阅读下列短文，从每题所给的 A、B、C 和 D 四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题纸上将该项涂黑。
Beginning as early as 2020, NASA will offer visits to the International Space Station for $35,000 per night, not including transportation, to pretty much anyone who can pass a physical.
The reason why this is a mistake, and a big one, is that NASA has worked for generations to create an image of astronauts as extraordinarily skilled, highly trained, courageous heroes. For example, NASA invites grade schools to participate in creating experiments that are carried on the space station. The astronauts talk to kids from space, sending a message that if you study, work hard and learn math and science, you may reach these heights, too.
According to one report, Las Vegas-based Bigelow Aerospace is making plans to haul four tourists at a time to the space station on SpaceX rockets. U.S. taxpayers forked over a hundred billion dollars to build the International Space Station. It would be nice to try to preserve the image of it as an inspirational achievement, instead of turning it into a flying Howard Johnson’s.
NASA’s press release about the space tourism program tries to cast it as a partnership with the private sector to “provide expanded opportunities” at the space station to “manufacture, market and promote commercial products and services.” But it also states that one goal is “quantifying NASA’s long-term demand for activities in low-Earth orbit.”
The space station has been costing U.S. taxpayers between $1.5 billion and $3 billion each year. If it’s perceived as a private Disneyland for the top tax bracket, public support for the entire space program could be at risk.
But worse, we will have degraded what once inspired us. Sometimes a nation needs stars in its eyes.
21.What is NASA’s space tourism program?
A.To invite students to attend their experiments.
B.To send visitors to the space station.
C.To run a restaurant in the space station.
D.To build a Disneyland in the space station.
22.Why does the writer view the space tourism program as a big mistake?
A.It may influence the science experiment negatively.
B.It will cost people a lot of money.
C.It is too dangerous for visitors.
D.It may destroy the image of astronauts.
23.What does the underlined word “stars” refer to?
A.Planets. B. Satellites. C. Wealthy tourists. D. Astronauts
A这篇文章提到了美国航天局的新的旅游计划，最早在2020年，只要支付足够的钱以及健康状况允许，普通人将可以登上国际空间站。作者认为这是一个极大的错误。因为在美国，宇航员是一种英雄的形象，是青少年努力学习的榜样。此举将大大削弱宇航员的形象。
21．选B。题目问美国宇航局有什么旅游计划，选项B是正确答案，选项D有一定干扰性，文章倒数第二段提到不要把空间站变成一个富人的迪士尼乐园，这是一个比喻。
22. 选D。全文的中心思想就是这个。文章开头提到这个计划是一个错误，文章末尾提到人民还是需要有“星”可追。
23. 选D。这个“星”就是人们心中的英雄—宇航员。
A
NASA’s (美国宇航局的)newly announced space tourism program is possibly the biggest mistake in the agency’s history.Beginning as early as 2020, NASA will offer visits to the International Space Station for $35,000 per night, not including transportation, to pretty much anyone who can pass a physical.
The reason why this is a mistake, and a big one, is that NASA has worked for generations to create an image of astronauts as extraordinarily skilled, highly trained, courageous heroes. For example, NASA invites grade schools to participate in creating experiments that are carried on the space station. The astronauts talk to kids from space, sending a message that if you study, work hard and learn math and science, you may reach these heights, too.
According to one report, Las Vegas-based Bigelow Aerospace is making plans to haul four tourists at a time to the space station on SpaceX rockets. U.S. taxpayers forked over a hundred billion dollars to build the International Space Station. It would be nice to try to preserve the image of it as an inspirational achievement, instead of turning it into a flying Howard Johnson’s.
NASA’s press release about the space tourism program tries to cast it as a partnership with the private sector to “provide expanded opportunities” at the space station to “manufacture, market and promote commercial products and services.” But it also states that one goal is “quantifying NASA’s long-term demand for activities in low-Earth orbit.”
The space station has been costing U.S. taxpayers between $1.5 billion and $3 billion each year. If it’s perceived as a private Disneyland for the top tax bracket, public support for the entire space program could be at risk.
But worse, we will have degraded what once inspired us. Sometimes a nation needs stars in its eyes.
21.What is NASA’s space tourism program?
A.To invite students to attend their experiments.
B.To send visitors to the space station.
C.To run a restaurant in the space station.
D.To build a Disneyland in the space station.
22.Why does the writer view the space tourism program as a big mistake?
A.It may influence the science experiment negatively.
B.It will cost people a lot of money.
C.It is too dangerous for visitors.
D.It may destroy the image of astronauts.
23.What does the underlined word “stars” refer to?
A.Planets. B. Satellites. C. Wealthy tourists. D. Astronauts
A
21．选B。题目问美国宇航局有什么旅游计划，选项B是正确答案，选项D有一定干扰性，文章倒数第二段提到不要把空间站变成一个富人的迪士尼乐园，这是一个比喻。
22. 选D。全文的中心思想就是这个。文章开头提到这个计划是一个错误，文章末尾提到人民还是需要有“星”可追。
23. 选D。这个“星”就是人们心中的英雄—宇航员。
