The US space agency NASA is looking for people to go to Mars, and stay there. This attractive career is for people who want a huge change of scenery and planet. The project is called the Hundred Years Starship, which aims to colonize (开拓殖民地) other lands such as the red planet Mars.

Settlers would travel to the red planet and live there forever. NASA says it would be too expensive to bring humans back to Earth. The space agency can afford, however, to send supplies to the astronaut pioneers from Earth. Astronauts would be landed on the planet's surface and would never be able to return home due to the cost.

NASA has started the project with $1.6 million, and hopes to attract investment from space-living billionaires. Google co-founder Larry Page told NASA he would be interested if the cost of a one-way ticket can go down from $10 billion to $2 billion.

The journey to Mars could take 4 months. Setting on the red planet would be extremely dangerous, especially given the freezing temperatures there. The thin atmosphere would be another problem as it is mostly carbon dioxide, so oxygen supplies are a must. A director in NASA said that he believed the trip might start with visiting Mars's moons first. He claimed that humans could be on Mars's moons by 2030.

Many scientists think colonizing space is absolutely necessary. Steven Hawking believes we must move to other planets to survive as a species. He said: “Once we spread out into space and establish independent colonies, our future should be safe.” Scientists Dirk' Schulze-Makuch and Paul Davies also call it a “desirable goal”, though there surely are huge risks to explore new lands.

1.Which of the following is TRUE about the Hundred Years Starship?

A．It has cost NASA around $10 billion.

B．It is expected to be conducted on Mars in 2030.

C．It aims to explore new lands in the universe.

D．It is a project first raise by Steven Hawking.

2.We can infer from the passage that Google co-founder Larry Page _______.

A．used to be an astronaut                  B．is no longer rich now

C．is a fan of space travel                    D．is a generous man

3.What would be the best title for the passage?

A．One-way trip to Mars

B．Mars's another moon is found.

C．Human landing on Mars.

D．NASA's first cooperation with Google.

 

Maxwell had not held a steady job in almost two years. Today was a big day, because he was going to a job interview that he felt good about. The secretary he had talked to on the phone sounded friendly and encouraging.

Maxwell was a typist. His fingers danced on the keyboard. However, his people skills were not nearly as good as his typing skills. Sometimes his mouth got in the way of his employment. At his last steady job, his boss had told him to start making coffee every morning. Maxwell laughed. “I’m not making coffee,” he said. “It’s not part of my job description.”

“Read the employee manual again,” his boss said. “Your job description is anything I say it is.”

“That’s a woman’s job,” said Maxwell. “Do it yourself.”

His boss was still yelling as Maxwell walked out of the building. He felt great about telling off the boss. A few days later, the reality of not having a job hit home. He had to pay the rent and utility bills, and he had to eat. What was he going to do?

He thought about apologizing and asking for his job back. But how would that look? Then again, who cares how it looks when you’re almost broke? After thinking about it for another week, he finally called his boss and apologized. His boss accepted his apology, but said that he had already hired a replacement.

Maxwell contacted a temporary job agency, which provided him enough occasional work to pay his bills. But none of the companies that he was sent to were hiring. So Maxwell was excited about finally getting an interview for a steady job.

Maxwell’s drive to the interview was disappointing. The traffic was congested and the neighborhood looked rough. It took him 45 minutes to get there. The building was covered with graffiti.(涂鸦)

The interview started 30 minutes late. Not bothering to apologize, the manager lit a cigarette and took a sip from his coffee cup. He leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on his desk. He asked Maxwell a lot of questions. Maxwell thought that each question was stupider than the preceding question. The final question was, “Where would you like to be 10 years from now?”

What does that have to do with typing? Maxwell wondered. Stupid questions from a rude man in a lousy neighborhood! Where would he like to be 10 years from now?

“Anywhere but this dump!” Maxwell said angrily, as he stood up and walked out.

51．Maxwell lost his last steady job because_________.

A. he was not a qualified typist.                

B. he couldn’t make coffee

C. he was not skillful enough in communicating with people.

D. he didn’t apologize in time.

52．The underlined word ‘congested’ most probably means _________.

A. too blocked or crowded                             

B. dangerous and poor

C. light and slow-moving                          

D. constant but fast-flowing

53．According to the passage, which statement is right about the job interview?

A. Maxwell was 30 minutes late.              

B. The manager got no manners in the interview.

C. The interviewer asked a lot of silly questions except the last one.

D. Maxwell misunderstood the interviewer’s questions.

54．After the interview, we can infer that _________.

A. Maxwell will celebrate his big day.

B. The manager will apologize to Maxwell.

C. Maxwell will finally get this post.    

D. Maxwell will have to find another job interview.

Maxwell had not held a steady job in almost two years. Today was a big day, because he was going to a job interview that he felt good about. The secretary he had talked to on the phone sounded friendly and encouraging.

Maxwell was a typist. His fingers danced on the keyboard. However, his people skills were not nearly as good as his typing skills. Sometimes his mouth got in the way of his employment. At his last steady job, his boss had told him to start making coffee every morning. Maxwell laughed. “I’m not making coffee,” he said. “It’s not part of my job description.”

“Read the employee manual again,” his boss said. “Your job description is anything I say it is.”

“That’s a woman’s job,” said Maxwell. “Do it yourself.”

His boss was still yelling as Maxwell walked out of the building. He felt great about telling off the boss. A few days later, the reality of not having a job hit home. He had to pay the rent and utility bills, and he had to eat. What was he going to do?

He thought about apologizing and asking for his job back. But how would that look? Then again, who cares how it looks when you’re almost broke? After thinking about it for another week, he finally called his boss and apologized. His boss accepted his apology, but said that he had already hired a replacement.

Maxwell contacted a temporary job agency, which provided him enough occasional work to pay his bills. But none of the companies that he was sent to were hiring. So Maxwell was excited about finally getting an interview for a steady job.

Maxwell’s drive to the interview was disappointing. The traffic was congested and the neighborhood looked rough. It took him 45 minutes to get there. The building was covered with graffiti.(涂鸦)

The interview started 30 minutes late. Not bothering to apologize, the manager lit a cigarette and took a sip from his coffee cup. He leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on his desk. He asked Maxwell a lot of questions. Maxwell thought that each question was stupider than the preceding question. The final question was, “Where would you like to be 10 years from now?”

What does that have to do with typing? Maxwell wondered. Stupid questions from a rude man in a lousy neighborhood! Where would he like to be 10 years from now?

“Anywhere but this dump!” Maxwell said angrily, as he stood up and walked out.

51．Maxwell lost his last steady job because_________.

A. he was not a qualified typist.                

B. he couldn’t make coffee

C. he was not skillful enough in communicating with people.

D. he didn’t apologize in time.

52．The underlined word ‘congested’ most probably means _________.

A. too blocked or crowded                             

B. dangerous and poor

C. light and slow-moving                          

D. constant but fast-flowing

53．According to the passage, which statement is right about the job interview?

A. Maxwell was 30 minutes late.              

B. The manager got no manners in the interview.

C. The interviewer asked a lot of silly questions except the last one.

D. Maxwell misunderstood the interviewer’s questions.

54．After the interview, we can infer that _________.

A. Maxwell will celebrate his big day.

B. The manager will apologize to Maxwell.

C. Maxwell will finally get this post.    

D. Maxwell will have to find another job interview.

阅读理解。

　　Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia on January 15,1929. He became a minister like his father, Martin Luther King, Sr.

　　Many laws in southern states were not fair to African-Americans. They could not vote, so they could not change the laws. It was not possible for one person alone to change this.

　　Martin Luther King, Jr. was a powerful speaker. People listened to him. “Many people working together can change things,” he said. “Use love, not violence,” he said. He made speeches. He wrote books. He helped black people to register to vote. He was arrested and put into prison. When he got out of prison, he continued to make speeches. It was dangerous work. His house was destroyed. Schools and churches were destroyed too.

　　In 1964, Martin Luther King, Jr. received one of the world's greatest honours, the Nobel Peace Prize. He worked for all poor people, white and black. On April 4, 1968, King was in Atlanta, Georgia to lead a march for poor workers. He was shot and died. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a great American. His most famous speech was at the March in Washington, on August28, 1963. “… I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

　　Many laws have changed since 1963, but Martin Luther King's dream is still a dream.

1．Choose the right order of the following events.

a．King was killed in Atlanta on a march for black people.

b．He received the Nobel Peace Prize.

c．Martin Luther King became a minister after he left college.

d．Many laws have been changed after struggles by the blacks.

e．He was put into prison for his speeches for civil rights.

f．King made the famous speech “I have a dream” in 1963.

[　　]

2．Which of the following is right?

[　　]

A．Neither Martin Luther King, Jr. nor Martin Luther King, Sr. was a minister.

B．Martin Luther King was a minister, but his father wasn't.

C．Martin Luther King, Jr. his father and Martin Luther King, Sr. were all ministers.

D．Not only Martin Luther King, but also his father was a minister.

3．King was a powerful speaker. The sentence means ________.

[　　]

4．King was killed because ________.

[　　]

5．From the passage, we may infer (推断) ________.

[　　]

A．King liked to dream

B．the blacks have already had equal rights

C．there is still a lot of work for the blacks to do

D．nothing is better for the blacks than before

阅读理解。

　　Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia on January 15,1929. He became a minister like his father, Martin Luther King, Sr.

　　Many laws in southern states were not fair to African-Americans. They could not vote, so they could not change the laws. It was not possible for one person alone to change this.

　　Martin Luther King, Jr. was a powerful speaker. People listened to him. “Many people working together can change things,” he said. “Use love, not violence,” he said. He made speeches. He wrote books. He helped black people to register to vote. He was arrested and put into prison. When he got out of prison, he continued to make speeches. It was dangerous work. His house was destroyed. Schools and churches were destroyed too.

　　In 1964, Martin Luther King, Jr. received one of the world's greatest honors, the Nobel Peace Prize. He worked for all poor people, white and black. On April 4, 1968, King was in Atlanta, Georgia to lead a march for poor workers. He was shot and died. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a great American. His most famous speech was at the March in Washington, on August28, 1963. “… I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

　　Many laws have changed since 1963, but Martin Luther King's dream is still a dream.

(1) Choose the right order of the following events.

a．King was killed in Atlanta on a march for black people.

b．He received the Nobel Peace Prize.

c．Martin Luther King became a minister after he left college.

d．Many laws have been changed after struggles by the blacks.

e．He was put into prison for his speeches for civil rights.

f．King made the famous speech “I have a dream” in 1963.

[　　]

(2) Which of the following is right?

[　　]

A．Neither Martin Luther King, Jr. nor Martin Luther King, Sr. was a minister.

B．Martin Luther King was a minister, but his father wasn't.

C．Martin Luther King, Jr. his father and Martin Luther King, Sr. were all ministers.

D．Not only Martin Luther King, but also his father was a minister.

(3) King was a powerful speaker. The sentence means ________.

[　　]

(4) King was killed because ________.

[　　]

(5) From the passage, we may infer (推断) ________.

[　　]

A．King liked to dream

B．the blacks have already had equal rights

C．there is still a lot of work for the blacks to do

D．nothing is better for the blacks than before