American English | CEFR B1+ | 350 Words | Science Fiction
Contents 目录
Reading 阅读
Questions 题目
Vocabulary 词汇
Useful Structures 常用结构
Comprehension Questions 阅读理解问题
Reading 阅读
The Last Message from Earth – Part 2: The Visitors
Maya stood frozen beside the window as the enormous object moved across the Martian sky. Its surface was smooth and silver, with strange blue lights that seemed to move beneath it.
Suddenly, the object stopped directly above the research station.
“Everyone, stay away from the windows!” Maya’s father shouted.
The scientists rushed toward the emergency shelter, but Maya noticed something unusual. Although the station had lost power, the communication screen was still glowing.
A new message appeared.
“WE NEED YOUR HELP.”
Maya called her father over. Before he could respond, another message appeared.
“EARTH IS IN DANGER.”
The room fell silent.
“Who are you?” Maya’s father typed.
For several seconds, nothing happened. Then a picture appeared on the screen. It showed Earth surrounded by hundreds of small, dark objects.
One scientist leaned forward. “Those look like spacecraft.”
Another message followed.
“THEY ARE NOT OURS.”
Maya felt a chill. If the mysterious visitors hadn’t sent those spacecraft, who had?
Her father asked why Earth had stopped communicating.
The answer appeared immediately.
“THEY HAVE BLOCKED YOUR SIGNALS.”
The visitors explained that an unknown group had surrounded Earth and interrupted its communication systems. They had traveled to Mars because the research station was the only human settlement they could reach safely.
“Can you help Earth?” Maya asked.
“NOT WITHOUT YOU.”
A small section of the silver object opened, and a bright beam of light reached the ground outside the station.
The scientists exchanged worried looks. Nobody knew whether the visitors could be trusted.
Maya’s father turned toward her. “We don’t know what they want. This could be a trap.”
Maya understood his fear. But if Earth was truly in danger, doing nothing might be even worse.
Then the screen displayed one final message.
“YOU HAVE TEN MINUTES.”
A countdown appeared beneath the words.
As the numbers began to fall, Maya noticed a second signal arriving from Earth. It was extremely weak, but she recognized the sender.
Olivia.
The message contained only four words.
“DON’T TRUST THE VISITORS.”
Questions 题目
Reading Comprehension Questions
Answer the following questions in complete sentences.
1. What did the mysterious object look like when Maya saw it outside the station?
Answer
It was enormous, with a smooth silver surface and strange blue lights moving beneath it.
What was unusual about the communication screen after the station lost power?
Answer
The communication screen continued glowing even though the station had lost power.
3. What did the visitors claim was happening to Earth?
Answer
They claimed that an unknown group had surrounded Earth with spacecraft and blocked its communication signals.
4. Why had the visitors traveled to the research station on Mars?
Answer
They said they had traveled to Mars because the research station was the only human settlement they could safely reach.
5. Why were the scientists uncertain whether they should trust the visitors?
Answer
The scientists had no way to confirm the visitors’ claims or determine whether their intentions were peaceful.
6. What did the visitors seem to expect the humans to do?
Answer
They seemed to expect the humans to cooperate with them in some way to help Earth, although they had not explained exactly what they needed.
7. Why did Maya believe that doing nothing might be dangerous?
Answer
She believed that if Earth was truly in danger, refusing to act might allow the situation to become worse.
8. How did the message from Olivia change the situation?
Answer
Olivia’s warning directly challenged the visitors’ claims and made Maya question whether they were telling the truth.
9. What does the ten-minute countdown suggest about the visitors’ intentions?
Answer
The countdown suggests that the visitors want the humans to make a quick decision, possibly without enough time to consider the risks.
10. If you were Maya, would you trust the visitors or Olivia? Explain your reasoning using information from the story.
Answer
Answers will vary. A reasonable response might be to trust neither side immediately and investigate both messages before making a decision.
Vocabulary 词汇
| frozen | /ˈfroʊzən/ | 僵住的；动弹不得的 |
| surface | /ˈsərfəs/ | 表面 |
| beneath | /bɪˈniθ/ | 在……下面 |
| emergency | /ɪˈmərdʒənsi/ | 紧急情况 |
| shelter | /ˈʃɛltər/ | 避难所；庇护处 |
| glow | /ɡloʊ/ | 发光；发出微光 |
| surround | /səˈraʊnd/ | 包围；围绕 |
| interrupt | /ˌɪntəˈrʌpt/ | 打断；中断 |
| exchange | /ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒ/ | 交换；交流 |
| trust | /trʌst/ | 信任；相信 |
| countdown | /ˈkaʊntdaʊn/ | 倒计时 |
| recognize | /ˈrɛkəɡnaɪz/ | 认出；识别 |
Useful Structures 常用结构
seem to do something 似乎做某事
Its surface was smooth and silver, with strange blue lights that seemed to move beneath it.
它的表面光滑，呈银色，下面有奇怪的蓝色光芒，似乎在不断移动。
stay away from something 远离某物；不要靠近某处
Everyone, stay away from the windows!
所有人，远离窗户！
rush toward something 冲向某处；迅速奔向某处
The scientists rushed toward the emergency shelter.
科学家们迅速冲向紧急避难所。
be surrounded by something 被某物包围
It showed Earth surrounded by hundreds of small, dark objects.
画面显示，地球被数百个黑色的小型物体包围着。
not…without… 没有……就不能……
The visitors said they could not help Earth without the humans.
来访者表示，没有人类的帮助，他们就无法拯救地球。
be in danger 处于危险之中
If Earth was truly in danger, doing nothing might be even worse.
如果地球真的处于危险之中，什么都不做可能会更加糟糕。
turn toward someone 转向某人
Maya’s father turned toward her.
Maya的父亲转向了她。
begin to do something 开始做某事
As the numbers began to fall, Maya noticed a second signal arriving from Earth.
随着倒计时数字开始减少，Maya注意到第二个来自地球的信号。