Human Space Exploration

While scientists are searching the cause of the Columbia disaster, NASA is moving ahead with plans to develop a new craft that would replace shuttles(航天飛機)on space stationmissions by 2012 and respond quickly to space station emergencies.

The space agency released the first set of mission needs and requirements several days ago for me orbital space plane(軌道航天飛機)，which would be designed to transport a crew of four to and from the International Space Station.

Although it includes few specifics，the plan states the orbiter(軌道航天飛機)will be safer cheaper and require less preparation time than the shuttle.It would be able to transport four crew members by 2012--though it would be available for rescue missions by 2010.NASA says the craft should be able to transport injured or ill space station crew members to“definitive(決定性的)medical care” within 24 hours.

The release of the requirements showed NASA remains focused on the long-term priorities of space exploration，even as questions exist concerning the loss of Columbia and its seven.member crew on February l，2003..

Expels at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville，Alabama，have been working for years on a successor to the shuttle.The project，known as the Space Launch Initiative(倡議)，was divided last year into two parts----one focusing on a future launch vehicle，the other on a space station orbiter.The orbiter is expected to be ready sooner.

The program’s managers say NASA officials have told them not to alter Space Launch Initiative in light of the Columbia disaster.

U.S.President George W：Bush asked Congress for about US$1 billion for Space Launch Initiative in 2004，funds that would be almost equally split between the Orbital Space Plane and Next Generation Launch Technology.

41 NASA plans to design the new space craft to

A control the International Space Station.

B carry astronauts to the International Space Station.

C transport equipment to the International Space Station

D train astronauts in space flights.

42 Besides its main mission.the orbiter would also be used as

A a medical research center.

B a space station.

C a space ambulance.

D a passenger plane.

43 The design of the orbiter indicates

A NASA's determination to continue space exploration.

B NASA's disadvantage in space technology.

C the great pressure from Congress on NASA.

D a heavy defeat for NASA.

44 When did NASA start working on a successor to the shuttle?

A One year before the Columbia disaster.

B One year after the Columbia disaster.

C Immediately after the Columbia disaster.

D Years before the Columbia disaster.

45 According to the passage，the 1 billion funds，if granted，would

A be used to rebuild the International Space Station.

B be awarded to the scientists working at NASA.

C be shared by the two projects under the Space Launch Initiative

D be spent on the investigation of the Columbia disaster.

答案解析

41正確答案為B。本題屬于細節(jié)題，問的是NASA(美國國家航空航天局)設(shè)計新的航天飛機的目的是什么。文章第一句就指出了研發(fā)這種新的航天器的目的是取代現(xiàn)有的航天飛機，把航天員送到國際空間站去。所以正確答案為B。

42正確答案為C。 此題與4l題相連，問除了運送航天員這一主要使命外，航天飛機還用來干什么?原文第一句也回答了這個問題，那就是把它作為太空急救車，故C為正確答案。

43正確答案為A。此題問的是設(shè)計這架航天飛機表明了什么?選項A的意思是“NASA繼續(xù)探索太空的決心”。其他幾個選項的意思文中均與原文不符，所以A為答案。

44正確答案為D。此題為細節(jié)題，問的是NASA什么時候開始著手設(shè)計后續(xù)的航天飛機?原文第一段實際上已經(jīng)提到，在調(diào)查哥倫比亞號失事原因之前，NASA就已著手開展工作了，倒數(shù)第三段第一句提到研制工作很多年前就開始了，故選D。

45正確答案為C。此題問的是10億美元的款項被批準后用來干什么?選項A的意思是重建國際空間站，選項B的意思是頒發(fā)給在NASA工作的科學(xué)家，這兩個選項都與原文意思不符。最后一段說，若10億美元的款項獲得國會的批準，這筆款項基本上平分給the Orbital Space Plane和Next Generation Launch Technology這兩個研究項目，故C為正確答案。