题目内容
The oldest Japanese man _____ in the world was given a _____ tortoise on his birthday.
A. live; living B. living; alive C. alive; live D. alive; lively
C
Between 10,000 and 15,000 years ago, some humans discontinued their wandering hunting and gathering and settled down to farm. Grain was the first domesticated crop that started that farming process.
The oldest proven records of brewing are about 6,000 years old and refer to the Sumerians. Sumeria lay between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers including Southern Mesopotamia. It is said that the Sumerians discovered the fermentation (发酵) process by chance. No one knows today exactly how this occurred, but it could be that a piece of bread or grain became wet and a short time later, it began to ferment.
The Sumerians were able to repeat this process and are assumed to be the first civilized culture to brew beer. They had discovered a “divine drink” which certainly was a gift from the gods. The word beer comes from the Latin word bibere, meaning “to drink”, and the Spanish word cerveza originates from the Greek goddess of agriculture, Ceres.
A vitamin-rich porridge, used daily, beer is reported to have increased health and longevity and reduced disease and malnutrition (营养不良). The self-medicating properties of alcohol-rich beer also eased the tensions and stresses of daily living in a hostile world. The use of yeast (酵母) was not yet known at that time. The success of the fermentation process was left to chance, as the brewers unknowingly relied on yeast particles in the air.
Considerable scientific research took place in breweries (酿酒厂) in the 19th century. A famous work from 1876 by Louis Pasteur was Studies Concerning Beer where he revealed his knowledge of micro-organisms. By establishing that yeast is a living microorganism, Pasteur opened the gates for accurately controlling the conversion (转换) of sugar to alcohol.
Another discovery in beer brewing was the work of Christian Hansen, a Danish scientist, who successfully isolated a single yeast cell and induced it to reproduce on an artificial culture medium. With the resulting yeast multiplication (繁殖) methods, the purity of the fermenting process has been improved.
【小题1】According to the passage, who was the first to brew beer?
A.The Greeks. | B.Christian Hansen. |
C.Louis Pasteur. | D.The Sumerians. |
A.the function of micro-organisms |
B.the success of the fermentation process |
C.two scientific discoveries about brewing |
D.the results of yeast multiplication methods |
A.Grain was the first crop used to brew beer. |
B.There are some yeast particles in the air. |
C.The word “beer” originates from Latin. |
D.Modern beer contains more alcoholic. |
A.The beer culture. | B.The history of beer. |
C.The earliest brewery. | D.Methods of brewing beer. |
Mars Was Not Always Bitterly Cold
Scientists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have reported evidence that Mars was warmer and wetter long ago than it is today. The Caltech scientists say they have directly established the temperature of Mars four billion years ago. At least, they established the surface temperature on part of the planet at that time. The researchers say it is the first such evidence to be discovered and presented.
The Caltech scientists say carbonate(碳酸盐) minerals formed on Mars at about eighteen degrees Celsius. They reached the finding after studying a meteorite(陨石) that had its beginnings near the Martian surface.
Today, the average temperature on Mars is sixty-three degrees below zero Celsius.
The finding was reported on the website of the National Academy of Sciences. Caltech Assistant Professor Woody Fischer helped to prepare the report. He says eighteen degrees Celsius is not especially cold or hot. He says this makes the finding extremely interesting. Knowing the temperature can give scientists an idea of the climate on Mars long ago. It can also help them decide whether the planet had liquid water. Spacecraft orbiting Mars have shown what appear to be rivers, lakebeds and mineral deposits. These pictures suggest that, at one time, water did flow there. Mars Rover vehicles and other spacecraft have confirmed the information.
Caltech Geology Professor John Eiler was another writer of the report. He says knowing the temperature of Mars from long ago provides valuable information. It shows that early in the planet's history, at least part of Mars could support a climate like that of Earth.
The meteorite the scientists examined is one of the oldest known rocks in the world. It is called the Allan Hills meteorite. Its name came from the place in Antarctica where it was found in 1984. The meteorite is believed to have blown loose from the Mars' surface when another space rock struck its "home."
1. The underlined word “establish” in Paragraph 1 probably means “___________”.
A.to set up |
B.to make people accept a belief |
C.to discover or prove |
D.to start having a relationship with others |
2.How did the scientists reach the finding?
A.By studying Allan Hills meteorite. |
B.By using spacecraft orbiting Mars. |
C.By studying minerals gathered on Mars |
D.By studying a meteorite on the Martian surface. |
3.According to the fourth paragraph, what have spacecraft orbiting Mars done?
A.Measuring the temperature of Mars. |
B.Taking photos of the surface of Mars. |
C.Confirming that there is water flowing on Mars. |
D.Finding where human beings will probably land on Mars. |
4.How did Allan Hills meteorite get its name?
A.From its original place on Mars. |
B.From where it was found on the earth. |
C.From the name of the scientist who found it. |
D.From the name of the aircraft that discovered it |
5. Where can we most probably read this passage?
A.In a biography of scientists. |
B.In a geography magazine. |
C.In an environment report. |
D.In a science report. |