Two high school students have identified four new planets in distant space about 200-light-years from Earth，making them "the youngest astronomers" to make such a discovery.
Kartik Pingle，16，and Jasmine Wright，18，who both attend schools in Massachusetts，participated in the Student Research Mentoring Program （SRMP）.With the help of Tansu Daylan，an MIT doctor for Astrophysics and Space Research，the students studied and analyzed data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite （TESS）.Together they focused on Tess Object of Interest （TOI） 1233，a nearby，bright sun-like star and here they found four planets rotating （旋轉） around the star. "We were looking to see changes in light over time，" Pingle explained， "the idea is that if the planet transits the star，or passes in front of it，it would periodically cover up the star and decrease its brightness."
While studying 1233，Pingle and Wright had at least hoped to find one planet，but were overwhelmed with joy when a total of four were spotted. "I was very excited and very shocked." Wright said. "We knew this was the goal of Daylan's research，but to actually find a multi-planetary system，and be part of the discovering team，was really cool."
Three of the newly discovered planets are considered as "sub-Neptunes"，which are gaseous （氣態的），but smaller than the Neptune that lives in our solar system.While observing the planets，the team determined each one completes their orbit around 1233 every six to 19.5 days.However，the fourth planet is labeled a "super-Earth" for its large size and rockiness---this one orbits around the star in just under four days.
"We have long been studying planets beyond our solar system and with multi-planetary systems，the two young students are kind of hitting the jackpot.They are really blessed." Daylan said， "The planets originated from the same disk of matter around the same star，but they ended up being different planets with different atmospheres and different climates due to their different orbits.So，we would like to understand the fundamental processes of planet formation and evolution using this planetary system."
Daylan added that it was a "win-win" to work with Pingle and Wright on the study. "As a researcher，I really enjoy interacting with young brains that are open to experimentation and learning and have minimal bias." he said， "I also think it is very beneficial to high school students，since they get exposure to cutting-edge research and this prepares them quickly for a research career."
（1）How did the two students identify the four planets？ BB
A．By helping professor Tansu Daylan with the data.
B．By analyzing the change of brightness of star 1233.
C．By studying Neptune that lives in our solar system.
D．By interacting with other young talented brains.
（2）What is special about the discovery？ DD
A．It was made by two high school students.
B．It was made with an innovative approach.
C．It was meant to be made by Tansu Daylan.
D．It found the largest number of planets at a time.
（3）Which of the following is closest in meaning to "hitting the jackpot" in paragraph 5？ CC
A．Making a discovery difficultly.
B．Achieving the goal easily.
C．Succeeding in something luckily.
D．Performing a task carefully.
（4）According to the article，what benefits does the study bring？ BB
A．It allows the scientists to work with young people without prejudice.
B．It equips future astronomers with better researching capabilities.
C．It provides more perspectives and thus boosts more discoveries.
D．It arouses students' interest in exploring the unknown universe.
【答案】B；D；C；B
【解答】
【點評】
聲明：本試題解析著作權屬菁優網所有，未經書面同意，不得復制發布。
發布：2024/4/20 14:35:0組卷：11引用：6難度：0.6
相似題
-
1．All routes to STEM （science，technology，engineering and mathematics） degrees run through calculus （微積分） classes.Each year，thousands of college students take introductory calculus.But only a small number ultimately complete a STEM degree，and research about why students abandon such degrees suggests that traditional calculus courses are one of the reasons.With scientific understanding and innovation increasingly central to solving 21st-century problems，this loss of talent is something society can ill afford.
Math departments alone are unlikely to solve this dilemma.Several of the promising calculus reforms were spearheaded by professors outside of math departments.STEM faculty are prioritizing cooperation across disciplines to transform math classes to cultivate a diverse generation of STEM researchers and professionals.
This is not uncharted territory.In 2013，life sciences faculty at the University of California，Los Angeles，developed a two-course sequence that covers classic calculus topics，but also emphasizes their application in a biological context.Creating this course，Mathematics for Life Scientists，wasn't easy.The life sciences faculty involved，none of whom had a joint appointment with the math department，said they turned to designing the course themselves after math faculty rejected their request for cooperation.
In Ohio，Wright State University's Engineering departments also revised math offerings.Rather than changing the content of the calculus course，they focused on preparing students for calculus by emphasizing "engineering motivation for math." The approach enhanced opportunities for students with weaker math backgrounds to succeed in engineering and doubled the average graduation rate of engineering students without reducing the average grade of graduates.Math learning is fundamental to all STEM fields，but the opposite also appears to be true.
（1）What problem is mentioned in paragraph 1？
A．Increasing STEM dropout rate.
B．The reform of calculus courses.
C．Shrinking admission to STEM majors.
D．The shaken belief in the role of calculus.
（2）What does "spearheaded" in paragraph 2 probably mean？
A．challenged
B．evaluated
C．cancelled
D．initiated
（3）What do we know about the calculus course reform according to the text？
A．STEM departments made calculus content easier to improve students' grades.
B．Math departments sought cooperation with STEM counterparts to urge reforms.
C．Placing calculus learning in specific STEM contexts is a workable approach.
D．Removing calculus is the key to increasing graduation rate of STEM students.
（4）What does "the opposite" in the last paragraph refer to？
A．The STEM fields may be the foundation of other science subjects.
B．The STEM fields may be central to making math learning effective.
C．Math learning may set barrier for science study in the STEM fields.
D．Math learning may make way for science study in the STEM fields.發布：2025/1/1 17:30:2組卷：26引用：3難度：0.5 -
2．I once thought that outer beauty is the only factor to become a great person.When I was young，I read many kinds of books，most of which described characters who are handsome or beautiful.So I think that being beautiful is the only way to become a success.
As I grew up，the story of my best friend made me realize that outer beauty was not so important to make a person successful.She is so beautiful a girl that every classmate liked to chat with her，but she was very arrogant（傲慢）.In her opinion，she could get all she wanted because of her beauty，but all of her friends left her one by one!Only then did she come to know the importance of the beauty in a person's heart，which changed her attitude and she made friends again.
Turning on TV，we can see many advertisements，most of which seem to give us a feeling that，physical attractiveness is the most important thing. There seems to be a boom in plastic surgery.It is surprising that more and more people，especially girls and women，try it like the first man-made beauty in China，Hao Lulu.It is a common sense that attractive people can easily find work.Most good-looking guys，usually get higher scores in the job interviews.But what is real beauty？I want to say that is inner beauty because those who have beauty in their soul are really beautiful persons.
As is known，the beauty judged with eyes is temporary，so we should concentrate on inner beauty.And if we make the efforts to make our minds beautiful，we'll live a happier life.
（1）Why did the author want to have a good appearance when she was young？
A．Because she wanted to follow the example of her friend.
B．Because she wanted to be one of the characters in the book.
C．Because she wanted to get higher scores in the job interviews.
D．Because the successful characters in the books she read were attractive.
（2）Why did the writer refer to her friend's story？
A．To show how beautiful her friend was.
B．To show how important outer beauty is.
C．To show the importance of inner beauty.
D．To show how terrible to be a beautiful girl.
（3）What does the underlined sentence in the third paragraph mean？
A．Surgery is becoming more and more popular.
B．More and more people pay attention to outer beauty.
C．More people can afford the price of doing plastic surgery.
D．The living standard has been improved over the past years.
（4）Which of the following covers the passage best？
A．Inner beauty is the real beauty.
B．How do attractive persons become successful？
C．The key factor to find a good job is being attractive.
D．Plastic surgery is the best way to make a person more beautiful.
（5）What do we know from the passage？
A．If you are too beautiful，all your friends will leave you out of envy.
B．If you have a good appearance，you must get higher scores in the job interviews.
C．Without the TV advertisements，there wouldn't have been a boom in plastic surgery.
D．Those who have good appearances should also develop the beauty in their hearts.發布：2025/1/1 18:0:1組卷：12引用：2難度：0.6 -
3．Dear Laura，
I just heard you tell an old story of gift giving and unselfish love in your program．You doubted that such unselfish love would happen in today's world．Well，I'm here to give you （1）．
I wanted to do something very （2）for my fifteen - year - old son，who has always been the perfect child．He （3）all summer to earn enough money to buy a used motorcycle．Then，he spent hours and hours on it （4）it looked almost new．I was so （5）of him that I bought him the shiniest helmet and a riding outfit．
I could （6）wait for him to open up his gift．In fact，I barely slept the night before．Upon awakening．I went to the kitchen to （7）the coffee，tea，and morning goodies．In the living room was a beautiful keyboard with a （8）： "To my wonderful mother，all my love，your son．"
I was so （9）．It had been a long - standing joke in our family that I wanted a piano so that I could （10）lessons． "L earn to play the piano，and I'll get you one" was my husband's （11）．
I stood there shocked，crying a river，asking myself how my son could （12）this expensive gift．
Of course，the （13）awoke，and my son was thrilled（激動的）with my reaction．Many kisses were （14），and I immediately wanted him to （15）my gift．
As he saw the helmet and outfit，the look on his face was not （16）what I was expecting．Then I （17）that he had sold the motorcycle to get me the keyboard．
Of course I was the proudest mother （18）on that day，and my feet never hit the ground for a month．
So I wanted you to know，that kind of love still （19）and lives even in the ever-changing world of me，me，me!
I thought you'd love to （20）this story．
keyboard
Yours，
Hilary
P．S．The next day，my husband and I bought him a new "used" already shiny motorcycle．（1） A．support B．advice C．hope D．courage （2） A．polite B．similar C．special D．private （3） A．played B．studied C．traveled D．worked （4） A．after B．before C．until D．unless （5） A．sure B．fond C．proud D．confident （6） A．perhaps B．really C．almost D．hardly （7） A．cook B．start C．set D．serve （8） A．note B．notice C．word D．sign （9） A．disturbed B．confused C．inspired D．astonished （10） A．give B．take C．draw D．teach （11） A．reason B．request C．comment D．response （12） A．present B．afford C．find D．order （13） A．neighbor B．building C．house D．home （14） A．exchanged B．experienced C．expected D．exhibited （15） A．tear B．open C．check D．receive （16） A．purely B．exactly C．obviously D．basically （17） A．realized B．remembered C．imagined D．supposed （18） A．only B．still C．ever D．even （19） A．works B．exists C．matters D．counts （20） A．send B．publish C．write D．share 發布：2025/1/30 8:0:1組卷：6引用：1難度：0.2