A teddy bear from Cumbria is launching into space to raise cash for charity(慈善).
Terence, an experienced traveller who has been to Iraq, will be the guest of honour on aviation(航行) legend Burt Rutan’s Spaceship One when it flies above Earth. The mission takes off from California on September 29, and on his return the cuddly toy will be auctioned off(拍卖) in aid of the North Air Ambulance Appeal(北部空中救护服务中心).
Spaceship One is the world’s first private spacecraft, and is peting for a prestigious space travel prize. Chief executive of the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS), Graham Pickering, said “flying officer” Terence had been handed over to the RAF six months ago and staff had been receiving postcards from him ever since.
He said, “Terence was a fundraising idea that really took off. We have received pictures of him in a U2 craft, trying parachuting and even looking drunk and disorderly. When the RAF finally discharge him he will be a very rare bear indeed—we just hope he does not burn up on re-entry to Earth.”
GNAAS, which needs charitable donations of more than ￡2m a year, has three air ambulances(空中救护机).
Peter Bond, spokesman for the Royal Astronomical Society, said Terence’s safety was not guaranteed. He said, “This is a new and experimental craft and this will only be the second time it has flown. During its first voyage it developed technical problems but hopefully they have now been resolved.”
Since May, Terence has spent time with members of 100 Squadron(空军中队) based at RAF Leeming in Basra, Iraq, and at air shows with performing fighter planes.
Spaceship One will fly 100km (62 miles) above the Earth’s surface, just breaking through the planet’s atmosphere.
If it repeats the feat(技艺) inside two weeks, it will claim the $10m Ansari X-Prize set up to encourage the private space flight business.
【小题1】Terence is . A．a real bear living in EnglandB．an experienced astronautC．an air force officerD．a toy bear【小题2】We can infer that .A．after this space flight, Spaceship One will get the $10m Ansari X-PrizeB．it is dangerous for a spaceship to re-enter the earth atmosphereC．Terence will be very safe on the flightD．Spaceship One is just an ordinary plane【小题3】Which of the following is true of Spaceship One?A．Spaceship One is the world’s first spacecraft.B．The purpose of its flight is to collect money for the charity.C．The purpose of its flight is to pete for a prestigious space travel prize. D．Spaceship One has never flown.【小题4】Which of the following is the best title?A．Teddy bear astronaut to lift off B．Spaceship One to lift offC．Space flightD．The toy bear will be auctioned offD
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(答案→)D
解析：
【小题1】D 事实细节题。根据 on his return the cuddly toy will be auctioned off可知泰迪熊特伦斯是个玩具熊，并非真正的熊。
【小题2】B 推理判断题。根据 we just hope he does not burn up on re-entry to Earth 可知，飞船进入大气层降落时存在较大的危险。
【小题3】C 事实细节题。根据 is peting for a prestigious space travel prize可知，太空飞船一号这次飞行的主要目的是获得一项太空飞行奖。
【小题4】A主旨大意题。根据主题句 A teddy bear from Cumbria is launching into space to raise cash for charity 可知本文主要讲“为慈善事业募捐泰迪熊特伦斯将搭乘‘太空飞船一号’遨游太空”，故A最佳。