Question

【題目】 NASA’s (美國宇航局的) newly announced space tourism program is possibly the biggest mistake in the agency’s history.

Beginning as early as 2020, NASA will offer visits to the International Space Station for $35,000 per night, not including transportation, to pretty much anyone who can pass a physical.

The reason this is a mistake, and a big one, is that NASA has worked for generations to create an image of astronauts as extraordinarily skilled, highly trained, courageous heroes. For example, NASA invites grade schools to participate in creating experiments that are carried on the space station. The astronauts talk to kids from space, sending a message that if you study, work hard and learn math and science, you may reach these heights, too.

According to one report, Las Vegas-based Bigelow Aerospace is making plans to haul four tourists at a time to the space station on SpaceX rockets. U.S. taxpayers forked over a hundred billion dollars to build the International Space Station. It would be nice to try to preserve the image of it as an inspirational achievement, instead of turning it into a flying Howard Johnson’s.

NASA’s press release about the space tourism program tries to cast it as a partnership with the private sector to “provide expanded opportunities” at the space station to “manufacture, market and promote commercial products and services.” But it also states that one goal is “quantifying NASA’s long-term demand for activities in low-Earth orbit.”

The space station has been costing U.S. taxpayers between $1.5 billion and $3 billion each year. If it’s perceived as a private Disneyland for the top tax bracket, public support for the entire space program could be at risk.

But worse, we will have degraded what once inspired us. Sometimes a nation needs stars in its eyes.

【1】What is NASA’s space tourism program?

A.To invite students to attend their experiments.

B.To send visitors to the space station.

C.To run a restaurant in the space station.

D.To build a Disneyland in the space station.

【2】Why does the writer view the space tourism program as a big mistake?

A.It may influence the science experiment negatively.

B.It will cost people a lot of money.

C.It is too dangerous for visitors.

D.It may destroy the image of astronauts.

【3】What does the underlined word “stars” refer to?

A.Planets.B.Satellites.C.Wealthy tourists.D.Astronauts.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】B

【2】D

【3】D

【解析】

這是一篇說明文。文章介紹了美國航天局的新的旅游計劃，最早在2020年，只要支付足夠的錢以及健康狀況允許，普通人將可以登上國際空間站。作者認為這是一個極大的錯誤。因為在美國，宇航員是一種英雄的形象，是青少年努力學習的榜樣。此舉將大大削弱宇航員的形象。

【1】細節理解題。根據第二段中Beginning as early as 2020, NASA will offer visits to the International Space Station for $35,000 per night, not including transportation, to pretty much anyone who can pass a physical.（早在2020年，NASA提出，對于健康情況允許的幾乎任何人，只要支付35000美金，不包含交通費，就可以在國際空間站過一晚。）可知，NASA的太空旅游項目是將游客送上空間站。故選B。

【2】推理判斷題。根據第三段首句The reason this is a mistake, and a big one, is that NASA has worked for generations to create an image of astronauts as extraordinarily skilled, highly trained, courageous heroes. （太空旅游項目是一個很大的錯誤的原因是NASA通過幾代人的努力將宇航員的形象塑造為非常熟練的、訓練有素的并且勇敢的英雄。）以及第四段最后一句It would be nice to try to preserve the image of it as an inspirational achievement（努力將宇航員的形象保持為鼓舞人心的成就是比較好的）可推斷，這個計劃最大的錯誤就是破壞了宇航員的形象。故選D。

【3】詞義猜測題。根據文章第四段最后一句（繼續將宇航員的形象保持為鼓舞人心的成就是比較好的）以及畫線前一句But worse, we will have degraded what once inspired us.（但更糟糕的是，我們會貶低曾經激勵我們的東西）可知，宇航員在人們心中一直是值得尊敬和學習的，我們貶低激勵我們的東西是糟糕的。所以畫線單詞所在句子意思為一個民族需要這樣的值得學習的人，也就是指需要這樣享有盛譽的宇航員。故選D。