Since landing on May 25, Phoenix has been studying soil with a chemistry lab, TEGA, a microscope, a conductivity probe and cameras. The science team is trying to determine whether the water ice ever thaws enough to be available for biology and if carbon-containing chemicals and other raw materials for life are present.

　　The mission is examining the sky as well as the ground. A Canadian instrument is using a laser beam to study dust and clouds overhead.

　　"It''s a 30-watt light bulb giving us a laser show on Mars," said Victoria Hipkin of the Canadian Space Agency.

　　A full-circle, color panorama of Phoenix''s surroundings also has been completed by the spacecraft.

　　"The details and patterns we see in the ground show an ice-dominated terrain as far as the eye can see," said Mark Lemmon of Texas A & M University, lead scientist for Phoenix''s Surface Stereo Imager camera. "They help us plan measurements we''re making within reach of the robotic arm and interpret those measurements on a wider scale."

1What was discovered by NASA''s Phoenix Mars Lander on Mars?

 A.Vast lakes.

 B.Flowing rivers.

 C.Water in a soil sample.

 D.Living things.

2Why did the first two attempts to deliver samples fail?

 A.The sample vaporized away.

 B.Fresh material was exposed to the air.

 C.The samples got stuck inside the scoop.

 D.The robotic arm hit a hard rock.

3Which one of the following statements is NOT meant by the writer?

 A.Scientists have been trying to break the ice-rich layers of soil on Mars.

 B.Scientists have been surprised by how the soil on Mars behaves.

 C.Scientists have been trying to find out if there is life supporting material on Mars.

 D.Scientists have been trying to know if water ice will melt.

4Where are the scientists involved in the research from?

 A.They are from America.

 B.They are from Canada.

 C.They are from both America and Canada.

 D.They are from neither America nor Canada.

5Which of the following do you think is the best description of Phoenix''s Surface Stereo Imager camera, according to your understanding of the passage?

 A.It imitates human vision and is able to capture three-dimensional images.

 B.It imitates human voice and is able to record slight sounds while taking photos.

 C.It takes clear photos that show every detail of the object.

 D.It is this particular type of camera that can take wide angle pictures

  3、Black Holes Trigger Stars to Self-Destruct

　　Scientists have long understood that super massive black holes weighing millions or billions of suns can tear apart stars that come too close. The black hole''s gravity pulls harder on the nearest part of the star, an imbalance that pulls the star apart over a period of minutes or hours, once it gets close enough.

　　Scientists say this uneven pulling is not the only hazard facing the star. The strain of these unbalanced forces can also trigger a nuclear explosion powerful enough to destroy the star