火星探索新发现：科学家首次发现火星液态水湖

For the first time, scientists have found a lake of salty water under the Martian ice, a study released Wednesday said. The presence of water under the Martian polar ice has long been suspected but not seen until now. The discovery raises the possibility of finding life on the Red Planet. “Without water, no form of life as we know could exist,” said Anja Diez of the Norwegian Polar Institute. 
Astronomers used radar data from the orbiting European spacecraft Mars Express to find the water. They spent at least two years checking over the data to make sure they had found water. “I really have no other explanation,” said study lead author Roberto Orosei of Italy’s National Institute of Astrophysics in Bologna. “This is just one small study area; it is an exciting result to think there could be more of these underground water elsewhere, yet to be discovered.”
Although evidence of water was obvious on the planet’s surface in the form of vast dried-out river valley networks, Mars’ climate does not allow for water on the surface today. The discovery could offer fresh clues about how Earth’s neighbor so greatly changed billions of years ago from a warmer, wetter world to its freeze-dried state today. 
Cassie Stuurman, a geophysicist at the University of Texas, said that “If these researchers are right, this is the first time that we’ve found evidence of a large water body on the Mars. We are hopeful that there will be new discoveries.” The area is similar to that of lakes found beneath the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets on the Earth. “We are thrilled at the discovery, which will contribute to our understanding of the evolution of Mars, the history of water on our neighbor planet,” said Dmitri Titov of the European Space Agency.

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1.What is possible after the salty water lake was found on the Mars?

A Scientists are able to find much Martian ice.

B Scientists can suspect the presence of water.

C Scientists can more believe life living on the Mars.

D Scientists will have a break in the salty lake.

解析：选C。细节理解题。根据第一段第三句The discovery raises the possibility of finding life on the Red Planet.可知咸水湖的发现增加了火星上存在生命的可能性，故选C。

2.How did the astronomers try to find water on the Mars?

A They used the spacecraft.

B They collected data from radar.

C They went there themselves.

D They turned to the Mars Express.

解析：选B。细节理解题。根据第二段第一句的Astronomers used radar data from the orbiting European spacecraft Mars Express to find the water.可知天文学家是通过收集雷达数据来找火星上的水的，故选B。

3.What made the rivers on the surface of the Mars dry out?

A The Mars’ rough climate.

B The thick ice sheets.

C The new fresh clues.

D The earth’s affection.

解析：选A。推理判断题。根据第三段第一句Although evidence of water was obvious on the planet’s surface in the form of vast dried-out river valley networks, Mars’ climate does not allow for water on the surface today. 可知是火星上的恶劣气候导致火星表面的河流干涸的，故选A。

4.What does Dmitri Titov think of the discovery?

A It is hopeful.

B It is interesting.

C It is grateful.

D It is thrilling.

解析：选D。细节理解题。根据第四段最后一句的We are thrilled at the discovery可知他们对这个发现感到“兴奋、激动”，故选D。