Life on Mars could become a reality and it could
happen in your lifetime.
A welcoming planet
Scientists say Earth’s neighbor Mars, a bright red
planet about half Earth’s size, is the most likely to support human life. Mars
even has frozen water on its surface.
Since the late 1990s, NASA has been exploring Mars
using remote-controlled vehicles(装置). Most
recently Curiosity, a car-size vehicle, traveled through space on an unpiloted spacecraft(航天器) and landed on Mars in August 2012. Directed by NASA
scientists , the vehicles move on the surface, taking pictures , collecting and
analyzing soil, and looking for signs of life.
But what about human explorers? Plans are already in
the works to send astronauts to Mars as soon as the mid-2030s.
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But before you start packing your bags, let’s consider
the challenges. For starters, Mars is far away. Just getting there could take
up to 10 months.
Scientists already know that time away from Earth’s
gravity harms the human body. Bones and muscles get weaker. The body produces
less blood. What damage would months and months of living in space do?
And then there is the matter of water, oxygen, food
and fuel. Scientists will have to find solutions to these problems, or the
first humans on Mars won’t survive very long in their new home.
Tiny Dangers
There’s another tinier risk. It’s so tiny that you
can’t even see it: germs.
Some scientists believe that our germs could pollute
the whole planet of Mars. Potentially killing Martian life before we have the
chance to discover it. Worse, there is a small but terrifying chance that any
microscopic life already there might be harmful to us .
Worse still, if any of those Martian germs(火星细菌) were brought back to Earth, the result could be
disastrous. Animals, plants, and people could be wiped out.
Worth the $$$?
A more practical concern is the cost. The price could
approach $ 1 trillion(万亿). How can we justify spending that much
when so many problems—poverty, disease—could use the cash here on Earth?
1.Which of the following is TRUE according to the “A
welcoming planet” part?
A. Mars is a little bigger than
Earth.
B. There are flowing rivers on Mars.
C. People haven’t been to Mars so far.
D. Scientists have discovered signs of life on Mars.
2.Which of the following can best fill in the blank in
the passage?
A. Living in
space.
B. Limited resources.
C. Extreme
conditions.
D. Interesting challenges.
3.By “Tiny dangers” the author means ________________.
A. there is no serious danger
B. people won’t be in any danger
C. it’s difficult for people to realize the danger
D. the danger may be caused by very small things
4.Which may cause the biggest danger?
A. Martian germs may be different from those on Earth.
B. Martian germs may be brought back to Earth.
C. People may carry germs to Mars.
D. There may be germs on Mars.
5.Which section of a newspaper is the passage most
probably taken from?
A. People B.
History C.
Science D. Business