Uranus Smells Like Rotten EggsA team of scientists have discovered that the clouds covering the planet Uranus (天王星) smell like rotten eggs. The scientists found this out by studying the sunlight bouncing off Uranuss clouds.Scientists have thought for a long time that the clouds of Uranus might have a lot of hydrogen sulphides(硫化物) in them. But until recently, no one could prove it. Hydrogen sulphide is a gas which has a strong smell that reminds people of rotten eggs.To find the answer, scientists from many countries, including the Us and the UK, studied the light coming off the clouds on Uranus. Although sunlight may look like its one colour, it is actually many colours.Some parts of the light, called “infrared”, cant be seen by humans. Most TV remotes, for example, use infrared light to send signals to the TV. If you look at the remote, you wont see it light up, but a camera can take a picture of it. Even infrared light can be split up into different kinds of light.The scientists worked at the Gemini North Observatory in Mauna Kea, Hawaii. They used a special tool to study images of Uranus taken with the telescope there. By looking at what kinds of infrared light went into the clouds and what bounced off, they were able to prove that Uranuss clouds have lots of hydrogen sulphides.The news is important because it proves that Uranusand probably Neptune（海王星）are very different from Jupiter or Saturn, where the upper clouds do not have hydrogen sulphide. The information may one day help scientists figure out how the planets were made and where they came from.One of the scientists, Patrick Irwin said that if any unlucky human went down through Uranuss clouds, “. they would be met with very unpleasant and odiferous conditions.” But he also pointed out that the smell would be a small problem compared to the fact that there is no air to breathe and that temperatures can drop below-200 Celsius（摄氏温度）（-328 Fahrenheit）.Reading ComprehensionChoose the correct answer for each question1. What causes the clouds covering the planet Uranus to smell like rotten eggs?A. Oxygen. B. Carbon dioxide. C. Hydrogen sulphide. D. Hydrogen.2. Why is the TV remote mentioned in the 4th paragraph?A. To list ways that infrared light can be used. B. To show that the invisible infrared light truly exists. C. To analyse how the remote interacts with the TV. D. To explain how light can be caught by a camera.3. What does the underlined word “odiferous” mean in the last paragraph?A. Delightful. B. Agreeable. C. Smelly. D. Acceptable.4. Which statement is NOT true about Uranus?A. There is no air to breathe on it. B. Uranuss clouds are very smelly. C. It is very different from Jupiter. D. The upper clouds do not have hydrogen sulphide.5. Whats the weather like on Uranus according to the passage?A. It can be very cold B. It can be very hot C. It rains a lot D. It can be windyVocabulary基础词rotten adj.腐烂的；腐败的英 （of food, wood, etc）that has decayed and cannot be eaten or used bounce n. 反弹, 弹回v. （使）反弹；反射英 to move（sth.）up and down记 联想记忆 又跳（bound）又弹（bounce）例 Owen kicked the ball but it bounced off the post. 欧文踢中了球, 但球从门柱子上弹开了observatory n. 观象台；天文台；气象台英 a special building with a telescope or other equipment that scientists use to watch the stars the weather, etc记 词根记忆 observ（e）（观察）+atroy（场所）观察的场所观察台telescope n.望远镜记 词根记忆 tele（远）+ scope（视野）望远镜breathe v. 呼吸英 to take air into your lungs and send it out again through your nose or mouth例 cant breathe in this room我在这个屋子里无法呼吸。drop v.扔下, 掉下；降低搭 drop off中途放下/卸下；打盹儿 drop out退学；退出Vocabulary进阶词hydrogen n.氢；氢气记 词根记忆 hydro（水）+gen（产生）参与生成水的物质氢搭 hydrogen bomb氢弹 hydrogen nucleus氢原子核infrared adj.红外线的；使用红外线的记 词根记忆 infra（下）+red（红色）在红色之下红外线的搭 infrared imaging红外成像 infrared light红外线infrared image红外影像remote adj.偏僻的；久远的；远程的；关系运的；微乎其微的；冷漠的n. 遥控器英 far away from places where other people live记 词根记忆 re（反）+mot（移动）+e向后移动关系远的搭 remote sensing遥感 in the remote future在遥远的将来Jupiter n. 木星upper adj. 上面的；较高的英 at or near the top of sth. 搭 upper limit上限 the upper class上层阶级, 上层社会figure n. 数字；人物；体形；图表；雕像v. 认为；计算, 估计搭 figure out弄明白；计算出 latest figures最新数据Fahrenheit n.华氏温度adj.华氏温度的答案：CBCDA 4 / 4