Unless we spend money to spot and prevent asteroids now，one might crash into Earth and destroy life as we know it，say some scientists.
Asteroids are bigger versions of the meteoroids(流星)that race across the night sky. Most orbit the sun far from Earth and don't threaten us. But there are also thousands whose orbits put them on a collision course with Earth.
Buy $ 50 million worth of new telescopes right now. Then spend $ 10 million a year for the next 25 years to locate most of the space rocks. By the time we spot a fatal one，the scientists say，we'll have a way to change its course.
Some scientists favor pushing asteroids off course with nuclear weapons. But the cost wouldn't be cheap. Is it worth it? Two things experts consider when judging any risk are: 1) How likely the event is; and 2) How bad the consequences if the event occurs. Experts think an asteroid big enough to destroy lots of life might strike Earth once every 500,000 years. Sounds pretty rare-but if one did fall，it would be the end of the world. “If we don't take care of these big asteroids，they'll take care of us,” says one scientist. “It's that simple.”
The cure，though，might be worse than the disease. Do we really want fleets of nuclear weapons sitting around on Earth? “The world has less to fear from doomsday(毁灭性的) rocks than from a great nuclear fleet set against them，” said a New York Times article.
【小题1】What does the passage say about asteroids and meteoroids?

A．They are heavenly bodies different in composition.

B．They are heavenly bodies similar in nature.

C．There are more asteroids than meteoroids.

D．Asteroids are more mysterious than meteoroids.

【小题2】 What do scientists say about the collision of an asteroid with Earth?

A．It is very unlikely but the danger exists.

B．Such a collision might occur once every 25 years.

C．Collisions of smaller asteroids with Earth occur more often than expected.

D．It's still too early to say whether such a collision might occur.

【小题3】 What do people think of the suggestion of using nuclear weapons to alter the course of asteroids?

A．It sounds practical but it may not solve the problem.

B．It may create more problems than it might solve.

C．It is a waste of money because a collision of asteroids with Earth is very unlikely.

D．Further research should be done before it is proved applicable.

【小题4】We can conclude from the passage that ________ .

A．while pushing asteroids off course nuclear weapons would destroy the world

B．asteroids racing across the night sky are likely to hit Earth in the near future

C．the worry about asteroids can be left to future generations since it is unlikely to happen in our lifetime

D．workable solutions still have to be found to prevent a collision of asteroids with Earth.

【小题5】Which of the following best describes the author's tone in this passage?

A．Optimistic.

B．Critical.

C．Objective.

D．Subjective.

 

第二节 完形填空(共20小题；每小题1．5分，共30分)

请认真阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

I went to a birthday party and I remembered what you said. You told me not to drink at all, so I had a Sprite(雪碧)  36  . I felt proud of myself, that I didn’t choose to drink and drive  37  some friends said I should.

I knew I made a wise  38 . Your advice to me was right. As the party  39  ended and the kids drove out of sight, I got into my own  40 , sure to get home at once, never  41  what was coming — something I  42  least. Now I’m lying on the roadside, and I can hear the policeman say:“The kid that caused this accident was  43 .” His voice seems far away. My own blood (血) is all around me. I try hard not to  44 . I can hear someone say: ”This girl is going to die.”

I’m sure the guy had no idea while he was flying  45 . Because he chose to  46 and drive, now I will have to die. So why do people do it since they know that it ruins  47 ? But now the pain is cutting me  48  a hundred stabbing（刺痛的）knives. Tell my sister not to be  49 , tell Daddy to be brave, and if possibly I have to see  50 , put “Daddy’s Girl” on my grave（墓穴）.

Someone should have  51  him that it’s wrong to drink and drive. Maybe if his mom and dad had done so, I wouldn’t be like this. My  52  is getting shorter. I’m getting really scared. These are my final  53  and I’m so  54  .

D. too D. though D. discovery D. simply D. habit D. repeating D. expected D. destroyed D. talk D. highly D. drink D. friendships D. by D. sad D. God D. showed D. happiness D. pleasures D. unprepared D. think

C. either C. unless C. adventure C. finally C. way C. arguing C. cared C. drunk C. smile C. lowly C. sing C. lives C. with C. popular C. the doctors C. taught C. dream C. trouble C. disagreed C. wish

B. instead B. because B. travel B. slowly B. room B. knowing B. considered B. replaced B. laugh B. high B. talk B. opinions B. as B. angry B. Mum B. made B. period B. moments B. disliked B. mean

I wish that you could hold me, Mom, as I lie here and die. I  55  that I could say to you, I love you and goodbye.

36. A. as well

37. A. after

38. A. choice

39. A. firstly

40. A. car

41. A. explaining

42. A. unexpected

43. A. lost

44. A. cry

45. A. low

46. A. smoke

47. A. health

48. A. like

49. A. lucky

50. A. my friends

51. A. asked

52. A. breath

53. A. time

54. A. unknown

55. A. hope

 

____ you want to remember its usage, you’d better make a sentence with the new word.

A．Unless　　　 B．While 　　　  C．Now that 　　　    D．Even if