1、Unit 4 Section Grammar.阅读理解AThe plan：turn the Mars into a blue world with streams and green fields, and then fill it with creatures from the earth.This idea may sound like something from science fiction, but it is actually being taken seriously by many researchers.This suggests the future for the “r
2、ed planet” will be the main topic for discussion at an international conference hosted by NASA this week. Leading researchers as well as science fiction writers will attend the event. It comes as NASA is preparing a multibilliondollar Mars research programme.“Turning the Mars into a little earth has
3、 long been a topic in science fiction，”said Dr.Michael Meyer, NASAs senior scientist. “Now, with scientists exploring the reality, we can ask what are the real possibilities of changing the Mars.”Most scientists agree that the Mars could be turned into a little earth, although much time and money wo
4、uld be needed to achieve this goal. But many experts are shocked by the idea.“We are destroying our own world at an unbelievable speed and now we are talking about ruining another planet，” said Paul Murdin from the Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge, UK.Over the past months, scientists have become in
5、creasingly confident they will find Martian life forms. Europe and Americas robot explorers have found the proof that water, mixed with soil, exists in large amounts on the planet.In addition, two different groups of scientists announced on March 28 that they had found signs of methane (甲烷) in the M
6、artian atmosphere; the gas is a waste product of living creatures and could be produced by microbes (微生物) living in the red planets soil.But scientists such as Dr.Lisa Pratt, a biologist at Indiana University, say that these microbes will be put in danger by the little earth project.“Before we have
7、even discovered if there is life on the Mars, we are talking about carrying out projects that would destroy all these native life forms, all the strange microbes that we hope to find buried in the soil，” said Dr. Pratt.Monica Grady, a planetary scientist at the Natural History Museum, London, shares
8、 this view.“We cannot risk starting a global experiment that would wipe out the precious information we are looking for，” she said. “This is just wrong.”【语篇解读】本文是一篇科普说明文。在太空开拓人类新的生存领地一直是科幻小说的主题，也是人类一直希望实现的梦想。如今，美国的一部分科学家想把红色火星改造成蓝色的“生命天堂”。就这一提议科学家们展开了讨论。1The passage is about .Aa plan turning the Mar
9、s into a little earthBthe necessity of changing the MarsCfinding water on the MarsDthe Mars supporting life解析：选A主旨大意题。由第一段可以看出，人们计划将火星变为一个小地球。后文就这一计划是否应该实施进行了探讨。故文章是围绕将火星变为小地球这一话题展开的。2Why is Dr. Lisa Pratt against the plan?AWater has been found on the Mars.BIt will cost too much money and work.CThe
10、native life forms on the Mars would be destroyed.DThe earth is being destroyed at an unbelievable speed.解析：选C细节理解题。由倒数第三段中的“. these microbes will be put in danger by the little earth project.”可知，莉萨博士反对该计划的原因是担心火星上的微生物会受到破坏。3What could prove the existence of microbes living in the Mars soil?ALiquid w
11、ater on the Mars.BSome creatures on the Mars.CA lot of good soil on the Mars.DSigns of methane in the Mars atmosphere.解析：选D推理判断题。由倒数第四段可以看出，科学家在火星上发现了甲烷，而甲烷是生物排放出的一种气体。由此科学家认为火星上有生物存在。4We can infer from the passage that .Awater is a key factor for life; without it, living on the Mars would be imposs
12、ibleBthe project wont affect the native life forms supposed to live on the MarsCthe idea turning the Mars into a little earth is nothing but science fictionDMonica Grady is in favour of carrying out the little earth project解析：选A推理判断题。由倒数第五段可知，科学家对于能够在火星上发现生物非常有自信，因为欧洲和美国的机器人已经发现了水存在的证据。由此我们可推知，水是生命存
13、在的重要因素。BMy cellphone rang while I was working on my computer. I looked at the phone and saw it was my 17yearold son, Tom. I quickly picked it up. “Mom, I got a 71 on the test. I did it.” With those few words, I could feel my heart start to pound.Living in New York State, students cannot graduate fro
14、m high school unless they pass at least five exams: one in English, one in science, two in history and one in math. For most students, who work hard, attend class, and do their homework, it isnt that hard. But for Tom, who is dyslexic (朗读困难的), it is such a real challenge that some teachers have fear
15、ed he would never be able to even attempt, never mind achieve.We were honest with him about his trouble, letting him know that there was nothing to be ashamed of. Some people learn differently. If he was willing to work, we would help him find a way to do as much as he could in his academic career.
16、All that was standing in his way was this math test. He had taken it three times and did better each time, but he continued to fail. He was starting to get a bit tired of me saying this was a marathon not a sprint (冲刺). My heart broke each time we would get the failing results.“Mom, thanks. I love y
17、ou. Thanks for believing I could do this.”For one of the few times in my life, I really had nothing left to say. For that one brief moment I knew, really, really, knew that everything we did to help our son achieve what he wanted was worth it.【语篇解读】本文是一篇夹叙夹议文。作者的儿子Tom患有朗读困难症，所以学习不好，而纽约的高中要求学生通过五门考试才
18、能毕业。作为母亲，作者想尽一切办法使Tom相信他自己可以做到。经过努力Tom终于通过了考试。5What does the underlined word “pound” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?ASink suddenly. BBeat wildly.CAche violently. DBreak totally.解析：选B词义猜测题。根据第一段中的“Mom, I got a 71 on the test. I did it.”并结合下文内容可推断，作者的儿子有朗读困难症，数学考了三次都没及格，这次他考了71分，通过了考试，故作者应该会感到非常激动，心怦怦直跳
19、。故pound应意为“(心脏)剧烈地跳动”，即beat wildly。故答案选B。6According to the text, Tom was weak in .AEnglish BscienceChistory Dmath解析：选D细节理解题。根据第三段中的“All that was standing in his way was this math test. He had taken it three times and did better each time, but he continued to fail.”可知，Tom不擅长数学，考了三次都没有及格。故答案选D。7How di
20、d the writer feel when she wrote this text?AShe felt proud and satisfied.BShe felt surprised and bitter.CShe felt grateful and relaxed.DShe felt worried and anxious.解析：选A推理判断题。根据最后一段最后一句“For that one brief moment I knew, really, really, knew that everything we did to help our son achieve what he wan
21、ted was worth it.”可推断，作者对儿子最后通过考试很满意，也为儿子感到骄傲。故答案选A。8What can be the best title for the text?AA Mothers Love That Made the GradeBA Student Who Struggled for a DiplomaCFailure Is the Mother of SuccessDLife Is Not a Sprint but a Marathon解析：选A标题归纳题。纵观全文可知，作者的儿子Tom患有朗读困难症，所以学习不好，而纽约的高中要求学生通过五门考试才能毕业。作为母
22、亲，作者想尽一切办法使Tom相信他自己可以做到。经过努力Tom终于考了71分通过了考试。由此可推断，是母亲的爱使Tom获得了成功。A项符合文章主旨，适合做标题。故答案选A。.短文改错Charles is my more unforgettable teacher. I am an average student in high school and wasnt interesting in studying. However, I was quite enthusiastic about performing plays. After Charles knew my interest, he
23、encouraged us. He said that I had a gift for perform and suggested that I made good use of my talent. People usual do well in the things they like, and it is really true. Now Im a professional actor. I succeeded because of Charles encouraged me a lot. I kept touch with him through letters and phone
24、call until he died in 2003.答案：Charles is my unforgettable teacher. I an average student in high school and wasnt in studying. However, I was quite enthusiastic about performing plays. After Charles knew my interest, he encouraged .He said that I had a gift for and suggested that I good use of my tal
25、ent. People do well in the things they like，and it is really true. Now Im a professional actor. I succeeded because Charles encouraged me a lot. I kept touch with him through letters and phone until he died in 2003.1stream n溪流2science fiction 科幻小说3proof n证据4fear v害怕5academic adj.学术的；知识的Most scientists agree that the Mars could be turned into a little earth， although much time and money would be needed to achieve this goal. 分析although引导让步状语，that引导从句作动词agree的宾语。翻译大部分科学家都同意火星能够变成一个地球，尽管这需要很多的时间和金钱来达到这一目标。
