By sending a man into space,China is hoping to join the United States and Russia in one of the clubs in the world.
Following a recent successful,though unmanned,test launch,China announced that it would attempt to send two men into space later this year on a Shenzhou V rocket.
While the names of China’s first astronauts have yet to be announced,at least 14 fighter pilots have been chosen to train for the mission,and some have been sent to Russia.
While China has been developing rockets since the 1950s,it has recently made great progress in rocket technology and regularly launches commercial satellites for US and
British companies.
China’s launch would come over 40 years after the first manned space flight.But manned space flight is still a risky effort,and the Chinese rocket will be launched
while memories of the recent Space disaster are still fresh.
However,China’s space ambitions seem to extend beyond putting people into space,with officials hinting that China may be the second country to ever put a man on the
moon.
“The short-term goal is to send Chinese people into space,” said Huang Chunping,Chief commander of rocketry for the Shenzhou project.“The grand vision for the future
is to explore space.Both are inspiring to the Chinese people.”
1.China would be the ______ nation to send a man into space.
A) first
B) second
C) third
D) fourth
2.The Shenzhou V rocket planned to have ______ passengers,according to the passage.
A) one
B) two
C) three
D) four
3.All of China’s potential astronauts are former ______.
A) fighter pilots
B) scientists
C) engineers
D) bodyguards
4.China has previously launched ______ for US and British companies.
A) weather balloons
B) airplanes
C) helicopters
D) satellites
5.According to the passage,______ has been accomplished.
A) sending unmanned rocket into space
B) sending manned rocket into space
C) sending a man into space
D) sending a man on the moon