China's "Artificial Sun", EAST, is a special machine that studies atomic fusion (原子聚变) to make clean energy. On January 20, 2025, scientists 1 super-hot gas (超高温气体) inside EAST working for 17 minutes and 46 seconds at temperatures of over 100 million degrees Celsius. This 2 EAST's 2021 record of 17 minutes and 36 seconds.

In 2023, EAST kept this gas stable (稳定的) for 6.7 minutes at 160 million degrees Celsius. Though the 2025 temperature isn't shared, it helps us learn how to use fusion for 3. Stars like the Sun use fusion too, 4 their centers are about only 15 million degrees Celsius. Stars use gravity (重力) to press atoms together. On Earth, we need 5 heat and longer time to make energy.
Dr Song Yuntao, a project leader, said future energy machines must run for hours to 6 steady (稳定的) power. China works with the ITER (国际能源计划), a global team 7 the US, Japan, and Europe. ITER 8 to build a bigger fusion machine by 2034. EAST and other small machines help improve ITER's design.
Even though ITER's test was put off to 2034, EAST's success gives 9. Fusion energy could replace coal and oil, giving us clean power forever. After 2030, China wants to build its own fusion machines. As Dr Song said, "Stable gas is the 10 to our future lights."

1.A 这里是说科学家让超高温气体保持工作状态。keep有“使……保持”的意思。
2.B EAST以17分46秒打破了EAST在2021年创造的17分36秒的纪录。break意为“打破”。
3.B 由文章开头提到的“make clean energy”可知，研究核聚变是为了获取能源。energy意为“能源”。
4.D 前面说恒星也用核聚变，后面说它们中心温度只有1500万度，与地球上需要的条件不同，是转折关系。but意为“但是”。
5.B 由“Stars use gravity to press atoms together. On Earth, we need...heat and longer time to make energy.”可知，地球上没有恒星的重力，所以需要更高的温度来实现核聚变。higher意为“更高的”。
6.C 这里说未来能源机器要运行数小时来产生稳定电力(make意为“产生；制造”。
7.B ITER团队包括美国、日本和欧洲等。including意为“包括”。
8.D ITER计划在到2034年建造更大的核聚变机器。plan意为“计划”。
9.A 句意为“尽管ITER的测试被推迟到2034年，但EAST的成功给了人们希望hope意为“希望”。
10.B 这里说的是稳定的气体是我们未来照明的关键。the key to表示“……的关键”。