NASA-s New Horizons probe(宇宙探测器)flew by Pluto(冥王星)this morning, sending back history's first up-close looks at the vast freezing-cold world. Closest approach came at 7:49 a.m. EDT. To celebrate, NASA gave out the latest photo of Pluto. It showed a reddish world with an amazing heart-shaped feature on its surface.

After today's close encounter, all the nine solar system's traditionally recognized planets have now been visited by a spaceship-a huge project begun in 1962 when NASA's Mariner 2 probe flew past Venus, a planet in the solar system. More than l,200 scientists, NASA guests and important persons, including 200 reporters, watched the flyby live at New Horizons' mission control center.

That close encounter has been a long time coming. The$723 million New Horizons mission launched in January 2006 but began taking shape in 1989. "New Horizons is'a capstone mission'," Glen Fountain, mission project manager told Space, com. "It is the first completion of the observations of our solar system. It-s giving us a new idea about how we human beings fit into the universe."

New Horizons "faced a crazy number of challenges," Stern, a driving force behind New Horizons said, "So many people stuck with this for so long. They got knocked down; they stood up. They got knocked down again; they stood up again.”

In a coincidence, today's close approach falls on the 50th anniversary of the first flyby of Mars, another planet, which was completed by NASA-s Mariner 4 spaceship.

There are no longer nine officially recognized planets, of course. The International Astronomical Union regarded Pluto as “a dwarf planet" in 2006 in a decision that remains controversial(有争议的)today.

1.Which statement is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Ideas still vary in the identity of Pluto.

B. Only scientists could watch the flyby live.

C. Mars is the first planet visited by a spaceship.

D. New Horizons mission aimed to observe the solar system.

2.Glen Fountain may probably agree that _____________________.

A. it is the most difficult to land on Pluto in the solar system

B. New Horizons mission is a long and troublesome project

C. their strong determination leads to the successful flyby

D. people are likely to find new ways to fit into space

3.Which is the best title for the passage?

A.A New Horizons Probe

B. NASA's Huge Project

C. Pluto,a Controversial Planet

D. A Close Approach to Pluto

完型填空

阅读下面短文,掌握其大意,然后从1—20各题所给的A,B,C,D四个选项中选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

When you are five years old, your mother is your everything. She is your______ , friend, nurse; the only person you rely on ______with your hopes, dreams, and wishes. But for me, this was not the case.

My mother suffered from ______ problems that would keep her in bed for days, leaving me to care for her and look after myself. This situation ______ me to grow up much faster. While I knew my mother was sick, I felt deep down that we could ______ it and everything would be okay. ______ , in 1997 everything went terribly wrong, and my life changed forever.

Adoption is a______ word to a five-year-old, but when I realized that my own mother had signed me over to ______, I felt it was the worst betrayal. I suffered from shock, anger, and confusion as I attempted to adjust to my new family. No longer could I trust anyone since the person I had loved more than all else had______me. Hearing people tell me that she did it in my best interest, I felt it even more ______ . I could not forgive her and always______ how she could reject me like an old sofa.

However, the more I got older, the more I began to understand how______ our situation had been. We had been ______ on boxes of noodles, and at one point we ______ lived in our car. I was once passed from drug-addicted cousins to mentally unstable neighbors as my mother ______ to try and save me from what our lives were becoming______ each day passed.

______ recently have I began to understand why my mother gave me to strangers. ______ , she really did save me. She loved me more than anything, so she wanted me to have a chance in life, ______ she could no longer offer me. I now know my life has been a special ______ only because she was selfless enough to give me up.

1.A. hostess B. candidate C. provider D. colleague

2.A. mainly B. completely C. gradually D. occasionally

3.A. moral B. social C. psychological D. physical

4.A. inspired B. convinced C. motivated D. forced

5.A. stick to B. flee from C. decide on D. get through

6.A. Otherwise B. Meanwhile C. However D. Therefore

7.A. familiar B. negative C. simple D. foreign

8.A. cousins B. servicemen C. neighbors D. strangers

9.A. applied B. abandoned C. allocated D. avoided

10.A. unavailable B. unfortunate C. unbelievable D. unacceptable

11.A. imagined B. wondered C. remembered D. questioned

12.A. ridiculous B. urgent C. hopeless D. complex

13.A. focusing B. working C. acting D. surviving

14.A. also B. even C. still D. yet

15.A. fought B. learnt C. hesitated D. tended

16.A. with B. before C. as D. once

17.A. Until B. Specially C. Only D. Especially

18.A. In the long run B. Time and again C. For quite a while D. All at once

19.A. that B. one C. the one D. what

20.A. gift B. fact C. test D. deal

“Walt Disney World is banning selfie-sticks from its theme parks because selfie-sticks have become a growing safety concern for both our guests and cast." Disney World spokeswoman Kim Prunty said.

Under a new policy, which takes effect Tuesday, the poles won’t make it past the bag check at any Disney World theme park. The sticks also won't be allowed in Disney World water parks or Disney Quest, a gaming attraction at Downtown Disney. Selfie-sticks will also become forbidden at Disneyland Resort in California on June 30. The prohibition begins at Disney's parks in Paris and Hong Kong on July 1.

Guests will be checked for the equipment during the routine bag check that happens near the parks' entrances. They will have an option of turning in their selfie-sticks for pick-up later or to go back to their cars or hotel rooms to keep them. Visitors will be told of the policy in locations such as the parking lots and at the resort's hotels. The prohibition will be added to the park rules post on Disney World's website.

The issue has been building at Disney. Previously, the sticks were prohibited from its rides, and "no selfie-sticks" signs were at select rides, such as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Magic Kingdom. Cast members have given oral warnings to rule breakers.

Selfie-stick users put smartphones and cameras on the ends of poles to extend their reach, frequently capturing theme-park moments through self-portraits. The tools have been banned in public places – including some museums and stadiums – worldwide for obstructing views or causing safety issues.

Disney World already prohibits items such as skateboards, inline skates, wagon, folding chairs and glass containers, according to its official website, which also lists “other items that we determine may be harmful.”

Universal Orlando has banned selfie-sticks and other loose items from certain thrill rides at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure theme parks, but it has not set parkwide bans.

1.Which of the following objects has already been banned in Disney theme parks before the new policy takes effect?

A. smart phones B. folding chairs

C. cameras D. containers

2.According to the ban, if the guests are found carrying selfie-sticks during the routine bagcheck, they may __________.

A. abandon them at the bag check

B. get fined and pick them up later

C. turn them in to the police

D. put them in the trunk of their cars

3.The underlined word in the fifth paragraph probably means__________.

A. changing B. broadening

C. blocking D. narrowing

4.According to the passage, it can be inferred that__________

A. the ban on the use of selfie-sticks is aimed at ensuring security.

B. previously guests can take photos with selfie-sticks on thrill rides.

C. the staff in Disneyland will inform visitors of the ban only orally.

D. Universal Orlando has banned selfie-sticks parkwide.

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