第十五篇： orbital space plane

1 while scientists科学家 are searching研究调查the cause原因 of the columbia 哥伦比亚disaster灾难， nasa 美国国家航空航天局is moving ahead with plans to develop a new craft太空船that would replace 代替shuttles 穿梭机on space station太空站 missions 任务by 2012 and respond回应 quickly to space station emergencies.紧急情况

2 the space agency released发布 the first set of mission 任务needs and requirements 要求several days ago for the orbital 轨道space 太空plane飞机， which would be designed to transport运输 a crew组 of four to and from the international space station.国际太空站

3 although it includes few specifics细节， the plan stipulates 规定the orbiter will be safer， cheaper and require 需要less preparation 准备time than the shuttle.穿梭机 it would be able to transport运输 four crew members by 2012 – though it would be available 有效的for rescue 救援missions 任务by 2010. nasa 国家航天局says the craft太空船 should be able to transport injured 受伤的or ill space station crew members to “definitive medical care”最权威的医疗机构 within 24 hours.

 

4 the release 发布of the requirements要求 showed nasa国家航天局 remains保持 focused on关注the long-term 长期的priorities优先权 of space exploration探测， even as questions linger徘徊存在 concerning关于 the loss 遗失of columbia and its seven-member crew on february 1，2003.

5 experts at marshall space flight center 马歇尔太空飞行中心in huntsville，亨茨维尔alabama，阿拉巴马州 have been working for years on a successor继任者 to the shuttle. 穿梭机the project计划， known as the space launch initiative空间发射倡议， was divided划分last year into two parts – one focusing on关注 a future launch发射 vehicle工具， the other on a space station orbiter. the orbiter is expected to预计 be ready sooner.

 

6 the program’s 计划managers say nasa officials have told them not to alter改变更改 space launch initiative in light of根据 the columbia disaster.

7 u.s. president 总统george w. bush布什 asked congress 国会for about usd1 billion10亿 for space launch initiative空间发射倡议 in 2004， funds 资金that would be almost equally 平等地split分解 between the orbital space plane轨道航天飞机 and next generation下一代 launch technology.发射技术

1. the orbital space craft has been designed for

a. controlling the international space station.

b. carrying astronauts to the international space station.

c. transporting equipment to the international space station.

d. training astronauts in space fligh

解析：2  the space agency released发布 the first set of mission 任务needs and requirements要求several days ago for the orbital 轨道space 太空plane飞机， which would be designed to transport运输 a crew组 of four to and from the international space station.国际太空站

 

2. from the passage we know that the design of the orbiter indicates

a. nasa’s determination to continue its space exploration projects.

b. the u.s. space technology superiorities.

c. a victory in space exploration.

d. the birth of an absolutely safe space craft.

解析：4 the release 发布of the requirements要求 showed nasa国家航天局 remains保持 focused on关注 the long-term 长期的priorities优先权 of space exploration探测， even as questions linger徘徊存在 concerning关于 the loss 遗失of columbia and its seven-member crew on february 1， 2003.

 

3. when did the scientists start working on a successor to the shuttle?

a. immediately after the columbia disaster.

b. one year after the columbia disaster.

c. years before the explosion of columbia.

d. not mentioned in the passage.

解析：5 experts at marshall space flight center 马歇尔太空飞行中心in huntsville，亨茨维尔alabama，阿拉巴马州 have been working for years on a successor继任者 to the shuttle. 穿梭机the project计划， known as the space launch initiative空间发射倡议， was divided划分last year into two parts – one focusing on关注 a future launch发射 vehicle工具， the other on a space station orbiter. the orbiter is expected to预计 be ready sooner.

1 while scientists科学家 are searching研究调查the cause原因 of the columbia 哥伦比亚disaster灾难， nasa 美国国家航空航天局is moving ahead with plans to develop a new craft 太空船that would replace 代替shuttles 穿梭机on space station太空站 missions 任务by 2012 and respond回应 quickly to space station emergencies.紧急情况

 

4. besides the main mission stipulated by nasa， the orbiter would also be used as

a. a space hospital.

b. a medical research center.

c. a medicine-transporting vehicle.

d. a space ambulance.

解析:3 although it includes few specifics细节， the plan stipulates 规定the orbiter will be safer， cheaper and require 需要less preparation 准备time than the shuttle.穿梭机 it would be able to transport运输 four crew members by 2012 – though it would be available 有效的for rescue 救援missions 任务by 2010. nasa 国家航天局says the craft太空船 should be able to transport injured 受伤的or ill space station crew members to “definitive medical care”最权威的医疗机构 within 24 hours.

 

5. according to the passage， the funds， if granted， would

a. be used for developing the orbiter only.

b. be equally shared by the two projects under space launch initiative.

c. be given to marshall space flight center.

d. be mainly used to improve space launch technology

解析：7u.s. president 总统george w. bush布什 asked congress 国会for about usd1 billion10亿for space launch initiative空间发射倡议 in 2004， funds 资金that would be almost equally平等地split分解 between the orbital space plane轨道航天飞机 and next generation下一代launch technology.发射技术