Question

18．The world is not coming to an end on December 21，2012，the US space agency insisted Monday in a rare campaign to dispel widespread rumors fueled by the Internet and a new Hollywood movie．
The latest big screen offering from Sony Picture，2012，arrives in theaters on Friday，with a 200-million-dollar production about the end of the world supposedly based on myths （虚构的故事） backed by the Mayan calendar．It is claimed that the end of time will come as a Planet X-or Nibiru-heads toward or collides with the Earth．
Some websites accuse NASA of hiding the truth on the planet's existence，but the US space agency denounced such stories as an"Internet hoax（恶作剧）"．"There is no factual basis for these claims，"NASA said in a question and answer posting on its website．"If such a collision were real，astronomers would have been tracking it for at least the past decade，and it would be visible by now to the naked eye．Obviously，it does not exist．Credible scientists worldwide know of no threat associated with 2012，"it insisted．"After all，our planet has been getting along just well for more than four billion years，"added NASA．
There is another planet，Eris，floating in space．But the small planet similar to Pluto will remain safely fixed in the outer solar system and it can come no closer than four billion miles to the Earth，according to NASA．
Initial theories set the disaster for May 2003，but when nothing happened the date was moved forward to the winter in 2012 to coincide with the end of a cycle of the ancient Mayan calendar．
NASA insisted the Mayan calendar in fact does not end on December 21，2012，as another period begins immediately afterward．
And even if the planets were to line up as some have forecast，the effect on our planet would be"negligible"，NASA said．
"And while comets and asteroids （小行星） have always hit the Earth，big hits are very rare，"NASA noted．The last major impact was believed to be 65 million years ago，resulting in the end of dinosaurs．
"We have already determined that there are no threatening asteroids as large as the one that killed the dinosaurs，"the space agency said．
 
49．Bplayed a key role in the spread of the rumors．
A．A new book                       B．The Internet and a new Hollywood movie
C．NASA                             D．An Indian calendar
50．The film 2012 isA．
A．about the end of the world               B．based on the scientific prediction
C．well accepted in the science field       D．about a romantic love story
51．We can infer thatD
A．people didn't take the rumor seriously     
B．Planet X-or Nibiru does exist
C．astronomers have been tracking Planet X for over ten years
D．the rumor caused a panic among some people
52．Which of the following is the best title？B
A．New Hollywood movie 2012                B．December 21，2012，NOT the end of the world
C．End of the ancient Mayan calendar       D．How rumors came into being．

Answer 1

分析 本文主要讲的是好莱坞灾难大片《2012》使网络上盛传的"2012年12月21日为世界末日"这一所谓的玛雅预言再次进入人们的视野．为此，美国宇航局重申，2012年12月21日并不是世界末日，传言中的X星球将与地球相撞也并不属实．

解答 49．B．细节理解题．根据第一段中"to dispel widespread rumors fueled by the Intermet and a new Hollywood movie"可知因特网和一部好莱坞新片对传播世界末日的谣言起到了推波助澜的作用．故选B．
50．A．细节理解题．根据第二段第一句"about the end of the world supposedly based on myths"可知《2012》这部电影是关于世界末日的．根据文章内容可先排除D项；由第二段中based on myths（虚构的故事）可知B项错误；由宇航局的讲话"There is no factual basis for these claims，"可推出C项错误．故选A．
51．D．推理判断题．根据文中第一段中"the US space agency insisted Monday in a rare campaign to dispel widespread rumors"可知谣言传播之广以至于美国宇航局不得不出来辟谣，由此可见事态严重，故可判断谣言有可能造成了一些人的恐慌．故选D．
52．B．主旨大意题．本文主要讲美国宇航局驳斥"2012年12月21日是世界末日"的谣言．故B项为最佳标题．故选B．

点评 本文考察同学们新闻报道类阅读理解，此类阅读的关键在于了解发生了什么新闻．另外此类阅读涉及面颇广，可涉及：时事热点，生活，科技，军事，抗震救灾，世界大事等等诸多方面．同学们在此类题是应该注意找寻关键字，有时并不需要阅读全文．这类材料命题点往往落在事实细节上．