江苏省石庄高级中学
2007届高三英语第一次考试
英 语
YCY
本试卷分第I卷（选择题）和第II卷（非选择题）两部分，满分150分，考试时间120分钟。
第Ｉ卷（选择题 共115分）
第一部分：听力（共两节，满分30分）
第一节（共5小题；每小题1.5分，满分7.5分）
听下面五段对话。每段对话后有一个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。听完每段对话后，你都有10秒钟的时间回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。每段对话仅读一遍。
1.What time does the conversation take place?
A. Christmas. B. Rush hour. C. Spring.
2. Who is the woman mostly like to be?
A. Mr. Black's boss. B. Mr. Black's secretary. C. Mr. Black's wife.
3. What does the woman mean?
A. It’s the clerk who should make the copies.
B. The man should make the copies himself.
C. She will make the copies for the man.
4. What do they say about the restaurant?
A. It's the best place to eat in.
B. They are disappointed in its recent change.
C. They like it all the time.
5. What is happening outside?
A. It is raining slightly. B. It is raining heavily. C. It is shining.
第二节 (共15小题；每小题1.5分,满分22.5分)
听下面5段对话或独白。每段对话或独白后有几个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。听每段对话或独白前，你将有时间阅读各个小题，每小题5秒钟;听完后，各小题将给出5秒钟的作答时间。每段对话或独白读两遍。
听第6段材料，回答第6和第7题。
6. What do the two speakers both want to do in the coming new year?
A. To save some money. 英才苑B. To work harder. C. To lose weight.
7. What did Henry do last year?
A. He joined a health club. B. He stopped smoking. C. He got a good job.
听第7段材料，回答第8至第10题。
8. Why did the man talk to the woman?
A. He wanted to buy a house. B. He wanted to get a job. C. He wanted to rent a flat.
9. What is the flat the man is interested in?
A. It has a bathroom and one bedroom.
B. It has two bedrooms and a sitting room.
C. It has a kitchen but it hasn't a bathroom.
10. How much will the man pay for the biggest one each year?
A. 3,600 dollars. B. 2,400 dollars. C. 3,000 dollars.
听第8段材料，回答第11至第13题。
11. Where are they planning to go in the morning?
A. To a park. B. To an art museum. C. To a shopping center.
12. Why does the man want to visit the zoo in the afternoon?
A. The zoo will be closed the rest of the week.
B. The zoo is free to visitors that day only.
C. There are unusual animals on display.
13. Why does the woman want to go shopping instead?
A. She wants to buy souvenirs of their visit.
B. She saw some nice clothes at a shopping center.
C. She wants to buy a gift for her friend.
听第9段材料，回答第14至第16题。
14. Where does the dialogue take place?
A. At the airport. B. In a railway英才苑station. C. In a restaurant.
15. What's the woman's baggage number?
A. 703-9962. B. 703-9926. C. 703-1926.
16. What time might it probably be when the dialogue took place?
A. In the morning. B. At noon. C. In the afternoon.
听第10段材料，回答第17至第20题。
17. How did the speaker's friends feel about his change of interest?
A. They were very glad about it.
B. They were afraid he wasn't fully prepared.
C. They were puzzled by his decision.
18. Why did the speaker change his interest to underwater exploration?
A. It is much cheaper than space travel.
B. It is much safer than space travel.
C. It is more exciting than space travel.
19. In what way does the speaker think diving is similar to space travel?
A. They both attract scientists' attention.
B. They are both expensive.
C. They can both be quite challenging.
20. Why does the speaker give this talk?
A. To explain the danger of exploring space.
B. To explain why he took up underwater exploration.
C. To show how simple diving can be.
第二部分: 英语知识运用 (共两节，满分45分)
第一节：单项填空 (共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分)
21. I love ____ history because it gives me ____ knowledge of past events.
A. the; a B a; a C /; a D. /; /
22. Clouds are gathering. I think we’d better _________ the school in case it starts to rain.
A. run out B. bring up C. refer to D. head for
23.The first edition was published in1955 and _____ a best-seller ever since.
A. had been B. will be C. would be D has been
24. Faced with a bill for ＄ 10,000,________.
A. John has taken an extra job B. the boss has given john an extra job
C. an extra job has been taken D. an extra job has been given to John
25.In area it is approximately the same size as the USA (without Alaska),____,however, has____.
A. which, more than fourteen times as many people
B. which, fourteen times more than many people
C. what, as fourteen times as many people
D. where, more than fourteen times as many people
26.Our class is made up of 68 students,_______ are girls.
A. of which two-fifths B. of whom two –fifths
C. two-fifth of which D. two-fifth of whom
27. It’s easy to do the repair. ____ you need is a hammer and some nails.
A. Something B. All C. Both D. Everything
28. I set off at five for the station. It was too early ____ anyone in the street.
A. for there to be B. for there wasn’t C. to be D. having
29.We used to work in the same office and we _____ have coffee together after work.
A. would B. should C. could D. might
30. For holidays, many people visit the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast of Australia, _________ has more than 600 islands.
A. where B. that C. which D. there
31. _____, I think, and the problems could be settled.
A. If you double your efforts B. So long as you keep up your spirits
C. Making greater efforts D. A bit more efforts.
32. —The boss said we had only three days to finish the work.
—Don’t worry. We have already ________ two thirds of it.
A. got down B. got through C. given in D. given away
33.—Excuse me, can you tell me where the nearest bank is, please?
－______ Oh yes! It's past the office, next to a big market.
A. Mm, let me think. B. Oh, I beg your pardon?
C. You're welcome. D. What do you mean?
34. It was not until ______that _____ to study English well.
A. he came to Beijing; did he begin B. did he comet to Beijing; he began
C. he came to Beijing ; he began D did he come to Beijing; did he begin
35. A man may usually be known by the books he reads ____ by the friends he keeps.
A rather than B. as well as C. in place of D. as many as
第二节 完形填空 (共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分)
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从短文后所给各题的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑
Learning to Accept
I learned how to accept life as it is from my father. 36 , he did not teach me acceptance when he was strong and healthy, but rather when he was 37 and ill.
My father was 38 a strong man who loved being active, but a terrible illness 39 all that away. Now he can no longer walk, and he must sit quietly in a chair all day. Even talking is 40 . One night, I went to visit him with my sisters. We started 41 about life, and I told them about one of my 42 . I said that we must very often give things up 43 we grow --- our youth, our beauty, our friends --- but it always 44 that after we give something up, we gain something new in its place. Then suddenly my father 45 up. He said, “But, Peter, I gave up 46 ! What did I gain?” I thought and thought, but I couldn’t think of anything to say. 47 , he answered his own question: “I 48 the love of my family,” I looked at my sisters and saw tears in their eyes, along with hope and thankfulness.
I was also 49 by his words. After that, when I began to feel irritated (愤怒的) at someone, I 50 remember his words and become 51 . If he could replace his great pain with a feeling of love for others, then I should be 52 to give up my small irritations. In this 53 , I learned the power of acceptance from my father.
Sometimes I 54 what other things I could have learned from him if I had listened more carefully when I was a boy. For now, though, I am grateful for this one 55 .
36. A. Afterwards B. Therefore C. However D. Meanwhile
37. A. tired B. weak C. poor D. slow
38. A. already B. still C. only D. once
39. A. took B. threw C. sent D. put
40. A. impossible B. difficult C. stressful D. hopeless
41. A. worrying B. caring C. talking D. asking
42. A. decisions B. experiences C. ambitions D. beliefs
43. A. as B. since C. before D. till
44. A. suggests B. promises C. seems D. requires
45. A. spoke B. turned C. summed D. opened
46. A. something B. anything C. nothing D. everything
47. A. Surprisingly B. Immediately C. Naturally D. Certainly
48. A. had B. accepted C. gained D. enjoyed
49. A. touched B. astonished C. attracted D. warned
50. A. should B. could C. would D. might
51. A. quiet B. calm C. relaxed D. happy
52. A. ready B. likely C. free D. able
53. A. case B. form C. method D. way
54. A. doubt B. wonder C. know D. guess
55. A. award B. gift C. lesson D. class
第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题；每题2分，满分40分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
Long after the 2002 World Cup was won, disappointed fans were still blaming the disputed（受置疑）refereeing（裁判）decisions that denied victory to their team. A researcher was appointed（任命）to study the performance of some top referees.
The researcher organized an experimental match involving four youth teams. Each match lasted an hour, divided into three periods of 20 minutes during which different referees were in charge.
Observers noted down the referees’ errors, of which there were 61 over the match. Changed to a standard match of 90 minutes, each referee made almost 23 mistakes, a remarkably high number.
The researcher then studied the videotapes to analyze（分析）the matches in detail. Surprisingly, he found that errors were more likely when the referees were close to the incident. When the officials got it right, they were, on average, 17 meters away from the action. The average distance in the case of errors was 12 meters. The research shows the best is about 20 meters.
There also seemed to be a best speed. Correct decisions came when the referees were moving at a speed of about 2 meters per second. The average speed for errors was 4 meters per second.
If FIFA, football’s international ruling body, wants to improve the standard of refereeing at the next World Cup, it should encourage referees to keep their eyes on the action from a distance, rather than rush to keep up with the ball, the researcher argues.
He also says that FIFA’S insistence that referees should retire at age 45 may be misguided. If keeping up with the action is not so important, their physical condition is less critical（挑剔）.
56．The experiment conducted by the researcher was meant to .
A．review the decisions of referees at the 2002 World Cup
B．analyze the causes of errors made by football referees
C．set a standard of football refereeing
D．reexamine the rules for football refereeing
57．The findings of the experiment show that .
A．errors are more likely when a referee keeps close to the ball
B．the farther the referee is from the incident, the fewer the errors are
C．The more slowly the referee runs, the more likely errors will occur
D．errors are less likely when a referee stays in one spot.
58．The underlined word “officials” most probably refers to .
A．the researchers involved in the experiment
B．the players of the football match
C．the referees of the football match
D．the observers at the site of the experiment
59．What is one of the possible conclusions of the experiment?
A．The ideal retirement age for an experienced football referee is 45.
B．Age should not be the chief consideration in choosing a football referee.
C．A football referee should be as young and energetic as possible.
D．An experienced football referee can do well even when in poor physical condition.
B
There is a popular belief among parents that schools are no longer interested in spelling. No school I have ever taught in has ever ignored spelling or considered it unimportant as a basic skill. There are, however, different ideas about how to teach it, or how much priority(优先) it must be given over general language development and writing ability. The problem is, how to encourage a child to express himself freely and confidently in writing without holding him back with the complexities(复杂性) of spelling.
If spelling becomes the only focal(焦点的) point of his teacher's interest, clearly a bright child will be likely to "play safe". He will tend to write only words within his spelling range, choosing to avoid adventurous language. That's why teachers often encourage the early use of dictionaries and pay attention to content rather than technical ability.
I was once shocked to read on the bottom of a sensitive piece of writing about a personal experience. "This work is terrible! There are far too many spelling errors and your writing is terrible." It may have been a sharp criticism of the pupil's technical abilities in writing, but it was also a sad reflection on the teacher who had omitted to read the essay, which contained some beautiful expressions of the child's deep feelings. The teacher was not wrong to draw attention to the errors, but if his priorities had centered on the child's ideas, an expression of his disappointment with the presentation would have given the pupil more motivation to seek improvement.
60. Teacher are different in their opinions about ______.
A. the difficulties in teaching spelling
B. the role of spelling in general language development
C. the complexities of the basic writing skills
D. the necessity of teaching spelling
61. The underlined expression “play safe” probably means _________.
A. to write carefully B. to do as teachers say
C. to use dictionaries frequently D. to avoid using words one is not sure of
62. Teachers encourage the use of dictionaries so that ___________.
A. students will be able to express their ideas more freely
B. students will have more confidence in writing
C. teachers will have less trouble in correcting mistakes
D. students will learn to be independent of teachers
63. The author seems to think that the teacher's judgment on that sensitive piece of writing is _________.
A. unfair B. reasonable C. foolish D. careless
64. The major point discussed in the passage is ________.
A. the importance of developing writing skills
B. the complexities of spelling
C. the correct way of marking compositions
D. the relationship between spelling and the content of a composition
C
|
Some people don't believe that driving more slowly can save lives．But the truth is that driving more slowly can help a person to avoid serious accidents．
The following chart shows the distance that it takes to stop a car at a given speed．The distance is measured in feet．The shaded area shows the driver's thinking distance．That's the distance it takes for the driver to react to a danger that he sees．The white area shows the car's braking distance．That's the distance it takes for the car to stop once the brakes（闸、刹车） are used．The number at the top of each bar shows the total number of feet that it takes to stop the car
65．According to the chart, what is the total number of feet needed to stop a car that is traveling at 50 miles per hour?
A．55． B．73． C．128． D．183．
66．What is the braking distance for a car that is traveling at 60 miles per hour?
A．66 feet． B．119 feet． C．185 feet． D．251 feet．
67．Which of the following statements about braking and speed is true?
A．The braking distance is what it takes for the driver to react to a danger that he sees．
B．The speed of a car has a direct effect on the distance needed to stop the car．
C．The braking distance increases only when a driver drives faster than 50 miles per hour
D．Driving slowly can help a person to avoid all accidents
D
An environmental group called the Food Commission is unhappy and disappointed because of the sale of bottled water from Japan. The water, it angrily argues an public, has traveled 10,000 "food miles" before it reaches Western customers. "Transporting water halfway across the world is surely the extremely stupid use of fuel when there is plenty of water in the UK." It is also worried that we are wasting our fuel by buying prawns(对虾) from Indonesia (7,000 food miles) and carrots from South Africa (5,900 food miles).
Counting the number of miles traveled by a product is a strange way of trying to tell the true situation of the environmental damage done by an industry. Most food is transported around the world on container ships that are extremely energy-efficient (高能效的). It should be noted that a ton of butter transported 25 miles in a truck to a farmers' market does not necessarily use less fuel on its journey than a similar product transported hundreds of miles by sea. Besides, the idea of "food miles" ignores the amount of fuel used in the production. It is possible to cut down your food miles by buying tomatoes grown in Britain rather than those grown in Ghana; the difference is that the British ones will have been raised in heated greenhouses and the Ghanaian ones in the open sun.
What the idea of "food miles” does provide, however, is the chance to cut out Third World countries from First World food markets. The number of miles traveled by our food should, as I see it, be regarded as a sign of the success of the global (全球的) trade system, not a sign of damage to the environment.
68. The Food Commission is angry because it thinks that_______
A. UK wastes a lot of money importing food products
B. some imported goods cause environmental damage
C. growing certain vegetables damages the environment
D. people waste energy buying food from other countries
69. The phrase "food miles" in the passage refers to the distance _______.
A. that a food product travels to a market
B. that a food product travels from one market to another
C. between UK and other food producing countries
D. between a Third World country and a First World food market
70. By comparing tomatoes raised in Britain and in Ghana, the author tries to explain that ______
A. British tomatoes are healthier than Ghanaian ones
B. Ghanaian tomatoes taste better than British ones
C. cutting down food miles may not necessarily save fuel
D. protecting the environment may cost a lot of money
71. From the passage we know that the author is most probably________.
A. a supporter of free global trade
B. a member of the Food Commission
C. a supporter of First World food markets
D. a member of an energy development group
E
How many people have I met who have told me about the book they have been planning to write but have never yet found the time too many.
This is Life, all right, but we do treat it like a rehearsal (排演) and, unhappily, we do miss so many of its best moments.
We take jobs to stay alive and provide homes for our families always making ourselves believe that this style of life is merely a temporary state of affairs along the road to what we really want to do. Then, at 60 or 65, we are suddenly presented with a clock and several grandchildren and we look back and realize that all those years waiting for Real Life to come along were in fact real life.
In America they have a saying much laughed at by the English：“Have a nice day” they speak slowly and seriously in their shops, hotels and sandwich bars. I think it is a wonderful phrase, reminding us, in effect, to enjoy the moment: to value this very day.
How often do we say to ourselves, "I'll take up horse-riding (or golf, or sailing) as soon as I get a higher position," only to do none of those things when I do get the higher position.
When I first became a reporter I knew a man who gave up a very well paid respectable job at the Daily Telegraph to go and edit a small weekly newspaper. At the time I was astonished by what appeared to me to be his completely abnormal (反常的) mental state. How could anyone turn his back on Fleet Street in central London for a small local area？I wanted to know.
Now I am a little older and possibly wiser, I see the sense in it. In Fleet Street the man was under continual pressure. He lived in an unattractive London suburb and he spent much of his life sitting on Southern Region trains.
72. The first paragraph of the passage tells us that .
A. we always try to find some time to write a book
B. we always make plans but seldom fulfill them
C. we always enjoy many of life's best moments
D. we always do what we really want to do
73. The underlined phrase "turn his back on" (paragraph 6) most probably means .
A. leave for B. return to C. give up D. rely on
74. The man ( paragraph 6) left his first job partly because he was .
A. in an abnormal mental state B. under too much pressure
C. not well paid D. not respected
75. What is probably the best title for the passage?
A. Provide Homes For Our Family B. Take Up Horse-riding
C. Value This Very Day D. Stay Alive
第四部分：写作 （共两节，满分35分）
第一节：对话填空 (满分10分)
请认真阅读下列对话，并根据各题所给的首字母的提示，在答题卡右栏中标有题目的横线上，写出一个英语单词的完整、正确的形式，使对话通顺。
| W: I can’t decide (76) w________ to go to university or get a job. What do you think? M: Well, if I (77) w______ you, I’d go on studying. W: But I don’t (78) e______ know what to study. M: If I had the chance again, I’d study computers. You’re good at science subject. W: That’s (79) w________ my parents want me to do. M: You should take their (80) a________. They know what’s the best for you. W: But my friends will have jobs and lots of fun (81) w_______ I spend all my time studying. M: But (82) i______ you go to university, you’ll still have time for fun. W: Umm. What you say makes (83) s________. But, you know, I still have to ask my parents for pocket money and I (84)h_______ to do so at this age. M: If you try to find a (85)p________ job, you will have some money, too, W: You’re right. Thank you. | 76. ________________ 77.________________ 78.________________ 79. ________________ 80. ________________ 81.________________ 82. ________________ 83.________________ 84. ________________ 85. ________________ |
第二节 书面表达(满分25分)
根据以下图画，写一篇英语短文，描述今昔通讯方式的变化，以及这些变化给人们生
活带来的影响。
注意：1．词数：100左右
2．生词：通讯：communicate(with sb．)vi.
communication n．
互联网：the Internet n.
 |
参考答案
第一部分：
1-5 ABBBB 6-10 CBCBA 11-15BCAAB 16-20CCACB
第二部分：
21-25CDDAA 26-30 BBAAC 31-35 DBACB 36-40CBDAB 41-45CDACA
46-50DACAC 51-55BDDBB
第三部分：
56-59 BACB 60-64 BDAAD 65-67 DCB 68-71 DACA 72-75 BCBC
第四部分：
第一节：
76 whether 77 were 78 even 79 what 80 advice 81while 82 if 83 sense
84 hate 85part-time
第二节：
书面表达
参考答案1：
People used to communicate with each other through letters and public phones. But nowadays they use mobile phones and the Internet instead. This change in communication has good effects on our life and work. Compared with letters and public phones, mobile phones and the Internet are faster and much more convenient. If you miss your grandmother, you just take out your phone and say "hello" to her. If you want to place an order with a foreign company, you can e-mail the message, It'll be a matter of minutes before you get their reply. Aren't we living in a smaller world? (101words)
参考答案2：
More and more people rely on e-mail and mobile phones for communication rather than letters and public phones because the new tools seem faster and make work more efficient. However this change has bad as well as good effects, especially dependence on the Internet. Firstly, as we lack enough practice, we are losing the beauty of hand-written Chinese words which express the writer better while machine words all have the same looks., Secondly, our spelling becomes worse if we rely on the machine too much. Last but not least, the PC screen does harm to our eyes. I prefer the old way of communication even though it is much too slow in the eyes of many.（116words）
附：听力材料
Text 1
M: I'm tired from all this shopping. I had to fight through the crowds.
W: It's always terrible around Christmas. It's like a continual rush hour.
Text 2
M: Will Mr. Black be able to see me at 9:15 tomorrow morning?
W: Sorry, but he's fully booked till eleven.
M: Would ten to one be convenient?
W: Yes, he's free then.
Text 3
M: I’m still waiting for the clerk to come back and make some copies of this paper for
me?
W: Why trouble him? I’ll show you how easy it is to work the machine.
Text 4
M: I used to love this restaurant. For years, they had the best Italian food in town.
W: I agree. It was one of my favorites too until they hired a new chief and changed.
Text 5
W: Is it raining outside, Bob?
M: Is it raining? Can't you see that I'm almost wet to the skin?
Text 6
M: Hi, Alice, have you made any New Year's resolutions?
W: Just the usual. I'd like to lose some weight, and I want to save some money.
M: Come on! Everybody makes those resolutions.
W: I know, Henry. Well, I hope I'll get a good job after I graduate this summer, but that's not a resolution. I'm going to work harder. How about you?
M: Hmm. I stopped smoking last June. That was last year's promise to myself.
W: So what do you want to do this year?
M: I want to start getting more exercise. I have to lose weight, so I'd like to join a health club.
W: I'd like that, too. Jeff told me he'd like to treat himself to a really nice vacation.
M: Oh? Where does he think he would go?
W: He might go to a quiet beach in Mexico, or go fishing in Canada. He hasn't made up his mind yet.
Text 7
W: Can I help you?
M: Yes, I'm looking for a flat.
W: To buy or to rent?
M. Oh, to rent.
W: How much do you want to pay?
M: About two hundred a month.
W: Well, I've got one here on Sydney Road. It's two hundred and fifty a month.
M. How big is it?
W: It has a kitchen-dinner, a bathroom and one bedroom.
M: Well, actually, I'd prefer something bigger if that's possible.
W: Yes, I think so. Here's an interesting one. It's opposite the park.
M: How much is it?
W: It's three hundred a month. It's the biggest flat we've got in this area.
M: What's it like?
W: Well, there are two bedrooms, a sitting room, a kitchen and a bathroom.
M: It sounds very interesting. Can I go and see it?
W: Of course, sir. Can I have your name and address?
Text 8
M: So, what do you want to do tomorrow?
W: Well, let's look at this city guide here. [ okay ! ] Uh, here's something interesting. [ Oh ! ] Why don't we first visit the art museum in the morning?
M: Okay. I like that idea. And where do you want to eat lunch?
W: How about going to an Indian restaurant? [ Humm. ] The guide recommends one downtown a few blocks from the museum.
M: Now that sounds great. After that, what do you think about visiting the zoo? [ Oh... umm ...well... ] Well, it says here that there are some very unique animals not found anywhere else.
W: Well, to tell you the truth, I'm not really interested in going there. [ really?] Yeah. Why don't we go shopping instead? There are supposed to be some really nice places to pick up souvenirs.
M: Nah, I don't think that's a good idea. We only have a few travelers checks left, and I only have fifty dollars left in cash.
W: No problem. We can use your credit card to pay for my new clothes.
M: Oh, no. I remember the last time you used my credit card for your purchases.
W: Oh well. Let's take the subway down to the seashore and walk along the beach.
M: Now that sounds like a wonderful plan.
Text 9
W: Hello! Have you been waiting long?
M: Not very long. It's good to see you. How was your trip? When did you leave?
W: Just before noon. I had lunch on the plane.
M: What did they give you?
W: Salad and sandwiches, and cake for dessert.
M: Have you picked up your bag yet?
W: No. It's a big one, I'm sorry to say. I hope they put it on the plane!
M: I hope so, too...Here's the Baggage Claim. But the things from your plane aren't here yet. What does your bag look like?
W: It's a big black one. Here's the truck now. Look at all those bags!
M: And look at all the people. Let's stand over here. There's a big black bag.
W: That's not mine. Mine is bigger. There it is.
W: Let’s check the number. This says 703 - 9926.
W: That's my bag. I'm sorry it's so heavy.
M: Never mind. Let's go out that door...Wait here with the bag while I get my car from the parking lot.
Text 10
Now let's go on with the topic about "My Interests". When my interest changed from space to the sea, I never expected that my friends would be so surprised and puzzled. Yet I can understand their feelings. As I have been writing and talking about space flight for the best part of 20 years, a sudden switch of interest to the depth of the sea does seem rather strange. To explain, I'd like to share my reasons behind this unusual change of mind. The first excuse I give is an economic one. Underwater exploration is so much cheaper than space flight. The first round-trip ticket to the moon is going to cost at least 10 billion dollars if you include research and development. By the end of this century, the cost will be down to a few million. On the other hand, the diving suit and a set of basic tools needed for skin-diving can be bought for 20 dollars. My second argument is more philosophical. The ocean, surprisingly enough, has many things in common with space. In their different ways, both sea and space are equally hostile environment. If we wish to survive in either for any length of time, we need to have special equipment. The diving suit helped the design of the space suit. The feelings and the emotions of a man in the deep sea will be much like those of a man out in space.