A Long March 2F rocket carrying the Shenzhou XVIII spacecraft with three astronauts aboard blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China at 8:59 pm on Thursday. It is China’s first manned mission ever launched in April, which is typically the windiest and sandiest month at the launch center, so the meteorological staff analyzed April wind speed data from the past 10 years and mapped out multiple contingency (偶发事件) plans for the launch.

The Shenzhou XVIII crew members are Senior Colonel Ye Guangfu, who is the mission commander, Colonel Li Cong and Colonel Li Guangsu. After their peers from the Shenzhou XVII mission hand over the massive orbital outpost, the Shenzhou XVII crew will return to the Dongfeng landing site on Tuesday.

Lin Xiqiang, the China Manned Space Agency deputy director, said the Shenzhou XVIII crew will use the scientific experiment cabinets and extravehicular payloads to carry out more than 90 experiments involving microgravity, material science, life science, medicine and technology. Besides conducting China’s first research on a self-cycling aquatic (水生的) ecosystem, consisting of goldfish algae and zebrafish in orbit, the crew will also carry out the world’s first in-orbit stem cell study to explore plants’ evolutionary adaptation to gravity and provide theoretical support for space crops, he added.

Yang Liwei is China’s first astronaut in space and now one of the chief planners of the nation’s manned space program. “It’s such a pleasure to see the young astronauts can now carry out manned space missions and take on the heavy responsibilities. I am sure the Shenzhou XVIII crew will do well, although the mission has become more complicated and tougher.” Yang said. Since he completed the Shenzhou V mission in 2003, “China’s manned space programs have made steady and solid progress according to the plan. Currently, the operation of the space station has been normalized.” Yang said at the launch center on Wednesday afternoon. 

1.What does the underlined words “mapped out” mean?

A Resigned.

B Restricted.

C Tolerated.

D Arranged.

解析：选D。D词义猜测题。根据划线部分前面的“It is China’s first manned mission ever launched in April, which is typically the windiest and sandiest month at the launch center”可知，4月是酒泉卫星发射中心全年大风扬沙天气最多的月份，而神舟十八号是空间站建造以来首次在4月进行发射任务，因此为了努力把风沙影响降到最低，酒泉卫星发射中心气象部门工作人员开始了气象准备工作，分析筹划(arrange)多项突发情况应对处置方案。故选D。

2.What is the third paragraph mainly about?

A Tasks of Shenzhou XVIII manned space mission.

B The selection of the Shenzhou XVIII crew members.

C The future of China’s planned crewed moon landing mission.

D Preparations for the launch of the Shenzhou XVIII spacecraft.

解析：选A。A段落大意题。该段主要介绍了此次神舟十八号载人飞船的飞行任务。故选A。

3.How does Yang Liwei feel about the Shenzhou XVIII crew?

A He thinks the mission is too hard for them.

B He has no confidence in them.

C He has high expectations for the crew.

D He is proud of their confidence.

解析：选C。C推理判断题。根据最后一段第二句“It’s such a pleasure to see the young astronauts can now carry out manned space missions and take on the heavy responsibilities”和第三句“I am sure the Shenzhou XVIII crew will do well”可知，他对神舟十八号航天员抱有很高的期望，他相信他们会做得很好。故选C。

4.In which section of a newspaper may this text appear?

A Education.

B Health.

C Entertainment.

D Space.

解析：选D。D 推理判断题。根据全文内容可知，本文主要讲了神舟十八号载人飞船发射取得圆满成功，3名航天员顺利进驻中国空间站，属于“太空”版块。故选D。