Wang Yaping, together with Zhai Zhigang and Ye Guangfu, went into space aboard the Shenzhou XⅢ on Oct 16. The 41-year-old Wang became the first female astronaut(女航天员) to enter Tiangong space station.
Wang’s space dream started in 2003, when China sent its first astronaut Yang Liwei into space. At that time, Wang was a pilot in the Chinese army. After having safe flights for 1,600 hours over nine years, Wang was a strong candidate(候选人) to become an astronaut in 2010. She pushed herself hard, getting the same training as men. “The space environment won’t change because you are a woman,” she told Xinhua.
The hardest part is the high-G training. Sitting in a spinning(旋转的) machine, Wang would become blind for a while because her brain was short of blood. “There’s a red button(按钮), ” said Wang. “If you can’t stand it, you can press it to stop.” But Wang never used it. “There is no such red button in my heart.” That strong spirit finally made her dream come true in 2013. She joined the team for the Shenzhou X mission(任务).
Wang said that as astronauts, women have their own advantages(优势). “Women may be more patient and can better deal with loneliness. Women’s hearts are also easier to adapt(适应) to the weightless environment, making them more suitable for long-term missions.”
Wang Yaping went a long way before becoming the first woman to enter the Tiangong space station. She sets a good example for all women who dream of going to space.
【小题1】What do Wang’s words mean in Paragraph 2?| A．The space environment is easy to change. |
| B．Both male and female astronauts can go to space. |
| C．Men and women will face the same difficulties in space. |
| A．Hard-working. | B．Warm-hearted. | C．Friendly. |
| A．Wang is the first female astronaut in the world. |
| B．Wang dreamed of being an astronaut in 2003. |
| C．Wang pressed the red button when she became blind after the high-G training. |
| A．Old habits die hard. |
| B．Never too old to learn. |
| C．Nothing is difficult if you put your heart into it. |
