1 . European researchers say they have created a process that can produce oxygen from moon dust. The process could provide a major source of oxygen for humans taking part in moon exploration activities in the future.
Researchers from the European Space Agency, or ESA, carried out the experiments at a laboratory in the Netherlands. They reported their results in a study published in Planetary and Space Science.
The team says ESA’s experimental “plant” was able to successfully produce oxygen from simulated moon dust. The dust is part of a material known as regolith (月壤)，a top layer of dirt and rock pieces that sit on the surface of the moon.
Samples of regolith from the moon have confirmed that the material contains about 45 percent oxygen by weight. However, the oxygen is chemically locked in the form of minerals or glass, so it is not easily available for use. Having real samples of regolith from the moon made it possible for the researchers to create the simulated moon dust material used during testing.
The oxygen extraction (提取)process is carried out using a method called molten salt electrolysis (熔盐电解). This involves first placing the regolith in a metal container. Calcium chloride salt is added to the mixture, which is then heated to 950 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, the regolith remains solid. Next, an electrical current is passed through the material. The researchers say it is this step that results in oxygen being extracted from the regolith. The study reported that up to 96 percent of oxygen in the simulated moon dust was extracted during the experiments.
ESA’s long-term goal is to design an oxygen -producing “pilot plant” to operate full-time on the moon. The first technology demonstration of the system is expected to take place in the middle of 2020s.
The researchers reported that “as a bonus”，the process also results in the production of usable metallic materials.
1. What can benefit from the process?| A．The treatment of some patients. | B．The environment of the moon. |
| C．Future moon exploration activities. | D．Future experiment in the laboratory. |
| A．It exists in the form of solid. |
| B．It only exists on the surface. |
| C．It is mixed with other materials. |
| D．It is locked in a metal container. |
| A．Adding calcium chloride salt to the mixture. |
| B．Placing the regolith in a metal container. |
| C．Passing an electrical current through the material. |
| D．Heating the metal container to 950 degrees Celsius. |
| A．Mixed. | B．Copied. | C．Exposed. | D．Abandoned. |
2 . When I was a kid, my siblings (兄弟姐妹) and I used to have ice cream for dessert. Every day, we would choose which ice cream flavor to have, whether to eat it in a cone or a bowl. Then we would happily wolf down our treat (款待) as fast as we could.
Once, though, when I was probably about 10 or 11, our grandpa came to visit us. Grandpa always had a unique view on things. On this particular occasion, my sister and I were making bets as to who could finish our ice cream first. With a smile, Grandpa said, “Why would you want to finish first? If you eat slowly, it will last longer. You should have a competition to see who can finish last.” Even now, I always try to taste my ice cream, but of course this is about more than just dessert.
Too often, kids want to scramble (争夺) for more, whether it’s more ice cream, more toys, or more friends. This habit persists into our adult years, and we end up constantly scrambling for more. We never develop the skill of appreciating what we have. If we learn to recognize this pattern and change it, we can raise our kids a little differently, giving them the tool of tasting their widely known dessert, which could lead to a happier life for them.
What my grandpa taught me that day was really that if you take the opportunity to enjoy what’s in front of you, the pleasure will last longer and be more rewarding than if you rush through life always trying to get the next treat. It’s a lesson that, I think, has made my adult life happier, as well. These days, when I want something, I wait as long as I can before I allow myself to have it. Then, when I finally get it, I make sure to treasure it as long as possible, because I know that, no matter what it is, it will be gone all too soon.
1. The author’s grandfather advised her sister and her to_______.| A．stop eating ice cream | B．learn something from their way of eating |
| C．stop the competition between them | D．eat ice cream as slowly as possible |
| A．Humorous. | B．Wise. | C．Strict. | D．Careful. |
| A．Value what you have. | B．Keep longing for more. |
| C．Have a balanced diet. | D．Save for the future. |
| A．The author benefits a lot from her grandfather’s advice. |
| B．The author doesn’t like ice cream as much as before. |
| C．The author just starts to understand her grandfather. |
| D．The author longs for the days when they ate ice cream. |
