The ISS project is a partnership of five - the US, Russia, Europe, Japan and Can

The ISS project is a partnership of five - the US,Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada.

At the moment, no program for its use nor any moneyhas been put in place to support the platform beyond 2015.  

One of the biggest issues stopping an agreement onstation-life extension（延长期） is the human spaceflight examinationordered by US President Barack Obama.

The Americans are developing a new vision for spaceexploration, and the rockets and spacecraft they will need to start it. Thefuture of US joining in the ISS is closely tied to the result of theexamination.

Mr Dordain, the European Space Agency's (Esa) DirectorGeneral, said no one partner in the ISS project could alone call an end to theplatform. A meeting would be held in Japan later in the year where he hoped thepartners could get something clearly going forward. He said it was alsonecessary the benefits（成效） were increased and the costs were reduced.Increasing the benefits could include finding new uses for the station.

Esa has called for ideas on how to use the ISS as aplatform for Earth observation（观测站）. Mr Dordain said theagency had received about 20 very good proposals.

On the issue of reducing costs, there were many ideason the table, he explained.

He also questioned whether it was necessary for thestation to have six astronauts at all times. If there were periods when littlemaintenance（维修） was required or the experiment load waslight, could the ISS run on a smaller group of people, he suggested.

Construction of the space station should finish thisyear. Next month, two components built in Europe - a connecting node anda robotic control room - will be flown to the platform by the US shuttleEndeavour.

Tranquility and the Cupola, as they are known, willcomplete the non-Russian side of the ISS.

1.Why will America joining in the ISS be tied to theresult of the examination?

A．BecauseAmerica is the greatest power among them

B．BecauseAmerica provides most of the money

C．Because theyneed America’s rockets and spacecraft

D．Because Obamaordered the human spaceflight examination

2.According to Mr Dordain, how should they do toreduce costs?

A．To find newuses for the station

B．To makelittle maintenance

C．To reduce theexperiment load

D．To have fewerastronauts sometimes

3.Where do you think you can read this passage?

A．In a storybook                         B．In a handbook

C．In anadvertisement                     D．In anewspaper

试题答案

【答案】

1.C

2.D

3.D 

【解析】

试题