18．Think about the longest elevator ride that you've ever taken．Whether you rose five floors or 100，it probably took less than a few minutes．Now imagine riding in an elevator higher and higher as it climbs for nearly a day．When you reach the top floor，prepare for views that are really out of this world．You'll be in space!
Space elevators might sound like a crazy idea，but they're something scientists have been working on for decades．
Why would anyone want a space elevator？At the moment，riding in a capsule is the only way ordinary people can get to and from space．But those rides are very expensive-about $25million per person per flight．
Researchers are still figuring out the details about how a space elevator might work．One idea is stretching （伸展） a very long cable-more than 37，000 kilometers-up to space from the earth's equator．The location is important：Objects in space above the equator orbit the earth at the same speed that our planet turns．A weight on the end of the cable（电缆） would stretch it tight．An elevator tied to the cable could use it to climb up and down．
The only problem is that besides being long，this cable must also be very strong．Storms，including hurricanes might break it．One way to solve this problem is to stretch the cable from the moon instead of from the earth．Airplanes designed to climb higher than a typical jet might take off from the earth and link up with the cable，which would be held in place by the pull of gravity from the earth．An elevator car waiting there would then take riders the rest of the way to the moon．Fueled by solar power，the elevator could transport people and materials without much expense or effort per ride．
So，when will you be taking your first space-elevator ride？Probably not for a while．
32．The first paragraph is presented byB．
A．giving aconclusion
B．making a comparison
C．asking questions
D．analyzing causes
33．Why have scientists been working on space elevators？A
A．To make trips to space cheaper．
B．To help astronauts do research in space．
C．To find a more convenient way to the moon．
D．To prove an assumption which seems crazy．
34．The underlined word"it"in Paragraph 4refers toA．
A．the cable
B．the equator
C．an object in space
D．a weight on the end of the cable
35．What may make the cable stay in place on the moon？C
A．The elevator car on the moon．
B．The elevator fastened to the cable．
C．The pull of gravity from the earth．
D．The speed of the moon orbiting the earth．
分析 本文属于科普说明文．作者主要介绍了人们发明的能够进入太空的电梯，以及这种电梯的工作原理．
解答 D） BAAC
32．B 推理判断题．根据第一段2、3句Whether you rose five or 100 floors，it probably took less than a few minutes．Now imagine riding in an elevator higher and higher as it climbs for nearly a day．可知作者把坐电梯5到100层的时间和做电梯做了一天的时间比较，说明这种电梯很长．所以作者通过比较的方法组织了第一段内容．并不是提问、分析和举例．故选B．
33．A 细节理解题．根据第三段最后一句Now scientists are making efforts to reduce the expense of thoserides．可知科学家真正努力的解决的问题就是减低费用，使之更便宜．故选A．
34．A 词义猜测题．根据本句An elevator tied to the cable could use it to climb up and down．一个电梯连接到cable上然后在用这个cable爬上爬下．所以本句中的it指代the cable．故选A．
35．C 推理判断题．根据最后一段第四句Airplanes designed to climb higher than a typical jet might takeoff from the earth and link up with the cable，which would be held in place by the pull of gravityfrom the earth．本句中的which指代先行词the cable，指cable被地球引力拉着不离开地球．故选C．
点评 本文是一个科教类阅读理解．题目涉及多道细节理解题，做题时结合原文和题目有针对性的找出相关语句进行仔细分析，结合选项选出正确答案．推理判断题也是要在抓住关键句子的基础上合理的分析才能得出正确答案，不要以个人的主观想象代替文章的事实，要联系上下文根据文章事实进行合乎逻辑的推理判断，切忌胡乱猜测，一定要做到有理有据，词义猜测题需要我们推测出句中单词的意思，再进行选择．
