1 . Scientists have not found any signs of life on Mars yet,but they say a robotic vehicle called “Curiosity” is helping them learn a lot about the planet’s history and climate.
Curiosity landed on Mars in August 2012 after travelling through space for more than eight months.It was sent to Mars by scientists from NASA in the United States.
Curiosity is about the size of a car and has six wheels.It also has a robotic arm,cameras,and instruments that allow it to examine things it finds on the surface.Then it sends the information back to the earth.
Curiosity’s main task is to find out if anything could live on Mars,either now or in the past.On Nov.2,NASA scientists held a press conference (新闻发布会) to discuss what Curiosity had found in its first two months on Mars.
Curiosity has found soil that is similar to the sand formed by volcanoes (火山) on the earth.Scientists say that studying the minerals in Martian soil will help them understand what conditions were like on the planet in the past.Curiosity also found smooth stones like the ones found on river beds and seashores on the earth,where their rough edges have been worn down by water.Mars is very cold and dry now,but scientists say the smooth stones tell them that a river used to run through the place where they were found.
Curiosity has been testing the atmosphere around Mars for a type of gas called methane (甲烷),but so far it has not found any.On the earth,most methane is produced by plants or animals.Methane on Mars might indicate that some type of tiny plants or animals lived there.
Curiosity is the fourth robotic vehicle to be sent to Mars.It will continue to explore the planet for about two years.
1. Which of the following descriptions about Curiosity is TRUE?| A．It landed on Mars in January 2012. |
| B．It is small in size and has four arms. |
| C．It took over eight months to arrive in Mars. |
| D．It was sent to Mars by scientists from Russia. |
| A．there’s no air on Mars | B．Mars is warm and wet now |
| C．the soil on Mars is rich | D．there used to be water on Mars |
| A．smooth stones | B．rivers |
| C．robotic vehicles | D．volcanoes |
| A．some tiny animals once lived on Mars |
| B．there are no plants or animals on Mars now |
| C．the atmosphere around Mars is full of methane |
| D．Curiosity is designed to test the atmosphere around the earth |
| A．Humans benefit a lot by going to Mars. |
| B．Scientists will stop the research on Mars soon. |
| C．It is possible to build an earth-like environment on Mars. |
| D．A robotic vehicle helps scientists get useful information from Mars. |
2 . How good are we at predicting（预测）what people will do? What magazine will they buy, what music will they download, or what shoes will they choose for a party? Probably not nearly as good as we think. When it comes to human behavior, the brain is shown to have two different ways of thinking. So it doesn’t matter how old you are or how confident you are feeling. It’s all about what mood the brain is in!
A common thought process is the automatic and fast way which helps us to react（反应）quickly in dangerous situations. This is known as system I and dates back to the prehistoric times when people lived with a natural awareness of the dangers around them—bad weather, falling rocks and trees, and threatening animals. Nowadays we still have the ability to react so rapidly and naturally to situations that it can feel like you’re not thinking at all. Have you ever found yourself giving in to temptation （诱惑） and unable to say “no” to buying that new jacket in the window? This is because system 1 is in control—a human characteristic which the world of advertising likes to make the most of!
System 2 is the opposite. It’s a slow thought process that requires us to pay attention and concentrate. This way of thinking helps us to make sensible long-term decisions like choosing which university to study at, or what type of car to buy. The problem is that system 2 often starts to feel boring and so system I takes over. How often have you put down your homework or put off doing important jobs to go on Facebook or watch a TV soap?
We like to think that we go through life mainly using system 2. However, sometimes it’s system 1 that makes the right decision but system 2 that gets it wrong. For example, sports teams put a lot of effort into a game plan, but often it’s the unconscious（无意识的）human wish to do something differently that often leads to an unexpected win. This can also lead to the common mistaken idea that your successful decisions show your skill and talent, when in fact they were just luck.
Perhaps one day scientists will be able to predict what decisions people will make by measuring brain activity. In one study, volunteers were monitored with brain-scanning equipment. They were asked to press either a left or a right button whenever they wanted. The researchers found they could predict which button the volunteers would press up to seven seconds before it happened—your brain seems lo know what it will do before you do! Some scientists say our brains are just machines and we are not really in control of what’s going on. Let’s hope they’re wrong! It’s one thing to be able to tell which of two buttons a person will press, but I don’t like the idea that science could one day tell me what decisions 1 will make in my life before I’ve even had the chance to make them!
1. System 1 is more likely to be in control when you ________.| A．choose a university |
| B．plan a birthday party |
| C．buy a jacket in the window |
| D．prepare for a performance |
| A．people are more willing to use system 1 |
| B．we go through life mainly using system 2 |
| C．system 2 usually makes the wrong decision |
| D．system I sometimes makes the right decision |
| A．Unhappy. | B．Uninterested. |
| C．Hopeful. | D．Confident. |
| A．Two Systems of Thought |
| B．Early Brain Development |
| C．The Importance of Planning |
| D．Two Ways of Dealing with Danger |
