Question

Many years ago, people relied on the sun, the moon and stars to find their way around. Later, the compass (指南针) was introduced. And now, we have satnav (卫星导航) systems to guide us. A satnav system uses groups of satellites to show the user’s location. They send information to a receiver, such as a smart phone, to show us where we are.

The earliest built satnav system is the Global Positioning System, which belongs to the US. Then there is Russia’s Global Navigation (导航) Satellite System, the European Union’s Galileo and China’s own satellite navigation system, BeiDou.

On October 14, 2017, an ARJ21-700 plane, which was the first domestically-produced jet (国产喷气式飞机) equipped with the BeiDou navigation system, successfully completed a test flight. The results showed the performance of the system developed by China matches that of similar systems produced aboard, according to the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China.

Since its introduction in 2000, the Beidou navigation system has seen increasing numbers of applications linked to everyday life, from shared bikes to farming.

When it comes to shared bikes, smart locks that support BeiDou chips offer more accurate positioning than others, making it easier to find a bike.

Farmers can use BeiDou-enabled tractors to plow (犁) the soil and use unmanned aircraft with BeiDou to sow seeds, which can improve efficiency and make better use of resources. BeiDou’s farming applications have spread from Heilongjiang province to Beijing, Liaoning, Shanxi, Hubei and other regions across China.

With its many uses, the Beidou navigation system is even playing a big role in the Belt and Road Initiative (一带一路). “To date, the BeiDou system has covered most parts of the Asia-Pacific region (地区), as well as countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21stCentury Maritime Silk Road” said Yang Changfeng, Chief designer of the BeiDou system.

Today, there are more than 20 BeiDou satellites above our heads, and China plans to launch even more this year to expand the BeiDou network to better serve the Belt and Road Initiative.

“As BeiDou expands its overseas reach, it will be increasingly popular in the logistics (物流) industry,” said Miao Qianjun, secretary-general of the navigation services association. “Ships, for example, can use it to position themselves while sailing across oceans to European countries, no longer limited to Southeast Asian regions in the near future.”

1.What is the purpose of the first two paragraphs?

A.To compare some modern satnav systems.

B.To describe the benefits of satnav systems.

C.To tell us how satnav systems were created.

D.To introduce some satnav systems and how they work.

2.What can we know about the BeiDou navigation system according to the article?

A.It was used successfully in a new jet plane.

B.It is more powerful than other satnav systems.

C.It was introduced into China on October 14, 2017.

D.It wasn’t used in our everyday life until recently.

3.According to the article, the BeiDou navigation system is already widely used for _________.

A.plowing the soil and sowing seeds

B.improving the efficiency of networks

C.producing more smart locks for shared bikes

D.navigating ships across oceans to European countries

4.What is Miao Qianjun’s attitude toward the future of the BeiDou system?

A.worried B.uncertain C.positive D.doubtful

5.Where does the passage probably come from?

A.A government report. B.A science magazine.

C.A storybook. D.A science fiction.

Answer 1