Bacteria are an annoying problem for astronauts. The microorganisms（微生物） from our bodies grow uncontrollably on surfaces of the International Space Station, so astronauts spend hours cleaning them up each week. How is NASA overcoming this very tiny big problem? It’s turning to a bunch of high school kids. But not just any kids. It depending on NASA HUNCH high school classrooms, like the one science teachers Gene Gordon and Donna Himmelberg lead at Fairport High School in Fairport, New York.
细菌对宇航员来说是一个令人烦恼的问题。这些来自我们身体的微生物在国际空间站的表面上无法控制地生长，因此宇航员每周都要花费数小时来清理它们。NASA如何克服这个微小但严重的问题？它正在求助于一群高中生。但不仅仅是任何孩子。这取决于NASA HUNCH高中教室，就像纽约州费尔波特的费尔波特高中的科学老师Gene Gordon和Donna Himmelberg领导的那个教室一样。

HUNCH is designed to connect high school classrooms with NASA engineers. For the past two years, Gordon’s students have been studying ways to kill bacteria in zero gravity, and they think they’re close to a solution（解决方案）. “We don’t give the students any breaks. They have to do it just like NASA engineers,” says Florence Gold, a project manager.
HUNCH旨在将高中教室与NASA工程师联系起来。在过去的两年里，Gordon的学生一直在研究在零重力下杀死细菌的方法，他们认为他们接近找到解决方案。“我们不给学生任何休息时间。他们必须像NASA工程师一样去做，”项目经理Florence Gold说。

“There are no tests,” Gordon says. “There is no graded homework. There almost are no grades, other than ‘Are you working towards your goal?’ Basically, it’s ‘I’ve got to produce this product and then, at the end of year, present it to NASA.’ Engineers come and really do an in-person review, and… it’s not a very nice thing at times. It’s a hard business review of your product.”
“没有考试，”Gordon说。“没有分级的家庭作业。几乎没有成绩，除了’你是否在朝着你的目标努力？’基本上，就是’我必须生产这个产品，然后在年底向NASA展示。’工程师们会亲自进行审查，而且…有时这并不是一件好事。这是对你产品的严格商业审查。”

Gordon says the HUNCH program has an impact（影响） on college admissions and practical life skills. “These kids are so absorbed in their studies that I just sit back. I don’t teach.” And that annoying bacteria? Gordon says his students are emailing daily with NASA engineers about the problem, readying a workable solution to test in space.
Gordon说，HUNCH项目对大学录取和实用生活技能有影响。“这些孩子如此专注于他们的学习，以至于我只是坐回去。我不教。”还有那些烦人的细菌？Gordon说，他的学生每天都在通过电子邮件与NASA工程师讨论这个问题，准备在太空中测试一个可行的解决方案。

1. What do we know about the bacteria in the International Space Station?
   A. They are hard to get rid of. B. They lead to air pollution.
   C. They appear in different forms. D. They damage the instruments.
   答案：A

2. What is the purpose of the HUNCH program?
   A. To strengthen teacher-student relationships. B. To sharpen students’ communication skills.
   C. To allow students to experience zero gravity. D. To link space technology with school education.
   答案：D

3. What do the NASA engineers do for the students in the program?
   A. Check their product. B. Guide project designs.
   C. Adjust work schedules. D. Grade their homework.
   答案：A

4. What is the best title for the text?
   A. NASA: The Home of Astronauts B. Space: The Final Homework Frontier
   C. Nature: An Outdoor Classroom D. HUNCH: A College Admission Reform
   答案：B