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 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.
【答案】21. B 22. D 23. D
【解析】
这是一篇说明文。文章介绍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题详解】
细节理解题。根据第二段中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.（早在2020年，NASA提出，对于健康情况允许的几乎任何人，只要支付35000美金，不包含交通费，就可以在国际空间站过一晚。）可知，NASA的太空旅游项目是将游客送上空间站。故选B。
【22题详解】
推理判断题。根据第三段首句The reason 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. （太空旅游项目是一个很大的错误的原因是NASA通过几代人的努力将宇航员的形象塑造为非常熟练的、训练有素的并且勇敢的英雄。）以及第四段最后一句It would be nice to try to preserve the image of it as an inspirational achievement（努力将宇航员的形象保持为鼓舞人心的成就是比较好的）可推断，这个计划最大的错误就是破坏了宇航员的形象。故选D。
【23题详解】
词义猜测题。根据文章第四段最后一句（继续将宇航员的形象保持为鼓舞人心的成就是比较好的）以及画线前一句But worse, we will have degraded what once inspired us.（但更糟糕的是，我们会贬低曾经激励我们的东西）可知，宇航员在人们心中一直是值得尊敬和学习的，我们贬低激励我们的东西是糟糕的。所以画线单词所在句子意思为一个民族需要这样的值得学习的人，也就是指需要这样享有盛誉的宇航员。故选D。
