四、（2024·连云港市东海四校模拟）阅读理解。
Is there intelligent（有智力的）life on other planets? For years, scientists said “no” or “we don't know”. But today this is changing. Seth Shostak and Alexandra Barnett are astronomers（天文学家）. They believe intelligent life exists somewhere in the universe. They also think we will soon contact these beings.
Why do Shostak and Barnett think intelligent life exists on other planets? The first reason is time. Scientists believe the universe is about 14 billion years old. “This is long enough for other planets to have intelligent life,” say Shostak and Barnett. The second reason is size—the universe is huge. “Tools like the Hubble Space Telescope have shown that there are at least 100 billion galaxies,” says Shostak. “And our galaxy, the Milky Way, has at least 100 billion stars. Some planets going around these stars might be similar to the Earth.”
In the past, it was hard to look for signs of intelligent life in the universe. But now, powerful telescopes allow scientists to discover smaller planets. These planets might have intelligent life.
Have beings from space already visited the Earth? “Probably not,” says Shostak. However, intelligent beings may contact us in other ways, such as radio signals（信号）. In fact, they may be trying to communicate with us now, but we don't have the right tools to receive their messages. However, this is changing. By 2052, we could make contact with other life forms in our universe and we might help each other.
1. Why was it hard to look for signs of intelligent life in the universe in the past?
A. There were not any smaller planets.
B. The Milky Way didn't exist at that time.
C. The astronomers were not interested in them.
D. There were not any powerful telescopes.
2. What does the underlined phrase “life forms” in the last paragraph mean?
A. messages
B. tools
C. intelligent beings
D. radio signals
3. What is the best title for Paragraph 2?
A. The age and size of the Earth
B. Why intelligent life might exist
C. Our galaxy：the Milky Way
D. The Earth：the only planet with intelligent life
Is there intelligent（有智力的）life on other planets? For years, scientists said “no” or “we don't know”. But today this is changing. Seth Shostak and Alexandra Barnett are astronomers（天文学家）. They believe intelligent life exists somewhere in the universe. They also think we will soon contact these beings.
Why do Shostak and Barnett think intelligent life exists on other planets? The first reason is time. Scientists believe the universe is about 14 billion years old. “This is long enough for other planets to have intelligent life,” say Shostak and Barnett. The second reason is size—the universe is huge. “Tools like the Hubble Space Telescope have shown that there are at least 100 billion galaxies,” says Shostak. “And our galaxy, the Milky Way, has at least 100 billion stars. Some planets going around these stars might be similar to the Earth.”
In the past, it was hard to look for signs of intelligent life in the universe. But now, powerful telescopes allow scientists to discover smaller planets. These planets might have intelligent life.
Have beings from space already visited the Earth? “Probably not,” says Shostak. However, intelligent beings may contact us in other ways, such as radio signals（信号）. In fact, they may be trying to communicate with us now, but we don't have the right tools to receive their messages. However, this is changing. By 2052, we could make contact with other life forms in our universe and we might help each other.
1. Why was it hard to look for signs of intelligent life in the universe in the past?
A. There were not any smaller planets.
B. The Milky Way didn't exist at that time.
C. The astronomers were not interested in them.
D. There were not any powerful telescopes.
2. What does the underlined phrase “life forms” in the last paragraph mean?
A. messages
B. tools
C. intelligent beings
D. radio signals
3. What is the best title for Paragraph 2?
A. The age and size of the Earth
B. Why intelligent life might exist
C. Our galaxy：the Milky Way
D. The Earth：the only planet with intelligent life
答案：四1. D
2. C【解析】根据最后一段中“By 2052, we could make contact with other life forms in our universe and we might help each other.”可知，人类可在未来与其他智慧生物取得联系并互相帮助。因此画线部分指代“智慧生物”。
3. B【解析】根据第二段中“Why do Shostak and Barnett think intelligent life exists on other planets? The first reason is... The second reason is...”可知，本段主要讲的是智慧生物可能存在于别的星球上的原因。
2. C【解析】根据最后一段中“By 2052, we could make contact with other life forms in our universe and we might help each other.”可知，人类可在未来与其他智慧生物取得联系并互相帮助。因此画线部分指代“智慧生物”。
3. B【解析】根据第二段中“Why do Shostak and Barnett think intelligent life exists on other planets? The first reason is... The second reason is...”可知，本段主要讲的是智慧生物可能存在于别的星球上的原因。
解析：
翻译:
四、（2024·连云港市东海四校模拟）阅读理解。
其他行星上有智慧生命吗？多年来，科学家们的回答是“没有”或者“我们不知道”。但如今这种情况正在改变。赛斯·肖斯塔克和亚历山德拉·巴尼特是天文学家。他们认为宇宙中的某个地方存在智慧生命。他们还认为我们很快就会与这些生命取得联系。
为什么肖斯塔克和巴尼特认为其他行星上存在智慧生命呢？第一个原因是时间。科学家们认为宇宙大约有140亿年的历史。“这段时间足够长，其他行星上有可能孕育出智慧生命。”肖斯塔克和巴尼特说道。第二个原因是宇宙的规模——宇宙非常浩瀚。“像哈勃空间望远镜这样的工具已经观测到，宇宙中至少有1000亿个星系。”肖斯塔克说，“而我们所在的银河系，至少有1000亿颗恒星。围绕这些恒星运行的一些行星可能与地球相似。”
在过去，很难在宇宙中寻找智慧生命的迹象。但现在，功能强大的望远镜使科学家们能够发现更小的行星。这些行星上可能存在智慧生命。
外星生命已经造访过地球了吗？“很可能没有。”肖斯塔克说。不过，智慧生命可能会通过其他方式与我们取得联系，比如无线电信号。事实上，他们现在可能正在尝试与我们交流，但我们没有合适的工具来接收他们的信息。不过，这种情况正在改变。到2052年，我们有可能与宇宙中的其他生命形式取得联系，而且我们或许可以互相帮助。
1. 为什么过去很难在宇宙中寻找智慧生命的迹象？
A. 不存在任何更小的行星。
B. 当时银河系还不存在。
C. 天文学家对它们不感兴趣。
D. 没有任何功能强大的望远镜。
2. 最后一段中划线的短语“life forms”是什么意思？
A. 信息
B. 工具
C. 智慧生命
D. 无线电信号
3. 第二段的最佳标题是什么？
A. 地球的年龄和大小
B. 智慧生命为何可能存在
C. 我们的星系：银河系
D. 地球：唯一有智慧生命的行星
四、（2024·连云港市东海四校模拟）阅读理解。
其他行星上有智慧生命吗？多年来，科学家们的回答是“没有”或者“我们不知道”。但如今这种情况正在改变。赛斯·肖斯塔克和亚历山德拉·巴尼特是天文学家。他们认为宇宙中的某个地方存在智慧生命。他们还认为我们很快就会与这些生命取得联系。
为什么肖斯塔克和巴尼特认为其他行星上存在智慧生命呢？第一个原因是时间。科学家们认为宇宙大约有140亿年的历史。“这段时间足够长，其他行星上有可能孕育出智慧生命。”肖斯塔克和巴尼特说道。第二个原因是宇宙的规模——宇宙非常浩瀚。“像哈勃空间望远镜这样的工具已经观测到，宇宙中至少有1000亿个星系。”肖斯塔克说，“而我们所在的银河系，至少有1000亿颗恒星。围绕这些恒星运行的一些行星可能与地球相似。”
在过去，很难在宇宙中寻找智慧生命的迹象。但现在，功能强大的望远镜使科学家们能够发现更小的行星。这些行星上可能存在智慧生命。
外星生命已经造访过地球了吗？“很可能没有。”肖斯塔克说。不过，智慧生命可能会通过其他方式与我们取得联系，比如无线电信号。事实上，他们现在可能正在尝试与我们交流，但我们没有合适的工具来接收他们的信息。不过，这种情况正在改变。到2052年，我们有可能与宇宙中的其他生命形式取得联系，而且我们或许可以互相帮助。
1. 为什么过去很难在宇宙中寻找智慧生命的迹象？
A. 不存在任何更小的行星。
B. 当时银河系还不存在。
C. 天文学家对它们不感兴趣。
D. 没有任何功能强大的望远镜。
2. 最后一段中划线的短语“life forms”是什么意思？
A. 信息
B. 工具
C. 智慧生命
D. 无线电信号
3. 第二段的最佳标题是什么？
A. 地球的年龄和大小
B. 智慧生命为何可能存在
C. 我们的星系：银河系
D. 地球：唯一有智慧生命的行星