Just because you don't work for NASA doesn't mean you'll never make it as an astronaut.In the world of private space tourism，a little training could be all that you need.And there's an app for that.

Space Nation，a space tourism company，recently put its app Space Nation Navigator on the market.The app aims to train future space travelers using games，quizzes，and fitness challenges that fall into three groups：“body”，“mind”，and“social”．

Each of the challenges is designed to help you develop the skills you'd need to survive in space.One question is called“Did you clean behind the fridge？”and is designed to stress the unpleasant chores astronauts have to do to keep things tidy.There are“survival” quizzes that test your knowledge of how to properly build a fire or read a map.The app also helps you take some athletic challenges，like a running race designed to train you to escape a meteor (流星)zone.

“Space Nation Navigator offers a way for anyone，anywhere to have a 15minute astronaut experience every day.These astronaut skills—team building，problem solving and positive life lessons—are not only important for the survival in space，”Space Nation CEO Kale said，“but they are also crucial in your daily life.”

New challenges are added to your list every few hours，and you can compete against other users for high scores.If you get enough points，you can become qualified (有资格的)for reallife training experiences with Space Nation.In 2019，Space Nation plans to hold an international competition to find one astronaut that the program will send to space.

【语篇解读】　语篇类型是说明文，主题语境是科学与技术。Space Nation发布了一款手机应用程序，可以帮助使用者为将来进入太空旅行做准备。

1．Who are most interested in the app Space Nation Navigator?

A．Those who want to work for NASA.

B．Those who want to have a space travel.

C．Those who want to play mobile phone games.

D．Those who want to challenge their mind and body.

B　[推理判断题。根据第二段中的The app aims to train future space travelers...可推知，想进行太空旅行的人对这款应用程序最感兴趣。]

2．What can people do through using that app?

A．Watch videos of astronauts.

B．Get regular athletic exercises.

C．Learn some outdoor survival skills.

D．Receive online books on astronaut skills.

C　[细节理解题。根据第三段中的There are “survival”quizzes that test your knowledge of how to properly build a fire or read a map可知，通过这款应用程序，用户可以学到一些户外生存技能。]

3．What does the underlined word“crucial”in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．Vital.　　　　　　　 B．Special.

C．Reliable. D．Amazing.

A　[词义猜测题。根据第四段中的These astronaut skills...are not only important for the survival in space可知，这里是指这些技能在我们的日常生活中也很重要。]

4．What would be the best title for the text?

A．Say hello to private space tourism

B．Challenge yourself to be an astronaut

C．Get to know Space Nation's new plan

D．Train to be an astronaut on your smart phone

D　[标题判断题。文章主要介绍了通过手机应用程序Space Nation Navigator，用户可以掌握一些宇航员技能，故选D项。]

Japanese engineer Masaaki Nagumo had always dreamed of operating a robot from “Mobile Suit Gundam”，a popular animation(动画)TV series.It was Nagumo's favourite show when he was a child.The series features huge，humancontrolled machines in battle.

Now Nagumo has made the show come to life.Inspired by the machines，he has built a large robot called LWMononofu.The farming machinery company Sakakibara Kikai developed it.The robot is 8.5 meters tall，has two legs and weighs more than seven tons.It has a seating area with devices for the pilot to control the robot's arms and legs.

The “Mobile Suit Gundam”series inspired movies，video games and more.And Nagumo thought the robot could be popular as well.“I think this can be turned into a business opportunity，”he said.

Sakakibara Kikai develops robots and entertainment machines in addition to its main agriculture machinery business.At a price of about $930 an hour，people can rent the machines for children's birthday parties and other events.The company has created robots of all sizes.There is the almost 3.5metertall Landwalker，the smaller Kids' Walker Cyclops，and the MechBoxer boxing(拳击)machine.

But the Mononofu stands above them all.It also does more complex movements.It can move its fingers and turn its upper body，and walk forward and backward. However，it moves very slowly—at a speed of less than one kilometer per hour. Although it may be slow，the Mononofu is very powerful.The air gun on its right arm shoots(发射)balls of soft material at 140 kilometers per hour.

“As an animationinspired robot that one can ride，I think this is the biggest in the world，”Nagumo said.But Mononofu might be a bit too large.It is unable to leave the factory without being taken apart because it was built taller than the entrance.

【语篇解读】　语篇类型是说明文，主题语境是科学与技术。受自己幼年时一部热门的动画片的启发，日本工程师Masaaki Nagumo建造了一台大型机器人，而且这台机器人有着很好的商业前景。

5．What inspired Nagumo to create LWMononofu?

A．A machine. B．A video game.

C．A movie. D．An animation series.

D　[细节理解题。根据第一段的第一句、第二段中的Inspired by the machines，he has built a large robot called LWMononofu和最后一段中的As an animationinspired robot...可知，Nagumo发明机器人LWMononofu的灵感来自于自己幼年时喜爱的一个动画片。]

6．What's the advantage of LWMononofu，compared with other robots made by Sakakibara Kikai?

A．It's safer. B．It's more powerful.

C．It walks faster. D．It's more flexible.

D　[推理判断题。根据第五段中的It also does more complex movements.It can move its fingers and turn its upper body，and walk forward and backward可知，与Sakakibara Kikai生产的其他机器人相比，这台机器人的优点之一是它的四肢比较灵活。]

7．What makes LWMononofu outstanding?

A．Its size. B．Its popularity.

C．Its function. D．Its material.

A　[推理判断题。根据第二段和最后一段中Nagumo说的话I think this is the biggest in the world可知，这台机器人体型庞大，这一特点让它堪称世界之最。]

8．What may be the best title for the text?

A．Movie robots to be remembered

B．New robots popular with farmers

C．A Japanese engineer builds a huge robot

D．Robots step into the daily lives of Japanese

C　[标题判断题。C项概括了本文大意，故为最佳标题。]

Ⅱ.语法填空

阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Reading aloud is a good habit for children.Some parents may ask their children to read aloud at 1.______ early age，but reading aloud to kids may help them focus better，according to a new study 2.________(publish)in the journal Pediatrics.These children are not only better able to sit still but also better able to get along 3.______ (good)with their friends and teachers.

The research 4.________(do) by a team led by Dr.Alan Mendelsohn of NYU Langone Medical Center.The researchers studied how children's 5.________(program) that promote(促进)positive parenting activities，such as reading out loud and playing pretend，affect children's 6.________(develop)．

Researchers performed a test after some children took part 7.________ their Video Interaction Project from birth to age 3.At every visit，the families in the program were filmed reading or 8.________(play)with their children.The film was then reviewed by a coach 9.________ helped parents learn more about their own powerful role in their children's growth.Results showed that these children could do things more carefully and had 10.________(few)attention problems by the time they started school.

【语篇解读】　语篇类型是说明文，主题语境是社会。研究显示给孩子大声朗读能提高他们的注意力。

1．an　[at an early age意为“早年；年轻时；在很小的时候”。]

2．published　[published in the journal Pediatrics是过去分词短语作定语，修饰study(分词动作publish与逻辑主语之间是被动关系)。]

3．well　[get along well with sb.意为“与某人相处融洽”。]

4．was done　[主语是谓语动词动作do的承受者，需用被动语态；此处描述的是过去的事情，故用一般过去时。]

5．programs　[由空后的that promote...可知，此处用program的复数形式。]

6．development　[这里意思是“影响孩子们的发展”，此处填develop的名词形式。]

7．in　[take part in意为“参加；参与”。]

8．playing　[空白处所填词与reading构成并列，故填playing。]

9．who/that　[空白处所填词引导定语从句，并在从句中作主语。]

10．fewer　[根据空前的do things more carefully可知，此处应填比较级形式。]