My name is Kobus Vermeulen. On February 16, 2015, I was one of five South Africans among the 100 people selected by Mars One to begin training to live on the Red Planet. The Dutch not-for-profit’s aim is simple: build a human colony (殖民地) on Mars. Since I have begun this journey, the one question that people ask me most is why I want to leave a good planet for wasteland. Here is why.
I have been interested in Mars since I was a child, and I always thought that if I had the opportunity to leave the planet, I would take it. So the why begins with a child’s dream.
However, as I grew, so did the why. In my eyes, since the 1970s the public has stopped trying to learn more about space. We’ve put our dream aside. We’re satisfied with getting our dose (一份) of the future from sci-fi movies and comic books. And so the first part of my motivation (动机) is to get people thinking about space travel and the colonization (殖民化) of other planets in real terms again instead of just as sci-fi visions of the future.
If we want that future, the truth is that we have to build it, and anything worth doing comes with risks. Somebody has to take the risks, and I, along with thousands of other people, am willing to take them.
But it goes deeper than that. If the task of Mars One is even partially successful, it will encourage a new generation of scientists and engineers that will build us an even better future.
Without a dream, there is no reason to build those things. The public that does not try to understand science and technology does not choose good leaders. Leaders who don’t care for science and technology do not make budgets (预算) for it. Besides, without the money, the dream dies. Projects like Mars One are like a focusing lens (聚焦透镜) for dreams. It is an opportunity to change hearts and minds at the grassroots level.
【语篇概述】这是一篇说明文。能够到火星上去旅游甚至居住是作者从小就有的梦想, 所以作者参加了一项Mars One的项目, 并对此项目进行了介绍。
1. What goal does Mars One want to achieve?
A. To find life on Mars.
B. To build colonies on Earth.
C. To send astronauts to Mars.
D. To help humans settle on Mars.
【解析】选D。细节理解题。根据第一段中On February 16, 2015, I was one of five South Africans among the 100 people selected by Mars One to begin training to live on the Red Planet. The Dutch not-for-profit’s aim is simple: build a human colony on Mars. 可知, Mars One这项项目的目的就是把人类输送到火星上去。故选D。
2. The underlined part “our dream” in Paragraph 3 probably refers to “______”.
A. living on another planet in space
B. living a comfortable life on Earth
C. creating sci-fi movies and comic books
D. realizing the colonization of other nations
【解析】选A。推理判断题。根据第二段的叙述I have been interested in Mars since I was a child, and I always thought that if I had the opportunity to leave the planet, I would take it. So the why begins with a child’s dream. 可知, 作者从小时候就想离开地球到另一个星球上生活, 到火星上去是他从小就有的梦想。所以, 此处说那个梦想被搁置一边了, 就是指的这个梦想。故选A。
3. In the author’s opinion, taking part in the task of Mars One is ______.
A. risky but worthwhile B. costly and helpless
C. safe and interesting D. too dangerous and useless
【解析】选A。细节理解题。根据文章倒数第三段If we want that future, the truth is that we have to build it, and anything worth doing comes with risks. Somebody has to take the risks, and I, along with thousands of other people, am willing to take them. 可知, 如果我们想要这样的未来, 事实是我们必须去建设它, 任何值得做的事情都伴随着风险。总得有人去冒险, 而我, 和成千上万的人, 愿意去冒险。即参加这项计划存在着风险, 但同时很值得。故选A。
4. The author believes that the action of going to Mars will ______.
A. help change his heart and mind
B. help him become a famous scientist
C. help lead to a better future for humans
D. encourage people to protect the earth better
【解析】选C。推理判断题。根据文章倒数第二段第二句If the task of Mars One is even partially successful, it will encourage a new generation of scientists and engineers that will build us an even better future. 可知, 作者认为去火星的行动将会帮助人类建造一个更好的未来。故选C。
