题目内容
3.Scientists added a record of 715more planets to the list known to the world beyond the solar system,astronomers said on Wednesday,in February 2014.The additions include four planets about 0.5-2times as big as Earth that are the right distance from their parent stars for liquid surface water,which is believed to be fit for life.The discoveries were made with the NASA's planet-hunting Kepler space telescope.The telescope,launched in 2009,spent four productive years observing 160,000target stars for signs of planets passing by,within the telescope's sight.
The numbers of planets announced at a NASA press conference on Wednesday increased Kepler's confirmed planets from 246to 961.Combined with other telescopes'results,the total number of planets beyond the solar system now is nearly 1,700."We almost doubled,just today,the number of planets known to humans,"astronomer Douglas Hudgins,head of planet exploration at NASA Headquarters in Washington,told reporters on a conference call.
Many planets'discovery is due to a new technique that analyzes potential planets in batches rather than one at a time.The method was developed after scientists realized that most planets,like those in the solar system,have similar worlds orbiting a common parent star.
The newly found planets strengthen the evidence that small planets,two to three times the size of Earth,are common throughout the galaxy(银河系).
"Generally,wherever (Kepler) can see them,it finds them,"said astronomer Sara Seager,with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology."That's why we have confidence that there will be planets like Earth in outer space."
Like the solar system,which has eight planets plus Pluto and other so-called"dwarf planets,"the newly found planets belong to families.But unlike the solar system's planets,which are about 150times farther from the sun than Earth.Most of the planets fly nearer to their parent stars than Venus(金星) orbits the sun,a distance of about 67million miles (108million km.)
NASA and other space agencies are designing new telescopes to discover planets in so-called"habitable zones"around their parent stars where temperatures would be suitable for liquid surface water.Two papers on the new Kepler research will appear in an upcoming issue of‘The Astrophysical Journal'.
62.The underlined word‘batches'in the fourth paragraph probably meansC here.
A.continentB.programC.groupD.association
63.Through Kepler,Scientists have found more planetsD throughout the galaxy.
A.the same size as EarthB.about 0.5-2times as big as Earth
C.twice the size of EarthD.two to three times the sizeof Earth
64.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?B
A.All the planets known to the world are believed to be fit for life.
B.There may be liquid surface water on some of the newly found planets.
C.Kepler space telescope spent four years observing 160,000target planets.
D.The orbits of the newly found planets are just like those of the solar system
65.Which of the following is the most suitable title for this passage?A
A.US space telescope discovers more planets
B.Kepler observes many new target stars
C.Scientists believe 715planets fit for life
D.NASA finds liquid surface water on the planets.
分析 本文是一篇新闻,由于美国宇航局使用了搜寻行星的开普勒太空望远镜,科学家们在太阳系以外的行星上增加了715个行星的记录,接着这篇新闻根据这个发现展开了一些列的报道.
解答 CDBA
62.C.词义猜测题.根据此句中的"rather than one at a time不是一次分析一个"可知,此处是说行星的发现是由于一种新的技术,它是以群组的形式分析行星,而不是一次只分析一个行星,故选C.
63.D.细节理解题.根据第五段"The newly found planets strengthen the evidence that small planets,two to three times the size of Earth,are common throughout the galaxy(银河系)"新发现的行星证明了,比地球大两到三倍的行星在整个银河系是很常见的.所以科学家们发现了很多地球两到三倍大小的行星,故选D.
64.B.细节理解题.根据第一段"The additions include four planets about 0.5-2 times as big as Earth that are the right distance from their parent stars for liquid surface water,which is believed to be fit for life."可知,新发现的行星中,有的行星表面存在液体的水,故选B.
65.A.标题判断题.本文是一篇新闻报道,由于美国宇航局使用了搜寻行星的开普勒太空望远镜,科学家们在太阳系以外的行星上增加了715个行星的记录.故选A.
点评 做本题时,首先要快速浏览全文,把握文章的主旨大意,理清作者的写作思路;然后结合上下文,逐句分析,并正确理解题干的意思;最后结合选项中内容,找到符合文意的选项.