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Of all the problems facing modern astronomers, perhaps the most fascinating is "Can intelligent life exist elsewhere?" Since the ea
rth is an unimportant planet moving round an unimportant star, it would be a pride on our part to suppose that we are the only intelligent beings in the universe. But to obtain proof is difficult.
The main trouble is that our neighbour worlds, the bodies in the Solar System appear to be unsuitable for advanced life-forms. The Moon may be ruled out at once;it has hardly any atmosphere. Venus is little better;the surface temperature is extremely high and the atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide. Mars with a very thin atmosphere and a severe shortage of water, may well support simple plant life but there seems be no hope of finding animals, while the attractive Martians of the story-tellers have long since been given up.
Of course this has not stopped the flow of bright ideas for communicating with the supposed people on Mars. In the early nineteenth century the great mathematician Gauss suggested planting tree-patterns in Siberia, that the Martians would see them and reply suitably. Following up this idea, the Austrian scientist Karl Littmw proposed digging very wide ditches In the sahara, triangular（三角形的）in pattern, and then filling them with petrol or some such substance so that, when lit,the ditches would present Martian observers with a “flaming triangle” which would show the existence here of intelligent minds. Even better were the plants of Charles Cros, a French writer of the 1870's, who wanted to build a large mirror to reflect the sun's rays and concentrate them on the surface of Mars, thereby making a vast, burning-glass. By swinging the mirror around, Gros explained it would be practicable to write words in the Martian deserts simply by burning the sand. For many years he bombarded（接连责问的）the French government with literature about this plan and was very disappointed when no official interest was shown.
1. The opinion of the writer is that ________.
A. there may be other intelligent beings in the universe
B. there are other intelligent beings in the universe
C. people living on the earth are almost certainly the only intelligent beings in the universe
D. people living on the earth are definitely the only intelligent beings in the universe
Best Answer:A
详解：答案A。标题需求读懂作者的观念。第一段最终两句指出，因为地球是一颗环绕一颗不重要的恒星滚动的行星，因而咱们可以骄傲地假定咱们是世界中仅有的智能生命。可是要证明这种假定很难。可见，咱们是世界中仅有存在的智能生命这种假定没有确凿的根据。换句?担澜缰锌梢源嬖谄渌闹悄苌项说法正确。B、C、D三项说法均未必定，故不对。
2.There is unlikely any life on Venus because ________.
A. the surface temperature is too hot
B. the weather is too cold
C. it is severely short of water
D. it has a very thin atmosphere
Best Answer:A
详解：答案A。第二段第三句指出了金星不存在生命的缘由:体现温度过高，而且大气首要是由二氧化碳构成。A项说法与之相符；B项与此相反，故不对;C、D两项不是金星上不存在生命的缘由，也不对。
3.It seems that Mars ______.
A. may be inhabited by attractive Martians
B. may have some vegetable life
C. can have no life at all
D. may have both vegetable and animal life
Best Answer:B
详解：答案B。从第二段最终一句中的may well support simple plant life but there seems no hope of finding animals可知，火星上可以有植物生命，但没有动物，可是火星人存在的说法也被扔掉了。B项说法正确，A、C、D三项不对。
4.Gauss wanted to establish contact with the Martians by______.
A. planting trees in triangular shape
B. filling wide ditches with oil
C. building a large minor
D. making patterns with trees
Best Answer:D
详解：答案D。标题问及Gauss想经过何种方法与火星人树立联络。第三段第二句指出19世纪前期，巨大的数学Gauss 主张在西伯利亚种树，以便火星人看见并恰当地作出反应。B、C两项与此不符。A项为烦扰项，文章并没有说以三角方法来种树，故A项不对。D项说法与此共同，因而D项为正确答案。
5.Charles Cros felt ______.
A. angry when the government paid little attention to his ideas
B. pleased when the government did take notice .of his plan
C. surprised that the officials were interested in his suggestion
D. disappointed at the lack of interest shown in his plan Passage Three
Best Answer:D
详解：答案D。从第三段最终一句可知Charles Cros的情绪是感到很绝望，因为政府无人对他的方案感快乐喜爱。因而D项为正确答案。
