A
(2019·临川一中月考)The sky is a large place, and though it has been carefully examined for centuries, new features still turn up. Last March it was the rule of Uranus(天王星), and last week astronomers announced what may turn out to be a new planet, though a very small one, in the solar system.
The object was first sighted last month by Charles Kowal, an astronomer at the Hale Observatories in Pasadena, Calif. Mr Kowal observed a faint trail of light on photographic plates, indicating that something was moving in relation to the background of stars. Other observers have confirmed the discovery.
The “miniplanet”， identified for the time being as “ObjectKowal”， appears to be about 1.5 billion miles away, between the orbit of Saturn and Uranus, and its diameter(直径) has been estimated at between 100 and 400 miles. Its orbit has not been determined yet, but if the orbit proves to be roughly circular, like that of the major planets, the new object would probably take 66 to 70 years to make a circuit of the sun.
Some astronomers have speculated that Mr Kowal’s discovery may be the first indication of an asteroid(小行星)belt beyond Saturn.
语篇导读 本文介绍了目前在太阳系新发现的可能是一颗小行星的天体。
1．What may have been found in the solar system according to the first paragraph?
A．A small new planet． B．A new solar system.
C．A large new object． D．A large new planet.
解析 A 细节理解题。根据第一段第二句可知，在太阳系中新发现了可能是一颗小行星的天体，故选A项。
2．What can we learn from the second paragraph?
A．What the object is like． B．How the object was found.
C．Where the astronomers live. D．Why the object was moving.
解析 B 细节理解题。根据第二段内容可知，天文学家Charles Kowal在照相底片上观察到了一条淡淡的光亮路径，指出有东西在相关的恒星后面移动，其他观察者也证实了这一发现，所以第二段主要讲述了该行星是如何被发现的，故选B项。
3．What magazine might this passage be taken from?
A．Astronomy． B．Industry．
C．Spaceflight． D．Agriculture.
解析 A 文章出处题。根据全文可知，本文主要介绍了目前在太阳系新发现的一颗疑似小行星的天体，这类文章最可能出自与天文学相关的杂志上，故选A项。
