Launching people into space may make headlines but it does little useful science. So when George Bush redirected Americas space agency, NASA, away from scientific research and towards a manned return to the moon in 2004, many scientists were disappointed. Now the agency has finally offered some small morsels of comfort in the form of four projects that could accompany efforts for a lunar return.
The most exciting of these is the plan for a radio telescope that could be placed on the far side of the moon. Such a device would look back at the early universe to the time when large-scale structures such as galaxies and stars formed. A lunar-based radio telescope would be able to detect long wavelengths that cannot be sensed on Earth because they are absorbed by the outermost layers of the planets atmosphere. Moreover by pointing the telescope away from the din of shorter-wavelength radio waves that are used for communication on Earth, astrophysicists would be able to see the early universe in unprecedented detail.
Finding alien life might also be possible with such a telescope. It would be able to map the magnetic fields of stars and exoplanets . It is the magnetic field of the Earth that protects its inhabitants from being bombarded by high-energy particles from space that would otherwise leave the planet sterile. Detecting a magnetic field surrounding an Earth-like exoplanet would prove a promising sign for finding extraterrestrial life.
The proposal, led by Joseph Lazio, of the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC, is to create an array of three arms arranged in a Y-shape, each of which would be 500 metres long and contain 16 antennae. Each arm would be made of a plastic film that could be rolled out onto the surface of the moon, either by robots or by astronauts.
A second project, headed by Michael Collier, of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre, would examine how the solar winda stream of charged particles ejected from the suninteracts with the tenuous lunar atmosphere close to the moons surface. Such bombardment produces low-energy X-rays that would be detected on the surface of the moon.
The third and fourth projects are similar both to each other and to earlier ventures dropped on the moon by the Apollo and the Soviet Luna missions in the late 1960s and 1970s. Some 35 years on, reflectors placed on the lunar surface are still used by scientists interested in geophysics and geodesy . Most of the reflectors are clustered close to the lunar equator. The proposals, led by Stephen Merkowitz, also of NASAs Goddard Space Flight Centre, and Douglas Currie, of the University of Maryland, are to sprinkle some more sophisticated versions over more of the moons surface.
Such efforts may attract little attention compared with the launch of the space shuttle Endeavour this week. Nevertheless, when NASA argues that putting people into space inspires young people to study science, it is precisely these endeavours that it wishes to encourage.
1.George Bush redirected NASA away from scientific research because_____
[A] he thought scientific research is useless in the long term.
[B] he thought launching people into space was not the first priority.
[C] he thought NASA should manage its own business.
[D] he thought research was not so practical.
2.Which one of the following statements is TURE of the radio telescope?
[A] The radio telescope could look back at the structures of galaxies and stars when they were firstly formed.
[B] The device would be interfering with shorter-wavelength radio waves used for communication on Earth.
[C] The device could protect long wavelength from being absorbed by the outermost layers of the planets atmosphere.
[D] The device could have unique functions mainly because of the position it would be adjusted.
3.The radio telescope might also be useful in searching for extraterrestrial beings in that_____
[A] it could let the astrophysicists examine all the planets in unprecedented detail.
[B] it could find out the magnetic field which could protect beings from being attacked by space particles.
[C] it could detect any star and exoplanet surrounding the Earth.
[D] it could search out the promising sign for finding extraterrestrial life.
4.The word tenuous most probably means_____
[A] slender.
[B] dilute.
[C] flimsy.
[D] thick.
5.The third and fourth projects are different from earlier ventures dropped on the moon in the following aspects except_____
[A] the position of the reflectors remains on the lunar surface.
[B] more advanced applications will be adopted for research.
[C] the scope of reflectors will be expanded on the lunar equator.
[D] more surface of the moon will be covered.
篇章剖析:
这篇文章讲述了美国重新规划的太空四个项目。第一段讲述乔治布什重新规划了美国太空机构的任务;第二、三段是第一个项目无线电天文望远镜计划;第四、五段分别讲述了其余三个项目;第六段讲述了宇航局对这些项目的看法。
词汇注释：
morsel n. 少量 din n. 度，定(德国工业标准感光片感光度单位 )
astrophysicist n. 天体物理学家 extraterrestrial adj. 地球外的
tenuous adj. 稀薄的 geodesy n. 测地学
sprinkle v. 喷洒
难句突破：
So when George Bush redirected Americas space agency, NASA, away from scientific research and towards a manned return to the moon in 2004, many scientists were disappointed.
[主体句式] So when George Bush redirected away from and towards , many scientists were
[结构分析] 这是一个复合句，前面when引导的是时间状语从句。
[句子译文] 因此，乔治布什重新规划了美国太空机构国际航空和宇宙航行局的任务，从科学研究转为2004年有人驾驶飞船返回月球，许多科学家都感到失望。
A second project, headed by Michael Collier, of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre, would examine how the solar winda stream of charged particles ejected from the suninteracts with the tenuous lunar atmosphere close to the moons surface.
[主体句式] A second project would examine
[结构分析] 这是一个复合句，how引导的是宾语从句;headed分词结构修饰前面的project.
[句子译文] 第二个项目是美国国家宇航局戈达德太空飞行中心的Michael Collier主持的，要检查太阳风(太阳喷射出的一个粒子流)和微薄的月球大气层如何互相作用。
题目分析：
1.George Bush redirected NASA away from scientific research because_____ 1.乔治布什让美国宇航局转离研究是因为_____
[A] he thought scientific research is useless in the long term. [A] 他认为科学研究从长远来看是没用的。
[B] he thought launching people into space was not the first priority. [B] 他认为将人类送往太空不是第一要务。
[C] he thought NASA should manage its own business. [C] 他认为宇航局应该管好自己的事情。
[D] he thought research was not so practical. [D] 他认为研究不是那么实用。
[答案]D
[难度系数] ☆☆☆☆
[分析] 推理题。根据第一段，将人类送往太空没有多少用处，因此，乔治布什重新规划了宇航局的任务。选项中D最为符合题意。
2.Which one of the following statements is TURE of the radio telescope? 2.关于无线电望远镜，下列哪个陈述是正确的?
[A] The radio telescope could look back at the structures of galaxies and stars when they were firstly formed. [A] 无线电望远镜可以回溯看到银河系和行星形成时的结构。
[B] The device would be interfering with shorter-wavelength radio waves used for communication on Earth. [B] 该装置会干扰地球上用于通讯的短波无线电波。
[C] The device could protect long wavelength from being absorbed by the outermost layers of the planets atmosphere. [C] 该装置可以保护长波不会被星球最外面的大气层吸收。
[D] The device could have unique functions mainly because of the position it would be adjusted. [D] 该装置有特殊的功能，主要是因为它未来要调节到的位置。
[答案] D
[难度系数] ☆☆☆
[分析] 细节题。根据第二段，A选项，是回溯看到星体形成时的宇宙的情况，而不是它们的结构;B选项，没有提到是否干扰;C选项，并不是保护，而是因为它所处的位置可以探测到没有被大气层吸收的波长;D选项，提到了望远镜安装到离无线电波很远的地方，这样才可以看到早期宇宙的情况。因此，答案为D选项。
3.The radio telescope might also be useful in searching for extraterrestrial beings in that_____ 3.无线电望远镜也可以用于搜索外星生物，因为_____
[A] it could let the astrophysicists examine all the planets in unprecedented detail. [A] 它可以使得天体物理学家非常精细地视察所有的行星。
[B] it could find out the magnetic field which could protect beings from being attacked by space particles. [B] 它可以发现保护生物不受太空颗粒的碰撞攻击的磁场。
[C] it could detect any star and exoplanet surrounding the Earth. [C] 它可以探测到地球周围任何的行星和外行星。
[D] it could search out the promising sign for finding extraterrestrial life. [D] 它可以发现寻找外星生物的迹象。
[答案] B
[难度系数] ☆☆☆☆
[分析] 推理题。根据第三段，该装置可以用来搜索外星生物，是因为它可以探测到行星和外行星的磁场，磁场的存在就表明有可能有生物的存在。因此答案为B。
4.The word tenuous most probably means_____. 4.tenuous 最有可能的意思为_____
[A] slender. [A] 微薄的。
[B] dilute. [B] 稀薄的。
[C] flimsy. [C] 薄的。
[D] thick. [D] 厚的。
[答案] B
[难度系数] ☆
[分析] 猜词题。根据上下文，月球大气层应该是稀薄的，在四个选项中，B最为符合这个意思，是正确答案。
5.The third and fourth projects are different from earlier ventures dropped on the moon in the following aspects except_____ 5.第三个和第四个项目和早期探月冒险不同之处为除____的以下几点。
[A] the position of the reflectors remains on the lunar surface. [A] 反射器在月球表面的位置是没有变化的
[B] more advanced applications will be adopted for research. [B] 更加先进的设备将会用于研究
[C] the scope of reflectors will be expanded on the lunar equator. [C] 反射器的范围会在月球赤道上方延伸
[D] more surface of the moon will be covered. [D] 月球上更多的表面将会被覆盖
[答案] A
[难度系数] ☆☆☆
[分析] 细节题。第六段中提到了不同之处，最后一句表明更加复杂的设备用于更多的地方，因此B、D是正确的，而C也提到了范围会变大。A选项是相同点，因此答案为A选项。
参考译文：
把人送入太空也许能成为头条资讯，但是对科学研究却没有甚大帮助。因此，当George Bush在2004年要求美国宇航局将重点从科学研究转移到载人回归月球时，很多科学家都备感失望。现在，美国宇航局为回归月球计划增加了四项科研项目，总算给大家带来了些许安慰。
这些项目中最激动人心的是一种可以安装在月球背面的无线电天文望远镜。通过这种望远镜，人们可以了解到从宇宙早期至大规模天体结构如星云和恒星形成的时期。安装在月球上的无线电天文望远镜可以探测到那些无法在地球表面被检测到的长波，因为这些长波都被地球大气层的最外层吸收了。此外，天体物理学家们使该望远镜远离地球上频繁的用于通信的较短波长无线电波，从而能够史无前例地细致观察早期的宇宙。
使用这台望远镜也许还可以寻找外星生物。因为它能够描绘出恒星和太阳系外行星(太阳系之外围绕恒星运动的行星)的磁场图。正是由于地球磁场的保护，地球上居住着的生物才能幸免于来自太空中高能量粒子的袭击，否则这个星球就会变成一片不毛之地。如果能够检测到某个太阳系外行星也像地球一样被磁场包围，就有希望找到地球以外的生命。该计划由美国华盛顿特区海军研究实验室的Joseph Lazio领导，目标是创造出一个以三臂状构成Y字形的天线阵，其中每只臂长500米，含16根天线，用塑料薄膜制成，以便由机器人或宇航员平铺在月球表面。
第二项计划的负责人是美国宇航局戈达德太空飞行中心的Michael Collier，该计划将研究太阳风太阳喷发出的一束带电粒子流如何与月球表面附近稀薄的大气相互作用。这种作用产生的低能量X射线可以在月球表面被探测到。第三和第四项计划彼此相似，并与早前于20世纪60年代末和70年代进行的阿波罗计划和前苏联的登月计划也大同小异。现在那些放置于月球表面的反射器已差不多工作了35年，且仍然为那些对地球物理学和测地学(如研究月球引力场如何随时间而变化)感兴趣的科学家们服务着。大多数反射器都安装在靠近月球赤道的地方。这两项计划的主管人是美国宇航局戈达德太空飞行中心的Stephen Merkowitz以及马里兰大学的Douglas Currie，其目标是在月球上更大范围布置一些尖端反射器。
与本周发射的奋进号航天飞机相比，这些月球计划可能不会引起多大关注，但是，当美国宇航局极力主张载人航天可以激励年轻人学习科学时，为月球计划而奋进的精神也正是它所要鼓舞的。
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