Unit 2 Period 1 Welcome to the unit & Reading—Reading comprehension-【步步高】2023-2024学年高二英语选择性必修第三册（译林版2020）

IS EXPLORING SPACE A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY? Countries around the globe are spending billions of dollars and lots of time on various space missions, whether to Mars or other planets much further away. Some people argue that we should stop wasting time and money exploring space. Instead, we should feed the world’s poor and find immediate solutions to other problems, such as pollution and fatal1 diseases. However, others feel this is a shallow2 view which fails to realise how exploring space helps us. Firstly, exploring space has already made a difference in the fight against world hunger. It has directly resulted in the many satellites that now orbit Earth. A number of the satellites record data on land and weather patterns3. Then the data is transmitted to scientists on Earth. After careful analysis4, the scientists can provide useful recommendations and advice for farmers. As a result, space-based science has helped farming in its efforts to grow enough food to feed Earth’s increasing population. Secondly, space exploration has already promoted technological improvements that benefit us all. High-end products around the world are made to a higher standard now because of advanced technology which was first created to meet the requirements for space exploration. For example, space technologies have helped the research and development of different types of new material. They have also helped companies make better heart monitors5 and other machines that doctors regularly use. Today, space technologies are widely used in all kinds of industries, and everyday products such as GPS, memory foam pillows, and smartphone cameras are changing our lives. Finally, sending astronauts into space has helped people to think about the world’s problems and even to find ways to solve them. Seeing pictures of our planet as an island in a black sea made people realise that our planet’s resources are limited6. In order to provide for such a rapidly increasing population, scientists are trying to find other planets that could one day be our new home. The greatest attention at present is on Mars because it is closer to Earth. In the future, humans may live on both planets. In closing7, exploring space provides the world with many different benefits. Therefore, it should continue so as to provide new and better solutions to people’s short-term and long-term problems. (选自人教版新教材必修第三册 UNIT 4) 词汇积累 1．fatal /'feɪtl/ adj.致命的；灾难性的 2．shallow /'ʃæləʊ/ adj.肤浅的；浅的 3．pattern /'pætn/ n．模式；图案；模范 4．analysis /ə'næləsɪs/ n．(pl.analyses /ə'næləsiːz/)(对事物的)分析；分析结果 5．monitor /'mɒnɪtə(r)/ n．监视器；监测仪vt.监视；监测；监控 6．limited /'lɪmɪtɪd/ adj.有限的 7．in closing最后 Period 1　Welcome to the unit & Reading—Reading comprehension Ⅰ.匹配单词 1．absence　　 A．the practice of training people to obey rules and orders and punishing them if they do not 2．bother B．to fill or use a space，an area or an amount of time 3．occupy C．to form an opinion of the amount，value or quality of sth after thinking about it carefully 4．evaluate D．to spend time and/or energy doing sth 5．visible E．the fact of sb being away from a place where they are usually expected to be 6．discipline F．that can be seen；that is obvious enough to be noticed 答案　1.E　2.D　3.B　4.C　5.F　6.A Ⅱ.选词填空 cast new light on，in the circumstances，come to an end，take place，at a time 1．No one knows what great changes will take place in one hundred years. 2．His speech helped the students cast new light on the history of the Tang Dynasty. 3．In the circumstances，they will have to revise their original plan. 4．All the people in the two countries wished the war would come to an end as soon as possible. 5．This hotel is big enough to accommodate two hundred people at a time. Step 1　速读——整体理解文意 Ⅰ.明文章大意 What is the passage mainly about? A．The importance of space exploration. B．How the writer became an astronaut. C．An astronaut’s daily life in space. D．The differences and similarities between life on the Earth and in space. 答案　C Ⅱ.悉层次结构 Read the text quickly to match the main idea with each paragraph. Para.1　　A．Sleeping on the space station. Para.2　　B．Introduction of the life on a space station. Para.3　　C．Exercise on the space station. Para.4　　D．Working inside the space station. Para.5　　E．Working outside the space station. Para.6　　F．Leisure activities on the space station. Para.7　　G．Eating on the space station. 答案　Para.1 B　Para.2 A　Para.3 D　Para.4 E　Para.5 G　Para.6 C　Para.7 F Step 2　细读——逐段获取细节 Ⅰ.Read Para.1 carefully and do the following exercises. 1．What does the lecturer think of her life in space? 答案　It is a challenging but magical adventure. 2．What does the lecturer want to tell us? 答案　What daily life is like up in space and how it differs from that on the Earth. 3．What do “it” and “that” refer to in line 3 & line 4? “It” refers to daily life in space，and “that” refers to daily life. 4．What results in the difference between life on the space station and the Earth? 答案　The low gravity. Ⅱ.Read Para.2 carefully and do the following exercise. Why do astronauts sleep in private quarters or in sleeping bags? A．To sleep well. B．Not to float around. C．Not to bother them any more. D．To start their day of work. 答案　B Ⅲ.Read Paras.3－4 carefully and do the following exercises. 1．How does the lecturer think the routine tasks inside the space station? The routine tasks that occupy most of the day are demanding，but they can also be extremely rewarding. 2．What is the astronauts’ mission on a space station? A．To conduct scientific research. B．To evaluate the effects of gravity on animals. C．To learn more about changes in cells. D．To locate and track lightning over large regions of the Earth. 答案　A 3．When does the most challenging work take place? A．When astronauts sleep. B．When astronauts eat. C．When astronauts perform tasks outside the space station. D．When astronauts test new equipment. 答案　C 4．Which words can best describe the tasks outside the space station? A．Exciting and interesting. B．Demanding and enjoyable. C．Challenging and dangerous. D．Worthwhile and adventurous. 答案　C 5．What is the function of spacesuits when astronauts are outside the space station? A．Helping astronauts enjoy the splendid view of the Earth. B．Protecting astronauts from potential risks，such as the cold and radiation. C．Offering astronauts necessary food and drink. D．Giving astronauts instructions on how to perform tasks. 答案　B 6．What does the word “circumstances” in line 24 refer to? A．Preparations for a spacewalk. B．Performing tasks outside the station. C．All kinds of activities in space. D．Experiments and equipment. 答案　B Ⅳ.Read Para.5 carefully and do the following exercises. 1．What do astronauts eat on the space station? Dried or freeze-dried food；little fresh food；salt and pepper in liquid form；pills. 2．How do astronauts drink water or any other liquids? They drink water or any other liquids out of a bag through a thin tube of plastic. 3．What is implied by the word “must” in lines 36—38 of paragraph 5? The lecturer uses “must” twice to show precision of her language.Astronauts have to follow the requirements on the space station.Otherwise，they would face dangerous situations. Ⅴ.Read Para.6 carefully and do the following exercises. 1．Why do astronauts need to spend some time in the gym? 答案　Because the near absence of gravity makes them lose muscle and bone mass and going to the gym helps prevent this problem. 2．How do they take exercise? They have to be tied onto specially designed exercise equipment to stop themselves from floating around. Ⅵ.Read Para.7 carefully and do the following exercises. 1．What do astronauts do during their leisure time? 答案　They watch the earth go by，take pictures and enjoy the sunrise. 2．What’s the lecturer’s attitude to the life in space? A．Pessimistic. B．Optimistic. C．Critical. D．Not mentioned. 答案　B 3．What does “it” refer to in the last sentence of the lecture transcript (line 49)? A．Fun in leisure time. B．All the hardship in space. C．Exercising every day. D．Space walking. 答案　B Step 3　读后——讨论深度理解 1．What qualities do you think an astronaut should possess according to the lecture transcript？(Critical thinking) 2．Suppose you are going to stay on the space station for a month—what would you do？(Creative thinking) Step 4　总结——课文语法填空 My six-month stay on a space station is a 1.challenging (challenge) but magical adventure.The daily life there for the astronauts differs from 2.that on the Earth.Due to the near absence of gravity in space，we have to attach 3.ourselves (we) so that we don’t float around. The routine tasks 4.occupying(occupy) most of the day are demanding but 5.extremely(extreme) rewarding.For a spacewalk，we have to put on our spacesuits,6.which can protect us from exposure to the cold and radiation.Meanwhile，eating is also different in space.It’s a luxury 7.to eat(eat) fresh food and we must drink water or any other liquids out of a bag through a thin tube of plastic.At the same time，spending some time in the gym is of vital 8.importance(important) to our health.We have to be tied onto specially designed exercise equipment to stop ourselves from floating around.What we like most 9.is(be) to sit back with the rest of the crew and watch the planet go by，taking pictures for our family and friends back home.10.To our delight，we get to see the sunrise every 90 minutes.In conclusion，all the challenges of life in space seem worth it. Step 5　解读——长句难句分析 1．We usually sleep in private quarters，which are more like large cupboards，or in sleeping bags attached to the walls or the ceiling. [句式分析]　此句是复合句。which 引导非限制性定语从句；过去分词短语attached to the walls or the ceiling在句中作定语，修饰sleeping bags。 [自主翻译]　我们通常睡在独立的睡眠区，更像是大的橱柜，或者睡在固定在墙上或者天花板上的睡袋里。 2．With so much going on，the space station needs a lot of maintenance，so we constantly check support systems and do some cleaning. [句式分析]　此句是并列句。so连接两个分句，表因果关系。with复合结构在句中作状语。 [自主翻译]　空间站里发生那么多事情，需要大量的维护，所以我们经常检查空间站的支撑系统，并做一些清洁工作。 3．First，we put on our spacesuits，which allow us to breathe in space and protect us from exposure to the cold and radiation. [句式分析]　此句是复合句。which引导非限制性定语从句，修饰 spacesuits；protect...from...意为“保护……免受……的危害”。 [自主翻译]　首先，我们穿上太空服，它们可以让我们在太空中呼吸，保护我们免受寒冷和辐射的伤害。 4．Splendid as the view of the Earth is，spacewalking is not as exciting as you might think. [句式分析]　此句是复合句。第一个分句中as引导让步状语从句，意为“ 虽然，尽管”，通常将形容词、副词、名词或实义动词放在句首，构成部分倒装；第二个分句中含有not as...as...结构，其中第二个as引导比较状语从句。 [自主翻译]　尽管地球上的景色美妙绝伦，但太空行走并不像你们可能想象的那么激动人心。 5．During our leisure time，there’s nothing we like more than to sit back with the rest of the crew and watch our remarkable planet go by，taking pictures for our family and friends back home. [句式分析]　此句是复合句。we like 是省略关系代词that的定语从句；there is nothing...more than...“没有比……更……”(否定词＋比较级)＝最高级；taking pictures for our family and friends back home在句中作伴随状语。 [自主翻译]　在闲暇时间，我们最喜欢做的事就是和其他的工作人员一起舒服地坐下来，看着我们非凡的地球经过，拍下照片给地球上的家人和朋友看。 Ⅰ.阅读理解 A Chinese astronauts have successfully grown rice seedlings(幼苗)aboard the Tiangong space station and this experiment may offer key insights into how astronauts can grow food to support long-term space missions，experts said on Monday.This experiment is the first to produce the complete life cycle of the plant，which begins with a seed and ends with a mature plant producing new seeds. The breakthrough was conducted in the Wentian space laboratory，which was launched into orbit on July 24,2022.Three astronauts were conducting the experiment smoothly and testing the plants according to the plan. “The rice seedlings are growing very well，” said Zheng Huiqiong，a researcher of the task，adding that the experiment also contained seedlings of a small flowering plant often used by scientists to study mutations(变异)．“The astronauts will keep monitoring the plants，and if it is successful，they will collect the newly produced seeds and bring them back to Earth for further studies，” she noted. The flowering stage is crucial for plant reproductive development.“We want to investigate how microgravity can affect the plant flowering time and whether it is possible to use the microgravity environment to control the related process，” she said. Since the 1980s，China has been taking seeds of rice and other crops to space to help them mutate and produce higher yields once they were planted on Earth.But growing rice in orbit is a different challenge due to the tough conditions of space such as microgravity and lack of air.　 Rice has been a main food for astronauts since the early days of space exploration.Freeze-dried chicken and rice was the menu for the Apollo 11 mission，which carried the first humans to land on the moon in July 1969. “But if we want to land on and explore Mars，bringing food from Earth is not enough to provide for the astronauts’ long journey and mission in space.We have to find a food source for long term space explorations，” Zheng added. 语篇解读　本文是一篇新闻报道。文章主要讲述了中国宇航员在天宫空间站成功种植水稻幼苗，这项实验可能为宇航员如何种植粮食以支持长期太空任务提供关键见解。 1．What’s the significance of Chinese recent space rice experiment? A．It enables human beings to move to another planet. B．It helps people get a better idea of the human life cycle. C．It inspires more other countries to do space explorations. D．It makes it possible to carry out long-term space missions. 答案　D 解析　细节理解题。根据第一段第一句可知，中国最近的太空水稻实验使执行长期太空任务成为可能，故选D。 2．What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 3 refer to? A．The mutation. B．The experiment. C．The exploration. D．The space mission. 答案　B 解析　代词指代题。根据第三段中“the experiment also contained seedlings of...will keep monitoring the plants”以及画线词所在句可知，此处的it指代实验，故选B。 3．Why have crop seeds been brought to space since the last century? A．To promote genetic changes and increase crop harvest. B．To figure out how to create an earth-like environment. C．To study the impact of microgravity on crop growth. D．To develop new crop species with strong ability to adapt. 答案　A 解析　推理判断题。根据第五段中“Since the 1980s，China has been taking seeds of rice and other crops to space to help them mutate and produce higher yields once they were planted on Earth.”可知，自上个世纪以来农作物种子就被带到太空，是为了促进基因变化，提高作物产量。故选A。 4．Where is the text most probably from? A．A medical report. B．A fashion magazine. C．A science newspaper. D．A history book. 答案　C 解析　文章出处题。根据第一段第一句并结合全文可知，文章是关于科学的一篇报道，故选C。 B (2023·湖南长沙高二期末) A 293-million-mile journey of the NASA Perseverance rover(探测器) to Mars ended successfully on February 18,2021，with a picture-perfect landing inside the Jezero Crater.The car-sized，six-wheeled rover，nicknamed Percy is the US space agency’s biggest and most advanced explorer to date.Its primary mission is to search for signs of ancient microbial(微生物的) life on Mars. Landing on Mars is extremely tricky.The Red Planet’s gravitational pull causes approaching spacecraft to go faster to high speeds，while its thin atmosphere—just 1 percent that of Earth’s does little to help slow it down as it approaches the surface. The scientists had to reduce Percy’s 12,000 mph speed to a safe landing speed of less than five mph in just six and a half minutes.The target entry angle also had to be a precise 12 degrees—any steeper，and the spacecraft would burn up; any flatter，and it would get lost in space.It is no wonder that the final approach is often referred to as the “seven minutes of terror”． Upon attaining a manageable speed，Percy briefly flew over the Martian surface to seek out the perfect landing spot.Its complex map-reading system rapidly scanned the area and matched it with maps in its database to find the best location. The NASA scientists will spend the next two months testing Percy’s scientific instruments.Once ready，the rover will begin to carry out its mission. “Perseverance is the smartest robot ever made，but confirming that microbial life once existed carries an unusually large burden of proof，” said Lori Glaze，director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division.“While we’ll learn a lot with the great instruments we have aboard the rover，it may very well require the far more well-equipped laboratories and delicate instruments back here on Earth to tell us whether our samples(样本) carry evidence that Mars once harbored life.” 语篇解读　这是一篇新闻报道。文章介绍了美国航天局“毅力号”火星探测器成功登陆火星。 5．What is the extraordinary challenge for the rover to land on Mars? A．The speed reduction. B．The atmosphere analysis. C．The location search. D．The time management. 答案　A 解析　细节理解题。根据第二段第二句和第三段第一句可知，探测器在着陆火星时最显著的挑战是减速。故选A。 6．What is paragraph 3 mainly about? A．Ways to find the precise entry angle. B．Consequences of wrong entry degree. C．Factors to survive “the seven minutes”． D．Reasons for the necessity of speed reducing. 答案　C 解析　段落大意题。根据第三段内容可知，在着陆前的七分钟内，探测器需完成减速并保持合适的角度才能安全着陆，所以本段主要描述的是怎样能从“恐怖七分钟”内幸存。故选C。 7．What does “it” refer to in paragraph 4? A．The spot. B．The area. C．The system. D．The surface. 答案　B 解析　代词指代题。结合it前的“scanned the area”及之后的“with maps in its database to find the best location”可知，此处it指代“the area”，故选B。 8．What can be inferred from Lori Glaze’s words? A．Instruments aboard the rover are not quite reliable. B．Perseverance is able to collect enough evidence needed. C．Man still has a long way to go to prove life was on Mars. D．Samples of Mars will be returned soon to our labs on the Earth. 答案　C 解析　推理判断题。根据最后一段中“confirming that microbial life once existed carries an unusually large burden of proof”及“it may very well require...evidence that Mars once harbored life”可推知，要证明火星上是否存在过生命，我们需要大量的证据、装备精良的实验室和精密仪器，即还有很长的路要走。故选C。 C (2023·江苏南通高二联考) After 11 years，China has finally completed its Tiangong space station with the docking (对接) of its Mengtian lab module，establishing the Tiangong as the second operational space station apart from the US-led，multinational International Space Station(ISS)． On November 1，the Mengtian lab module，the third and final part of its Tiangong space station，docked with the core Tianhe module 13 hours after being launched.Next，the Tianhe and Mengtian modules will dock with the Wentian lab module，completing Tiangong’s T-shaped basic structure.The 17.88-meter-long,23-ton Mengtian module is the heaviest operational single-cabin active spacecraft in orbit.Mengtian consists of a work cabin，a cargo airlock cabin，a payload cabin and resource cabin.In addition，it has eight scientific experiment cabinets and 37 extravehicular installation options，enabling more in-cabin and out-cabin experiments in a microgravity environment.Mengtian also carries the world’s first space atomic clock system，consisting of a hydrogen clock，rubidium clock and an optical clock.If successful，the cold atomic clocks will form the world’s most accurate time and frequency system. One of the more ambitious aims of China’s space program is to position the country as a leading provider of space-based international public goods and services，such as planetary defense.Last month，Asia Times reported about China’s plans to conduct its first asteroid deflection test in 2025 or 2026.China has also taken pioneering steps in Mars exploration.A good example is the completion of China’s Tianwen-1 Mars mission，which has provided medium and high-resolution photos of the planet’s surface.China has also stated that it is willing to share scientific data from its Tianwen-1 mission at an appropriate time and that scientists are welcome to apply for research over the data. Moreover，China has also announced plans to send men to the moon，paving the potential way for its future settlement and economic use.And China and Russia plan to establish a permanent moon base by 2027.The proposed permanent moon base，the International Lunar Research Station(ILRS)，is seen as an experimental complex designed for multiple scientific activities. The Tiangong is open to all UN member states，with nine projects involving 17 countries including Kenya，Russia，Mexico，Japan，and Peru，alongside 23 entities selected among the first batch of scientific experiments to be carried on board the station.Reflecting China’s open-door space policy，the Tiangong is designed to be “inclusive” and adaptable for foreign astronauts. 语篇解读　这是一篇说明文。本文从梦天实验舱成功与天宫空间站对接入手，介绍了中国的太空计划和成就。 9．What can we infer about the Mengtian module according to the text? A．It has docked with the Wentian lab module. B．It is a significant part of Tiangong space station. C．It is made up of four scientific experiment cabins. D．It is heavier than all the other single-cabin spaceships. 答案　B 解析　推理判断题。根据第二段中“On November 1，the Mengtian lab module，the third and final part of its Tiangong space station，docked with the core Tianhe module 13 hours after being launched.”可推知，梦天实验舱是天宫空间站的重要组成部分。故选B。 10．Why did the author mention “China’s plan” in paragraph 4? A．To present a fact. B．To make a prediction. C．To clarify a concept. D．To explain a rule. 答案　A 解析　推理判断题。根据第四段中“And China and Russia plan to establish a permanent moon base by 2027.”可推知，本段提及中国将要和俄罗斯一起建立一个永久的月球基地的计划是为了陈述一个事实。故选A。 11．How will China explore the moon? A．By sending men to the settlement of the moon. B．By providing clear photos of the planet’s surface. C．By sharing scientific data from its Tianwen-1 mission. D．By setting up a moon base for multiple scientific activities. 答案　D 解析　细节理解题。根据第四段最后两句可知，中国通过建立能够进行多项科学活动的月球基地来探索月球。故选D。 12．What can be a suitable title for the text? A．International Space Station Suffers Wear and Tear B．Side by Side，China Works with UN Member States C．Step by Step，China Finds Its Footing in Outer Space D．Tiangong Space Station Is Established Little by Little 答案　C 解析　标题归纳题。通过全文可知，本文从梦天实验舱成功与天宫空间站对接入手，介绍了中国的太空计划和成就。由此可知，C项“中国在太空领域一步一步站稳脚跟”适合作为文章标题。故选C。 Ⅱ.七选五 (2023·湖南长沙高二联考) Now，imagine we’re deep space explorers and we’ve found something out in space that is both extremely heavy and very small.This mysterious object would pull so powerfully that nothing inside could escape to the outside. 1 Again imagine we stay in our spaceship at a safe distance and make a movie of this black hole. 2 We would instead see the black hole eat anything that came too close.We get lucky：as we watch，the black hole swallows an entire star! Our movie，titled “Black Hole Eats a Star” gets a million views online. 3 In the movie played backwards，we’d see a very heavy，very small object just sitting there—and then，all of a sudden，spit out an entire star！The object we’re looking at now，which spits everything out and eats nothing，would be called a white hole. Are there white holes？We have good evidence from our telescopes that black holes really do exist. 4 That astronomers think about white holes is because of Albert Einstein.He came up with an excellent idea about gravity.His theory describes how black holes work，with their huge gravitational pull and also says white holes are possible.So could our universe actually make a white hole？ 5 Probably not.Something can be “possible” as an idea，but also extremely unlikely in real life. White holes are unlikely because they are an “in reverse” kind of thing.Time in our universe only flows in one direction：forward.So for now，white holes are just an interesting possibility. A．This kind of object is a black hole. B．Is there a white hole in the universe? C．Now picture yourself near a black hole. D．However，we’ve never seen a white hole. E．And could a black hole become a white hole? F．We’d never see anything escape from the black hole. G．But now imagine what would happen if we played it in reverse. 语篇解读　本文是一篇说明文。文章主要说明了宇宙中是否存在白洞的问题。 1．答案　A 解析　根据空格前“This mysterious object would pull so powerfully that nothing inside could escape to the outside.”以及下文“Again imagine we stay in our spaceship at a safe distance and make a movie of this black hole.”可知，上文所说的神秘的物体就是后文中提到的黑洞。故A项“这种物体就是黑洞”符合语境。故选A。 2．答案　F 解析　根据后文“We would instead see the black hole eat anything that came too close.”可知，空格后一句表达的是“我们会看到黑洞吞掉任何靠得太近的东西”，故F项“我们永远看不到任何东西从黑洞中逃脱”符合语境，故选F。 3．答案　G 解析　根据后文“In the movie played backwards”可知，后文提到了倒放的电影，空格后的“backwards” 与G项的“played it in reverse”都表示倒放，意义一致，故G项“但是现在想象一下，如果我们反过来播放会发生什么”符合语境，故选G。 4．答案　D 解析　根据上文“Are there white holes？We have good evidence from our telescopes that black holes really do exist.”可知，黑洞的存在确有证据，D项“然而，我们却从没有见过白洞”符合语境，故选D。 5．答案　E 解析　根据上文“So could our universe actually make a white hole？”以及后文“Probably not.”可知，设空处应该是一个针对白洞的设问句且与白洞的产生有关，故E项“黑洞会变成白洞吗？”符合语境，故选E。 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $$