Question

    With China’s large population and increasing urban（城市的）space, the cost of electricity is rising in cities. So the Chinese government is preparing to send the world’s first artificial（人造的）moon to space.

The man-made moon is, in fact, a satellite. It carries a huge space mirror so that it can throw back sunlight to the Earth. The moon will fly about 500 kilometres above Chengdu, a south-western city of China, and work like the Moon at night. Since it runs much closer to the Earth than the Moon, it’s much brighter and there will be no need to use street lights in the city. According to scientists, Chengdu can save around 174 million dollars in electricity if the man-made moon brightens 50 square kilometres of the city.

For now, the artificial moon is still going through testing. Although it has many advantages, quite a lot of people think that creating more artificial light is harmful to the environment, as light pollution is a growing problem in our modern world. Actually, there is no need to worry. Chinese scientists say the mirror on the moon can be controlled, so they can decide its direction, brightness and so on. They can even turn it off when needed. Moreover, when the man-made moon works, people will see only a bright star above. It won’t be a giant moon as imagined.

Several countries, including China, are all looking to use energy from space, and artificial moons have been under discussion for some time. In 1999, Russia tried sending a space mirror into space, but it failed. And later the project was cancelled, according to the New York Times. And now, it seems that space light has come closer.

1.China will send the man-made moon to space to __________.

A.study the Moon B.explore space C.save energy D.protect the Earth

2.What is the second paragraph mainly talking about?

A.How the man-made moon works. B.How the man-made moon was created.

C.How scientists control the man-made moon. D.How the man-made moon throws back sunlight.

3.What can we learn about the man-made moon from the passage?

A.It looks huge from the Earth. B.Three will be sent to space in 2020.

C.It is designed to work at night only. D.China is the first country to send it to space.

4.In which column（专栏）of a newspaper can we probably find the passage?

A.NATURE. B.ENVIRONMENT. C.SOCIETY. D.SCIENCE.

Answer

1.C

2.A

3.C

4.D

【解析】

本文讲述了中国政府正准备把世界上第一颗人造月球发射到太空，节约能量。人造月亮实际上是一颗卫星。它携带着一面巨大的太空镜子，这样它就能把阳光反射回地球。月球将在中国西南部城市成都上空500公里处飞行，夜间工作。如果人造月亮点亮成都50平方公里的土地，可以节省大约1.74亿美元的电费。

1.细节理解题。根据“According to scientists, Chengdu can save around 174 million dollars in electricity if the man-made moon brightens 50 square kilometres of the city.”据科学家称，如果人造月亮点亮成都50平方公里的土地，可以节省大约1.74亿美元的电费。所以发射人造月亮的目的是为了节约能源，故选C。

2.推理判断题。根据“It carries a huge space mirror so that it can throw back sunlight to the Earth. ”它携带着一面巨大的太空镜子，这样它就能把阳光反射回地球。第二段后面还提到了人造月亮的益处，所以此处是讲了人造月亮如何工作。故选A。

3.推理判断题。根据“Moreover, when the man-made moon works, people will see only a bright star above”此外，当人造月亮运行时，人们只能看到天上一颗明亮的星星，排除A；选项B未提及；根据“In 1999, Russia tried sending a space mirror into space, but it failed. ”1999年，俄罗斯试图向太空发射一面太空镜，但失败了，所以不是第一个，排除D；根据“The moon will fly about 500 kilometres above Chengdu, a south-western city of China, and work like the Moon at night.”月球将在中国西南部城市成都上空500公里处飞行，夜间工作。故选C。

4.文章来源题。A. NATURE.自然；B. ENVIRONMENT.环境；C. SOCIETY.社会；D. SCIENCE.科学；结合文章主要说的人造月亮，所以是科学，故选D。