【TheISSprojectisapartnershipoffive-theUSRussiaEuropeJapanandCanada.Atthemomentnoprogramforitsusenoranymoneyhasbeenputinplacetosupporttheplatformbeyond2015.Oneofthebiggestissuesstoppinganagreeme】

　　TheISSprojectisapartnershipoffive-theUSRussiaEuropeJapanandCanada.

　　Atthemomentnoprogramforitsusenoranymoneyhasbeenputinplacetosupporttheplatformbeyond2015.

　　Oneofthebiggestissuesstoppinganagreementonstation-lifeextension（延长期）isthehumanspaceflightexaminationorderedbyUSPresidentBarackObama.

　　TheAmericansaredevelopinganewvisionforspaceexplorationandtherocketsandspacecrafttheywillneedtostartit.ThefutureofUSjoiningintheISSiscloselytiedtotheresultoftheexamination.

　　MrDordaintheEuropeanSpaceAgency's(Esa)DirectorGeneralsaidnoonepartnerintheISSprojectcouldalonecallanendtotheplatform.AmeetingwouldbeheldinJapanlaterintheyearwherehehopedthepartnerscouldgetsomethingclearlygoingforward.Hesaiditwasalsonecessarythebenefits（成效）wereincreasedandthecostswerereduced.Increasingthebenefitscouldincludefindingnewusesforthestation.

　　EsahascalledforideasonhowtousetheISSasaplatformforEarthobservation（观测站）.MrDordainsaidtheagencyhadreceivedabout20verygoodproposals.

　　Ontheissueofreducingcoststhereweremanyideasonthetableheexplained.

　　Healsoquestionedwhetheritwasnecessaryforthestationtohavesixastronautsatalltimes.Iftherewereperiodswhenlittlemaintenance（维修）wasrequiredortheexperimentloadwaslightcouldtheISSrunonasmallergroupofpeoplehesuggested.

　　Constructionofthespacestationshouldfinishthisyear.NextmonthtwocomponentsbuiltinEurope-aconnectingnodeandaroboticcontrolroom-willbeflowntotheplatformbytheUSshuttleEndeavour.

　　TranquilityandtheCupolaastheyareknownwillcompletethenon-RussiansideoftheISS.

　　【小题1】WhywillAmericajoiningintheISSbetiedtotheresultoftheexamination?

　　A．BecauseAmericaisthegreatestpoweramongthemB．BecauseAmericaprovidesmostofthemoneyC．BecausetheyneedAmerica’srocketsandspacecraftD．BecauseObamaorderedthehumanspaceflightexamination【小题2】AccordingtoMrDordainhowshouldtheydotoreducecosts?A．Tofindnewu