passage 2

Tests show women suited for space travel

　　Between 1977 and 1981, three groups of American women, numbering 27 in all, between the age of 35 and 65, were given month-long tests for space travel purposes. __1__.
　　Those women were carefully selected from among many applicants¹. __2__. They were not allowed to smoke or drink alcohol during the tests, and they were expected to tolerate each other’s company at close quarters for the entire period. Among others things they had to stand pressure three times the force of gravity and carry out both physical and mental tasks while exhausted² from strenuous³ physical exercise. __3__. During that time they suffered backaches and other discomforts⁴. __4__.
　　Results of the tests suggest that women will have significant advantage over men in space. __5__. Men’s advantages in terms of strength and stamina⁵, meanwhile, are virtually wiped out by the zero=gravity condition in space.
 
A.At the end of ten years, they had to spend a further twenty days absolutely confined to bed.
B.They were volunteers and were paid barely above the minimum wage.
C.These tests were conducted to determine how they would respond to conditions resembling those abroad the space shuttle.
D.They need less food and less oxygen and they stand up to radiation better.
E.Some of them were over 65.
F.When they were finally allowed up, the more physical active women were specially⁶ subject to pains due to a slight calcium⁷ (钙)loss
 
　　答案及解析：
1． 文章标题分析：Tests show women suited for space travel
 
2． 被选项分析：注意被选项中出现的篇章词
A  At the end of ten years, they had to spend a further twenty days absolutely confined to bed.
B  They were volunteers and were paid barely above the minimum wage.
C  These tests were conducted to determine how they would respond to conditions resembling those abroad the space shuttle.
D  They need less food and less oxygen and they stand up to radiation better.
E  Some of them were over 65.
F  When they were finally allowed up, the more physical active women （揭示前面的they指的是“女性”）were specially subject to pains due to a slight calcium (钙)loss
其中除了选项C（主题涉及到实验）以外，其他选项的主题都是有关“她们”（参加实验的妇女）
3　直接解题：
A  At the end of ten years, they had to spend a further twenty days absolutely confined to bed.
B  They were volunteers and were paid barely above the minimum wage.
C  These tests were conducted to determine how they would respond to conditions resembling those abroad the space shuttle.
D  They need less food and less oxygen and they stand up to radiation better.
E  Some of them were over 65.
F  When they were finally allowed up, the more physical active women （揭示前面的they指的是“女性”）were specially subject to pains due to a slight calcium (钙)loss
　　Between 1977 and 1981, three groups of American women, numbering 27 in all, between the age of 35 and 65, were given month-long tests for space travel purposes. __1__.
　　Those women were carefully selected from among many applicants. __2__. They were not allowed to smoke or drink alcohol during the tests, and they were expected to tolerate each other’s company at close quarters for the entire period. 　Among others things they had to stand pressure three times the force of gravity and carry out both physical and mental tasks while exhausted from strenuous physical exercise. __3__. During that time they suffered backaches and other discomforts. __4__.
 
　　1．C。分析：空格前面没有明显的篇章词汇，从前句中的核心结构来看“有三组美国妇女参加了长达一个月以太空旅行为目的的测试”，结合下一句（第2段第1句）该句说“这些妇女是从许多申请者中仔细挑选出来的”，下一段的中心是围绕妇女展开（从下一段中句子的核心结构可以看出）因此判断第1段的主题应该涉及到实验更合理，因此判断C是答案。
思路特点：抓住段落中心确认段落中句子的语意特点。
 
A  At the end of ten years, they had to spend a further twenty days absolutely confined to bed.
B  They were volunteers and were paid barely above the minimum wage.
D  They need less food and less oxygen and they stand up to radiation better.
E  Some of them were over 65.
F  When they were finally allowed up, the more physical active women （揭示前面的they指的是“女性”）were specially subject to pains due to a slight calcium (钙)loss
 
　　Those women were carefully selected from among many applicants. __2__. They were not allowed to smoke or drink alcohol during the tests, and they were expected to tolerate each other’s company at close quarters for the entire period. Among others things they had to stand pressure three times the force of gravity and carry out both physical and mental tasks while exhausted from strenuous physical exercise. __3__. During that time they suffered backaches and other discomforts. __4__.
　　空格2，空格3和空格4在同一段落中所以可以同时考虑：因为它们应该围绕一个中心，一个主题发展。段首句说“这些妇女是从许多申请者中仔细挑选出来的”，而空格4就是该段的结尾，第4空格的前句说“在那段时间期间，…”, that time 暗示前面一定有明确的时间词，但是在空格3的前句中没有发现这样时间词，所以只能是空格3涉及到时间，因此判断A是空格3的答案。而空格3的含义是“参加实验的妇女有20天的时间都被要求躺在床上”，对比被选项发现F应该是空格4的答案：F中的“最终战立起来”与“躺在床上”呼应，而且空格4的前句说的是妇女感受到的不适，而F也是相似的内容，因此判断F是答案；对于空格2，因为空格前句中是在对这些参加实验的妇女进行介绍，因此判断B合适：D在空格前后句中没有比较的对象，E不合理
 
D  They need less food and less oxygen and they stand up to radiation better.
E  Some of them were over 65.
 
    Results of the tests suggest that women will have significant advantage over men in space. __5__. Men’s advantages in terms of strength and stamina（毅力）, meanwhile, are virtually wiped out by the zero-gravity condition in space.
　　5． D。 空格前后句都出现了“优势”，是在进行比较，因此判断D是答案