8 . A high school teacher and his students have discovered that an asteroid (小行星) hit by a NASA spacecraft, in a test run for saving the Earth from an impact, is behaving unexpectedly. The find could have effects on future planetary defense missions.
The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) is a project designed to launch and crash a fridge-sized spacecraft into an asteroid called Dimorphos, orbiting a larger asteroid Didymos. The purpose of the exercise was to see how significantly the previous path of Dimorphos could be changed by the impact. Before DART’s impact, it would take Dimorphos 11 hours and 55 minutes to complete a lap around Didymos. NASA was hoping the DART crash could change the cycle by about 73 seconds, but observations made in the weeks following the impact determined that the results were much more significant, reducing Dimorphos’ orbital period by some 33 minutes.
But California high school teacher Jonathan Swift and his students discovered that Dimorphos’ orbital period was a full minute longer than the time reported by NASA last year. They used the school’s observatory to track Dimorphos and Didymos for several months last fall. Swift presented his class’ findings at the American Astronomical Society conference in June. The DART team has since confirmed that Dimorphos did indeed continue slowing in its orbit up to a month after the impact.
Scientists aren’t sure exactly what is behind the slowdown of Dimorphos. But recent observations of the asteroid have revealed a vast field of large rocks were kicked up by the impact. It’s possible that some of the larger space rocks fell back onto Dimorphos within that first month, slowing its orbit further, DART team member Harrison Agrusa said.
The DART team plans to release its own report on the unexpected findings in the coming weeks. However, complete answers may have to wait until 2026, when the European Space Ageney’s Hera spacecraft is scheduled to investigate the crash site up closely.
1. What was the purpose of launching the NASA spacecraft?A.To change Dimorphos’ orbital cycle. |
B.To stop Dimorphos hitting the Earth. |
C.To reduce Didymos’ path around the sun. |
D.To make Didymos move in a bigger orbit. |
A.1 full minute. | B.2 minutes or so. |
C.Nearly 33 minutes. | D.About 32 minutes. |
A.How seriously Dimorphos was damaged. |
B.What happened to the rocks on Dimorphos. |
C.Why Dimorphos slowed down for a month. |
D.What Dimorphos looked like after the impact. |
A.To crash into another asteroid nearby. |
B.To measure the previous impact results. |
C.To affect the motion of the twin asteroids. |
D.To identify the asteroids threatening the Earth. |
9 . A few years ago I went through a period of such severe depression that life didn’t seem worth living. It was like permanent
Then I saw snowdrops pushing through the
I could spend hours
Of course, fresh air and exercise help to
At the end of the first garden I made
The leaves dropped until it looked no more than a(n)
A.spring | B.summer | C.fall | D.winter |
A.freezing | B.soft | C.smooth | D.dirty |
A.come back to earth | B.come back to life | C.come true | D.come up |
A.Before | B.Whether | C.Although | D.As |
A.dead | B.burdened | C.alive | D.compared |
A.optimistic | B.pessimistic | C.traditional | D.creative |
A.recovered | B.accompanied | C.blocked | D.returned |
A.addicted | B.eager | C.lost | D.devoted |
A.touched | B.impressed | C.affected | D.released |
A.excited | B.depressed | C.delighted | D.sensitive |
A.accumulate | B.relieve | C.disturb | D.deepen |
A.hope | B.desire | C.emotion | D.moral |
A.stood | B.suffered | C.waited | D.lined |
A.stable | B.complex | C.absolute | D.useful |
A.promoted | B.inspired | C.awarded | D.hurt |
10 . Look, let’s be honest-there’s no such thing as a “green” vacation. You’ll leave a carbon footprint, no matter what.
Is it a B Corp?
B Corps are businesses that meet a strict set of standards by the nonprofit B Lab. They include requirements for governance, workers, customers, community and the environment.
Does the company have any other environmental certifications?
Third-party certifications from Green Key, LEED and WELL can be signs that a travel company means business about the environment. Transportation companies may also offer verified certifications from organizations like Terrapass or the Gold Standard Foundation.
If the company claims to be green, don’t just take its word for it. Listen to what it says. If you see nothing but models on its Instagram channel or ads for online discounts on its site, perhaps it’s a shade of fake green. “A company’s social media strategy is generally a reflection of its current ethos and goals,” explained Julia Carter, founder of Craft Travel.
How deep is its commitment to the environment?
A.But your trip can be green-ish. |
B.What’s the company saying to everyone? |
C.How can we find a reliable company online? |
D.Don’t trust anything the company says to the public. |
E.These certifications aren’t a guarantee the company is green. |
F.Look for reliable reports on sustainability from a travel company. |
G.You can search the directory of these forward-looking companies online. |