高三英语阅读练习1

A few days ago, he was just Colonel (上校) Yang; few people knew his name or recognized his face. But last Thursday, when he came back to the earth after a 21-hour trip to space, Yang Liwei's smile was seen across the world above the magic words: "China's first spaceman".

　　The 38-year-old astronaut was sent into space at 9 a.m. last Wednesday by China's Shenzhou V spacecraft, which orbited the earth 14 times. He landed safely at 6:23 a.m. the next day, making China the third country to successfully send a person into space, after the former Soviet Union and the US.

Yang was satisfied with his job. "I have seen many landing scenes before on video, and I think ours was one of the most successful," he said on a special plane to Beijing after landing.

　　Born into an ordinary family in Liaoning Province, he became a pilot in the Chinese Air Force in 1987, spending 1,350 hours in the air. He joined the Chinese space programme 11 years later.

While in space, Yang recorded everything he saw as well as showing China's national flag and the United Nations' flag to the people watching on TV at home. He also ate a meal of diced chicken and fried rice, before taking a 3-hour nap. The whole project went according to plan, but space exploration is not as easy as it seems.

　　 Anyone who saw the destruction of the US space shuttle Columbia in February this year will know that Yang took a great risk.

　　 He experienced extremely high temperatures, while the gravitational forces (重力) on takeoff and landing were strong enough to force tears from his eyes.

　　 He has spent five years training to become a spaceman.

"I eat all of my meals at the space programme's dinning room and have never been able to take my son to kindergarten," he said. "I've never met his teachers."

　　 But becoming China's first spaceman has made all the effort worthwhile.

　　 "When I boarded the spacecraft for the first time, I couldn't help feeling excited," he said. "I decided that I had to fly it."

　　 To Chinese people, Yang is now a hero. One visitor to a Xinhua news agency online forum (网上论坛) said: "Yang's trip is a giant leap forward for China."

　　 Officials say the next Shenzhou will be launched by 2005. China also plans to develop spacewalking and a space lab.

1. What is the main idea of the story?

　 A. China's first manned space flight.

　 B. A hero with great courage

　 C. The first Chinese man in space

　 D. How Yang Liwei became China's first spaceman

2. How long did each of Yang's orbits take on average?

　 A. 1 hour.

　 B. 1.5 hours.

　 C. 6 hours.

　 D. The story didn't mention.

3. Why did the writer mention the gravitational forces on takeoff and landing?

　 A. To stress the hardship and the spaceman had to experience.

　 B. Because it was a very special experience for any spacemen.

　 C. To stress how much training he had to do to prepare for the flight

　 D. To show that Yang is lucky.

4. Why did the writer use "giant leap" in the title?

　 A. Because the space flight marked China's great progress in the field of space exploration.

　 B. Because Neil Armstrong said it was a "giant leap" for mankind when he first set foot on the moon.

　 C. Because the space flight was a huge success.

　 D. Both A and B.

China blasted its fourth unmanned craft into space on Monday in what is likely a final test before sending its first astronaut into orbit around earth, state media said.

　 The Shenzhou IV, or "Divine Ship," took off from its launch center in the northwestern province of Gansu early Monday morning and had already settled into its course around Earth, the official Xinhua news agency and newspapers reported. "The successful launch of the Shenzhou IV has laid a solid foundation for China to send Chinese astronauts into space," the China Daily quoted an official at the Beijing Aerospace Command and Control Center as saying. Like its predecessors, the craft will circle Earth once every 90 minutes. The vessel, which boasts a complete system needed for manned flight, will fly in space for a few days before landing.

　　China's space program is a test of national pride as the country, growing fast after two decades of market-oriented reforms, seeks a place on the world stage alongside great powers. China aims to become the third nation in the world capable of putting people in space. The Soviet Union first accomplished the feat in 1961, with the United States following the next year. The country started its manned flight program in 1992, the Xinhua reported, adding astronauts had entered the Shenzhou IV to train for missions for the first time. Xinhua quoted Su Shuangning, a leading official for the manned flight program, as saying Chinese astronauts, all with fighter pilot backgrounds, were absolutely capable of making their maiden voyage to outer space.　　

1. In ________ China started its manned flight program.

A. 1961　　　B.1962　　　C.1992　　　 D.2000

2. Which nations succeeded in carrying people into space?

A. the Soviet Union and China　　　　B. the United States and China

C. the  former Soviet Union and the United States　D. Russia

3. Which is NOT true about "the Shenzhou IV" according to this report?

A. It's Chinese fourth unmanned spacecraft launched into space.

B. It is likely to be a final test before launching a manned craft.

C. It was successfully launched early Monday morning.

D. It did not boast a system needed for manned flight.

4. The Last sentence in bold implies all of the following but _________.

A. The leading official is quite sure that China is capable of sending manned crafts into space.

B. The astronauts who will take the first trip into space were picked out among the fighter pilots.

C. Chinese astronauts have made several voyages to outer space before.

D. Xinhua news agency quoted impersonally what Su Shuangning , the leading official for the manned flight program, said.

 

Passage 1　 1.C 2.B 3.A 4.D　　　　　　　　　　　　  Passage 2　 1.C 2.C 3. D 4.C