河北省卢龙县2014高考英语阅读理解自练题连载（5）及答案阅读理解Whyshouldmankindexplorespace?Whyshouldmoney,timeandeffortbespentexploringandresearchingsomethingwithsofewapparentbenefits?WhyshouldresourcesbespentonspaceratherthanonconditionsandpeopleonEarth?Thesearequestionsthat,understandably,areveryoftenasked.Perhapsthebestanswerliesinourgeneticmakeup(基因构成)ashumanbeings.Whatdroveourancestorstomovefromthetreesintotheplains,andonintoallpossibleareasandenvironments?Thewiderthespreadofaspecies,thebetteritschanceofsurvival.Perhapsthebestreasonforexploringspaceisthisgenetictendencytoexpandwhereverpossible.Nearlyeverysuccessfulcivilizationhasexplored,becausebydoingso,anydangersinsurroundingareascanbeidentifiedandpreparedfor.Withoutknowledge,wemaybecompletelydestroyedbythedanger.Withknowledge,wecanlessenitseffects.Explorationalsoallowsmineralsandotherpotential(潜在的)resourcestobefound.Evenifwehavenoimmediateneedofthem,theywillperhapsbeusefullater.Resourcesmaybemorethanphysicalpossessions.Knowledgeortechniqueshavebeenacquiredthroughexploration.Thetechniquesmayhavemedicalapplicationswhichcanimprovethelengthorqualityofourlives.Wehavealreadybenefitedfromotherspin-offsincludingimprovementsinearthquakeprediction,insatellitesforweatherforecastingandincommunicationssystems.Evennon-stickpansandmirroredsunglassesareby-products(副产品)oftechnologicaldevelopmentsinthespace.Whilemanyresourcesarespentonwhatseemsasmallreturn,theexplorationofspaceallowscreative,braveandintelligentmembersofourspeciestofocusonwhatmayservetosaveus.Whilespacemayholdmanywondersandexplanationsofhowtheuniversewasformedorhowitworks,italsoholdsdangers.Thedangerexists,butknowledgecanhelphumanbeingtosurvive.Withouttheabilitytoreachoutacrossspace,thechancetosaveourselvesmightnotexist.WhileEarthistheonlyplanetknowntosupportlife,surelytheadaptiveabilityofhumanswouldallowustoliveonotherplanets.Itistruethatthelifestylewouldbedifferent,buthumanlifeandcultureshaveadaptedinthepastandsurelycouldinthefuture.16.WhydoestheauthormentionthequestionsinParagraph1?A.Toexpresshisdoubts.B.Tocomparedifferentideas.C.Tointroducepointsfordiscussion.D.TodescribetheconditionsonEarth.17.WhatisthereasonforexploringspacebasedonParagraph2?A.Humansarenature-borntodoso.B.Humanshavethetendencytofight.C.Humansmayfindnewsourcesoffood.D.Humansdon’tliketostayinthesameplace.18.Theunderlinedword“spin-offs”inParagraph4probablyrefersto______.A.survivalchancesB.unexpectedbenefitsC.potentialresourcesD.physicalpossessions19.Whatmakesitpossibleforhumanstoliveonotherplanets?A.Theadaptiveabilityofhumans.B.Resourcesontheearth..C.Ourgeneticmakeup.D.By-productsinspaceexploration.20.Whichofthestatementscanbestsumupthepassage?A.Spaceexplorationhascreatedmanywonders.B.Spaceexplorationprovidedthebestvalueformoney.C.Spaceexplorationcanbenefitscienceandtechnology.D.SpaceexplorationmayhelpusavoidpotentialproblemsonEarth.【参考答案16--20】CABADAYouneedtobeofacertainagetounderstandwhysomanypeopleinHollywoodarecaringaboutthepossibleclosingdownofMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer(米高梅电影公司)．Forthepast40years,itsoutputhasbeengood,butnowitisontheropes,withdebtsof$3.7billionandwillhavetoselloffitsmostvaluableassets(资产).Initsgoldentime,MGMstoodforsomething．IfWarnerBrothersmeantsocialdramasandgangstermovies,andDisneymeantcartoonfilms,thenMGMwashealthyfantasy．Thisbusinessmodelfoundits...
