GMAT考试阅读资料(二)b
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Passage 8
  Virtually everything astronomers1 known about objects outside the solar system is based on the detection of photons-quanta of electromagnetic radiation. Yet there is another form of radiation that permeates2 the universe:(5) neutrinos. With (as its name implies) no electric charge, and negligible mass, the neutrino interacts with other particles so rarely that a neutrino can cross the entire universe, even traversing substantial aggregations3 of matter, without being absorbed or even deflected4. Neu-(10) trinos can thus escape from regions of space where light  and other kinds of electromagnetic radiation are blockedby matter. Furthermore, neutrinos carry with theminformation about the site and circumstances of their  production: therefore, the detection of cosmic neutrinos(15) could provide new information about a wide variety of  cosmic phenomena5 and about the history of the uni-verse.
  But how can scientists detect a particle that interactsso infrequently with other matter? Twenty-five years(20) passed between Pauli‘s hypothesis that the neutrinoexisted and its actual detection: since then virtually all  research with neutrinos has been with neutrinos createdartificially in large particle accelerators and studiedunder neutrino microscopes. But a neutrino telescope,(25) capable of detecting cosmic neutrinos, is difficult to co-nstruct. No apparatus6 can detect neutrinos unless it isextremely massive, because great mass is synonymous  with huge numbers of nucleons (neutrons7 and protons),and the more massive the detector8, the greater the pro-(30) bability of one of its nucleon’s reacting with a neutrino.   In addition, the apparatus must be sufficiently9 shielded  from the interfering10 effects of other particles.
  Fortunately, a group of astrophysicists has proposed  a means of detecting cosmic neutrinos by harnessing the(35) mass of the ocean. Named DUMAND, for Deep Under-  water Muon and Neutrino Detector, the project calls for  placing an array of light sensors11 at a depth of five kilo-  meters under the ocean surface. The detecting medium is  the seawater itself: when a neutrino interacts with a(40)particle in an atom of seawater. the result is a cascade12 of  electrically charged particles and a flash of light that can  be detected by the sensors. The five kilometers of sea-  water above the sensors will shield them from the interf-  ering effects of other high-energy particles raining down(45) through the atmosphere.
  The strongest motivation for the DUMAND projectis that it will exploit an important source of informationabout the universe. The extension of astronomy fromvisible light to radio waves to x-rays and gamma rays(50) never failed to lead to the discovery of unusual objects  such as radio galaxies13, quasars, and pulsars. Each of  these discoveries came as a surprise. Neutrino astronomy  will doubtless bring its own share of surprises.

  1. Which of the following titles best summarizes the passage as a whole?
    (A) At the Threshold of Neutrino Astronomy
    (B) Neutrinos and the History of the Universe
    (C) The Creation and Study of Neutrinos
    (D) The DUMAND System and How It Works
    (E) The Properties of the Neutrino

  2. With which of the following statements regardingneutrino astronomy would the author be most likelyto agree?
   (A) Neutrino astronomy will supersede14 all present forms of astronomy.
   (B) Neutrino astronomy will be abandoned if the DUMAND project fails.
   (C) Neutrino astronomy can be expected to lead to major breakthroughs in astronomy.
   (D) Neutrino astronomy will disclose phenomena that will be more surprising than past discoveries.
   (E) Neutrino astronomy will always be characterized by a large time lag between hypothesis and experimental confirmation15.

  3. In the last paragraph, the author describes thedevelopment of astronomy in order to
    (A) suggest that the potential findings of neutrino astronomy can be seen as part of a series of astronomical16 successes
    (B) illustrate17 the role of surprise in scientific discovery
    (C) demonstrate the effectiveness of the DUMAND apparatus in detecting neutrinos
    (D) name some cosmic phenomena that neutrino astronomy will illuminate18
    (E) contrast the motivation of earlier astronomers with that of the astrophysicists working on the DUMAND project

  4.According to the passage, one advantage that neutrinos  have for studies in astronomy is that they
   (A) have been detected for the last twenty-five years
   (B) possess a variable electric charge 
   (C) are usually extremely massive 
   (D) carry information about their history with them
   (E) are very similar to other electromagnetic particles

  5. According to the passage, the primary use of the apparatus mentioned in lines 24-32 would be to
   (A) increase the mass of a neutrino 
   (B) interpret the information neutrinos carry with them 
   (C) study the internal structure of a neutrino
   (D) see neutrinos in distant regions of space
   (E) detect the presence of cosmic neutrinos

  6. The passage states that interactions between neutrinos and other matter are
   (A) rare
   (B) artificial
   (C) undetectable
   (D) unpredictable
   (E) hazardous19

  7. The passage mentions which of the following as a reason that neutrinos are hard to detect?
   (A) Their pervasiveness20 in the universe (B) Their ability to escape from different regions of space
   (C) Their inability to penetrate21 dense22 matter
   (D) The similarity of their structure to that of nucleons
   (E) The infrequency of their interaction with other matter

  8. According to the passage, the interaction of a neutrino with other matter can produce
   (A) particles that are neutral and massive
   (B) a form of radiation that permeates the universe
   (C) inaccurate23 information about the site and circumstances of the neutrino‘s production
   (D) charged particles and light
   (E) a situation in which light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation are blocked

  9. According to the passage, one of the methods used to  establish the properties of neutrinos was
   (A) detection of photons
   (B) observation of the interaction of neutrinos with    gamma rays
   (C) observation of neutrinos that were artificially created
   (D) measurement of neutrinos that interacted with particles of seawater
   (E) experiments with electromagnetic radiation



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1 astronomers 569155f16962e086bd7de77deceefcbd     
n.天文学者,天文学家( astronomer的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Astronomers can accurately foretell the date,time,and length of future eclipses. 天文学家能精确地预告未来日食月食的日期、时刻和时长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Astronomers used to ask why only Saturn has rings. 天文学家们过去一直感到奇怪,为什么只有土星有光环。 来自《简明英汉词典》
2 permeates 290eb451e7da5dcf5bb4b8041c3d79fa     
弥漫( permeate的第三人称单数 ); 遍布; 渗入; 渗透
参考例句:
  • Studies show that water vapor quickly permeates plastic packaging material. 研究证明水蒸汽能迅速渗入塑料封装材料。
  • Democracy permeates the whole country. 民主主义(的思想)普及全国。
3 aggregations 4c4f91ef635e1dd162c5cdd100d293aa     
n.聚集( aggregation的名词复数 );集成;集结;聚集体
参考例句:
  • A pattern of overlapping aggregations is usually found. 通常可发现一种叠聚集现象。 来自辞典例句
  • The atoms of the different chemical elements are different aggregations of atoms of the same kind. 不同化学元素的原子是同类原子的不同聚合物。 来自辞典例句
4 deflected 3ff217d1b7afea5ab74330437461da11     
偏离的
参考例句:
  • The ball deflected off Reid's body into the goal. 球打在里德身上反弹进球门。
  • Most of its particles are deflected. 此物质的料子大多是偏斜的。
5 phenomena 8N9xp     
n.现象
参考例句:
  • Ade couldn't relate the phenomena with any theory he knew.艾德无法用他所知道的任何理论来解释这种现象。
  • The object of these experiments was to find the connection,if any,between the two phenomena.这些实验的目的就是探索这两种现象之间的联系,如果存在着任何联系的话。
6 apparatus ivTzx     
n.装置,器械;器具,设备
参考例句:
  • The school's audio apparatus includes films and records.学校的视听设备包括放映机和录音机。
  • They had a very refined apparatus.他们有一套非常精良的设备。
7 neutrons 8247a394cf7f4566ae93232e91c291b9     
n.中子( neutron的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The neutrons and protons form the core of the atom. 中子和质子构成了原子核。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • When an atom of U235 is split,several neutrons are set free. 一个铀235原子分裂时,释放出几个中子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
8 detector svnxk     
n.发觉者,探测器
参考例句:
  • The detector is housed in a streamlined cylindrical container.探测器安装在流线型圆柱形容器内。
  • Please walk through the metal detector.请走过金属检测器。
9 sufficiently 0htzMB     
adv.足够地,充分地
参考例句:
  • It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。
  • The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。
10 interfering interfering     
adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词
参考例句:
  • He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事!
  • I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预,让我自己拿主意。
11 sensors 029aee483db9ae244d7a5cb353e74602     
n.传感器,灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时,有很大变化。 来自辞典例句
12 cascade Erazm     
n.小瀑布,喷流;层叠;vi.成瀑布落下
参考例句:
  • She watched the magnificent waterfall cascade down the mountainside.她看着壮观的瀑布从山坡上倾泻而下。
  • Her hair fell over her shoulders in a cascade of curls.她的卷发像瀑布一样垂在肩上。
13 galaxies fa8833b92b82bcb88ee3b3d7644caf77     
星系( galaxy的名词复数 ); 银河系; 一群(杰出或著名的人物)
参考例句:
  • Quasars are the highly energetic cores of distant galaxies. 类星体是遥远星系的极为活跃的核心体。
  • We still don't know how many galaxies there are in the universe. 我们还不知道宇宙中有多少个星系。
14 supersede zrXwz     
v.替代;充任
参考例句:
  • We must supersede old machines by new ones.我们必须以新机器取代旧机器。
  • The use of robots will someday supersede manual labor.机器人的使用有一天会取代人力。
15 confirmation ZYMya     
n.证实,确认,批准
参考例句:
  • We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
  • We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前,我们需要书面确认。
16 astronomical keTyO     
adj.天文学的,(数字)极大的
参考例句:
  • He was an expert on ancient Chinese astronomical literature.他是研究中国古代天文学文献的专家。
  • Houses in the village are selling for astronomical prices.乡村的房价正在飙升。
17 illustrate IaRxw     
v.举例说明,阐明;图解,加插图
参考例句:
  • The company's bank statements illustrate its success.这家公司的银行报表说明了它的成功。
  • This diagram will illustrate what I mean.这个图表可说明我的意思。
18 illuminate zcSz4     
vt.照亮,照明;用灯光装饰;说明,阐释
参考例句:
  • Dreams kindle a flame to illuminate our dark roads.梦想点燃火炬照亮我们黑暗的道路。
  • They use games and drawings to illuminate their subject.他们用游戏和图画来阐明他们的主题。
19 hazardous Iddxz     
adj.(有)危险的,冒险的;碰运气的
参考例句:
  • These conditions are very hazardous for shipping.这些情况对航海非常不利。
  • Everybody said that it was a hazardous investment.大家都说那是一次危险的投资。
20 pervasiveness 39357a08caf13b58fffa2b46afd3fd1d     
n.无处不在,遍布
参考例句:
  • The consistency and pervasiveness of this effect is startling, perhaps even disconcerting. 外表的这种作用始终存在、影响甚广,这实在令人惊讶,甚至烦恼不安。 来自互联网
  • A major cause of this pervasiveness is the structural difference between application logic and security logic. 这种普遍性的主要因素是应用逻辑和安全逻辑之间的结构差。 来自互联网
21 penetrate juSyv     
v.透(渗)入;刺入,刺穿;洞察,了解
参考例句:
  • Western ideas penetrate slowly through the East.西方观念逐渐传入东方。
  • The sunshine could not penetrate where the trees were thickest.阳光不能透入树木最浓密的地方。
22 dense aONzX     
a.密集的,稠密的,浓密的;密度大的
参考例句:
  • The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
  • The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。
23 inaccurate D9qx7     
adj.错误的,不正确的,不准确的
参考例句:
  • The book is both inaccurate and exaggerated.这本书不但不准确,而且夸大其词。
  • She never knows the right time because her watch is inaccurate.她从来不知道准确的时间因为她的表不准。
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