Astronauts’ meals have come a long way from the free-dried powders and semi—liquid pastes of decades ago,now US scientists want to grow vegetables in mini—greenhouses on the moon.

   Scientists say they are looking forward to a time when residents of future lunar or even Martian outsteps will be able to dine on fresh vegetables.Paragon Space Development Corporation has unveiled what it called the first step toward growing flowers——and eventually food on the moon.

   This is a sealed greenhouse that looks like a bell jar encased in a 46-cm triangular aluminiumframe.It is designed to safely land a laboratory plant on the lunar surface,and protect it while it grows.

   The miniature greenhouse is to be launched into space by Odyssey Moon Ltd, a participant in the Google Lunar X Prize. This competition offers $21 million to any entrant who can launch, land and operate a rover on the lunar surface.

   Paragon officials say future testing of the “Lunar Oasis” will be driven by Odyssey’s flight Schedule, which will not happen until 2012 at the earliest.

   When it does lift off the greenhouse will contain the seeds of Brassica, a hardy plant related to Brussels sprouts and cabbage. Because Brassica goes from seed to flower in just 14 days, it can complete its life cycle in a single lunar night.

   “Colonizing the Moon or Mars seems so far away,but it is important that we do this research now. ”Paragon president Jane Poynter said.

   “It takes a long time to get a lot of research, and to get integrated, reliable efficient systems before colonists move in. ”she said.

The article is written mainly to__________.

    A. predict the astronauts’ meals in the future

    B. introduce an experiment “Lunar Oasis’’

    C. tell us the future development of astronomy

    D. focus on the human’s great progress

The article implies that__________.

    A. astronauts can grow flowers in space at present

    B. Paragon and NASA will carry out the test separately

    C. Lunar Oasis is a series of experiments carried out in space

    D. the earliest testing of the Lunar Oasis may be in 2012

The underlined word “colonists” in the last paragraph probably has the meaning of______.

    A. plants    B. wild beasts    C. human beings      D. scientists

The seeds of Brassica will be contained in the greenhouse mainly because _________.

    A. their life cycle is much shorter

    B. they are more nutritious than other food

    C. they are related to Brussels sprouts and cabbage

    D. they are very delicious


Air travel chaos across Europe caused by the volcanic eruption in Iceland continued Sunday, impacting tourists and business people's schedules and causing economic loss to Chinese airlines and tourism agencies.
Air China canceled five one-way flights and eight return flights to European cities including Paris, Frankfurt and Moscow Sunday, according to a notice on its website. "The cancellation was due to closure of most European airports, and we will keep a close eye on the latest situation, "said Zhu Mei, an Air China spokeswoman.
Other carders including China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines and Hainan Airlines have also canceled most flights to Europe, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
Airlines worldwide are losing at least $200 million per day in revenue, the International Air Transport Association said Friday.
Tourism agencies have been affected too. "This is the first time we met such a natural disaster, and we can only wait and keep in contact with our tourists," said Hun Ping, an employee on duty at China International Travel Service's(CITS) branch in Beijing Sunday. "We have a group of more than 30 Chinese tourists who were scheduled to fly to Paris from Beijing around noon Sunday and their flights will be postponed to tomorrow at the earliest," she said. Hun said another group of Chinese tourists in Europe, who will fly back to Beijing from Brussels Wednesday, might also be affected by the incident. "The possible delay will not add to tourists' financial burdens, as we will share our tourists' additional expenses with the airlines," she said.
1. How many flights has Air China canceled?
A. 8         B. 9           C. 13           D.15
2. What does the word "chaos"(bold in para. 1) mean in the passage?
A. disorder         B. incidents       C. closure      D. damage
3. Which of the following statements is True?
A. The air travel chaos in Europe has caused great losses to only air carriers.
B. The direct reason for the flight cancellation is the closure of most European airport.
C. The International Air Transport Association is suffering a huge loss of $200 million per day.
D. Air China and other Chinese air carriers have already canceled all their flights to Europe.
4. Which of the following is the most suitable title for this passage?
A. Flights Cancellation Caused by Volcanic Eruption
B. The Effects of Volcanic Eruption in Iceland
C. The chaos caused by Volcanic Eruption
D. Tourism Disaster Owing to Volcanic Eruption

A pair of giant pandas from southwest China’s Sichuan Province arrived at their new home in Belgium’s Pairi Daiza zoo, some 60km southwest of downtown Brussels, at around 15:00 local time (1400GMT) on February 23, 2014.

About 2,500 people, many of them excited children waving national flags of China and Belgium as well as panda-decorated flags or wearing costume of Panda greeted the pandas along the road to the zoo.

Visitors today can only observe the pandas through a closed-circuit television system in the reception.

Officials said they wanted the pandas fully adapted to their new home before making public debut in April.

The pandas, Xing Hui, the male and Hao Hao, the female, are both 4 years old and are on lease from a breeding center in southwest China’s Sichuan Province.

The lease term is 15 years, according to officials with the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas, the world’s largest research base for the species.

“It’s a good thing for Belgium.” Nicole Duflot, a grandmother coming to the zoo with her husband and her grandson told Xinhua, “We can’t see the Panda today but it’s a great thing for us to come here.”

The Pandas will be living in a panda hall of 5,300 square meters within the zoo.

“I hope Xing Hui and Hao Hao will enhance friendship between Belgium and China.” Liao Liqiang, the Chinese ambassador to Belgium, said during an interview with Xinhua.

1.What was the main purpose of China leasing pandas to Belgium?

A. We were supposed to make money from Belgium.

B. We meant to improve the relationship between China and Belgium.

C. We expected to amuse the Belgian children.

D. We wanted to make the pandas adapt to the environment abroad.

2.The underlined word “debut” probably means ___________.

A. first appearance      B. ceremony         C. announcement      D. argument

3.According to the passage, which statement is right?

A. Xing Hui and Hao Hao will live in the city centre of Brussels.

B. Xing Hui and Hao Hao were very popular with the elders in Belgium.

C. Xing Hui and Hao Hao will come back to China in 2029.

D. Xing Hui and Hao Hao were born in 2008 in Sichuan Province.

4.On the first day of the pandas’ arrival, visitors could ___________.

A. gently feel the pandas along the road to the zoo

B. get into the panda hall of 5,300 square meters

C. take pictures with the pandas freely

D. watch the pandas through the TV system in the zoo

5.From the passage, we can predict that______________.

A. Belgium’s Pairi Daiza Zoo will make much money soon

B. Xing Hui and Hao Hao will be very well treated in their new home

C. Belgium’s Pairi Daiza Zoo will serve the Chinese visitors with free admission

D. pandas will be best-sellers in Belgium

 

C

Paris has the Eiffel Tower; New York has the Statue of Liberty; and Brussels, the Manneken

Piss.

Think of the Belgian capital and, if anything, you think of the small peeing (撒尿) boy ____  a 60-meter-high bronze figure standing on a block, supplying a constant stream of water to the basin under him.

Some might laugh. But for Jacques Stroobants, the statue is up there with the best of them.

“I’m proud of him. People come from all around the world to see him,” says 60-year-old Stroobants with a fatherly glance at the little boy.

As the most famous landmark of Brussels, Manneken Piss has a very special place in the heart of Belgians.

The original Manneken Piss dates back to 1388, but the statue tourists see today dates from 1619 when the city built a second one after the original was destroyed.

Many stories go round Manneken Piss. Nobody knows why he was made. One story is that he saved Brussels by putting out the flames of a deadly fire with his well-aimed piss. But the most believable story is that the boy, the son of a wealthy man, was kidnapped. The father had a statue built in honor of the way his son was found-peeing against a tree.

Perhaps best-known for his naked beauty, the “peeing boy” has also been clothed in some of the finest clothes money can buy.

Stroobants has been changing his clothes for the last 29 years. On average, he has clothes on 300 days a year. And on special days, he pees beer.

A few of the ways he’s been dressed are; a football player, Mozart and an army general. Now, he has more than 600 pieces of clothes.

There is no strict charge for those wishing to provide clothes for the little boy. But certain conditions must be met.

“The clothes cannot include either advertising or political message,” said Stroobants, because they would cheapen the national treasure.

But Manneken Piss is still something local people can make money from ___ by selling all kinds of souvenirs.

72. Which of the following is NOT true about Maneken Piss?

A. It has a history of more than 600 years.   B. It stands in Brussels. 

C. It is best known for the clothes he wears. D. It is 60 meters high.

73. The Manneken Piss has a special place in the heart of Belgians because          .

A. it’s good-looking with water running constantly

B. it brings joys to people who see it   

C. it helps people make beer

D. it’s a symbol of the city.

74. We can learn from the passage that          .

A. for most of the year, the boy is naked

B. Stroobants is probably in charge of taking care of the statue

C. people can provide any clothes for Manneken Piss

D. people make money by advertising Manneken Piss

75.Which of the following is not true according to the passage?

A. Tourists cannot provide clothes for the peeing boy.

B. The Manneken Piss has attracted many visitors.

C. The peeing boy is the national treasure of Belgium.

D. Local people make money by selling souvenirs.

 

The famous movie star Audrey Hepburn has been honored as the most beautiful woman ever.She has natural beauty, character and figure, but there is something about Hepburn’s smile that is specially striking and beautiful.

Audrey Hepburn was born on May 4, 1929 in Brussels, Belgium.After her parents divorced(离婚), Audrey went to London with her mother where she went to a private girl school.After the liberation, Audrey went to a ballet school in London and later began life as a model.She did well as a model until the film producers came calling.Discovered by a producer, she was given a small part in a European film in 1948.Later, she went to America to try her luck there.Audrey became popular in the US with her role in Roman Holiday in 1953.This film turned out to be a success and she won an Oscar for Best Actress.The film was followed by another similarly wonderful performance in the 1957 Funny Face.In 1959, she received yet another nomination(提名) for her role in Nun’s Story.Audrey reached the highest level when she played Holly Golightly in the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s in 1961.For this she received another nomination.One of Audrey’s most wonderful roles was in the fine production of My Fair Lady in 1964.Her co—star Rex Harrison once was asked to name his favorite leading lady.Without hesitation, he replied, “Audrey Hpburn in My Fair Lady”.At the end of the sixties, Audrey decided to stop acting while she was on top.In 1988, Audrey became a special ambassador(大使) of UNICEF(联合国儿童基金会), helping children in Latin America and Africa, a position she kept until 1993.She was named in People magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world.Her last film was Always in 1989.Audrey Hepburn died on January 20,1993, in Switzerland.

She had made a total of 31 high quality movies.Her style will always be remembered in the film history.

1.What does the underlined word “striking” in paragraph 1 mean?

A.打击的

B.显著的

C.罢工的

D.吸引人的

2.How many film names are mentioned in this passage?

A.four

B.five

C.six

D.seven

3.Hepburn used to be a _________.

A.nurse

B.model

C.teacher

D.writer

4.Which is the correct order according to Hepburn’s experiences?

a.decided to stop acting

b.given a small part in a European film

c.her parents divorced

d.named in People magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world

e.went to a ballet school in London

A.e-c-a-d-b

B.c-e-b-a-d

C.c-b-e-a-d

D.c-e-a-b-d

 

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