Biosphere 2, as it is called, was built not far from Tucson in 1984 and is now run by Columbia University. This huge（7,200,000-cubic-foot）glass and steel construction contains several separate ecosystems, including a desert, a rain forest, and a 900,000-gallon “ocean.” The climatic conditions-humidity, temperature, air quality-are regulated by sensors and can be adjusted as needed or desired. For example, a rainstorm can be created to increase the humidity. The adjustable features of Biosphere 2 make it an ideal location to perform experiments to help determine the effects of such climatic changes as global warming.
The current conditions at Biosphere 2 are vastly different from those in 1993, when eight people who had moved into the environment with great fanfare two years earlier moved out in failure. Though promising to be self-sufficient（自足的）, these “colonists” had so much trouble regulating the environment that they reportedly had food smuggled into them. Oxygen levels became dangerously low; most plants and animals died. In taking over the unsuccessful site, Columbia hopes to erase its notorious past by focusing on small research projects that gradually answer some of Biosphere 1’s — that is, Earth’s most basic environment questions.

  1. 1.

    This passage primarily deals with _________.

    1. A.
      conditions of life in Biosphere 2
    2. B.
      building controlled environments on other planets
    3. C.
      why Biosphere 2 failed in the past
    4. D.
      what makes a good biosphere colonist
  2. 2.

    Biosphere 2 is now run by _________.

    1. A.
      a group of eight colonists
    2. B.
      Columbia University
    3. C.
      the city of Tucson
    4. D.
      scientists who hope to establish Biosphere 3
  3. 3.

    The passage suggests that earlier colonists of Biosphere 2 _________.

    1. A.
      did not like living in a controlled environment
    2. B.
      found it very difficult to live in a controlled environment
    3. C.
      still are involved with Biosphere 2
    4. D.
      have now left the country in disgrace
  4. 4.

    The writer helps you understand what Biosphere 2 is like by _________.

    1. A.
      comparing its features with those of an outer space biosphere
    2. B.
      explaining the process by which it was constructed
    3. C.
      referring to an interview with one of former inhabitants
    4. D.
      describing its appearance and conditions
  5. 5.

    In paragraph 3 the word “notorious” means _________.

    1. A.
      well known for something good
    2. B.
      well known for something bad
    3. C.
      very dangerous
    4. D.
      quite interesting
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

Move Earth – it’s no science fiction

LONDON – Scientists have found an unusual way to prevent our planet from overheating: move it to a cooler spot. All you have to do is send a few comets (彗星) in the direction of Earth, and its orbit will be changed. Our world will then be sent spinning into a safer, colder part of the solar system.

This idea for improving our climate comes from a group of US National Aeronautics and Space Administration（NASA）engineers and American astronomers. They say their plan could add another six billion years to the useful lifetime of our planet—effectively doubling its working life.

The plan put forward by Dr Laughlin, and his colleagues Don Korycansky and Fred Adams ,needs carefully directing a comet or asteroid so that it passes close by our planet and sends some of its gravitational energy to Earth.

“Earth’s orbital speed would increase as a result and we would move to a higher orbit away from the Sun,” Laughlin said.

Engineers would then direct their comet so that it passed close to Jupiter or Saturn. The comet would pick up energy from one of these giant planets. Later its orbit would bring it back to Earth, and the process would be repeated. In the short term, the plan provides an ideal way to global warming, although the team was actually concerned with a much greater danger. The sun is certain to heat up in about a billion years and so “seriously compromise” our biosphere（生物圈）— by cooking us.

That’s why the group decided to try to save Earth.

The plan has one or two worrying aspects, however. For a start, space engineers would have to be very careful about how they directed their asteroid or comet towards Earth. The smallest miscalculation（誤算）in orbit could fire it straight at Earth—with deadly consequences.

There is also the question of the Moon. As the current issue of Scientific American magazine points out, if Earth was pushed out of its current position it is “most likely the Moon would be stripped away from Earth,” it states. This would greatly change our planet’s climate.

What makes the scientists plan to move Earth?

       A．A few comets are moving to the direction of Earth.

       B．Earth’s working life is coming to an end soon.

       C．Earth will become too hot for mankind to keep alive.

       D．The moon is moving farther and farther away from Earth.

If the plan is successful, Earth will have a working life of ______years.

       A．12 billion B．6 billion   C．18 billion  D．24 billion

What serious problems might the plan cause according to the passage?

       A．The comet might hit Earth and man might lose the moon.

       B．Earth might be moved too far away and man might be frozen to death.

       C．The comet might hit Jupiter or Saturn and never return to Earth.

       D．Earth’s working life might be greatly shortened.

What does the underlined word “compromise” mean?

       A．provide    B．benefit    C．share D．endanger

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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

Move Earth — it’s no science fiction

LONDON — Scientists have found an unusual way to prevent our planet from overheating: move it to a cooler spot. All you have to do is send a few comets（彗星）in the direction of Earth, and its orbit will be changed. Our world will then be sent spinning into a safer, colder part of the solar system.

This idea for improving our climate comes from a group of US National Aeronautics and Space Administration（NASA） engineers and American astronomers. They say their plan could add another six billion years to the useful lifetime of our planet—effectively doubling its working life.

The plan put forward by Dr Laughlin, and his colleagues Don Korycansky and Fred Adams ,needs carefully directing a comet or asteroid so that it passes close by our planet and sends some of its gravitational energy to Earth.

“Earth’s orbital speed would increase as a result and we would move to a higher orbit away from the Sun,” Laughlin said.

Engineers would then direct their comet so that it passed close to Jupiter or Saturn. The comet would pick up energy from one of these giant planets. Later its orbit would bring it back to Earth, and the process would be repeated. In the short term, the plan provides an ideal way to global warming, although the team was actually concerned with a much greater danger. The sun is certain to heat up in about a billion years and so “seriously compromise” our biosphere（生物圈）— by cooking us.

That’s why the group decided to try to save Earth.

The plan has one or two worrying aspects, however. For a start, space engineers would have to be very careful about how they directed their asteroid or comet towards Earth. The smallest miscalculation（誤算）in orbit could fire it straight at Earth—with deadly consequences.

There is also the question of the Moon. As the current issue of Scientific American magazine points out, if Earth was pushed out of its current position it is “most likely the Moon would be stripped away from Earth,” it states. This would greatly change our planet’s climate.

What makes the scientists plan to move Earth?

A. A few comets are moving to the direction of Earth.

B. Earth’s working life is coming to an end soon.

C. Earth will become too hot for mankind to keep alive.

D. The moon is moving farther and farther away from Earth.

If the plan is successful, Earth will have a working life of ______years.

A.12 billion                  B.6 billion                    C.18 billion                  D.24 billion

What serious problems might the plan cause according to the passage?

A. The comet might hit Earth and man might lose the moon.

B. Earth might be moved too far away and man might be frozen to death.

C. The comet might hit Jupiter or Saturn and never return to Earth.

D. Earth’s working life might be greatly shortened.

What does the underlined word “compromise” mean?

A. provide                    B. benefit                   C. share                     D. endanger

Which of the following best shows how the plan would work?

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科目：高中英語 來源：2010-2011廣東深圳高級(jí)中學(xué)高三第二次模擬測試英語試卷 題型：閱讀理解

  Drawings of human colonies on other planets often picture the entire community under a glass or plastic bubble. The bubble is intended to create an atmosphere with adequate oxygen and other essential elements. But similar bubble-like structures have also been constructed on earth. One of the most famous, and controversial, is a site in the Arizona desert.
Biosphere 2, as it is called, was built not far from Tucson in 1984 and is now run by Columbia University. This huge（7,200,000-cubic-foot）glass and steel construction contains several separate ecosystems, including a desert, a rain forest, and a 900,000-gallon “ocean.” The climatic conditions-humidity, temperature, air quality-are regulated by sensors and can be adjusted as needed or desired. For example, a rainstorm can be created to increase the humidity. The adjustable features of Biosphere 2 make it an ideal location to perform experiments to help determine the effects of such climatic changes as global warming.
The current conditions at Biosphere 2 are vastly different from those in 1993, when eight people who had moved into the environment with great fanfare two years earlier moved out in failure. Though promising to be self-sufficient（自足的）, these “colonists” had so much trouble regulating the environment that they reportedly had food smuggled into them. Oxygen levels became dangerously low; most plants and animals died. In taking over the unsuccessful site, Columbia hopes to erase its notorious past by focusing on small research projects that gradually answer some of Biosphere 1’s — that is, Earth’s most basic environment questions.
【小題1】This passage primarily deals with _________.

A．conditions of life in Biosphere 2
B．building controlled environments on other planets
C．why Biosphere 2 failed in the past
D．what makes a good biosphere colonist
【小題2】Biosphere 2 is now run by _________.
A．a(chǎn) group of eight colonists
B．Columbia University
C．the city of Tucson
D．scientists who hope to establish Biosphere 3
【小題3】The passage suggests that earlier colonists of Biosphere 2 _________.
A．did not like living in a controlled environment
B．found it very difficult to live in a controlled environment
C．still are involved with Biosphere 2
D．have now left the country in disgrace
【小題4】The writer helps you understand what Biosphere 2 is like by _________.
A．comparing its features with those of an outer space biosphere
B．explaining the process by which it was constructed
C．referring to an interview with one of former inhabitants
D．describing its appearance and conditions
【小題5】In paragraph 3 the word “notorious” means _________.
A．well known for something goodB．well known for something bad
C．very dangerousD．quite interesting

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科目：高中英語 來源：2010-2011學(xué)年山西省高三第一次月考英語卷 題型：閱讀理解

Move Earth – it’s no science fiction

LONDON – Scientists have found an unusual way to prevent our planet from overheating: move it to a cooler spot. All you have to do is send a few comets (彗星) in the direction of Earth, and its orbit will be changed. Our world will then be sent spinning into a safer, colder part of the solar system.

This idea for improving our climate comes from a group of US National Aeronautics and Space Administration（NASA）engineers and American astronomers. They say their plan could add another six billion years to the useful lifetime of our planet—effectively doubling its working life.

The plan put forward by Dr Laughlin, and his colleagues Don Korycansky and Fred Adams ,needs carefully directing a comet or asteroid so that it passes close by our planet and sends some of its gravitational energy to Earth.

“Earth’s orbital speed would increase as a result and we would move to a higher orbit away from the Sun,” Laughlin said.

Engineers would then direct their comet so that it passed close to Jupiter or Saturn. The comet would pick up energy from one of these giant planets. Later its orbit would bring it back to Earth, and the process would be repeated. In the short term, the plan provides an ideal way to global warming, although the team was actually concerned with a much greater danger. The sun is certain to heat up in about a billion years and so “seriously compromise” our biosphere（生物圈）— by cooking us.

That’s why the group decided to try to save Earth.

The plan has one or two worrying aspects, however. For a start, space engineers would have to be very careful about how they directed their asteroid or comet towards Earth. The smallest miscalculation（誤算）in orbit could fire it straight at Earth—with deadly consequences.

There is also the question of the Moon. As the current issue of Scientific American magazine points out, if Earth was pushed out of its current position it is “most likely the Moon would be stripped away from Earth,” it states. This would greatly change our planet’s climate.

1.What makes the scientists plan to move Earth?

       A．A few comets are moving to the direction of Earth.

       B．Earth’s working life is coming to an end soon.

       C．Earth will become too hot for mankind to keep alive.

       D．The moon is moving farther and farther away from Earth.

2.If the plan is successful, Earth will have a working life of ______years.

       A．12 billion            B．6 billion              C．18 billion            D．24 billion

3.What serious problems might the plan cause according to the passage?

       A．The comet might hit Earth and man might lose the moon.

       B．Earth might be moved too far away and man might be frozen to death.

       C．The comet might hit Jupiter or Saturn and never return to Earth.

       D．Earth’s working life might be greatly shortened.

4.What does the underlined word “compromise” mean?

       A．provide               B．benefit               C．share                   D．endanger

 

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科目：高中英語 來源：2013屆鳳凰縣華鑫中學(xué)高二12月月考試題 題型：其他題

Directions: Read the following passage. Fill in the numbered blanks by using the information for the passage. Write NO MORE THAN 3 WORDS for each answer.

A Low-Carbon Economy (LCE) refers to an economy which has a minimal emission of greenhouse gas (GHG), namely, carbon dioxide into the biosphere(生物圈). Recently, most of the scientists and the public hold the opinion that the climate is changing because there is such an accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere due to human activities. The over-concentration of these gases is producing global warming that affects long-term climate, with negative impacts on humanity in the foreseeable future. LCE, therefore, is proposed as a means to avoid catastrophic climate change.

All nations which are considered carbon intensive societies and societies which are heavily populated should become zero-carbon societies and economies. Several of these countries have promised to become 'low carbon' but not entirely zero carbon, and claim that emissions will be cut by 100% by balancing emissions rather than ceasing all emissions.

Nuclear power and the strategies of carbon capture and storage (CCS) have been proposed as the primary means to achieve a LCE while continuing to exploit non-renewable resources. Scientists are afraid, however, whether the spent-nuclear-fuel can be stored, and whether it is secure. Also they are not certain about the costs and time needed to successfully implement CCS worldwide and whether the stored emissions will leak into the biosphere or not. Alternatively, many have proposed renewable energy should be the main basis of a LCE, but, they have their associated problems of high-cost and inefficiency; this is changing, however, since investment and production have been growing significantly in recent times. Furthermore, it has been proposed that to make the transition to an LCE economically attractive we would have to attach a cost (per unit output) to GHGs through means such as emissions trading and/or a carbon tax.

A LCE is aimed to integrate all aspects of itself from its manufacturing, agriculture, transportation to power-generation around technologies that produce energy and materials with little GHG emission and thus around populations, buildings, machines and devices which use those energies and materials efficiently and dispose of or recycle its wastes so as to have a minimal output of GHGs.

Title:        1       

I.          2        : an economy with a minimal output of GHG

II.         3         of the present economy:

● global warming

● long-term climate change

●            4            on humanity

III.           5           :

●  to produce energy and materials with little GHG emission

● to use those energies and materials efficiently

● to have          6             of GHGs

IV.            7             to achieve a LCE:

● nuclear power  

● the strategies of carbon capture and storage

● renewable energy    

●              8              

● a carbon tax

V.           9          :

● spent-nuclear-fuel storage / storage of spent-nuclear-fuel

●        10           

● uncertainty about the costs and time needed

 

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