【高二 拓展阅读-自然】The Inner Solar System

TheInnerSolarSystemTheinnersolarsystemisthenameoftheterrestrialplanetsandasteroidbelt.Terrestrialisjustafancywayofsayingrocky,LiketheEarth,terrestrialplanetshaveacoreofironandrock.AtthecentreofthesolarsystemistheSun.TheSunisabigballofhydrogenpoweredbynuclearreactions.MassiveexplosionsaregoingonallofthetimeinsidetheSun,It’swhatmakesthelighteverydayandkeepsourplanetwarmLightzipsfromtheSuntousinabouteightminutes.TheSunisthemostmassivethinginoursolarsystem.ItissobigthatyoucouldfitaboutamillionEarthsinsideofit!ClosesttotheSunistheplanetMercury.YoucouldsqueezeabouteighteenMercurysinsideofEarth.Itismadeofmostlyrock,butithasahugeironcoreanditgeneratesabigthatmagneticfield.SpeedylittleMercurysailsaroundthesuninonlyeighty-eightdays.SecondinlinecomesVenus,whichissometimescalledearth’stwin,It’saboutthesamesizeasEarth,butthat’swherethesimilaritiesend.Venusisalwayscoveredinthickcloudsfullofsulfuricacid.IttakestwohundredandtwentyfourdaystoorbittheSun.Youknowwhatplanetisnext.Youliveonit!You,theEarthisnumberthree.Wehavearockyironcoreatthecentreofourplanet.Wehaveliquidwater,andourairismadeofmostlynitrogenandoxygen.Ittakesthreehundredandsixty-fivedaysforustocircletheSun.Weonlyhaveonemoon.NexttousisMars.MarsalsohasacoreofrockandironItisalittlemorethanhalfthesizeofearth.ThemostdistinctfeatureaboutMarsisitsredcolour.Dustrichinironoxidecoverstheplanet.It’ssortofliketheplanetisrusting.Whitecapsatthepolesarewater,foreverfrozenbecauseofthecoldertemperaturesfurtherfromtheSun.IttakesnearlytwiceaslongforMarstocircletheSunatalmost684days.ThelastpartoftheinnersolarsystemiscalledtheAsteroidBelt.It’sthelinebetweentheinnerrockyplanetsandtheoutergaseousplanets.Infact,theAsteroidBeltisn’taplanetatall.Itisabunchoflargerockychunks,mostlymeteoroids.There’salsoadwarfplanetnamedCeresintheasteroidbelt.Therestaren’tverylarge.TheEarthistheonlyplanetthatweknowofwithlifeonit,butuniverseisabigplace.Muchofoursolarsystemisstillamystery,andthereisstillplentytoexplore.ReadingComprehensionChoosethecorrectanswerforeachquestion.1.HowlongdoesittakelighttotravelfromtheSuntotheEarth?A.5minutes.B.8minutes.C.15minutes.D.30minutes.2.WhatisthesizeofMercurycomparedtoEarth?A.Itis1/18thesizeofEarth.B.Itis18timesthesizeofEarth.C.Itisalittlemorethanhalfthesizeofearth.D.Itisaboutthesamesizeasearth.3.WhatisEarth’satmospheremostlymadeof?A.Hydrogenandoxygen.B.Carbondioxideandoxygen.C.Nitrogenandoxygen.D.Hydrogenandnitrogen.4.WherecanwefindwateronMars?A.Atthesurface.B.Atthepoles.C.Inthecore.D.Withintheatmosphere.5.What’sthemostdistinctivefeatureofMars?A.Ithasacoreofrockandiron.B.ItisnearlyhalfthesizeofEarth.C.Itisredincolour.D.Ittakesalmost684daysforMarstocircletheSun.Vocabulary基础词belt n.地区，地带；腰带，裤带，皮带记联想记忆：腰带（belt）上别了一个铃铛（bell）搭abeltofrain一条降雨带safetybelt安全带abeltbuckle一个腰带扣seatbelt（汽气车、飞机的）座椅安全带hydrogen n.氢记词根记忆：hydro（水）+gen（产生）→水可分解产生氧气和氢气→氢nuclear adj.核的；核能的；原子核的英using，producingorresultingfromnuclearenergy记联想记忆：nu+clear（清除）→核能的威力足以清除地球上所有的生物→核能的搭nuclearpower核能zip v.（使沿某方向）快速移动；拉上拉链n.拉链例Acarzippedpastus.—辆车从我们身边呼啸而过。similarityn.相似（性），类似（性）；相似点英thestateofbeinglikesb/sthbutnotexactlythesame记词根记忆：similar（相似的）+ity（表名词）→相似性distinct adj.明显的；明确的；清晰的英easilyorclearlyheard，seen，felt，etc记词根记忆：dis（分开）+tinct（=stinct，剌）把刺分开后变得明显的→明显的搭adistinctachievement显著的成就rust vi.生锈记联想记忆：生锈（rust）后表面形成了硬壳（crust）例Themetalhasbeguntorust.这块金属已经开始生锈了。universe n.宇宙；世界英thewholeofspaceandeverythinginit记词根记忆：uni（一个）+vers（转）+e→+个旋转着的空间→宇宙Vocabulary进阶词inner adj.内部的；内心的n.内部；内心英inside；towardsorclosetothecentreofaplace记词根记忆：in（在…里面）+ner→内部的；内心的terrestrial adj.陆地的，陆生的，陆栖的；地球的记词根记忆：terr（地）+estr+ial（…的）陆地的asteroid n.小行星英anyoneofthemanysmallplanetsthatgoaroundthesun记词根记忆：aster（星星）+oid（形状）→小行星core n.地核；果心；核心，要点，精随ⅵ.去掉…的中心部分搭theearth’score地核coreteam核心团队mercury n.[M-]水星；水银，汞记联想记忆：mer（音似：没）+cury（看作cure，治愈）→水银中毒没治了→水银magnetic adj.磁的，磁石的；有磁性的；有吸引力的英withthepowerofamagnet记词根记忆：magnet（磁铁）+ic（的）→有磁性的暍搭magneticfield磁场venus n.金星；维纳斯（古罗马神话中的爱与美之神）sulfuric adj.硫的，含硫磺的orbit n.轨道；势力范围v.沿轨道运行，围绕…运动记本身为词根，表示“圆周”，引申为“轨道”nitrogen n.氮；氮气记词根记忆：nitro（硝酸）+gen（产生