初中英语话题阅读之人物与故事

Topic Reading ——People and Stories

FionaSwan

Mar,23rd,2015

Heroes

1.National Hero

China’s first manned spaceship lifted off at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, October 15th, 2003 in Jiuquan, Gansu Province. The spaceship, called Shenzhou V, was carrying China’s first astronaut, Yang Liwei. Yang, who was a pilot in the army, was chosen from 1,500 other army pilots and started training for his space flight in 1998.

The launch was very successf ul. “When the spaceship was lifting off, I could really feel the high gravity”, said Yang Liwei. “When the spaceship separated from the rocket, I suddenly got a feeling of soaring into the sky because of the zero gravity.”

During the 21-hour space flight, the Shenzhou V circled the earth 14 times. While the spaceship was circling the earth for the sixth time, Yang Liwei spoke with ground control in Gansu. He was also able to speak with his wife and

8-year-old son. Yang Liwei had several tasks to complete during the flight and only slept in the spaceship for about 3 hours. While he was sleeping, the spaceship circled the earth twice.

When the spaceship was doing its seventh circle, Yang Liwei showed the flags of China and the United Nations, expressing the wishes of the Chinese people to explore and use space peacefully.

At 6:23 a.m. on October 16th, Yang Liwei landed in Inner Mongolia safely. He told reporters later, “The surface of the spaceship was glowing red when it

came back into the earth’s atmosphere. When Shenzhou V let out its parachute,

I felt the ship was shaking.” As Yang Liwei returned into the earth’s atmosphere,

helicopters were flying to where he would land, ready to collect him.

Millions of people all over China were watching TV when the spaceship landed safely. When Yang Liwei climbed out of the spaceship, he smiled and waved to the crowds waiting for him. Yang Liwei was happy to be home but he said, “I thought 21 hours was too short to stay in space.”

Answer the following questions:

1. How did Yang Liwei feel during the flight? How did he feel afterwards?

2. what did Yang Liwei during the Shenzhou V's seventh circle of the earth?

3. How many circles did the spaceship complete while Yang Liwei was sleeping?

4. What were helicopters doing as Yang Liwei returned to the earth's atpmosphere?

5. What did Yang Liwei do when he came out of the spaceship?

Match the verbs with the nouns to form expressions. Then fill in the blanks with them:

1. One of the reasons people are interested in _____________ is that they wonder if there is life on any other planets.

2. Before you start writing your article, you must do research and ____________

3. You may watch TV after you have _______________ all your _____________

4. You can _____________ when an airplane takes off and you are pushed back in your seat.

5. When John jumped from the airplane, he ________ his __________ and floated slowly back to earth.

6. Children often ____________ and dreams through art. their pictures show how they are feeling.