Passage Three
Humanity is a new experiment on planet Earth. For most of its history, life on Earth was restricted to the sea. Living things began to populate the land slightly over 400 million years ago, and humans have existed for no more than 3 million years.
One way to represent the evolution of tire is to compress the 4.6-billion-year history of Earth into a 1-year-long film. In such a film, Earth forms as the film begins on January 1, and through all of January and February it cools and is cratered (变成坑状) and the first oceans form. But those oceans remain lifeless until sometime in March or early April, when the first living things develop. The 4-billion-year history of Precambrian (前赛武纪) evolution lasts until the film reaches mid-November, when primitive ocean life begins to evolve into complex organisms such as trilobites (三叶虫).
If we examine the land instead of the oceans, we find a lifeless waste. But once our film shows plant and animal life on the land, about November 28, evolution proceeds rapidly. Dinosaurs, for example, appear about December 12 and vanish by Christmas Eve, as mammals (哺乳动物) and birds flourish.
Throughout the 1-year-run of our film there are no humans, and even during the last days of the year as the mammals rise and dominate the landscape, there are no people. In the early evening of December 31, vaguely human forms move through the grasslands, and by late evening they begin making stone tools. The Stone Age lasts until about 11:45 pm, and the first signs of civilization, towns and cities, do not appear until 11: 54 pm. The Christian era begins only 14 seconds before the New Year, and the Declaration of Independence is signed with I second to spare.

In the compressed history of Earth the Declaration of Independence is signed（）

A:a long time before the New Year B:immediately after the New Year's Day C:just one second before the New Year D:right on the New Year's Day

After that, Madame Curie did one experiment after ______.

A:one B:other C:another D:the other

Passage Three Humanity is a new experiment on planet Earth. For most of its history, life on Earth was restricted to the sea. Living things began to populate the land slightly over 400 million years ago, and humans have existed for no more than 3 million years. One way to represent the evolution of tire is to compress the 4.6-billion-year history of Earth into a 1-year-long film. In such a film, Earth forms as the film begins on January 1, and through all of January and February it cools and is cratered (变成坑状) and the first oceans form. But those oceans remain lifeless until sometime in March or early April, when the first living things develop. The 4-billion-year history of Precambrian (前赛武纪) evolution lasts until the film reaches mid-November, when primitive ocean life begins to evolve into complex organisms such as trilobites (三叶虫). If we examine the land instead of the oceans, we find a lifeless waste. But once our film shows plant and animal life on the land, about November 28, evolution proceeds rapidly. Dinosaurs, for example, appear about December 12 and vanish by Christmas Eve, as mammals (哺乳动物) and birds flourish. Throughout the 1-year-run of our film there are no humans, and even during the last days of the year as the mammals rise and dominate the landscape, there are no people. In the early evening of December 31, vaguely human forms move through the grasslands, and by late evening they begin making stone tools. The Stone Age lasts until about 11:45 pm, and the first signs of civilization, towns and cities, do not appear until 11: 54 pm. The Christian era begins only 14 seconds before the New Year, and the Declaration of Independence is signed with I second to spare.

In the compressed history of Earth the Declaration of Independence is signed（）

A:a long time before the New Year B:immediately after the New Year's Day C:just one second before the New Year D:right on the New Year's Day

Scientists can learn about man by studying animals, such as mice, rats and monkeys. The scientists in a laboratory are experimenting on mice and they are studying the relationship between diet and health.
In this experiment, the scientists are studying the relationship between the amount of food the mice can eat and their health. The mice are in three groups. All these groups are receiving the same healthy diet. But the amount of food that each group is receiving is different. The first group is eating one cup of food each day, the second two cups, and the third three cups.
After three years, the healthiest group is the one that is only eating one cup of food each day. The mice in this group are thinner than normal mice but they are more active. Most of the day, they are running, playing with one another, and using the equipment in their cages. Also, they are living longer. Mice usually five for two years, while most of the mice in this group are still alive after three years.
The second group of mice is of normal weight, They are healthy, too. They are active, but not as active as the thinner mice. But they are only living about two years.
The last group of mice is receiving more food than the other two groups. Most of the day, these mice are eating or sleeping. They are not active. These mice are living longer than the scientists though—about a year and a half, but they are not healthy. The are sick more often than the other two groups.

How long do normal mice live according to the passage（　）

A:about one year B:about a year and a half C:about two years D:about three years

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(航开飞机)on space station missions 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(轨道航天飞机), 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(轨道航天飞机)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(决定性的) 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 1, 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(倡议), 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.
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.

{{B}}第三篇{{/B}}

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.

第三篇 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(航天飞机)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(轨道航天飞机)，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(轨道航天飞机)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(决定性的)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(倡议)，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． 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．

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 (航天飞机) on space station missions 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 (轨道航天飞机), 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 (轨道航天飞机) 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 (决定性的) 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 1, 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 (倡议), 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.
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.

When a young man was 16,his father seriously said to him,"I’ ll give you whatever you want before you are 18. But after that, I won’ t care much about you. " When his 18th birthday was coming, the young man began thinking about looking for a job. So he sent his resumes (简历)to many companies he liked on the Internet. "However, most got no replies," he said. "Maybe they were surprised about my primary school education. "
By chance ,one of his friends was looking for someone ,who could work as an egg porter(搬运工) in the supermarket, for half a dollar a box. Facing lots of difficulties in getting a job, he said,"I’ll take this job. At least I can make some money for my gas. "Then every day,he drove his car, his 18th birthday gift,to work in the supermarket. He did that for three months.
Later he heard that a newspaper was looking for a network technician (网络技术员), so heasked for it. But they were also worried about his school education. He practiced his skill right infront of the computer , and showed the managers the web pages he had made. He started to work the next day, and became the leader of the network department(部门)in less than a year.
And now, the 23-year-old man is a boss. Last year, he started a magazine for children, with himself as the editor in chief(主编). And the only writer was his father.
How long did the young man do the job as an egg porter

A:For less than a year. B:For one day. C:For three months. D:For two years.