suggested that perhaps 20 percent of sunlike stars hosted a world that met those criteria. We now know that the number is closer to 50 percent, if not more.
Of course, many factors determine whether a world in the habitable zone is truly friendly for life. Planetary characteristics such as magnetic fields, atmospheres, and plate tectonics all play a role, and those are difficult to observe on small, faraway worlds.
1. When the author says, “Here’s a good sign for alien hunters”, he probably means____.| A．that’s good news for hunters |
| B．we will find aliens soon |
| C．there is a clear signal from alien |
| D．many sunlike stars have been found that may be habitable |
| A．By observing the brief flicker that occurs when orbiting planets block some of the star’s light. |
| B．By using the data from the European Space Agency’s Gaia spacecraft. |
| C．By calculating the stars in the galaxy. |
| D．Through its own calculation. |
| A．Kepler’s primary goal was to make sure that the Earth is a common planet. |
| B．Kepler helped Gaia to calculate the planets. |
| C．Gaia is only 20 light-years away from the solar system. |
| D．Kepler monitors stars across the Milky Way. |
| A．The importance of planetary formation theories. |
| B．Exoplanets are common. |
| C．Scientists spent more than half a century to find out how many planets host life. |
| D．Astronomers have known of no worlds orbiting stars other than the sun since 1961. |
| A．oxygen | B．atmospheres | C．magnetic fields | D．plate tectonics |
2 . Face Painting Academy Diploma
Subject Art & Design, Craft & Creative, Beauty
Delivery method Online
Study level Professional development, Short, Accredited
Ref FACE-GUARD
Price £30, was £299, use code: GUARD90
Start a career in Face Painting or simply learn for fun.
Do you have a love for entertaining people?
Are you artistic and want to impress people with a new skill?
Have you ever thought about doing a course in face painting, so you can earn fantastic money?
If so then with this course you could become a qualified face painter just like hundreds of other people who have taken our courses. For a one-off (一次性付款） you can study online and complete the diploma in about 28 hours.
The comprehensive syllabus （教学大纲）is supported by 16 instructional videos so you can learn all the designs with ease, and you will learn a wide range of designs including dog, rabbit and spider man. With 14 modules to cover, you can become an accomplished face painter.
Your qualification will be recognized and can be checked for validity by all of your future clients too! Take a step in the right direction and get your Face Painting Academy Diploma today. £30, was £299, use code: GUARD90
Module 1 Your Introduction to Becoming a Face Painter
Module 2 The Equipment and Materials You Will Need for Face Painting
Module 3 Health & Safety and Risk Assessments
Module 4 Starting / Running Your Own Business
Module 5 Pricing and Costs
Module 6 Marketing Your Business & Social Media
Module 7 1'he Do's and Don'ts and What to Do If Your Business Doesn't Go Well
Module 8 How to do a Dog / Cat Face Paint Design
Module 9 How to do a Butterfly / Dolphin Face Paint Design
Module 10 How to do a Monkey / Frog Face Paint Design
Module 11 How to do a Rabbit / Swan Face Paint Design
Module 12 How to do a Tiger / Dinosaur Face Paint Design
Module 13 How to do a Spiderman / Batman Face Paint Design
Module 14 How to do a Minnie Mouse / Princess Face Paint Design
1. The course is intended mainly for those _______.| A．keen on showing off new skills |
| B．eager to get an academy diploma |
| C．equipped with a unique taste for art |
| D．interested in learning face painting |
| A．30 | B．269 | C．299 | D．329 |
| A．It is presented both online and offline. |
| B．The diploma can be obtained in one day. |
| C．It provides not only many face paint designs but also lessons on business. |
| D．Some clients will be invited to examine your qualification. |
| A．Module 4. | B．Module 6. | C．Module 7. | D．Module 10 |
3 . The recent widespread interest in all branches of psychology has accustomed us to accepting an idea which,when first offered,seemed laughable:We all,at some level,spend most of the time on reverie(幻想）。We dream either consciously or unconsciously,awake or asleep,of a situation in which we feel we should be happier than we are in real life.Occasionally some childish ideas of happiness or success break out in to confuse or prevent us from living an adult life.Sometimes the dream is refusing to leave the safe shelter of the nursery,where all wants were met as soon as felt,where warmth and food and love were given freely and unearned.As Emerson wrote,"We do not believe there is any force in today to match or recreate that beautiful yesterday.We linger in(徘徊）the ruins of the old tent where once we had bread and shelter."To some extent this is true of all of us,but less true of the happy and successful adult than of others.
At other times,funnily enough,the life-wasting reverie is about success:The mild man is Napoleon or the ugly woman is a charming singer.If reality never broke in upon such reverie,the dreamer might be happier than if he were to find himself in a position to realize some part of it.Such reverie is in itself compensation for a life of dull routine.But,the world being what it is,the dreamer must live,for part of his time at least,in the cold atmosphere of fact.This is no Land of Cockaigne:Roast 1t pigs do not run about crying,"Eat me!"Fruit does not fall from the trees into our mouths..
The deeply rooted dreamer will struggle only just as much as he needs,and no more.He will do anything half-heartedly to get his bread and butter.Then,when his daily task is over,he will be hack to his dreams again,whether he realizes it or not. He succeeds at only one thing:in clearing away a little space,gaining each day a few hours of free time,for just one purpose-to go on wasting his life.But his
dream is happy.It is,for him,a true compensation for his failure in every other relation,and so he continues in it.Yet,since after all happiness is the true goal,he believes that the smallest success in reverie brings with it more happiness.
However,it is important to remember that failure is real,for otherwise we will not prepare ourselves to fight it.
1. People's spending most of the time on reverie is something that| A．was laughed at by people in the past |
| B．most people are greatly fed up with |
| C．psychologists are very interested in |
| D．psychologists have widely accepted |
| A．are filled with fear of the future life |
| B．usually have a happy childhood |
| C．always enjoy recalling their past life |
| D．are happier than any successful adult |
| A．think that they are the greatest of the world |
| B．could enjoy all they need for life without work |
| C．will realize life means struggle |
| D．usually live a life of dull routine |
| A．They'll never work for life even when they're starving. |
| B．They admire heroes so much as to become Napoleon.b |
| C．They don't feel happy due to the little things they have. |
| D．They'll never do any more than keeping themselves alive. |
| A．we should stop spending most of our time on reverie |
| B．people can realize something vital through dreaming |
| C．we should prepare ourselves to fight failure |
| D．people can gain more happiness from reality |
Many roads and places in Singapore（新加坡）are named in order that the pioneers will be remembered by future generations. Thus we have names such as Stamford Road and Raffles Place. This is in keeping with traditions in many countries ---- in both the West and the East.
Another way of naming places is naming them after other places. Perhaps they were named to promote friendships between the two places or it could be that the people who used to live there were originally from the places that the roads were named after. The mystery is clearer when we see some of the roads named in former British bases. If you step into Selector Airbase you will see Piccadilly Circus ---- obviously named by some homesick Royal Air Force personnel.
Some places were named after the activities that used to go on at those places. Bras Basah Road is an interesting example, “Base Basah” means “wet rice” in Malay（马来语）. Now why would anyone want to name a road “Wet Rice Road”? The reason is simple. During the pioneering days, wet rice was laid out to dry along this road.
A few roads in Singapore are named by their shapes. There is “Circular Road” for one. Other roads may have part of their names to describe their shapes, like “Paya Lebar Crescent”. This road is called a crescent（月牙） because it begins on the main road, makes a crescent and comes back to join the main road again.
1. We learn from Paragraph 1 that _____.| A．the government is usually the first to name a place |
| B．many places tend to have more than one name |
| C．a ceremony will be held when a place is named |
| D．people prefer the place names given by the government |
| A．Change suddenly. | B．Change significantly. |
| C．Disappear mysteriously. | D．Disappear very slowly. |
| A．Raffles Place. | B．Selector Airbase. |
| C．Piccadilly Circus. | D．Paya Lebar Crescent. |
| A．after a person | B．after a place | C．after an activity | D．by its shape |
| A．Some place names in Singapore are the same as in Britain. |
| B．Some places in Singapore are named for military purposes. |
| C．The way Singaporeans name their places is unique. |
| D．Young Singaporeans have forgotten the pioneers. |
