Boeing said Wednesday that it was entering th...

Boeing said Wednesday that it was entering the space tourism business, an announcement that could bolster（增强）the Obama administration’s efforts to transform the National Aeronautics and Space Administration into an agency that focuses less on building rockets and more on nurturing a commercial space industry.

The flights, which could begin as early as 2015, would most likely launch from Cape Canaveral in Florida to the International Space Station. The Obama administration has proposed turning over to private companies the business of taking NASA astronauts to orbit, and Boeing and Bigelow Aerospace of Las Vegas won an $18 million contract this year for preliminary (初步的)development and testing of a capsule that could carry seven passengers.

Current NASA plans call for four space station crew members to go up at a time, which would leave up to three seats available for space tourists. The flights would be the first to give nonprofessional astronauts the chance to go into orbit aboard a spacecraft launched from the United States. Seven earlier space tourists have made visits to the space station, riding in Russian Soyuz capsules.

“We’re ready now to start talking to possible customers,” said Eric C. Anderson, co-founder and chairman of Space Adventures, the space tourism company based in Virginia that would market the seats for Boeing.

Boeing and Space Adventures have not set a price, although Mr. Anderson said it would be competitive with the Soyuz flights, which Space Adventures arranged with the Russian Space Agency. Guy Laliberté, founder of Cirque du Soleil, paid about $40 million for a Soyuz ride and an eight-day stay at the space station last year. But the possibilities that anyone buying a ticket will get to space on an American vehicle depend on discussions in Congress about the future of NASA.

1. Which of the following is most probably a private travel company?

A. Boeing.                      B. Space Adventure.

C. NASA.                        D. Russian Space Agency.

2. How many people can be carried along on a capsule to the space station?

A. 3.           B. 4.           C. 7.           D. 11.

3. What can be inferred from the passage?

A. The American space tourism company is located in Virginia.

B. Russia has already taken lead in working on the space tourism business.

C. NASA has decided to focus less on building rockets because of the financial crisis.

D. In 2015, America would be the first country in the world to run the space tourism                   business.

4.What’s the best title of the passage?

A. Taking NASA Astronauts to Orbit. B. Living in the Space Station Space.

C. Ticket Price under Discussion.       D. Boeing Could Fly You to Orbit by 2015.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

It is said that about 60% of housewives have a brand ________ before entering the store．

A．in mind  B．on sale     C．in possession    D．on purpose

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Astronauts aboard the space station celebrated a space first on Wednesday by drinking water that had been recycled from their urine(尿), sweat and water got from air. They said "cheers," clicked drinking bags and toasted NASA workers on the ground.

The urine recycling system is needed for astronaut stations on the moon and Mars. It also will have NASA money because it won’t have to ship up as much water to the station by space shuttles or cargo rockets. Besides, it’s important as the space station is about to expand from three people living on board to six.

The recycling system had been brought up to the space station last November by space shuttles Endeavour, but it couldn’t be used until samples(样品) were tested back on earth. So when it came time to actually drink up, NASA made a big deal of it. The three-man crew stood holding their drinks and congratulated engineers in two NASA centres that worked on the system.

“This is something that had been the stuff of science fiction,” American astronaut Michael Barratt said before taking a small mouthful. “The taste is worth trying.”

The new system takes the combined urine of the crew from the toilet, moves it to a big tank, where the water is boiled off, and the vapor(水蒸气) is collected. The rest of the urine is thrown away. Then the water vapor is mixed with water from air, and then it goes through filters (过滤器). When six crew members are aboard it can make about six gallons from urine in about six hours.

“Some people may find the idea of drinking recycled urine distasteful, but it is also done on earth, but with a lot longer time between urine and the tap,” said Marybeth Edeen, the space station’s national lab manager.

The technology NASA developed for this system has already been used for quick water purification after the 2004 Asian tsunami.

1. According to the text, the recycling system is important because ___________.

A. it makes traveling to the moon for the average person possible

B. with it NASA won’t need to ship any water up the space station

C. it can help meet the need for more water after the crew is expanded

D. it protects the environment in space by reducing the amount of waste

2.What’s the RIGHT time order of the following events?

a. The samples of the recycled water were tested on earth.

b. Astronauts celebrated the space first of making water from urine

c. The recycling system was brought up to the space station.

d. The technology for the system was used to quickly purify water.

A. a, d, c, b   B. a, c, b, d   C. d, a, c, b   D. d, c, a, b

3.From Para. 5 we can know ____________.

A. the theory behind the recycling system   B. the effect of the recycling system

C. the process of recycling urine          D. an opinion on recycling urine

4.What did Edeen say about recycled urine and the recycling system?

A. The taste of recycled urine is not as good as that of common water.

B. The recycling system has made a science fiction story come true.

C. The idea of drinking recycled urine makes astronauts feel unpleasant.

D. It takes a longer time on earth to make water from urine than in space.

5.What is the best title for the passage?

A. The Research of NASA Has Made Great Progress.

B. New Technology Is Used in the Space Station.

C. Drink up: Space Station Recycles Urine to Water.

D. Good News: Water Recycled from Urine Tastes Good

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Astronauts aboard the space station celebrated a space first on Wednesday by drinking water that had been recycled from their urine(尿), sweat and water got from air. They said “cheers,” clicked drinking bags and toasted NASA workers on the ground.

The urine recycling system is needed for astronaut stations on the moon and Mars. It also will save NASA money because it won’t have to ship up as much water to the station by space shuttles or rockets. Besides, it’s important as the space station is about to expand from three people living on board to six.

The recycling system had been brought up to the space station last November by space shuttle Endeavour, but it couldn’t be used until samples(样品) were tested back on earth. So when it came time to actually drink up, NASA made a big deal of it. The three-man crew stood holding their drinks and thanked engineers in two NASA centers that worked on the system.

“This is something that had been the stuff of science fiction,” American astronaut Michael Barratt said before taking a small mouthful. “The taste is worth trying.”

The new system takes the combined urine of the crew from the toilet, moves it to a big tank, where the water is boiled off, and the steam is collected. The rest of the urine is thrown away. Then the water steam is mixed with water from air, and then it goes through filters (过滤器). When six crew members are aboard it can make about 18 liters from urine in about 6 hours.

“Some people may find the idea of drinking recycled urine distasteful, but it is also done on earth, but with a lot longer time between urine and the tap,” said Marybeth Edeen, the space station’s national lab manager.

The technology NASA developed for this system has already been used for quick water purification after the 2004 Asian tsunami.

1. According to the text, the recycling system is important because __________.

A. it makes traveling to the moon for the average person possible

B. it can help meet the need for more water after the crew is expanded

C. with it NASA won’t need to ship any water up the space station

D. it protects the environment in space by reducing the amount of waste

2. From Paragraph 5 we can know __________.

A. the process of recycling urine

B. the effect of the recycling system

C. the theory behind the recycling system

D. an opinion on recycling urine

3. What did Edeen say about recycled urine and the recycling system?

A. The taste of recycled urine is not as good as that of common water.

B. The recycling system has made a science fiction story come true.

C. The idea of drinking recycled urine makes astronauts feel unpleasant.

D. It takes a longer time on earth to make water from urine than in space.

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A. The Research of NASA Has Made Great Progress

B. New Technology Is Used in the Space Station

C. Drink up: Space Station Recycles Urine to Water

D. Good News:Water Recycled from Urine Tastes Good

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

After _____ seemed an endless wait, it was his turn to enter the director’s office.

A．that              B．it                C．what             D．which

高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

After ______ seemed an endless wait, it was her turn to enter the personnel manager's office．

A. that　　　　　　　　 B. how　　 　　　　　　　　　 C. what　　　 　　　　　　　　　 D. why

高三英语单项填空困难题查看答案及解析

After ______ seemed an endless wait, it was her turn to enter the personnel manager's office．

A. that　　　　　　　　 B. how　　 　　　　　　　　　 C. what　　　 　　　　　　　　　 D. why

高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

After ______ seemed an endless wait, it was her turn to enter the general manager’s office.

高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

—It is said that he is focusing on another book on space exploration. When will it come out?

—It is _______ next year.

A. about to be published B. surely to be published

C. due to be published      D. going to publish

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

It was said that the famous pop star was found ___ suicide in a hotel near the seaside.

高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析