1．The Virgin Oceanic Submarine （潛水艇）is an entirely new type of vessel that can dive to 37，000feet and fly through the ocean using wings．similar to an airplane's wings．It will be able to dive 7miles straight down to the deepest place on the planet，the bottom of the Mariana Trench （海溝）where only one other vessel has ever gone before．Unlike the last Mariana Trench dive，the Virgin Oceanic Submarine will be able to fly around and explore while it is there．
This amazing new submarine is what Richard Branson invented for his fellow adventurer and dear friend，Steve Fossett，who had dreamed of piloting it himself，but when he was flying over the Nevada desert he failed to return．Branson has now Finished what Fossett wished，and he hopes that the successful Virgin Oceanic Submarine will open the door to new exploration and scientific discovery．
This undersea adventure is very much like Branson's space adventure．Branson's company，Virgin Galactic，travels into space using a space plane．The space adventure rose from the success of the vehicle Space Ship One which has completed its task and Branson's boyhood dream of exploring space：Virgin Galactic is now testing the first Space Ship Two model，with a plan for tourism in space when all testing is finished．
16．The Virgin Oceanic Submarine （潛水艇）is an entirely new type of vessel that can dive to 37，000feet and fly through the ocean using wings．similar to an airplane's wings．It will be able to dive 7miles straight down to the deepest place on the planet，the bottom of the Mariana Trench （海溝）where only one other vessel has ever gone before．Unlike the last Mariana Trench dive，the Virgin Oceanic Submarine will be able to fly around and explore while it is there．
This amazing new submarine is what Richard Branson invented for his fellow adventurer and dear friend，Steve Fossett，who had dreamed of piloting it himself，but when he was flying over the Nevada desert he failed to return．Branson has now Finished what Fossett wished，and he hopes that the successful Virgin Oceanic Submarine will open the door to new exploration and scientific discovery．
This undersea adventure is very much like Branson's space adventure．Branson's company，Virgin Galactic，travels into space using a space plane．The space adventure rose from the success of the vehicle Space Ship One which has completed its task and Branson's boyhood dream of exploring space：Virgin Galactic is now testing the first Space Ship Two model，with a plan for tourism in space when all testing is finished．
Just as Branson uses new technology to explore our planet and beyond it，he also uses it to save our planet．He created a challenge witha 25 million prize for technology which would remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere．Naturally，this challenge is called the Virgin Earth Challenge，This idea came from seeing the X-Prize succeed in stimulating （刺激）the invention that finally created Space Ship One．No new technology has yet hit the marketplace as a result of this challenge．
Branson's genius for seeing something great and making it happen first became apparent when he started selling"cut-out"records．He was soon able to create his own recording studio with the．profits．From there，Branson proceeded to discover and promote new musical artists．His instinct for finding innovative （創(chuàng)新的）artists is the same instinct he now applies to finding innovative technology．
While the new Virgin Oceanic Submarine has not yet proved itself，there is little doubt that it will．
47．What do we know about the Virgin Oceanic Submarine from the passage？C
A．It is able to fly across the Pacific Ocean．
B．It has ever gone to the Mariana Trench before．
C．It's advanced because it can fly and explore in deep water．
D．Its wings are much bigger than an airplane's wings．
48．Branson created a challenge with a $25 million prize in order toB．
A．explore our planet and the universe
B．remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere
C．stimulate people to create a new space ship
D．finish his boyhood dream of exploring space
49．What is the author's attitude towards the new Virgin Oceanic Submarine？A
A．Positive．
B．Doubtful．
C．Indifferent．
D．Critical．
50．What is this passage mainly about？D
A．An introduction to Richard Branson，
B．Richard Branson's and Steve Fossett's dream．
C．The achievements in exploring the earth．
D．The new Virgin Oceanic Submarine．
分析 本文是一篇說明文．主要從優(yōu)勢、發(fā)明的原因、海底探險、作用等方面介紹了由理查德•布蘭森發(fā)明的有關維珍海洋潛水艇的相關信息．維珍海洋潛水艇可以像飛機一樣飛過海面，徑直駛向深海探險．理查德•布蘭森是為了他的伙伴和朋友史蒂夫•福塞特而發(fā)明了維珍海洋潛水艇．海底探險很像理查德•布蘭森的太空探險．布蘭森使用新技術來探索地球之外，還用來拯救地球．
解答 47．C 細節(jié)理解題．根據第一段中的"The Virgin Oceanic Submarine （潛水艇）is an entirely new type of vessel that can dive to 37，000feet and fly through the ocean using wings．similar to an airplane's wings．It will be able to dive 7miles straight down to the deepest place on the planet，the bottom of the Mariana Trench （海溝）where only one other vessel has ever gone before…"可知，維珍海洋潛水艇可以像飛機一樣飛過海面，徑直駛向深海探險，故選C．
48．B 細節(jié)理解題．根據倒數(shù)第三段中的"He created a challenge with a 25 million prize for technology which would remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere"可知，這樣做的目的是為了消除大氣中的溫室氣體，故選B．
49．A 推理判斷題．根據最后一段中的"While the new Virgin Oceanic Submarine has not yet proved itself，there is little doubt that it will"可知，雖然維珍海洋潛水艇還沒有能夠證明自己，但是毫無疑問，它必將會證明的．
50．D 主旨大意． 縱觀全文可知，本文主要從優(yōu)勢、發(fā)明的原因、海底探險、作用等方面介紹了有關維珍海洋潛水艇的相關信息，故選D．
點評 解答細節(jié)理解題時，一個常用的方法就是運用定位法，即根據題干和選項中的關鍵詞從原文中找到相關的句子，與選項進行比較從而確定答案；推理判斷題既要求學生透過文章表面文字信息推測文章隱含意思，又要求學生對作者的態(tài)度、意圖及文章細節(jié)的發(fā)展作正確的推理判斷，力求從作者的角度去考慮，不要固守自己的看法或觀點．
