B
Airships were popular in the early 1900s. These aircraft can fly because they are filled with lighter-than-air gases. Some types have a rigid frame and all of them have a cabin(机舱)below the main body. Pilots and passengers are carried in this cabin.
Back in the 1900s, most airships were filled with hydrogen(氢气). The gas burns easily. In 1937, an airship called the Hindenburg caught fire during landing. Thirty-six people died as a result. The sad thing scared people away from airships. At that time, planes were improving quickly. Since then, people have been using planes for most air travel.
Now, an American company called Lighter Than Air (LTA) Research wants to change
that. LTA Research has been working on its airship, Pathfinder 1, for about ten years.
The new airship, about 123 metres long, is the largest of its kind since the 1930s. It uses helium(氦气). This gas is also lighter than air but does not burn. The helium fills 13 separate parts of the airship. About 10,000 long carbon fibre tubes(碳纤维管) make up a strong frame to protect these parts. The airship is
powered by 12 electric motors. The electricity comes from either batteries or generators(发电机). With these motors, the airship can take off and land without a runway.
Pathfinder 1 can carry about 4 tons of goods. It can fly at a speed of up to 120 kilometres per hour. In November 2023, the airship made its first test flights in California. LTA Research hopes to show that their airships can be used to move goods quickly without polluting the air.
(
B
)4. What does the underlined word "that" in Paragraph 3 refer to?
A. Planes were improving quickly after the airship had a crash.
B. People preferred to travel by plane rather than by airship for safety.
C. LTA Research has been working on its airship for about ten years.
D. Airships were uncomfortable and not big enough for pilots or passengers to stay in.
(
A
)5. 新考法 How does the author describe the new airship in Paragraph 4?
A. By listing numbers.
B. By giving examples.
C. By raising questions.
D. By making comparisons.
(
B
)6. What does the underlined word "powered" in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A. Protected.
B. Driven.
C. Stopped.
D. Designed.
(
B
)7. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. The history of airships in the 1900s.
B. Pathfinder 1: a new safe and green airship.
C. The differences between planes and airships.
D. LTA Research: a famous American company.
