The zodiac is used in astrology to predict the future．题目和参考答案——青夏教育精英家教网—

Last week, we explained that the planet Mars had passed “opposition.” It passed a point opposite the Sun. This week, we tell about the planet’s surprising motion among the stars.
For thousands of years, people have recognized that planets travel among the stars. The planets generally follow the path taken by the Sun through the sky. The Sun’s path is called the ecliptic. The groups of stars along the ecliptic are called the Zodiac(黄道带).
The motion of the planets can be confusing at times. Everyone knows the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west. But this is caused by the turning motion of the Earth. Planets generally move from west to east.
However, Mars will appear to move backward for about two months this year. This happens because the Earth is overtaking Mars on its way around the Sun. Mars began its backward, or westward, motion on May 11th. It will start moving eastward again on July 19th.
Mars’ apparent motion has been a mystery to astronomers for hundreds of years. Most early theories of tilt solar system argued that the Sun and planets turned around the Earth. But the sudden westward motion of Mars presented problem. Why would Mars move west for two months when it nears “opposition”?
In 1543, a Polish church worker named Nicolas Copernicus published a different theory. His theory said the Earth and planets moved around the Sun in perfectly circular orbits. Copernicus’ theory was simpler. But his Sun-centered system still did not explain the observed motion of Mars very well.
Finally, a German mathematician named Johannes Kepler published a complete theory of the motion of the planets in 1619. He had carefully studied the motion of Mars for many years.
Johannes Kepler discovered that the planets do not move in circular orbits around the Sun. Instead, they travel in flattened orbits called ellipses(椭圆). Mars’ elliptical orbit is the cause of its unusual brightening this year and its apparent large size.
During the next several weeks, you can see for yourself why the mysterious motion of Mars has caused so many people to wonder.
64.From the passage we can learn that _________.
A. the sun and planets generally travel westward
B. Kepler studied the orbit of the planets in 1619
C. Copernicus’ theory well explained the motion of Mars
D. the Earth’s turning motion causes the sun to rise in the east
65.On July 19th Mars _______.
A. will pass the “opposition”
B. appears to change its direction again
C. will begin to move westward
D. appears to change its orbit again
66.Why does Mars appear to be bigger and brighter when it passes “opposition”?
A. It is overtaking the earth                       B. It follows the path of the sun
C. It moves in an elliptical orbit                 D. It travels in a circular orbit.
67.What is the best title for the passage?
A. The Recent Research into Mars          B. The Surprising Motion of Mars
C. The Great Discovery on Mars               D. The Wonderful Mystery of Mars

The Lantern Festival first evolved along the banks of the Yellow River during the peak of freezing winter conditions. The celebration held on the night of the first full noon of the lunar new year is often referred to as the “Little New Year”.
The festival’s origin has been argued by historians. Some say the festival was set up in relation to New Year Buddhist ceremonies. Lanterns were used to praise Buddha and request his protection for the coming year. However, Taoists insist that the Martial Emperor Wu Ti (141 B.C.~86 B.C.) began the festival a century earlier in an effort to gain eternal life.
In the huge courtyard of his palace, he ordered lanterns to be hung on the night of the first full moon until the entire courtyard was lit as bright as the day.
After a Chinese eunuch (太监) invented paper in 105 A.D., people of all classes began to enjoy the beauty of inexpensive paper lanterns. Today, the lantern has experienced further revolution and paper has been replaced by plastic animated characters lit by battery operated light bulbs. In Taiwan, this development has extended to the creation of extravagant, enormous and highly technical lanterns representing the zodiac animals. Even still, many of the old ways remain mixed with the new.
73. According to the article, which of the following statement is true?
A. Historians are troubled by different opinions.
B. Wu Ti ordered an eunuch to make lanterns using inexpensive paper.
C. The weather conditions under which the first lantern festival was held were extreme.
D. Buddhists believe that Wu Ti began the Lantern Festival.
74. Wu Ti is believed to have established the Lantern Festival in his vain effort to ______.
A. change night into day.                    B. live forever.
C. make the greatest of offering to Buddha.    D. celebrate the “Little New Year”.
75. The invention of paper in 105 A.D. ______.
A. helped to invent paper lanterns.
B. replaced paper lanterns with plastic animated characters.
C. lit up the sky.
D. increased the popularity of lanterns.

The relationship between humans and animals has always been complex. Some cultures have developed entire belief systems around favored animals. Even in cultures with less formal belief systems, connections between people and animals still lead to commonly accepted opinions about animals.

These belief systems usually develop around the animals that interact (互动) with humans most frequently. Therefore, it should not be surprising that so many stories surround the most common of animals: rats. Rats live side by side with humans all over the world and regularly interact with people. Human-rat coexistence may be common all around the world, but different cultures respond to that closeness in different ways.

In the United States and Europe, one typical attitude is that the rat is a pest. This could be due to the common belief that rats spread disease. Actually, they don’t, at least not directly, but many people don’t know that. The Pied Piper of Hamlin, a well-known children’s story, is one example of how rats have been described in Western literature: in that story, rats cause such a problem that a town has to hire a piper to call them all away.

In many Latin American countries, the rat is described in a very different way. The story of the tooth fairy (a fairy believed by children to leave money while they sleep in exchange for a tooth that has come out) is common all over the world, but in Latin America, the “fairy” is a rat! Rats do have very strong teeth, which could explain the association. Clearly, this shows another attitude toward rats that is much more positive.

Yet another attitude toward the rat can be seen in the Chinese Zodiac (生肖). The Rat is one of the animals of the Zodiac. Like the other zodiac animals, the Rat is neither entirely good nor entirely bad. It’s described as clever and friendly, but also tricky and not entirely honest. That may be the most accurate description of the rat so far. Whether you like rats or not, it’s hard to deny their reputation for cleverness.

As many people are discovering these days, rats can even make excellent pets, so long as you remember to close the cage carefully!

1.What does the passage mainly talk about?

A. A trend of keeping rats as pets.

B. How different cultures look at rats.

C. How humans get along with animals.

D. Favored animals in different cultures.

2.The rats in The Pied Piper of Hamlin appear______.

A. unpleasant B. honest C. smart D. unusual

3.The tooth fairy in Latin America mentioned in Paragraph4 is to show______.

A. the tooth fairy is lovely

B. rats look very frightening

C. rats are welcome in Latin American countries

D. the story of the tooth fairy is common all over the world

4.According to the author, rats______.

A. don’t spread disease

B. should be treated as pests

C. are fairly described in the Chinese Zodiac

D. are kept as pets by more and more people

5.The passage is probably taken from a ______.

A. travel guide B. news report C. nature magazine D. history textbook

Last week, we explained that the planet Mars had passed “opposition.” It passed a point opposite the Sun. This week, we tell about the planet’s surprising motion among the stars.

For thousands of years, people have recognized that planets travel among the stars. The planets generally follow the path taken by the Sun through the sky. The Sun’s path is called the ecliptic. The groups of stars along the ecliptic are called the Zodiac(黄道带).

The motion of the planets can be confusing at times. Everyone knows the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west. But this is caused by the turning motion of the Earth. Planets generally move from west to east.

However, Mars will appear to move backward for about two months this year. This happens because the Earth is overtaking Mars on its way around the Sun. Mars began its backward, or westward, motion on May 11th. It will start moving eastward again on July 19th.

Mars’ apparent motion has been a mystery to astronomers for hundreds of years. Most early theories of tilt solar system argued that the Sun and planets turned around the Earth. But the sudden westward motion of Mars presented problem. Why would Mars move west for two months when it nears “opposition”?

In 1543, a Polish church worker named Nicolas Copernicus published a different theory. His theory said the Earth and planets moved around the Sun in perfectly circular orbits. Copernicus’ theory was simpler. But his Sun-centered system still did not explain the observed motion of Mars very well.

Finally, a German mathematician named Johannes Kepler published a complete theory of the motion of the planets in 1619. He had carefully studied the motion of Mars for many years.

Johannes Kepler discovered that the planets do not move in circular orbits around the Sun. Instead, they travel in flattened orbits called ellipses(椭圆). Mars’ elliptical orbit is the cause of its unusual brightening this year and its apparent large size.

During the next several weeks, you can see for yourself why the mysterious motion of Mars has caused so many people to wonder.

1.From the passage we can learn that _________.

A. the sun and planets generally travel westward

B. Kepler studied the orbit of the planets in 1619

C. Copernicus’ theory well explained the motion of Mars

D. the Earth’s turning motion causes the sun to rise in the east

2.On July 19th Mars _______.

A. will pass the “opposition”

B. appears to change its direction again

C. will begin to move westward

D. appears to change its orbit again

3.Why does Mars appear to be bigger and brighter when it passes “opposition”?

A. It is overtaking the earth B. It follows the path of the sun

C. It moves in an elliptical orbit D. It travels in a circular orbit.

4.What is the best title for the passage?

A. The Recent Research into Mars B. The Surprising Motion of Mars

C. The Great Discovery on Mars D. The Wonderful Mystery of Mars