On August 5 at 10:31 p.m. PST, a rover（探測器）named Curiosity touched down safely on the surface of Mars, and I was lucky enough to have a front-row seat.
My name is Clara, and when I was in Grade 6, I won the essay contest NASA held to name its next Mars rover. The essay I wrote was not even 250 words long, but somehow it was enough to change my life.
I still remember that cold December day, sitting in a science class. I’d finished a worksheet early and decided to get a Time for Kids magazine off Mrs. Estevez’s bookshelf. It was the 2008 Invention Issue, but that wasn’t the only thing that caught my eye. In the magazine, there was an article about a girl who named the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. The article also talked about the essay contest NASA was holding to name its next Mars rover. Before I even knew anything else about it, a single word flooded my 11-year-old mind: Curiosity.
I couldn’t wait for the bell to ring so I could get started on my essay. That afternoon, I raced home from the bus stop, sat down at the computer and typed until my fingers ached. It turned out that I was just in time. A few days later, and the contest would have closed.
Five months later, shortly after I had turned 12, I was watching a National Geographic special on mammoths when the phone rang. My mom answered, and immediately, a wide smile spread across her face. When she told me that I had won, I was happier than I could ever remember being, I screamed and ran up and down the stairs and all around the house. I completely forgot about the mammoths and did not even remember to turn off the TV until it was really late.
Curiosity is such an important part of who I am. I have always been fascinated by the stars, the planets, the sky and the universe. I remember as a little girl, my grandfather and I would sit together in the backyard for hours. He’d tell me stories and point out the stars.
My grandfather lived in China, thousands of miles away from my home in Kansas. I loved the stars because they kept us together even when we were apart. They were always there, yet there was so much I didn’t know about them. That’s what I love so much about space. No matter how much we learn, it will always possess some mystery.
In the past, space exploration may have been a competition to see who got somewhere first or the fastest. But now, it is one of the few things that bring people together. Science is a language that needs no translation. It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what you look like – you just have to have a thirst for knowledge and a passion for learning in order to succeed.
People often ask me why we go to faraway places like Mars. Why do we explore? My answer to that is simple: because we can; because we’re curious; because we as human beings do not just stay holed up in one place. We are constantly wondering and trying to find out what’s over the hill and beyond the horizon.
The curiosity rover is more than just a robot. It is more than just a titanium body and aluminum wheels. Curiosity represents the hard work, passion, love and commitment of thousands of people from all over the world who were brought together by science. Science is so awesome. It is breathtaking and mind-blowing; and sometimes, it’s just a little bit crazy. The discoveries we make about our world are incredibly humbling. They move us forward and have the potential to benefit all of mankind.
This December it will be four years of my life that have been tied to Curiosity in some way. I’ve met so many amazing people through this experience, from scientists to engineers to administrators to volunteers. Their devotion and enthusiasm inspire me greatly. My journey with Curiosity and the MSL mission team has shaped the person that I am today, as well as the person I would one day like to become.
I am deeply grateful to everyone who made it possible for me to have this amazing adventure.
And to you, I hope your curiosity takes you far.
1. The method the writer uses to begin the passage is _____.
A．telling a story B．giving an example
C．offering an explanation D．describing a scene
2.Why did the writer hurry home to finish the essay for the contest NASA held?
A．She had just gathered enough information from Time for Kids
B．She wanted to write down what flashed through her mind in time.
C．She knew from Mrs. Estevez the deadline for the contest was approaching.
D．She was afraid she might miss the chance to compete with the former winner.
3. The writer mentions her grandfather in order to show that ______.
A．she missed him very much.
B．he knew a great deal about space
C．he influenced her to love the stars
D．she treasured their happy moments
4.Which of the following serves as a summary of Paragraph 11?
A．The writer was inspired to be a volunteer by the people she met.
B．The writer owed her success to her team members’ encouragement.
C．The writer met many difficulties in her four-year life with Curiosity.
D．The writer has benefited a lot from her experience tied to Curiosity.
5.Which best describes the writer’s tone in the passage?
A．Sharp. B．Proud. C．Aggressive. D．Enthusiastic.
6.What is conveyed in the passage?
A．Curiosity is important to human beings.
B．A thirst for knowledge helps one grow up.
C．Entering a contest is a way to achieve success.
D．Curiosity changes people’s attitude towards science.
1.D
2.B
3.C
4.D
5.B
6.A
【解析】
試題分析：文章介紹作者為火星探測器命名的事情經(jīng)過，她是怎么有這個想法的，和她對太空的喜愛，以及“好奇號”給她帶來的益處。
1.細(xì)節(jié)題：從第一段的句子：On August 5 at 10:31 p.m. PST, a rover（探測器）named Curiosity touched down safely on the surface of Mars, 可知作者是描述了一個場景。選D
2.細(xì)節(jié)題：從第四段的句子：I couldn’t wait for the bell to ring so I could get started on my essay. That afternoon, I raced home from the bus stop, sat down at the computer and typed until my fingers ached.可知作者想把腦子里面閃過的想法寫下來。選B
3.細(xì)節(jié)題：從第六段的句子;I remember as a little girl, my grandfather and I would sit together in the backyard for hours. He’d tell me stories and point out the stars.可知爺爺對作者熱愛星星的影響很大。選C
4.推理題：從第11段的句子：My journey with Curiosity and the MSL mission team has shaped the person that I am today, as well as the person I would one day like to become.可知作者從“好奇號”中受益很多。選D。
5.推理題：從這篇文章作者的語氣和最后一段的句子I am deeply grateful to everyone who made it possible for me to have this amazing adventure.可知作者很自豪。選B。
6.歸納題：從最后一段的句子：And to you, I hope your curiosity takes you far.可知好奇對人類是很重要的。選A
考點：考查故事類短文
點評：本文細(xì)節(jié)題推斷題居多，答題時在文章找到對應(yīng)的地方，用筆進(jìn)行標(biāo)記，這有利于后期有時間檢查時可以立刻找到答案的位置。仔細(xì)理解作者所講的意思，再結(jié)合選項，通過排除法和自己對全文的把握，選出正確答案。
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b. Thomas traveled with President Nixon to China.
c. Thomas served as president of the Women’s National Press Club.
d. Thomas resigned.
e. Thomas was called upon by President Bush.
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| A．Thomas made speeches about events nationwide. |
| B．Thomas has written four books. |
| C．Thomas covered every Economic Summit when traveling with US presidents. |
| D．Thomas became a correspondent after she graduated from the university. |
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| B．Thomas is the most influential woman in America |
| C．President Bush received Thomas once in his term. |
| D．Thomas has traveled around the world with Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton. |
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Booking advisable on 0845 4505157.
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For further information, call 01223 810080.
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