大学生英语竞赛C类非英语专业-23
reference group(总分100,考试时间90分钟)
Reading Comprehension
The US space agency"s (NASA) Mars rovers are celebrating a remarkable five years on the Red Planet.
The first rover, named Spirit, landed on January 3, 2004, followed by its twin, Opportunity, 21 days later.
It was hoped the robots would work for at least three months, but their longevity in the freezing Martian conditions has surprised everyone.
The rovers" data has revealed much about the history of water on the equator of Mars billions of years ago.
"These rovers are incredibly resilient considering the extreme environment the hardware ex
periences every day," said John Callas, project manager for Spirit and Opportunity at NASA"s Jet Propulsion laboratory in Pasadena, California. "We realize that a **ponent on either vehicle could fail at any time and end a mission with no advance notice, but on the other hand, we could accomplish the equivalent of four more prime missions on each rover in the year ahead."
Spirit is exploring a 150 kin-wide bowl-shaped depression known as Gusev Crater. It has found an abundance of rocks and soils bearing evidence of extensive exposure to water.
Opportunity is on the other side of the planet, in a flat region known as Meridiani Planum. Its data have shown conclusively that this part of Mars experienced liquid water on its surface. The sedimentary rocks at its study location were laid down under gently flowing surface water.
The rovers are now showing some serious signs of wear and tear.
Spirit has to drive backwards everywhere it goes because of a jammed wheel, and Oppor
tunity"s robotic arm has a glitch in a shoulder joint because of a broken electrical wire.
There have been times also when the vehicles have been dangerously short on power because of the dust covering on their panels.
When Spirit and Opportunity do eventually fail, NASA will have to wait awhile for its next surface mission.
It recently delayed this year"s planned launch of a much more capable vehicle, known as the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) to 2011. The rover project has been beset by technical and budgetary problems. The decision was taken not long after Europe also postponed its rover venture known as ExoMars. Officials cited cost concerns. It is likely all surface missions in future for NASA and the European Space Agency will be joint affairs because of the high cost of getting spacecraft down on to the planet.
NASA lost contact with its static Phoenix lander in November. It was operating in much more difficult conditions at a high-latitude location.
Answer the following questions with the information given in the passage.
1. Why is the robot" longevity in the freezing Martian conditions surprising?
2. What has Spirit found that has been exposed to water?
3. What"s wrong with Spirit according to the passage?
4. How many robots launched by NASA are mentioned in the passage?
5. Why will NASA and the European Space **bine their efforts to explore Mars in the future?
At least 600,000 jobs could disappear in the UK this year, according to a report by a personnel managers" professional body. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development says even those who escape redundancy will face pay freezes. It says that while total unemployment will not hit three million, the time between New Year and Easter will be the worst for job losses since 1991. According to official statistics, there were 1.86 million people out of work in the UK in October, 2008. This figure was the highest since 1997, taking the overall unemployment rate to 6 percent. David Frost of the British Chamber of Commerce says, "It is the worst year. Companies are in survival mode."
The CIPD, which represents managers and personnel staff, issued its gloomy forecast a day after children"s retailer Adams joined a growing list of well-known chains applying for bankruptcy protection. Chief economist John Philpott said, "In the face of some skepticism, the CIPD warned that 2008 would be the UK"s worst year for jobs in a decade.
It was, but in retrospect it will be seen as merely the slow-motion prelude to what will be the worst year for jobs in almost two decades. The CIPD"s annual barometer forecast is that the UK economy will shed at least 600,000 jobs in 2009. Overall, the 18-month period from the start of the recession in mid-2008 until the end of 2009 will witness the loss of around three quarters of a million jobs, equivalent to the total net rise in employment in the preceding three years." Mr. Philpott said job losses were likely to continue into 2010, taking the final toll to about one million.

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