《Astronauts》大學聯考英語閲讀題

Astronauts aboard the space station Celebrated a space first on Wednesday by drinking water that had been recycled from their urine and sweat and water that condenses from exhaled air. They said “cheers” ，clicked drinking bags and toasted NASA workers on the ground who were sipping their own version of recycled drinking water.

The recycling system is needed for astronaut stations on the moon and Mars. It also will save NASA money because it won’ t have to ship up as much water to the station by space shuttle or cargo des, it’ s important as the space station is about to expand from three people living on board to six.

The recycling system had been brought up to the space station last November by space shuttle Endeavour, but it couldn’ t be used until samples were tested back on Earth. So when it came time to actually drink up, NASA made a big deal of it. The three?man crew stood, holding their drinks and congratulated engineers in two NASA centers that worked on the system.

“This is something that had been the stuff of science fiction，” Barratt said before taking a small mouthful. “The taste is worth trying.”

NASA deputy space shuttle manager LeRoy Cain called it “a huge milestone”．

The new system takes the combined urine of the crew from the toilet, moves it to a big tank, where the water is boiled off, and the vapor is collected. The rest of the urine is thrown away. The water vapor is mixed with water from air condensation, and then it goes through filters. When six crew members are aboard it can make about six gallons from urine in about six hours.

“Some people may find the idea of drinking recycled urine distasteful, but it is also done on Earth with a lot longer time between urine and the tap”said Marybeth Edeen, the space station’s national lab manager.

The technology NASA developed for this system has already been used for quick water purification after the 2004 Asian tsunami, Edeen said.

“We are happy to have this water work through the system — we’ re happy to have it work through our systems，”Barratt said.

[語篇解讀] 本文講的是國際空間站宇航員試飲尿液循環水。

1．According to the text, the recycling system is important because________.

A. it makes traveling to the moon for the common person possible

B. with it NASA won’ t need to ship any water up to the space station

C. it can help to meet the need for more water after the crew are expanded

D. it protects the environment in space by reducing the amount of waste

[解析] 細節理解題。根據第二段中的“it’s important as the space station is about to expand from three people living on board to six”可知C項正確。

[答案] C

2．What is the RIGHT time order of the following events?

a. The samples of the recycled water were tested on Earth.

b. Astronauts celebrated the space first of making water from urine.

c. The recycling system was brought up to the space station.

d. The technology for the system was used to quickly purify water.

A. a，d，c，b B. a，c，b，d

C. d，a，c，b D. d，c，a，b

[解析] 細節理解題。根據倒數第二段的`“The technology NASA developed for this system has already been used for quick water purification after the 2004 Asian tsunami”可知d發生最早。根據第三段的“ The recycling system had been brought up to the space station last November... couldn’ t be used until samples were tested back on Earth”可知c發生在a的前面，因此D項正確。

[答案] D

3．From Para. 6 we can know________.

A. the theory behind the recycling system

B. the effect of the recycling system

C. the process of the recycling system

D. an opinion on the recycling system

[解析] 段落概括題。該段主要講述的是使用尿液循環系統將尿製成水的過程。

[答案] C

4．What did Edeen say about recycled urine and the recycling system?

A. The taste of recycled urine is not as good as common water.

B. The recycling system has made a science fiction story come true.

C. The idea of drinking recycled urine makes astronauts feel unpleasant.

D. It takes a longer time on Earth to make water from urine than in space.

[解析] 細節理解題。根據第七段中的“with a lot onger time between urine and the tap”可知D項正確。

[答案] D

5．What is the best title for the passage?

A. The research of NASA has made great progress

B. New technology is used in the space station

C. Drink up: space station recycles urine to water

D. Good news: water recycled from urine tastes good

[解析] 標題概括題。本文報道了國際空間站的宇航員試飲尿液循環水，“Drink up”生動反映飲用時的情景，“space station recycles urine to watert”點明瞭製造技術。故C項最佳。

[答案] C

[長難句解讀] Astronauts aboard the space station celebrated a space first on Wednesday by drinking water that had been recycled from their urine and sweat and water that condenses from exhaled air.

主句是：Astronauts celebrated a space first on Wednesday by drinking rd the space station和that had been recycled from their urine and sweat and water充當定語分別修飾名詞Astronauts和water。