Gold ! Gold ! Gold ! Gold has enthralled man since the dawn of civilization. For centuries he braved arctic cold, tropic heat and inhuman privations to wrest gold from the earth. He used it for religious objects, sculpture, jewelry and as a symbol of wealth. Paradoxically, he often buried it — for use in the afterlife, as the pharaohs, did, or for safekeeping against the uncertainties of this life. Gold’s lustre and rarity, which implied its owner possessed great power, gave it a musical quality from the start. Gold was considered divine in ancient Greece and it was used to adorn temples and as an offering to the gods. Despite their reverence, the ancients were quick to recognize gold’s practical qualities, particularly its malleability, which made it ideal for jewelry. Even Cleopatra used gold ornaments to enhance her charm. However, it has been as a symbol of wealth — of nations as well as individuals — that gold has played its most dramatic role.
A. describe the mining of gold.
B. describe man's pursuit of gold.
C. determine the importance of gold.
D. discuss the role of gold.
Now that man has actually landed on the surface of the moon, he has learned many new things about it. But one thing man knew before he ever reached the moon was that there was no life on it.
There is no atmosphere (大气层) on the moon. The lack of air means that the moon is not protected from any of the sun’s rays. The sun sends out heat and light radiation (辐射). Life on earth depends on heat and light. But the sun also sends out dangerous kinds of radiation. The earth’s atmosphere protects us from most of them. On the moon, however, there is no atmosphere to stop the radiation. All the sun’s rays beat down on the surface of the moon.
Because there is no atmosphere, the moon’s surface is either extremely hot or extremely cold. As the moon circles around the earth, the side of it that is lighted up by the sun becomes very hot. The temperature there reaches more than 300 degrees Fahrenheit (华氏温度). This is hotter than boiling water. The hot lunar
A. the sun
B. the moon
C. the earth
D. the planet
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