On May 25, 1961, American President John F. Kennedy announced that the United States "should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth." In the years that followed, his challenge became the central mission of NASA's Apollo Program, which succeeded in landing astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the lunar surface in July 1969. Five subsequent Apollo missions also landed astronauts on the Moon, ten other astronauts later followed in their footsteps, and by the time Apollo ended in 1972, a total of 24 men had journeyed to the moon. During its peak years, about 34,000 NASA employees and 375,000 outside contractors took part in the program.Apollo ran from 1961 to 1972, with the first manned flight in 1968. It achieved its goal of manned lunar landing, despite the major setback of a 1967 Apollo 1 cabin fire that killed the entire crew during a prelaunch test. The fire marked the first time that American astronauts were killed inside a spacecraft. It grounded Apollo for 18 months, but it also led NASA to make crucial design improvements that increased safety and performance during the lunar missions.After the first landing, sufficient flight hardware remained for nine follow-on landings with a plan for extended lunar geological and astrophysical (天体物理学的) exploration. Budget cuts forced the cancellation of three of these. Five of the remaining six missions achieved successful landings, but the Apollo 13 landing was prevented by an oxygen tank explosion in transit to the Moon, which damaged the life support. The crew returned to Earth safely by using the Lunar Module (登月舱) as a "lifeboat" for these functions. Till now, Apollo 13 has been regarded as the most "successful failure" of NASA.Why has Apollo 13 been regarded as the most "successful failure"?A. Because though other five missions succeeded, Apollo 13 failed.B. Because though the mission failed, the crew returned safely.C. Because though the oxygen tank exploded, the landing proceeded.D. Because though the life support was damaged, the Lunar Module worked.
On May 25, 1961, American President John F. Kennedy announced that the United States "should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth." In the years that followed, his challenge became the central mission of NASA's Apollo Program, which succeeded in landing astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the lunar surface in July 1969. Five subsequent Apollo missions also landed astronauts on the Moon, ten other astronauts later followed in their footsteps, and by the time Apollo ended in 1972, a total of 24 men had journeyed to the moon. During its peak years, about 34,000 NASA employees and 375,000 outside contractors took part in the program.
Apollo ran from 1961 to 1972, with the first manned flight in 1968. It achieved its goal of manned lunar landing, despite the major setback of a 1967 Apollo 1 cabin fire that killed the entire crew during a prelaunch test. The fire marked the first time that American astronauts were killed inside a spacecraft. It grounded Apollo for 18 months, but it also led NASA to make crucial design improvements that increased safety and performance during the lunar missions.
After the first landing, sufficient flight hardware remained for nine follow-on landings with a plan for extended lunar geological and astrophysical (天体物理学的) exploration. Budget cuts forced the cancellation of three of these. Five of the remaining six missions achieved successful landings, but the Apollo 13 landing was prevented by an oxygen tank explosion in transit to the Moon, which damaged the life support. The crew returned to Earth safely by using the Lunar Module (登月舱) as a "lifeboat" for these functions. Till now, Apollo 13 has been regarded as the most "successful failure" of NASA.
Why has Apollo 13 been regarded as the most "successful failure"?
A. Because though other five missions succeeded, Apollo 13 failed.
B. Because though the mission failed, the crew returned safely.
C. Because though the oxygen tank exploded, the landing proceeded.
D. Because though the life support was damaged, the Lunar Module worked.
题目解答
答案
解析
本题考查对文章细节信息的理解。解题的关键在于准确理解文章中关于阿波罗13号被称为“最成功的失败”的原因描述，并对各个选项进行细致分析。
- 首先明确文章中对阿波罗13号情况的描述：“the Apollo 13 landing was prevented by an oxygen tank explosion in transit to the Moon, which damaged the life support. The crew returned to Earth safely by using the Lunar Module (登月舱) as a 'lifeboat' for these functions. Till now, Apollo 13 has been regarded as the most 'successful failure' of NASA”，即阿波罗13号在前往月球途中氧气罐爆炸，生命支持系统受损，未能完成登月任务，但宇航员利用登月舱作为“生命艇”安全返回地球，所以被称为“最成功的失败”。
- 接着分析各个选项：
- A选项：“Because though other five missions succeeded, Apollo 13 failed”，该选项只是简单提及其他五次任务成功而阿波罗13号失败，没有体现出“成功”的关键因素，即宇航员安全返回，所以A选项不符合要求。
- B选项：“Because though the mission failed, the crew returned safely”，准确概括了任务失败但人员安全返回这一核心含义，与文章中阿波罗13号被称为“最成功的失败”的原因相符，所以B选项正确。
- C选项：“Because though the oxygen tank exploded, the landing proceeded”，与文章内容不符，文章明确说明由于氧气罐爆炸，阿波罗13号未能完成登月任务，所以C选项错误。
- D选项：“Because though the life support was damaged, the Lunar Module worked”，虽然提到了生命支持系统受损和登月舱起作用，但没有突出最终宇航员安全返回这一关键结果，没有完整体现“成功”的含义，所以D选项不合适。