As we all know, science is blooming more strongly than ever. Recently, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly showed a photo of the orange zinnia (百日菊)on Twitter. It is the first flower to ever bloom in space and has attracted much attention all over the world. This may be the most exciting news in the field of science. The zinnia in the picture is so beautiful and looks similar to that on earth. Kelly cared for it for more than a month.
The Veggie plant growth facility chose the zinnia flower species because it has a longer growth cycle. As a result, it can help scientists understand how plants flower and develop in microgravity(微重力).
“While the plants haven’t grown perfectly, ” said Gioia Massa, NASA science team leader for Veggie, “I think we have gained a lot from this, and we are learning both more about plants and fluids and also how better to operate between ground and the station. ”
This was not the first time that scientists had attempted to grow zinnia in space. Other astronauts aboard the International Space Station ( ISS ) began growing the colorful flowers last year. However, due to high humidity (湿度)and low air movement in space, the zinnia leaked (渗透)water out of the tips of the leaves. What was worse, the spread of harmful bacteria was destroying its growth badly. Kelly then took over the operation and began taking care of the zinnia as he would in his own garden.
The ISS also successfully grew red romaine lettuce in July 2015. Kelly even took a bite of the harvested plants and posted the photo on his Twitter. NASA’s new experiment using the Veggie plant growth system will be started later. Astronauts will attempt to grow Chinese cabbages. The space agency will then attempt to grow dwarf tomatoes in 2018.
【小题1】Why does the zinnia cause public concern?| A．It is the first life to be found in space. |
| B．It is the first plant to ever grow in space. |
| C．It is the first zinnia to ever grow in space. |
| D．It is the first flower to ever bloom in space. |
| A．It was easy to grow. |
| B．Astronauts liked it most. |
| C．Other plants died in space. |
| D．It lived longer than other flowers. |
| A．More plants will grow in space. |
| B．The conditions in space are good for plant growth. |
| C．Scott Kelly isn’t experienced in planting flowers. |
| D．Gioia Massa doesn’t think much of the experiment. |
