Move Earth—it’s no science fiction

LONDON-Scientists have found an unusual way to prevent our planet from overheating: move it to a cooler spot. All you have to do is send a few comets（彗星）in the direction of Earth, and its orbit will be changed. Our world will then be sent spinning into a safer, colder part of the solar system.

This idea for improving our climate comes from a group of US National Aeronautics and Space Administration（NASA） engineers and American astronomers. They say their plan could add another six billion years to the useful lifetime of our planet—effectively doubling its working life.

The plan put forward by Dr Laughlin, and his colleagues Don Korycansky and Fred Adams

,needs carefully directing a comet or asteroid so that it passes close by our planet and sends some of its gravitational energy to Earth.

“Earth’s orbital speed would increase as a result and we would move to a higher orbit away from the Sun,”Laughlin said.

Engineers would then direct their comet so that it passed close to Jupiter or Saturn. The comet would pick up energy from one of these giant planets. Later its orbit would bring it back to Earth, and the process would be repeated.

In the short term, the plan provides an ideal way to global warming, although the team was actually concerned with a much greater danger. The sun is certain to heat up in about a billion years and so “seriously compromise” our biosphere（生物圈）—by cooking us.

That’s why the group decided to try to save Earth.

The plan has one or two worrying aspects, however. For a start, space engineers would have to be very careful about how they directed their asteroid or comet towards Earth. The smallest miscalculation（误算）in orbit could fire it straight at Earth—with deadly consequences.

There is also the question of the Moon. As the current issue of Scientific American magazine points out, if Earth was pushed out of its current position it is “most likely the Moon would be stripped away from Earth,” it states. This would greatly change our planet’s climate.

1. What makes the scientists plan to move Earth?

A. A few comets are moving to the direction of Earth.

B. Earth’s working life is coming to an end soon.

C. Earth will become too hot for mankind to keep alive.

D. The moon is moving farther and farther away from Earth.

2.If the plan is successful, Earth will have a working life of ______years.

A.12 billion                  B.6 billion                    C.18 billion                  D.24 billion

3.What serious problems might the plan cause according to the passage?

A. The comet might hit Earth and man might lose the moon.

B. Earth might be moved too far away and man might be frozen to death.

C. The comet might hit Jupiter or Saturn and never return to Earth.

D. Earth’s working life might be greatly shortened.

4.What does the underlined word “compromise” mean?

A. provide                    B. benefit              C. share     D. endanger

5.Which of the following best shows how the plan would work?

21．The first intercity train between Beijing and Tianjin, ________ to run at a speed of 350 km per hour, leaves Beijing for Tianjin on August 1, 2008.

A．to design　　　　　B．designing　　　　　C．designed　　　　　D．having designed

22．A majority of adults say they find the crying experience helpful, but about 10 percent feel ________ after they cry.

A．bad　　 B．worse　　 C．worst　　 D．better　　

23．—Jack ________ for work in the downtown.

—________， but he had no luck.

A．ought to have hunted; So he did　　 B．ought to have hunted; So he was

C．ought to hunt; So he has　 D．ought to hunt; So he did

24．To be accepted to study at Yale, applicants must apply directly to the school, college, or program ________ the degree will be awarded.

A．where　　 B．which　　 C．who 　 D．that　　

25．Lucy is an honest girl; I say it, ________ I don't like her.

　 A．even though　　 B．as if　　 C．as long as　　 D．as far as

26．Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was removed from office, eight weeks after he was arrested on charges of trying to sell the US Senate seat once ________ by President Barack Obama.

A．holds　　 B．held　　 C．holding　 D．having held

27．Our store closes in five minutes, ________ please bring your final purchases to the cashier now.

A．while　 B．or　 C．so　 D．but

28．Every reasonable ________ has been made to trace the owners of copyright materials in this book, but in some cases this has proved impossible.

A．way　　 B．measure　　　 C．potential　　 D．effort

29．On 2008 World Food Day, the United Nations launched the International Year of the Potato which focused on the humble vegetable discovered in Peru that ________ main diet around the globe.

A．becomes　　 B．had become

C．has become　　 D．would become

30．—How soon will you return home?

—________， but perhaps in a week when I have finished my talk with that company.

A．I guess　　 B．I'm sure

C．Don't say so　 D．It depends

31．I haven't heard ________ of his songs, but judging from the few I've heard, I think he has a gift for singing.

A．every B．all C．both　 D．none

32．—Uh, by the way, is this your first visit to the country?

—Well, yes and no. ________， I was born here, but this is my first trip back here.

　 A．Generally　　　 B．Actually　　 C．Indeed　　 D．Frequently

33．One of the consequences of our planet's being warming up is a(n) ________ in the number of natural disasters.

　 A．result　 B．cause　　　 C．reason　　　 D．increase

34．When Alford's back was broken, he told himself, “You can't ________. You have too much to live for.”

A．give up B．give out　　 C．give off　　 D．give away

35．—Is Susan coming to this meeting?

—________.

A．No wonder　 B．Believe it or not

C．I suppose so　　 D．Even so

 

Move Earth—it’s no science fiction

LONDON—Scientists have found an unusual way to prevent our planet from overheating: move it to a cooler spot. All you have to do is send a few comets（彗星）in the direction of Earth, and its orbit will be changed. Our world will then be sent spinning into a safer, colder part of the solar system.

This idea for improving our climate comes from a group of US National Aeronautics and Space Administration（NASA） engineers and American astronomers. They say their plan could add another six billion years to the useful lifetime of our planet—effectively doubling its working life.

The plan put forward by Dr Laughlin, and his colleagues Don Korycansky and Fred Adams is designed to carefully direct a comet or asteroid（小行星） so that it passes close by our planet and sends some of its gravitational energy to Earth.

“Earth’s orbital speed would increase as a result and we would move to a higher orbit away from the Sun,” Laughlin said.

Engineers would then direct their comet so that it passed close to Jupiter or Saturn. The comet would pick up energy from one of these giant planets. Later its orbit would bring it back to Earth, and the process would be repeated.

In the short term, the plan provides an ideal way to global warming, although the team was actually concerned with a much greater danger. The sun is certain to heat up in about a billion years and so “seriously compromise” our biosphere（生物圈）by cooking us.

That’s why the group decided to try to save Earth.

The plan has one or two worrying aspects, however. For a start, space engineers would have to be very careful about how they directed their asteroid or comet towards Earth. The smallest miscalculation（误算）in orbit could fire it straight at Earth—with deadly consequences.

There is also the question of the Moon. As the current issue of Scientific American magazine points out, if Earth was pushed out of its current position, it is “most likely the Moon would be stripped away from Earth,” it states. This would greatly change our planet’s climate.

61．What makes the scientists plan to move Earth?

A. A few comets are moving to the direction of Earth.  B. Earth’s working life is coming to an end soon.

C. Earth will become too hot for mankind to keep alive.

D. The moon is moving farther and farther away from Earth.

62．If the plan is successful, Earth will have a working life of ______ years.

A.12 billion                          B.6 billion                            C.18 billion                          D.24 billion

63．What serious problems might the plan cause according to the passage?

A. The comet might hit Earth and man might lose the moon.

B. Earth might be moved too far away and man might be frozen to death.

C. The comet might hit Jupiter or Saturn and never return to Earth.

D. Earth’s working life might be greatly shortened.

64．What does the underlined word “compromise” mean?

A. provide                            B. benefit                          C. share                D. endanger

Move Earth – it’s no science fiction

LONDON – Scientists have found an unusual way to prevent our planet from overheating: move it to a cooler spot. All you have to do is send a few comets (彗星) in the direction of Earth, and its orbit will be changed. Our world will then be sent spinning into a safer, colder part of the solar system.

This idea for improving our climate comes from a group of US National Aeronautics and Space Administration（NASA）engineers and American astronomers. They say their plan could add another six billion years to the useful lifetime of our planet—effectively doubling its working life.

The plan put forward by Dr Laughlin, and his colleagues Don Korycansky and Fred Adams ,needs carefully directing a comet or asteroid so that it passes close by our planet and sends some of its gravitational energy to Earth.

“Earth’s orbital speed would increase as a result and we would move to a higher orbit away from the Sun,” Laughlin said.

Engineers would then direct their comet so that it passed close to Jupiter or Saturn. The comet would pick up energy from one of these giant planets. Later its orbit would bring it back to Earth, and the process would be repeated. In the short term, the plan provides an ideal way to global warming, although the team was actually concerned with a much greater danger. The sun is certain to heat up in about a billion years and so “seriously compromise” our biosphere（生物圈）— by cooking us.

That’s why the group decided to try to save Earth.

The plan has one or two worrying aspects, however. For a start, space engineers would have to be very careful about how they directed their asteroid or comet towards Earth. The smallest miscalculation（误算）in orbit could fire it straight at Earth—with deadly consequences.

There is also the question of the Moon. As the current issue of Scientific American magazine points out, if Earth was pushed out of its current position it is “most likely the Moon would be stripped away from Earth,” it states. This would greatly change our planet’s climate.

1.What makes the scientists plan to move Earth?

       A．A few comets are moving to the direction of Earth.

       B．Earth’s working life is coming to an end soon.

       C．Earth will become too hot for mankind to keep alive.

       D．The moon is moving farther and farther away from Earth.

2.If the plan is successful, Earth will have a working life of ______years.

       A．12 billion            B．6 billion              C．18 billion            D．24 billion

3.What serious problems might the plan cause according to the passage?

       A．The comet might hit Earth and man might lose the moon.

       B．Earth might be moved too far away and man might be frozen to death.

       C．The comet might hit Jupiter or Saturn and never return to Earth.

       D．Earth’s working life might be greatly shortened.

4.What does the underlined word “compromise” mean?

       A．provide               B．benefit               C．share                   D．endanger