1 . China launched a large robotic spacecraft on Nov. 24, 2020 at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in South China's Hainan province, tasking it with landing on the moon and bringing back lunar samples, 44 years after the last time such substances were brought back to Earth.
If everything proceeds smoothly, about 2 kilograms of stones and soil will be collected and packed in a vacuum metal container. The entire mission is scheduled to last about 23 days, according to the China National Space Administration. Considering these highly sophisticated operations, Chang'e 5 will be more difficult and challenging than previous Chinese lunar expeditions, designers have said.
According to a statement published by the space administration, the Chang'e 5 mission is intended to fulfill several objectives. In terms of space engineering, it will demonstrate technical plans and apparatus for autonomous lunar sampling and packing and moon-based launching, as well as lunar orbital docking. In the scientific field, it will investigate the landing site's features, and enable scientists to analyze the lunar samples' structure and physical traits so they can deepen their research into the moon's origin and evolution. It added that the mission also will help to foster the country's knowledge, technology and talent pool for its future manned missions to the moon and other deepspace expeditions.
Pei Zhaoyu, spokesman for the Chang'e 5 mission, said if the mission becomes successful, it will be a milestone in the nation's lunar exploration and will show the world China's scientific, technological and engineering capabilities.
Furthermore, Chang'e 5 will strengthen the nation's status and influence in the international space community, pave the way for the country's future lunar expeditions and boost its space science, and will offer more opportunities to lunar researchers around the world. Scientists around the world are welcome to participate in the research related to the lunar samples brought back by the mission. China will publish a set of guidelines about the use and distribution of the samples after the mission.
1. What can we learn about the mission of Chang'e 5?| A．It was exactly the same as 44 years ago. |
| B．It will help to complete space walking. |
| C．It aims to bring back lunar samples. |
| D．It will try to land on the moon for the first time. |
| A．impossible | B．complex |
| C．ambitious | D．effective |
| A．The first nation to bring lunar samples back in the world. |
| B．A further step in understanding the evolution of the earth |
| C．More competition in lunar expeditions with other countries. |
| D．China's scientific, technological and engineering abilities. |
| A．The landmark mission of Chang'e 5. |
| B．A new guideline from the moon samples. |
| C．New opportunities to lunar researchers |
| D．China's scientific contributions. |
2 . The universe is expanding faster than it used to, meaning it’s about a billion years younger than we thought, a new study by a Nobel Prize winner says.
At issue is a number called the Hubble constant, a calculation for how fast the universe is expanding. Some scientists call it the most important number in cosmology, the study of the origin and development of the universe.
Using NASAS Hubble Space Telescope, lohns Hopkings University astronomer Adam Riess concluded in this week’s Astrophysical Journal that the figure is 9% higher than the previous calculation, which was based on studying leftovers from the Big Bang.
The trouble is， Riess and others think both calculations are correct. Confused? That’s OK, so are the experts. They find the conflict so confusing that they are talking about coming up with “new physics”, incorporating (合作) perhaps some yet-to-be-discovered particle or other cosmic (宇宙) “fudge factors” like dark energy or dark matter
“Its looking more and more like were going to need something new to explain this,” said Reiss, who won the 2011 Nobel in physics.
NASA astrophysicist John Mather, another Nobel winner, said this leaves two obvious options, “1. We’re making mistakes we can’t find yet. 2. Nature has something we can’t find yet.”
Even with the discovery, life continues on Earth the way it always has. But to astrophysicists trying to get a handle on our place in this expanding universe, this is a cosmic concern. In fact, the universe is really mystical (神秘的). Scientists have done lots of study about it but there is still much they haven’t discovered.
1. What is the finding of the new study?| A．The earth is younger than expected. |
| B．Many universal problems are rising. |
| C．The universe is growing faster than before. |
| D．The finding is based on past scientists’ calculations. |
| A．The Hubble constant. | B．The faster expanding universe. |
| C．The development of the universe. | D．The scientific research on the universe. |
| A．They want to raise a new theory. |
| B．They want to explore dark matter. |
| C．They want to further calculate the finding. |
| D．They want to mix together both calculations. |
| A．We cannot find anything useful. |
| B．Astronomers are making many mistakes. |
| C．We need to learn about the universe. |
| D．We cannot find something new from nature. |
