REACHING FOR THE SKY

In 2007, Barrington Irving became the youngest person to fly solo(独自)around the world. He was just 23 years old. How did the young man achieve this?

A PASSION FOR FLYING

A turning point happened when he was 15. Irving was working in Miami, Florida. One of the store's customers was Gary Robinson, a professional pilot. One day, Robinson asked Irving if he was interested in flying. The next day, the pilot took Irving to an airport and showed Irving inside the cockpit of a Boeing 777. That experience changed Irving's life.

Irving was determined to fly. To reach his dream, he worked different jobs. He washed airplanes and cleaned swimming pools. He also helped at a store. At home, he practiced his flying skills on a video game. Finally, he earned enough money for flight school.

CIRCLING THE WORLD

At flight school, Irving achieved his first dream-he learned how to fly. His next dream was bigger. He planned to build his own plane and fly solo around the world. On March 23, 2007, Irving began his round-the-world trip. After 97 days-with 145 hours in the air-he landed back in Miami. Irving achieved his dream once again.

SHARING THE DREAM

When he landed, Irving saw many young people in the cheering crowd. This gave him an idea:“I had no money, but I was determined to give back with my time, knowledge and experience." Irving decided to start a program called “Experience Aviation." The program helps young people achieve their career dreams in aviation(航空)and science.

“Everyone told me what I couldn't do,” says Irving. "They said I was too young, that I didn't have enough money, experience, strength, or knowledge.[But] even if no one believes in your dream, " he says, "you have to, for it."

1.What wag Barrington Irving's first dream?

A.To fly a plane. B.To buy a plane.

C.To travel by plane. D.To build his own plane.

2.How many hours did Barrington Irving fly solo around the world?

A.97. B.145. C.23. D.15.

3.Nie program“Experience Aviation" is to __________.

A.teach students to fly B.give money to flight schools

C.tell others his stories D.help young people with dreams

4.What do you know about Barrington Irving?

A.He was interested in flying when he was a child.

B.Gary Robinson was an important person in his life.

C.He shared his dream by teaching at a flight school.

D.He learned how to build planes on a video game.

Now satellites(卫星)are helping to forecast(预报)the weather. They are in space and they can reach any part of the world.The satellites take pictures of the atmosphere(大气), because this is where the weather forms(形成)。They send these pictures to the weather station. So meteorologists(气象专家)can see the weather of any part of the world. From the pictures, the scientists can often say how the weather will change.

Today, nearly five hundred weather stations in sixty countries receive satellite pictures. When they receive new pictures,the meteor- ologists compare(比较)them with earlier ones. Perhaps they may find that the clouds have changed during the last few hours .This may mean the weather on the ground may soon change,too. In their next weather forecast, the meteorologists can say this.

So the weather satellites are a great help to the meteorologists. Before satellites were invented, the scientists could forecast the weather for about 24 or 48 hours. Now they can make good forecasts for 3 or 5 days. Soon,perhaps , they may be ablet to forecast the weather for a week or more ahead(提前)

1.Satellites travel__________.

A.in space B.in the atmosphere

C.above the ground D.above space

2.Why do we use the weather satellites to take pictures of the atmosphere? Because___________.

A.the weather satellites can do it easily

B.clouds form there

C.the weather forms there

D.the pictures can forecast the weather

3.Meteorologists forecast the weather________.

A.when they have received satellite pictures

B.after they have compared new satellite pictures with earlier ones

C.before they receive satellite pictures

D.while they study satellite pictures

4.Maybe we’ll soon be able to forecast the weather for _______.

A.one day B.two days C.five days D.seven days or even longer

5.The main idea of this passage is that satellite are now used in______.

A.taking pictures of the atmosphere

B.receiving pictures of the atmosphere

C.doing other work in many ways

D.weather forecasting

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