Exploring space is a dream shared by many people, but few have ever experienced the thrill of space adventure. A few years ago, that field was open only to those who worked for NASA or the space programs of other nations. But now private companies are getting into the space race.

       Google and the X PRIZE Foundation have joined forces to challenge ordinary people to explore the moon. The first team that successfully soft-lands a robotic rover(天体登陆车) on the moon will receive a $20 million prize. The second team to touch down on the moon will win $5 million. Teams can also win an additional $5 million in bonus prizes for completing tasks such as discovering water ice.

       To win, contestants(竞赛者) must land their craft on the surface of the moon and let it roam for more than 500 meters, or 1.640 feet. The craft must also send video and Internet clips(片断) back to Earth in real time.

       Google and the X PRIZE Foundation announced the competition on September 13,2007. "The Google Lunar X Prize calls on entrepreneurs(企业家), and engineers from around the world to return us to the lunar surface and explore this environment for the benefit of all humanity," said Peter H. Diamandis, the head of the foundation, when the contest was announced. "We hope to bring this historic private space race into every home and classroom," he added.

       Teams are already gathering at the first commercial spaceport in the Mojave Dessert in California to work on their spaceship designs. Contestants have until December 31, 2012 to qualify(取得资格) for the contest, which expires in 2014. The last time humans went to the moon， the voyage inspired a generation of scientists and explorers. Google and the X PRIZE Foundation are hoping that their contest will get even more people to reach for the moon, the stars and beyond.

1．If the first team land their craft on the surface of the moon and discover water ice, how much prize money will they receive?

       A．$ 5 million.          B．$ 10 million.         C．$ 20 million.        D．$ 25 million.

2．Why are Google and the X PRIZE Foundation calling on people to go to the moon?

       A．Further exploration of the moon will benefit mankind.

       B．They want everyone to join in the space race.

       C．They require video and Internet clips of the moon’s surface.

       D．They hope that new exploration will find life on the moon.

3．To win the contest, contestants must do the following EXCEPT       .

       A．land the craft on the moon                    B．let craft roam for over 500m

       C．discover water ice on the moon             D．send video and Internet clips back to Earth

4．It can be learned from the passage that          .

       A．no private company has ever set foot on the moon so far.

       B．contestants can win the prize so long as they touch down on the moon

       C．contestants don’t have to design their own spaceships

       D．the contest will end in 2012

5．What’s the main idea of the passage?

       A．More scientists are working on spaceship designs.

       B．Google and the X PRIZE Foundation joined forces to land on the moon.

       C．More teams are encouraged to join in the race to explore the moon.

       D．The first commercial spaceport has just been completed in California.

GAOMI,  Shandong,  Oct．11（ Xinhua）—Chinese writer Mo Yan said last Thursday that he was "very surprised" at winning the Nobel Literature Prize．

Speaking  to reporters at a hotel in his hometown Gaomi city in east China's Shandong Province, Mo said, " （I was）very surprised upon winning the prize because I felt I was not very senior in terms of qualification （ among Chinese writers）．There are many good writers and my ranking was not so high．"

"I am very happy," he saiD."I was having dinner when I received the news．I was surprised．”

"Thank you for coming all the way to Gaomi．This should be a season of red sorghum, but no such crop is planted any more．  I believe none of you have seen the crop," he said．

"The Nobel Literature Prize is a very important literature prize, but not the top awarD.It represents the opinions of the jury（评审团 ）．I am satisfied with my major works and I still keep writing by hand．My works are Chinese literature, which is part of world literature．They show the life of Chinese people as well as the country's unique culture and folk customs．Meanwhile, my novels described human beings in the broad sense．I wrote in the perspective of a human being．These works stand beyond regions and ethnic groups," he said．

"The folk arts and folk culture accompanied my growth and I was influenced by the cultural elements I witnessed through my childhood．When I picked up the pen for literature creation, the folk cultural elements inevitably entered my novels and affected and even determined the artistic styles of my works," he added．

Mo's win brought joy to other writers and readers throughout the country as he is the first Chinese national to win the Nobel Literature Prize in its century-long history．

 Born into a farmer's family in a village in Gaomi, Mo has been known since the late 1980s for his novels such as Big Breasts and Wide Hips and Red Sorghum（红高粱）, which was later adapted into a film by director Zhang Yimou．

1.Mo Yan was surprised at winning the Nobel Prize because he felt________ .

A.he was not as famous as other writers

B.he was not the best writer in China

C.he was born in a farmer's family

D.he didn't have good education

2.According to Mo Yan,              .

A．red sorghum should be planted in his hometown

B．the Nobel Prize represents the opinions of the public

C．he still keeps the habit of writing by hand

D．his novels described human beings of all regions

3.By reading Mo Yan's works, we can                .

A.increase our sense of national pride

B.learn a lot about the Chinese folk culture

C.form a vivid picture of his childhood

D.learn more about the history of the Nobel Prize

4.Which of the following words can best describe Mo Yan?

 A．modest      B．self--confident   C．humorous   D.romantic

5.Where might you find the article?

A．In a novel．                    B.In a travel book

C．In a newspaper．   D.In a student book

 

A scientist who developed a way to calculate how much water is used in the production of anything from a cup of coffee to a hamburger was awarded the 2008 Stockholm Water Prize.

Professor John Anthony Allan of the University of London in Britain won the award for introducing the idea of “virtual water (虚拟水)”, a calculation method that has changed the nature of trade policy and research.

Allan has written seven books and published more than 100 papers.

The Stockholm International Water Institute said this idea is now embedded (埋藏) in the production of foods and industrial products. The institute said Allan’s work had made a big effect on global trade policy and research, especially in water-scarce (缺水的) regions.

“The improved understanding of trade and water management issues on local, regional and global scales are of the highest value for the successful and sustainable (可持续的) use of water resources,” it said.

“People do not only use water when they drink it or take a shower,” the institute said. “Behind the morning cup of coffee, there are 140 liters of water that was used to grow, produce, package and ship the beans.” That is about as much water as a person in England uses on average for all daily drinking and household needs.

“For a single hamburger, about 2,400 liters of water are needed. In the USA, the average person uses nearly 7,000 liters of virtual water every day.” It said that was more than three times the average use of a Chinese person.

1.Allan was awarded the prize because _______.

A. he wrote seven books on trade policy

B. he published more than 100 papers on water management

C. he found a new kind of water in water-scarce areas

D. he came up with the idea of virtual water

2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. The average American uses about 7,000 liters of water a day.

B. The average Chinese uses nearly 2,300 liters of virtual water a day.

C. An Englishman usually drinks about 140 liters of coffee a day.

D. A hamburger usually contains about 2,400 liters of water.

3.What do we learn about John Anthony Allan from the passage?

A. He won the 2008 Nobel Prize.        B. He has written over 100 books.

C. He works at the University of London.        D. He lives in the USA.

4.What effect does the idea of virtual water have?

A. It helps us realize the importance of trade.   

B. It helps people do successful business.

C. It helps us make use of water scientifically. 

D. It tells us how much water we use a day.

 

E
When I was growing up, 16 was always a magical age, a symbol of maturity, responsibility and of course more independence and freedom.  I sat through the hours of Driver’s Ed classes eager to get out on the road. I couldn’t wait to get my driver’s license.
But it’s a different story for today’s teens. In January, the U.S. Department Transportation released 2012 data that showed only 30.7 percent of U.S. teens got their license at age 16, Twenty years before, that number was almost 45 percent.
There are numbers of reasons for the fall – off. The growing responsibilities like paying for insurance and high gas prices discourage teens from getting behind the wheel. Plus, many teens today are so busy with homework, endless hours of activities and part-time jobs, that finding the time for Driver’s Ed classes may be more difficult that ever.
In addition, many states have raised the driving age, or restricted when teens can drive and who they can have in the car. Parents may also be making their own personal restrictions until they feel their teens are responsible enough to drive safely.
Driving is part of the American culture, but it’s not the central focus like it was 25 years ago. They have so many other things to do now. One of the more interesting factors delaying teens driving might be the change of their social life. Today, teens need to look no further than Face book or other social networking sites to connect with their friends. There is simply less need, maybe less desire, to be able to grab the keys and go.
Michelle Wei got her license as a senior in high school because her digital social life made it easy no to drive. “If I couldn’t get a ride to see my friend who lives a town over,” the 19-year-old said, “I could talk on IM or Skype.”
Research has shown that these online relationships can lead to higher quality friendships, so it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However, it’s important to find a balance. If old face-to-face friendships are good, why not drive to find them?
【小题1】We can infer from the first paragraph that         .

A．Driver’s Ed classes allowed teens to know what maturity was

B．getting a driving license at 16 was a must for American teens

C．16 was considered an age when one could get his driver’s license

D．teens could drive on the road without taking Driver’s Ed classes

【小题2】What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．Desire to drive on the road declines among American teens.

B．Getting a license costs much more than ever before.

C．Social networking sites are changing the life of American teens.

D．American teens are becoming more responsible than ever.

【小题3】Michelle’s Wei’s example is used to explain ________.

A．why American teens are crazy about digital social life

B．what social networking websites are bringing to American teens

C．to what degree the Internet is affecting the American car culture

D．what the Internet does to help teens to get a driving license

【小题4】The last paragraph is reminding the readers that        .

A．the Internet h as a bad effect on the teen’s social life

B．teens should keep a balance in choosing their lifestyle

C．actual contacts can be replaced by talking on line

D．face-to-face friendship is always the best choice