Question

Space travel is definitely bad for astronauts’ bones, reducing their bone density(密度) after only a month of weightlessness, according to French research published on Friday.

Laurence Vico and his fellow workers at St Etienne University called for more research into the effects of microgravity, after their study of 15 astronauts from the Russian MIR station showed bone loss continued throughout space flights.

“Bone loss was especially striking in four astronauts, ” the scientists reported in the Lancet Medical Journal.

They measured the bone mineral density (BMD) of bones in the forearm(前臂) and lower leg of the astronauts who had spent one to six months in space.

The BMD loss was significant in the tibia(胫骨) of the lower leg, a weight-bearing bone, but barely changed in the radius(桡骨) of the forearm. “Our results indicate the need to investigate not only different bones, but also different areas of the same bone since not all sites of the skeleton (骨架) are similarly affected by space conditions, ” they added.

Without gravity the body isn’t bearing any weight so there is no need for calcium (钙) which makes bones strong, and it becomes empty into the bloodstream.

The research team suggested in future scientists should try to determine if the loss of bone density was only on weight-bearing bones on longer flights, also the possible recovery after returning to Earth.

1. French scientists did their research on Russian astronauts, because _______.

A. they only cared for the Russian astronauts

B. they were not interested in their own astronauts

C. the Russian government invited them to do their research

D. the Russian astronauts worked in space for a long time

2. Scientists have found that _______.

A. the BMD loss may cause serious illness to astronauts

B. the BMD loss may cause some change in astronauts’ bodies

C. astronauts shouldn’t care about the BMD loss

D. astronauts should take some calcium before space travel

3. What cause the BMD loss to astronauts, according to this passage?

A. The food they eat in space.                     B. The drinks they take in space.

C. The temperature in space.                D. The gravity in space.

4. In the third paragraph, the word “striking” means ______.

A. unusual             B. simple               C. weak                 D. slow

Answer 1

1--4      DBDA  

解析:

本文介绍了法国对太空宇航员长期在太空飞行，会使骨里的密度减少而对骨不利的研究。

1. D。细节题。根据文章第4段的定语从句who had spent one to six months in space可推知此题答案为D。

2. B。细节题。根据文章第5段第1句The BMD loss was significant in the tibia(胫骨) of the lower leg, a weight-bearing bone可推知此题答案为B。

3. D。细节题。根据文章第6段Without gravity…所引起的结果，可推知此题答案为D。

4. A。词义猜测题。上文提到对十五人进行研究表明在整个航行过程中骨损在继续，下文再说especially striking，可知是“特别明显”的事，因此选A。