Edmund Halley was an English scientist who lived over 200 years ago. He studied the observations of comets(彗星)which other scientists had made. The orbit of one particular comet was a very difficult mathematical problem. He could not figure it out. Neither could other scientists who dealt with such problems.

       However, Halley had a friend named Isaac Newton, who was a brilliant mathematician. Newton thought he had already worked out that problem, but he could not find the papers on which he had done it. He told Halley that the orbit of a comet had the shape of an ellipse(椭圆形).

       Now Halley set to work. He figured out(解决，计算出)the orbits of some of the comets that had been observed by scientists. He made a surprising discovery. The comets that had appeared in the years 1531, 1607, and 1682 all had the same orbit. Yet their appearance had been 75 to 76 years apart.

       This seemed very strange to Halley. Three different comets followed the same orbit. The more Halley thought about it, the ore his thought that there had been three different comets as people thought. He decided that they had simply seen the same comet three times. The comet had gone away and had come back again.

       It was an astonishing idea! Halley felt certain though to make a prediction(预言)of what would happen in the future. He decided that this would appear in the year 1758. There were 53 years to go before Halley’s prediction could be tested. In 1758 the comet appeared in the sky. Halley did not see it, for he had died some years before. Ever since then that comet had been called Halley’s comet, in his honor.

5 Edmund Halley figured out the orbit of ____.

       A. some different comets appearing several times

       B. the same comet appearing at different times

       C. three different comets appearing at the same time

       D. several comets appearing at the same time

6. Halley made his discovery ____.

       A. by doing experiments

       B. by means of his own careful observation

       C. by using the working of other scientists

       D. by chance

7. Halley made a surprising, but correct prediction in the year____.

       A. 1704          B. 1705     C. 1706           D. 1707

8. This passage in general is about ____.

       A. Halley and other scientists

       B. the orbit of a comet

       C. Newton and Halley

       D. Halley and his discovery

9. Which of the following is TRUE?

       A. Edmund Halley was an American scientist.

       B. Halley made his discovery by doing experiments.

       C. Isaac Newton was a famous mathematician.

       D. The orbit of a comet had the shape of an around.

Edmund Halley was an English scientist who lived over 200 years ago. He studied the observations of comets(彗星)which other scientists had made. The orbit（轨道） of one particular comet was a very difficult mathematical problem. He could not figure it out. Neither could other scientists who dealt with such problems.

    However, Halley had a friend named Isaac Newton, who was a brilliant mathematician. Newton thought he had already worked out that problem, but he could not find the papers on which he had done it. He told Halley that the orbit of a comet had the shape of an ellipse(椭圆形).

    Now Halley set to work. He figured out(解决，计算出)the orbits of some of the comets that had been observed by scientists. He made a surprising discovery. The comets that had appeared in the years 1531, 1607, and 1682 all had the same orbit. Yet their appearance had been 75 to 76 years apart.

    This seemed very strange to Halley. Three different comets followed the same orbit. The more Halley thought about it, the more he thought that there had not been three different comets as people thought. He decided that they had simply seen the same comet three times. The comet had gone away and had come back again.

    It was an astonishing idea! Halley felt certain to make a prediction(预言)of what would happen in the future. He decided that this would appear in the year 1758. There were 53 years to go before Halley’s prediction could be tested. In 1758 the comet appeared in the sky. Halley did not see it, for he had died some years before. Ever since then that comet had been called Halley’s comet, in his honor.

1.Edmund Halley figured out the orbit of ____.

    A. some different comets appearing several times

    B. the same comet appearing at different times

    C. three different comets appearing at the same time

    D. several comets appearing at the same time

2.Halley made his discovery ____.

    A. by doing experiments

    B. by means of his own careful observation

    C. by using the working of other scientists

    D. by chance

3.Halley made a surprising, but correct prediction in the year____.

    A. 1704     B. 1705     C. 1706     D. 1707

4.This passage in general is about ____.

    A. Halley and other scientists

    B. the orbit of a comet

    C. Newton and Halley

    D. Halley and his discovery

5. Which of the following is TRUE?

    A. Edmund Halley was an American scientist.

    B. Halley made his discovery by doing experiments.

    C. Isaac Newton was a famous mathematician.

    D. The orbit of a comet had the shape of an around.

The area south of the Thames at Greenwich has a long history. Throughout time different buildings have been constructed on the same site. The Palace of Placentia, an English Royal Palace built in 1447, no longer exists apart from a few remains under the present buildings.

The grand buildings on the South Bank of the Thames at Greenwich were designed by Sir Christopher Wren, most famous for St. Paul’s Cathedral. The buildings were finally completed in 1745, although some parts started to be used as early as 1705. They’re now part of a university — having served as a naval（海军）hospital and a naval college and the setting for several cinemas.

But the buildings stand on a site which has a much longer history, of which now only a part remains that is below the ground. For nearly two hundred years, from around 1450 to 1650, Greenwich was one of the main royal palaces of England. Some of the most famous English rulers, such as Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, not only lived there, but also were born there.

Henry VIII put an armory（兵工厂）there, and there were also gardens, a great fountain (喷泉) and a mass of buildings. The Palace was also in a strategic location, because at the time either side of Greenwich on the Thames were important Royal Dockyards (船厂).

Eventually, though, the Palace fell into disrepair. In 1664, the King at the time, Charles II, decided to replace it with completely new buildings in a modern style. Only a cellar (地窖) from the former Royal Palace now remains, under one of the new buildings. Its red brick, typical of the 16th century, contrasts (对比) sharply with the white stone above it.

    Would you like to join us to have a good view of Greenwich?

1.We can learn from the passage that the Palace of Placentia _____.

A. had served as a university                B. was constructed with white stones

C. was designed by Christopher Wren         D. was of particular importance in a war

2. The buildings on the South Bank of the Thames at Greenwich now _____.

A. are in need of repair                     B. differ from those in the 16th century

C. were designed in the style of Elizabeth I     D. have a history of more than half a century

3.According to the passage, when did the Palace of Placentia disappear from the ground?

A. In the late 1400s.                    B. In the early 1600s.

C. In the late 1600s.                     D. In the early 1700s.             

4.Where can we most probably read this passage?

A. In a science report.                   B. In a personal diary.  

C. In a geography textbook.              D. In a travel magazine.

Edmund Halley was an English scientist who lived over 200 years ago . He studied the observations of comets (彗星) which other scientists had made . The orbit（轨道） of one particular comet was a very difficult mathematical problem. He could not figure it out. Neither could other scientists who dealt with such problems.

However , Halley had a friend named Newton, who was a brilliant (有才华的) mathematician .Newton thought he had already worked out that problem, but he could not find the papers on which he had done it. He told Halley that the orbit of a comet had the shape of an ellipse (椭圆) .

Now Halley set to work .He figured out the orbits of some of the comets that had been observed by scientists. He made a surprising discovery. The comets that had appeared in the years 1531, 1607, and 1682 all had the same orbit. Yet their appearances had been 75 to 76 years apart (相隔).

This seemed very strange to Halley. The different comets followed the same orbit. The more Halley thought about it, the more he thought that there had not been three different comets, as people thought. He decided that they had simply seen the same comet three times .The comet had gone away and had come back again.

It was an astonishing idea! Halley felt certain enough to make a prediction of what would happen in the future. He decided that this comet would appear in the year 1758. There were 53 years to go before Halley’s prediction could be tested .In 1758 the comet appeared in the sky. Halley did not see it, for he had died some years before. Ever since then that comet has been called Halley’s comet, in his honor.

1.Edmund Halley figured out the orbit of         .

    A．some different comets appearing several times

    B．the same comet appearing at different times

    C．three different comets appearing three times

    D．several comets appearing at the same time     

2.Halley made his discovery         .

A．by doing experiments                

B．by means of his own careful observation

C．by using the work of other scientists                 

D．by chance

3.Halley made a surprising, but correct prediction in the year         .

    A．1704       B．1705       C.1706      D．1707      

4.According to the passage, which of the flowing is NOT true?

    A．Newton figured out the orbit of the comet .

    B．Halley figured out the orbit of the comet first.

    C．Newton gave Halley some help .

    D．Halley died before 1758. 

Edmund Halley（哈雷）was an English scientist who lived over 200 years ago. He studied the observations of comets（彗星）which other scientists had made. The orbit（轨道）of one particular comet was a very difficult mathematical problem. He could not work it out. Neither could other scientists who dealt with such problems.

However, Halley had a friend named Newton, who was a brilliant（有才华的） mathematician. Newton thought he had already worked out that problem, but he could not find the papers on which he had done it. He told Halley that the orbit of a comet had the shape of an ellipse（椭圆）.

Now Halley set to work. He worked out the orbits of some of the comets that had been observed by other scientists. He made a surprising discovery. The comets that had appeared in the years 1531, 1607, and 1682 all had the same orbit. Yet their appearances had been 75 to 76 years apart（相隔）.

This seemed very strange to Halley. The different comets followed the same orbit. The more Halley thought about it, the more he thought that there had not been three different comets, as people thought. He decided that they had simply seen the same comet three times. The comet had gone away and had come back again.

It was an amazing idea! Halley felt certain enough to make a prediction（预言）of what would happen in the future. He decided that this comet would appear in the year 1758. There were 53 years to go before Halley’s prediction could be tested.

In 1758 the comet appeared in the sky. Halley did not see it, for he had died some years before. Ever since then that comet has been called Halley’s comet, in his honor.

1.Edmund Halley worked out the orbit of ____________.

A. some different comets appearing several times

B. the same comet appearing at different times

C. three different comets appearing three times

D. several comets appearing at the same time

2. Halley made his discovery ____________.

A. by doing experiments            

B. by means of his own careful observation

C. by studying the work of other scientists 

D. by chance

3. Halley made a surprising, but correct prediction（预言）in the year ____________.

   A. 1704         B. 1705         C. 1706         D. 1707

4. This passage in general is about ____________.

A. Halley and other scientists           B. the orbit of a comet

C. Newton and Halley                 D. Halley and his discovery  

5. According to the passage, which of the flowing is NOT true?

A. Newton worked out the orbit of the comet.

B. Halley worked out the orbit of the comet first.

C. Newton gave Halley some help.

D. Halley died before 1758.