Unit4WarmingUp&Reading阅读理解ATheearthistheonlyplanetthatscientiststhinkhaslife.Whydoestheearthhavelifewhiletheotherplanetsdon’t?Foronething,theearthisjusttherighttemperature.Asthethirdplanetfromthesun,theearthseemstobejusttherightdistanceaway.Theplanetswhichareclosertothesunaresohotthattheirsurfacesbake(烘烤)inthesun.Thefarthestplanetsarecoldballs.Whentheearthdeveloped—whichscientistsbelievemayhavehappenedabout4billionyearsago—manygasescoveredtheearth.Thegasescausedtheearthtobehot.Butsomethingwonderfulhappened.Thetemperaturewasjustrightforthickcloudstoform.Itrainedveryhardforaverylongtime.Thisgavetheearthitsoceans.Watermadeitpossibleforplantstogrow.Theplantscreatedoxygenintheatmosphere.Oxygenisthegasthathumansandanimalsbreathe.Onlyoneotherplanetinthesolarsystemseemstobesomethingliketheearth.ThatplanetisMars(火星).Marsissmallerthantheearth,anditisquiteabitcooler.Butitisnottoocoldforhumans.Onsomedays,thetemperaturesareaslowasawinterdayinthenorthernUnitedStates.Ifyouworeaspecialspacesuit,youcouldwalkaroundonMars.Youwouldhavetobringyourownairtobreathe,becausetheaironMarsistoothintobreathe.Marshasthelargestvolcano(火山)inthesolarsystem.Itissixteenmileshigh.Thehighestvolcanoontheearthisfivemileshigh.Themostunexpected(未预料到的)sightonMarsisdried-upriverbeds.ScientistsbelievethatMarswasoncemuchbetterthanitisnow.DoesthismeantherecouldhavebeenlivingthingsonMars?Scientistsarenotsure,buttherehasbeennosignsofar.1.WhichofthefollowingisNOTthereasonthattheearthhaslife?A.Theearthisjusttherighttemperature.B.ThevolcanosontheeartharelowerthanthoseonMars.C.Thereisoxygenintheatmosphereoftheearth.D.Theearthseemstobejusttherightdistanceawayfromthesun.2.Theunderlinedphrase“thethirdplanet”inthefirstparagraphrefersto.A.theSunB.theMoonC.theEarthD.theMars3.WhichofthefollowingabouttheMarsisNOTtrue?A.TherecouldhavebeenlivingthingsonMars.B.Marshasthelargestvolcanointhesolarsystem.C.ThereisalmostnooxygenintheaironMars.D.Marsissmallerthantheearth,anditisquiteabitcooler.4.Whichofthefollowingisprobablythebesttitleforthepassage?A.TheEarthB.TheMoonC.PlanetsintheSolarSystemD.MarsisMostLiketheEarthBWhenGretchenBaxtergetshomefromworkasaNewYorkCitybookeditor,shechecksherBlackberryatthedoor.“Ithinkweareattachedtothesedevicesinawaythatisnotalwayspositive,”saysBaxter,who’dratherfocusathomeonherhusbandand12-year-olddaughter.“It’sthereanditbeckons(召唤).That’shumannature(but)...wekindofgetcrazysometimesandwedon’tknowwhereitshouldstop.”Americansareconnectedatunprecedented(前所未有的)levels—93%nowusecellphonesorwirelessdevices;onethirdofthoseare“smartphones”thatallowuserstobrowsetheWebandchecke-mail,amongotherthings.Thebenefitsareobvious:checkingmessagesontheroad,stayingintouchwithfriendsandfamily,efficientlyusingtimeoncespentwaitingaround.Thedownside:often,we’reeffectivelydisconnectingfromthoseinthesameroom.That’swhy,despiteallthetechnologythatmakescommunicatingeasierthanever,westoppedtalkingtooneanother.FromtextingatdinnertopostingonFacebookfromworkorcheckinge-mailwhileonadate,theconnectivityrevolutioniscreatingalotofdividedattention,nottomentionsocialanxiety.Manyanalystssayit’stimetostepbackandreassess(再评价).“Whatwe’regoingtoseeinthefutureisnewopportunitiesforpeopletobepluggedinandconnectedlikeeverbefore,”saysScottCampbell.“Itcanbeagoodthing,butIalsoseenewwaysthetraditionalsocialconstru...
