二、短文填空。
阅读下面短文，在空白处填入一个适当的单词或用括号内单词的正确形式填空。
The sun is important to the earth. It
9. (give) the earth heat and light. So humans and other 10. (live) things can live on the earth. But there 11. (be) one big problem that humans have to think about: Will the sun disappear one day?
12. will the sun die? It won't be any time soon. It will be in 5 billion 13. (year).
Scientists from the University of Manchester in the UK predict (预测) that in about 5 billion years 14. now, the sun will turn into a "Red Giant (红巨星)". This is the name that scientists give to a star at the end of 15. (it) life.
When our sun becomes a red giant, its center will shrink (萎缩). 16. the outer layer (外层) will expand as far as Mars. Scientists say no humans will 17.
(survive) on the earth when the sun dies out.
The sun is still 18. (youth) now. It is just 4.6 billion years old. This means it is just more than one third into its lifetime.

9. gives 10. living 11. is 12. When
13. years 14. from 15. its
16. And 17. survive 18. young

【分析】
本题为英语短文填空题，主要考查基础语法与词汇运用。解题时需先通读短文理解主旨，再结合句子结构、语法规则、固定搭配及上下文语境逐一确定每个空的答案：如遇到动词需考虑时态、主谓一致；遇到名词需考虑单复数；遇到修饰词需考虑词性转换；遇到疑问或连接需结合语境选合适的词。
【解析】
9. 主语it为第三人称单数，句子描述客观事实用一般现在时，故动词give变为第三人称单数形式gives；
10. 需修饰名词things，应用live的形容词形式living（生物的）；
11. there be句型遵循“就近原则”，主语one big problem为单数，句子为一般现在时，故be动词用is；
12. 结合后文回答的时间（50亿年后），此处询问太阳死亡的时间，用疑问词When；
13. 数词5 billion后接可数名词复数，故year变为years；
14. 固定搭配“... years from now”表示“从现在起……年”，此处填介词from；
15. 需修饰名词life，应用it的形容词性物主代词its（它的）；
16. 前后句为顺承关系，连接两个并列分句，用连词And；
17. 情态动词will后接动词原形，故填survive；
18. be动词is后需接形容词作表语，youth的形容词形式为young（年轻的）。
【答案】
9. gives 10. living 11. is 12. When 13. years 14. from 15. its 16. And 17. survive 18. young
【知识点】
动词的时态与形式、词性转换、固定搭配
【点评】
本题为基础英语短文填空题，聚焦初中核心语法（如主谓一致、词性转换）与常用词汇，难度适中，学生只要掌握基础语法规则并结合语境分析，即可顺利完成。
【难度系数】
0.6

三、书面表达。
通过本单元的学习，同学们对神秘的太空充满了兴趣。在英语口语课上，同学们对“探索太空是否值得”这一话题展开了分组讨论。请你根据下面表格中的信息，以“Is Space Exploration Worthwhile?”为题用英语写一篇短文，向全班汇报你们小组的讨论结果。
Is Space Exploration Worthwhile?

参考词汇：worthwhile（值得的）；be worth doing sth.（值得做某事）；weather forecast（天气预报）
写作要求：
1. 文中须包含表格中的所有信息，可适当发挥；
2. 文中不得出现本人的真实姓名或校名；
3. 词数70个左右（开头已给出，不计入总词数）。
Is Space Exploration Worthwhile?
Here is the result of our discussion on whether space is worth exploring.

Is Space Exploration Worthwhile?
Here is the result of our discussion on whether space is worth exploring. 30% of us think space exploration is not worthwhile. They think space is too far away from us and our daily life. And it costs too much money. On the other hand, 70% think space is worth exploring because we can have many benefits from it, such as using satellites for communication. What's more, with further space research, we may solve population problems by moving to other planets one day.
I think it is well worth exploring space because it will make our life better and our country stronger.

【分析】
这是一篇话题类英语书面表达，写作思路如下：1. 承接已给开头，明确呈现讨论结果的两部分占比；2. 对应表格中30%反对太空探索的信息，阐述其理由：太空远离日常生活、花费过多；3. 对应表格中70%支持太空探索的信息，阐述其理由：太空探索有诸多益处、可利用卫星、能解决人口问题；4. 补充个人合理观点，控制词数在要求范围内，确保语言通顺、无真实信息。
【解析】
按照写作要求，先衔接开头，依次整合表格信息：①说明30%的同学认为太空探索不值得，理由是太空远离日常生活且花费太多钱；②说明70%的同学认为值得，理由是太空探索有很多益处，可利用卫星，还能解决人口问题；③加入个人观点，使内容完整，同时注意词数控制，语言符合英语表达习惯。
【答案】
Is Space Exploration Worthwhile?
Here is the result of our discussion on whether space is worth exploring. 30% of us think space exploration is not worthwhile. They think space is too far away from us and our daily life. And it costs too much money. On the other hand, 70% think space is worth exploring because we can have many benefits from it, such as using satellites for communication. What's more, with further space research, we may solve population problems by moving to other planets one day.
I think it is well worth exploring space because it will make our life better and our country stronger.
【知识点】
英语书面表达、话题作文
【点评】
本文紧扣题目要求，完整涵盖表格所有信息，结构清晰，观点明确，语言通顺，符合初中英语写作规范，适当补充个人观点，达到写作要求。
【难度系数】
0.6