江苏高考英语百日训练之任务型阅读（58）含答案解析【题文】请认真阅读下列短文，并根据所读内容在文章后表格的空格处填入一个最恰当的单词。

注意：请将答案写在答题纸上相应题号的横线上。

每个空格只填一个单词。

Why should mankind explore space? Why should money, time and effort be spent exploring and researching something with so few apparent benefits? Why should resources be spent on space instead of on conditions and people on Earth? These are questions that, understandably, are very often asked.Perhaps the best answer lies in our genetic makeup as human beings. What drove our ancestors to move from the trees into the plains, and on into all possible areas and environments? With the wide spread of a species, human beings can get high chance of survival. Perhaps the best reason for exploring space is this genetic tendency to expand wherever possible.Nearly every successful civilization has explored, because by doing so, any dangers in surrounding areas can be identified and prepared for. Without knowledge, we may be completely destroyed by the danger. With knowledge, we can lessen its effects.Exploration also allows minerals and other potential resources to be found. Even if we have no need of them right now, they will perhaps be useful later. Resources may be more than physical possessions. Knowledge or techniques have been acquired through exploration. The techniques may have medical applications which can improve the length or quality of our lives. We have already benefited from other spinoffs including improvements in earthquake prediction, in satellites for weather forecasting and in communications systems. Even nonstick pans and mirrored sunglasses are byproducts of technological developments in the space.While many resources are spent on what seems a small return, the exploration of space allows creative, brave and intelligent members of our species to focus on what may serve to save us. While space may hold many wonders and explanations of how the universe was formed or how it works, it also holds dangers. The danger exists, but knowledge can help human beings to survive. Without the ability to reach out across space, the chance to save ourselves might not exist.While Earth is the only planet known to support life, surely the adaptive ability of humans would allow us to live on other planets. It is true that the lifestyle would be different, but human life and cultures have adapted in the past and surely could in the future.【答案】46. Questions47. rather 48. instinct49. wider 50. prepared51. immediately52. improving53. predicting54. creativity55. solve【解析】本文是一篇说明文，介绍了人类进行太空探索的原因及意义。

【46题详解】考查名词。

根据第一段中的“These are questions that, understandably, are very often asked.”可知，为什么探索太空，为什么把时间、金钱和精力花在没有明显益处的东西上以及为什么把资源花在太空探索上而不是地球上等这些都是常被问起的问题，故填Questions。

【47题详解】考查介词短语。

根据第一段中的“Why should resources be spent on space instead of on conditions and people on Earth?”可知，为什么把资源花在太空探索上而不是地球上呢？rather than表示“而不是”，故填rather。

【48题详解】考查名词。

根据第二段中的“Perhaps the best answer lies in our genetic makeup as human beings.”可知，答案在于人类的基因构成，也是探索新区域和环境是人类的本能，故填instinct。

【49题详解】考查固定结构。

根据第二段中的“With the wide spread of a species, human beings can get high chance of survival.”可知，随着一个物种的广泛蔓延，人类有很大的生存机会，也就是蔓延得越广，生存机会就越大，此处为“the+比较级，the+比较级”结构，表示“越……，越……”，故填wider。

【50题详解】考查动词。

根据第三段中的“Nearly every successful civilization has explored, because by doing so, any dangers in surrounding areas can be identified and prepared for.”可知，通过探索，周围地区的任何危险都能被识别出来并做好准备，get prepared表示“做好准备”，故填prepared。

【51题详解】考查副词。

根据第四段中的“Exploration also allows minerals and other potential resources to be found. Even if we have no need of them right now, they will perhaps be useful later.”可知，探索会让我们发现矿物和其他潜在资源，即使我们不马上需要它们，将来也许会有用，故填immediately。

【52题详解】考查非谓语动词。

根据第四段中的“The techniques may have medical applications which can improve the length or quality of our lives. ”可知，这些技术可以应用于医学上，可以延长我们的寿命或提高我们的生活质量，result in后接动名词作宾语，故填improving。

【53题详解】考查非谓语动词。

根据第四段中的“We have already benefited from other s pinoffs including improvements in earthquake prediction, in satellites for weather forecasting ”可知，我们已经受益于其他附带成果，包括预报地震和天气等，与7处并列作介词in的宾语，后接动名词，故填predicting。

【54题详解】考查名词。

根据倒数第二段中的“While many resources are spent on what seems a small return, the exploratio n of space allows creative, brave and intelligent members of our species to focus on what may serve to save us.”可知，虽然许多资源都花在了看似微不足道的回报上，但太空探索让我们这个物种中富有创造力、勇敢和聪明的成员能够专注于可能拯救我们的东西，此处缺少名词作主语，故填creativity。

【55题详解】考查动词。

根据倒最后一段中的“While Earth is the only planet known to support life, surely the adaptive ability of humans would allow us to live on other planets.”可知，虽然地球是目前已知唯一支持生命存在的星球，但人类的适应能力肯定会让我们能在其他星球上生存，也就是说太空探索会帮助人类解决地球上的一些潜在问题，故填solve。