Gravitational waves are the ripples(波纹) in the pond of space time. The gravity of large objects warps space and time, or “space time” as physicists call it, the way a bowling ball changes the shape of a trampoline(蹦床) as it rolls around on it. Smaller objects will move differently as a result — like marbles spiraling(盘旋) toward a bowling-ball-sized dent(凹迹) in a trampoline instead of sitting on a flat surface.
Scientists announced that they have succeeded in detecting gravitational waves from the violent merging(兼并) of two black holes in deep space. The detection was regarded as a victory for a controversial, delicately crafted, billion-dollar physics experiment and as confirmation of a key prediction of Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity.
There is no obvious, immediate consequence of this physics experiment, but the scientists say this opens a new window on the universe. Until now, astronomy has been almost exclusively a visual enterprise: Scientists have relied on light, visible and otherwise, to observe the cosmos.
But now gravitational waves can be used as well. They could potentially take a census of black-hole mergers, spot the collisions of ultra-dense neutron stars(中子星), probe the inner dynamics of exploding stars and discover theoretical “cosmic strings” left over from the big bang.
These waves will be particularly useful for studying black holes (the existence of which was first implied by Einstein’s theory) and other dark objects, because they’ll give scientists a bright beacon to search for even when objects don’t emit actual light. Mapping the abundance of black holes and frequency of their mergers could get a lot easier.
Since they pass through matter without interacting with it, gravitational waves would come to Earth carrying undistorted information about their origin. They could also improve methods for estimating the distances to other galaxies.
It will also start a new era of astronomy in which gravitational waves are tools for studying the most mysterious and exotic objects in the universe.
33. According to the passage, which of the following is true about the experiment of gravitational waves?
A. It is a success and was approved of by all.
B. It is well designed though time and money consuming.
C. It proves that black holes do give out gravitational waves.
D. It proves one of the key predictions of Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity right.
34. Why is gravitational waves important?
A. Because scientists have relied on light, visible and otherwise, to observe the cosmos.
B. Because they have been used to discover facts about the inner dynamics of exploding stars.
C. Because they could make it possible to probe objects in total darkness even when they don’t give out light.
D. Because mapping the abundance of black holes and frequency of their mergers could be impossible without them.
35. The underlined word “undistorted” in paragraph 6 probably mean _______
A. Unrelated. B. Unfamiliar. C. Unchanged. D. Unreal.