Unit4AstronomythescienceofthestarsWillthecontinentsjoinagaininthefarfuture?Inthebeginning，morethan4.6billionyearsago，theworldwasaballofburninggas，goingroundandroundthroughspace.Atfirst，hotgaseswereabletoescapeintoouterspace，butastheEarthcooled，theywereheldbygravitytoformtheearlyatmosphere.Cloudsbegantodevelopaswatervapourcollectedintheair.Andthenitbegantopourwithrain，causingtheearlyoceanstoriseup.Ittookhundredsofmillionsofyearsforthefirstlandmassestoappear.About250millionyearsago，long，longaftertheEarthhadformed，allthecontinentsofthetimehadjoinedtogethertoformasupercontinentcalledPangaea.Thissupercontinentbrokeupabout200millionyearsagotoformtwogiantcontinents，GondwanaandLaurasia.GondwanawasmadeupofwhatisnowAfrica，SouthAmerica，Australia，AntarcticaandIndia.TheIndiansubcontinentlayofftheeastcoastofAfrica，beforeitbrokeoffandmovednorthrapidly.ItcollidedwithAsia，creatingoneoftheworld’sgreatestmountainranges，whichextendsformorethan2,400kilometers—theHimalayas.Bynow，ourworldhadstartedtolooklikesomethingwewouldrecognize.Theamazingprocessofplatetectonics(板块构造)，inwhichtheEarth’slandmassesmoveslowlyacrosstheEarth’scrust(外壳)，isstillcontinuing.Farinthefuture，somescientistshavepredictedthatthepresentcontinentswilljoinagain，toformanewsupercontinent.Onlytimewilltell...1.Pangaean.[海洋]泛大陆；盘古大陆2.giantadj.巨大的3.collidevi.碰撞，相撞判断正(T)误(F)1.Theearlyoceansappearedbecauseoftherainwhichdevelopedfromhotgases.(T)2.PangaeawasmadeupofwhatisnowAfrica，SouthAmerica，Australia，AntarcticaandIndia.(F)3.Onlytimewilltellwhetherthepresentcontinentswilljoinagain.(T)PeriodOneWarmingUp，Prereading&ReadingⅠ.单词检测1.astronomyn.天文学2.systemn.系统；体系；制度3.religionn.宗教；宗教信仰4.theoryn.学说；理论5.violentadj.猛烈的；激烈的；强暴的6.atmospheren.大气层；气氛7.unlikeprep.与……不同；不像8.fundamentaladj.基本的；基础的9.harmfuladj.有害的10.chainn.链子；连锁；锁链11.multiplyvi.&vt.乘；增加12.existvi.生存；存在13.thusadv.因此；于是14.puzzlen.迷；难题；vt.&vi.(使)迷惑；(使)为难Ⅱ.短语检测1.solarsystem太阳系2.intime及时；终于3.allsortsof各种各样的4.layeggs下蛋5.givebirthto产生；分娩6.inone’sturn轮到某人7.prevent...from阻止；制止Ⅰ.阅读课文，匹配各段落大意Para.1(C)A.Theformation(形成)oftheearth.Para.2(A)B.Theimportanceofwaterforlife.Para.3(B)C.Awidelyacceptedtheoryabouttheformationoftheuniverse.Para.4(E)D.Thearrivalofhumansandtheirimpactontheearth.Para.5(D)E.Thedevelopmentofplantsandanimalsontheearth.Ⅱ.阅读课文，判断正(T)误(F)1.Itwasnotuntilbetween4.5and3.8billionyearsagothatpeopleknewwhattheearthwastobecome.(T)2.Waterbegantoappearonthesurfaceoftheearthbeforegaseswereproduced.(F)3.Theglobalwarmingwillhaveagreateffectonhumanbeings.(T)Ⅲ.课文阅读理解1.Whatbegantoappearontheearth’ssurfacewhenitcooleddown?A.Water.B.Gases.C.Acids.答案A2.Fromthelastparagraphwecaninferthattheauthoris.A.confidentB.sadC.concerned答案C3.Whatdoestheword“they”inthesentences“Itexplodedloudlywithfireandrock.Theywereintimetoproducecarbondioxide，nitrogen，watervapourand...”referto?A.Planets.B.Fireandrock.C.Gases.答案B4.Whichistherightorderofthedevelopmentoflife?A.Smallcleveranimals→shellfish→dinosaurs→mammals.B.Shellfish→dinosaurs→smallcleveranimals→mammals.C.Shellfish→dinosaurs→mammals→smallcleveranimals.答案C5.Whyweremammalsdifferentfromotherlifeforms?A.Becausetheygavebirt...
