C
LONDON—Scientists have found an unusual way to prevent our planet from overheating: move it to a cooler spot. All you have to do is to send a few comets (彗星) in the direction of Earth, and its orbit (轨道)will be changed. Our world will then be sent moving into a safer older part of the solar system.
This idea for improving our climate comes from a group of US NASA (美国航空航天局) engineers and American astronomers. They say their plan could add another six billion years to the useful lifetime of our planet—hopefully doubling its working life.
The plan put forward by Dr. Laughlin, and his colleagues Don Korycansky and Fred Adams, needs carefully directing a comet or asteroid (小行星) so that it passes close by our planet and sends some of its gravitational energy (重力势能) to Earth.
“Earth’s orbital speed would increase as a result and we would move to a higher orbit away from the sun,” Laughlin said.
Engineers would then direct their comet so that it passed close to Jupiter(木星) or Saturn (土星). The comet would pick up energy from one of these giant planets. Later its orbit would bring it back to Earth, and the process would be repeated.
In the short term, the plan provides an ideal way to worldwide warming, although the team was actually worried about a much greater danger. The sun is certain to heat up in about a billion years and so “seriously compromise” our biosphere (生物圈)—by cooking us.
That’s why the group decided to try to save Earth.
The plan has one or two worrying sides, however. For a start, space engineers would have to be very careful about how they directed their asteroid or comet towards Earth. The smallest miscalculation (误算)in orbit could fire it straight at Earth—with deadly results.
There is also the question of the moon. As the present issue of Scientific American magazine points out, if Earth was pushed out of its present location, it is “most likely the moon would be stripped (剥离)away from Earth,” it states. This would greatly change our planet’s climate.
32. What makes the scientists plan to move Earth?
A. A few comets are moving to the direction of Earth.
B. Earth’s working life is coming to an end soon.
C. Earth will become too hot for mankind to keep alive.
D. The moon is moving farther and farther away from Earth.
33. If the plan is successful, Earth will have a working life of ________ years.
A. 12 billion B. 6 billion C. 18 billion D. 24 billion
34. What serious problems might the plan cause according to the passage?
A. The comet might hit Earth and man might lose the moon.
B. Earth might be moved too far away and man might die because of the coldness.
C. The comet might hit Jupiter or Saturn and never return to Earth.
D. Earth’s working life might be greatly shortened.
35. What does the underlined word “compromise” mean?
A. provide B. benefit (收益) C. share D. endanger
D
A small boy at summer camp received a bag of cookies in the mail from his mother. He ate a few, and then put the rest under his bed. The next day, after lunch, he went to his tent to get a cookie. The box was gone. That afternoon a camp leader saw another boy sitting behind a tree. He was eating the stolen cookies! “That young man,” he said to himself, “must be taught not to steal.”
He returned to the group and found the boy whose cookies had been stolen. “Billy,” he said, “I know who stole your cookies. Will you help me teach him a lesson?”
“Well, yes. But aren’t you going to punish him?” asked the puzzled (迷惑的) boy.
“No, that would only make him hate you,” the leader explained. “I want you to call your mother. Ask her to send you another box of cookies.”
The boy did as the leader asked. A few days later, he received another box of cookies in the mail.
“Now,” said the leader, “the boy who stole your cookies is down by the lake. Go down there. Share your cookies with him.”
“But he’s the thief!” protested (抗议) the boy.
“I know. But try it — see what happens.”
Half an hour later, the camp leader saw the two come up the hill, hand in hand.
The boy who had stolen the cookies was trying to get the other to accept his jackknife (大折刀). He wanted to pay for the stolen cookies. The other boy was just refusing the gift from his new friend. He said that a few old cookies weren’t that important anyway.
36.When might the cookies be stolen?
A. At noon that day. B. The next noon.
C. The next afternoon. D. A few days later.
37.Which of the following is NOT the camp leader’s intention (意图)？
A. To teach the boy not to steal. B. To punish the boy for stealing.
C. To teach Billy to forgive others. D. To teach Billy to share with others.
38.After the incident (事件), the boy who stole the cookies might __________.
A. steal again B. hate Billy
C. make friends with Billy D. give Billy a bag of cookies
第二卷 (主观题，共40分)
四、词汇运用 （本大题共8分，每小题1分）
1. A person who doesn’t like fishing usually appears _________ (patient) in doing his work.
2. Water is changed into steam (蒸汽) by __________ (hot) and into ice by cold.
3. My brother’s English __________ (pronounce) is simply terrible.
4. He is very happy because he has _________ (success) in passing the exam.
5. Your behaviour does not come up to the expected __________ (标准).
6. Thank you for helping us make such a wise__________ (决定).
7. His father is much__________ (严格的)with him in his studies than his mother.
8. It’s __________ (与…相反)your promise to go on smoking.
五、动词填空 用括号内所给动词的适当形式填空，并将答案写在答卷标有题号的横线上。(本大题共8分，每小题1分)
1. __________ (print) your report out, you only need to click on that icon.
2. Mary always has more difficulty than Lily__________ (work) out maths problems.
3. ---When will we go to watch the basketball match in the sports center?
---Not until the work __________ (finish) tomorrow.
4. ---Will you buy I phone 6 ?
---No, I won’t. Because the fashion _________(change) all the time.
5. His father __________ (repair) the computer that broke down last week and now it looks as good as new.
6. Someone broke into Granny Li’s home yesterday. Luckily, she______(walk) her dog nearby.
7. The view here is so nice. I’d like to have many photos __________ (take).
8. As soon as he came into the office, he __________ (shake) hands with every one of us.
六. 任务型阅读
A. 阅读下面短文，并根据所读内容，在文章后第1-5小题的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。注意：每空一词。(本大题共5分，每小题1分)
The Class 8, Grade 9 students are having an election (选举) to decide who would be the monitor this year. There are three candidates (候选人) and the class must choose one person to represent them. The candidates have decided to advertise themselves using coloured ribbons. Each candidate has chosen one colour that they think best represents their characteristics. Bettie has chosen blue because she thinks that her best quality is staying calm in difficult situations. Bettie thinks that it will help her stop people from fighting, and then all her classmates will be friends. Therefore, she thinks she is the most suitable person to be the monitor. Jason has chosen yellow as his colour. He thinks he is a sunny person and he is very good at cheering people up. Moreover, Jason has chosen this colour because he believes it can bring him success! Brian has chosen red to represent him. He thinks this is the best colour to show his strong personality. Brian thinks he is a very powerful person. He can always find a way to get a job done. The class will wear their favourite candidate’s colour on Friday to see who will be the new monitor!
Title: Three candidates
