三、语篇填空。
第一节
阅读短文，从方框中选择适当的词并用其正确形式填空，使短文通顺、意思完整。每空限填一词，每词限用一次。
slow, it, but, earth, strange,
secret, rise, know, thick, to
Venus is one of the eight planets in the solar system. Like Earth, Venus has 36. own atmosphere (大气层). However, the atmosphere is much 37. than that of Earth. That makes it difficult for modern scientists to study. There is still much we do not 38. about this planet. However, using special machines, scientists have found out many 39. of it in recent years.
Venus is in many ways Earth's sister planet, because it is similar 40. Earth in size and chemistry (化学物质). In other words, Venus almost (几乎) has the same kinds of materials as 41. .
If you happen(碰巧) to find a way to live on Venus, you will quickly find something 42. about the days. Venus rotates (旋转) very 43. , so a day on Venus lasts longer than a year. As we know, the Sun 44. from the east and sets in the west on Earth, 45. things are different on Venus. The Sun rises from the west and sets in the east on Venus.

36. its 37. thicker 38. know 39. secrets 40. to
41. Earth 42. strange 43. slowly/slow 44. rises 45. but

【分析】先通读短文，明确短文围绕金星与地球的对比展开，需结合语境、固定搭配、词性及词形变化，从方框所给10个词中选合适的词填空，且每词限用一次。逐个分析：36空需修饰own，用形容词性物主代词；37空后有than，需用形容词比较级；38空是固定搭配；39空many后接可数名词复数；40空是固定搭配；41空对应前文Earth；42空修饰不定代词需用形容词；43空修饰动词需用副词；44空主语为第三人称单数，谓语用单三形式；45空前后为转折关系，需用连词。
【解析】36. 固定搭配one's own，it的形容词性物主代词为its，故填its；37. 由than可知用比较级，修饰atmosphere，thick的比较级为thicker，故填thicker；38. 固定搭配know about（了解），do not后接动词原形，故填know；39. many后接可数名词复数，secret的复数为secrets，故填secrets；40. 固定搭配be similar to（与……相似），故填to；41. 前文提到金星是地球的姐妹行星，此处指金星和地球有相同物质，故填Earth；42. 形容词修饰不定代词something需后置，方框中strange符合语境，故填strange；43. 修饰动词rotates需用副词，slow的副词为slowly，故填slowly；44. 主语the Sun是第三人称单数，一般现在时中谓语动词用单三，rise的单三形式为rises，故填rises；45. 前后句为转折关系，用连词but，故填but。
【答案】36. its 37. thicker 38. know 39. secrets 40. to 41. Earth 42. strange 43. slowly 44. rises 45. but
【知识点】固定搭配、词性转换、名词复数
【点评】本题为语篇填空，结合语境考察词汇运用、固定搭配及词形变化，需学生掌握基础语法和词汇，难度适中。
【难度系数】0.6

第二节
阅读短文，根据语篇要求填空，使短文通顺、意思完整。每空限填一词。
Look at the picture. This is China's Space Post Office. It 46. open in 2011 in Beijing. The Space Post Office has its own zip code(邮编)—901001. It deals with letters and e-mails.
The service makes it possible for us 47. write to taikonauts in space.
The service only costs 19 yuan. It includes 48. special space letter-head(信笺抬头), an envelope(信封) and two nice postcards with space pictures. 49. exciting it is!
Thanks 50. China's Space Post Office, sending letters to space is not a science fiction plot(情节). It is really happening to us.

46. was 47. to 48. a 49. How 50. to

【分析】
先通读短文理解语境，再逐个分析每个空的考点：
1. 第46空：时间状语是in 2011，表过去，主语指代太空邮局，需用一般过去时的be动词。
2. 第47空：考查固定搭配，需对应不定式结构。
3. 第48空：泛指一个物品，需用合适的不定冠词。
4. 第49空：考查感叹句的引导词，根据形容词判断引导词。
5. 第50空：考查固定介词搭配，结合语境确定介词。
【解析】
46. 由时间状语in 2011可知句子为一般过去时，主语it是第三人称单数，be动词用was，故填was。
47. 固定搭配make it possible for sb to do sth中，it是形式宾语，真正宾语是不定式，需填不定式符号to，故填to。
48. 此处泛指“一个特别的信笺抬头”，special以辅音音素开头，用不定冠词a，故填a。
49. 感叹句结构为How + 形容词 + 主语 + 谓语，exciting是形容词，用How引导，故填How。
50. 固定搭配thanks to意为“多亏，由于”，符合语境，故填to。
【答案】
46. was 47. to 48. a 49. How 50. to
【知识点】
一般过去时、固定搭配、感叹句
【点评】
本题考查初中英语基础语法，涉及时态、固定搭配、冠词、感叹句等常见考点，侧重基础应用，难度适中。
【难度系数】
0.8