SECTION1

LISTENINGTEST

45minutesPartA

Spotdictation

Directions:Inthispartofthetest,youwillhearapassageandreadthesamepassagewithblanksinit.Fillineachoftheblankswiththewordorwordsyouhaveheardonthetape.WriteyouranswerinthecorrespondingspaceinyourANSWERBOOKLET.RememberyouwillhearthepassageONLYONCE.

Wealreadyliveinanover-communicatedworldthatwillonlybecomemoresointhenexttechera.We’vedevelopedtechnologythatgetsussomuchinformationthatwe’vegotcellphonesringingeverysecond.We’vegotcomputersandlaptops.We’vegotpersonalorganizers.Andwe’rejustbeingbombardedwithcommunicationandeveryadvancingtechnologyseemstocreatemoreandmorecommunicationsatus.Wearethoughtofover-whelmedbytheinformationflow.

Researchsuggeststhatallthemulti-taskingmayactuallymakeourbrainsworkbetterandfaster,producingaworld-wideincreaseinIQupto20pointsandmoreinrecentdecades.Isthereanyrealbenefitinallthesementalgymnasticswenowhavetogothrough?Wearenotbecomingaraceofglobalidiots,butmanydothinkcertainskillsareenhancedandcertainarenot.Youknowtheabilitytomakefastdecisions,toansweradozenemailsin5minutesortofilloutmaybebigaptitudetext.That’senhanced.

Butwhensomeoneisouttherewithhiskidslayinginhislittleleague,orsomethinglikethat,he’sgothiscellphoneinhispocket,heisalwayswondering:“Jeez,didIgetavoicemail?”Thismighthavenegativeeffectsonourownbrainspatterns.Creativityissomethingthathappensslowly.Ithappenswhenyourbrainisjustnoodlingaround,justplaying.Whenitputstogetherideaswhichyouhaven’tthoughtof,ormaybeyouhavetimetoreadabook.Youareabusinesspersonbutyouhavetimetoreadabookabouthistoryoraboutaphilosopherandsomethingthathappenedlongago,orsomethingorsomeideas,somedefaultoflongago.

Actually,itmightoccurtoyouthatyoucanthinkofyourownbusinessinthatway.Andsoifthismixtureofunrelatedideasthatfeedsyourproductivity,feedsyourcreativity,andifyourmindisdisciplinedtoanswereveryemail,thenyoudon’thavetimeforthatplayfulnoodling,youdon’thavetimeforthoseunexpectedconjunctions.SoIthinkmaybewearegettingsmarterinsomesenses,butovercommunicationisathreattoourcreativityandtoourreflection.

PartB

ListeningComprehension

Directions:Inthispartofthetesttherewillbesomeshorttalksandconversations.Aftereachone,youwillbeaskedsomequestions.Thetalks,conversationsandquestionswillbespokenONLYONCE.NowlistencarefullyandchoosetherightanswertoeachquestionyouhaveheardandwritetheletteroftheansweryouhavechoseninthecorrespondingspaceinyourANSWERBOOKLET.

Questions1-5

M:Youknowindesigningthisnewtown,wetrytolookbackwardatsmalltowninAmerica,andtakethebestofthoseplanningelements.Housesclosetogether,sidewalksfromtheporches,tree-linedstreets,easynon-automobile-dependentaccesstothetowncenterandtoyourneighborsandtotheschoolandtheotherinstitutionsthatarevital.Andwe’vetriedtotakesomeofthoseideasandupdatethemandcomeoutwithalivable,workableplacewherepeoplecangoandre-kindlethesenseofcommunitythatseemstobemissingfromsuburbsallacrossthecountry.

W:Sogiveusasenseofhowthesenewtownsaredesigned.

M:Housesareallveryclosetogether.Wewerejust10feetapartfromourneighborsoneithersideofus.Andthat’sprettymuchthestandardforthetown.So,youhavehousesthatareclosetogether,housesthatsurroundopenareas.Theyhavealotofbigparks,alotofcommonareas.Thetheoryisthatyouarewillingtosacrificialprivateyardsbase.Youdon’tneedaquarterofanacreorhalfanacre.Ifyouhaveapublicareawhereyoucangoandenjoythefacilitiesthere.And,mostimportantly,youcaninteractwithyourneighbors.Thathelpstocreatethesenseofcommunity.That’ssoimportanttomanyofthesenewtowndevelopments.

W:NowIseethiswholesenseofcommunity.It’sgoingtobeanewtown,butwearegoingtodoitwiththesenseofnostalgiaforthepast,like,alotofthehouseshadporches.

M:yes,itwouldcreateafront-porchculture,thatpeoplewouldbeoutontheirporches,talkingtotheirneighborsnextdoor,andtopeoplewalkingdownthestreet,orpeopleridingtheirbikes.Andthatwouldbethisculturethatexisted40,50or60yearsago.Butthatreallyhasbeenoneofthefailuresthatweobservedduringour2yearsinthisnewtown.Andthepeopledon’tspendverymuchtimeatallontheirfrontporches.Thereareacoupleofthingsgoingon.OneisthiscentralFloridaandit’shotterthanhellagodpartoftheyear.Andsittingonyourfrontporch,evenifyouhaveafungoing,canbeaveryuncomfortablething.Peopleprefertobeinsideintheair-conditioning.

W:Whatweresomeoftherulesyouhadtolivebyinthenewproject?Anddidanyoftheserulesbotheryou?

M:well,thedeveloperandIhavedifferentfeelingsaboutrules.Hisfeelingis,ifIcansummarizethesefeelingsforhim,thatyoumoveinthenknowingtherules,andifyoudon’tlikethem,youshouldn’tmovein.Ihavesomeproblemswithrules.Ijustsometimesliketobreakthem.AndTheyjustbothermebecauseoftheirinexistence.Buttherulessometimesweresillyandsometimesweren’t.Theydictatedwhatcoloryourcurtainscouldbefacingthisstreet,andactuallyaskedawomanwithredcurtainstoremovethem.

W:really?Isthattrue?

M:Andtheydictatedwhereyoucouldparkyourcarandforhowlong.Theydictatedanysortofthingyoucouldattachtoyourhouse.Youcouldn’tattachasatellitedishtoyourhouse,theydictatedforeverthecolorofyourhouse.Andtheydictatehowoftenyouhavetorepaintyourhouse.Theytrytogoastepfurtherandremoveplasticflowersandplasticfurniturefromthatallimportantfrontporches.Somerulesseemtogoalittletoofar.

Questions:

1.Whatarethetwospeakerstalkingabout?

2.Thereareseveralplanningelementsforrecreatingasenseofcommunity.Whichofthefollowingisnotoneoftheseelements?

3.Accordingtotheconversation,whatcanwelearnabouttheso-calledfrontporchculture?

4.Whichofthefollowingisnotoneoftherulesthattheresidentshavetoliveby?

5.Whatdoesthemanthinkoftheserulesaccordingtotheconversation?

Questions6-10News

NewYork

ThebiggestWallStreetbanksslashedtheirsmallbusinessloanportfoliosby9%between2008and2009,morethandoubletherateatwhichtheycuttheiroveralllending,accordingtoagovernmentreportreleasedThursday.

TheCongressionalOversightPanelreportspotlightstherolebanks,especiallythelargestones,playedinthecreditcrunchthathasplaguedsmallcompaniesthroughouttherecession.

"Bigbankspulledbackoneveryone,buttheypulledbackharderonsmallbusinesses,"ElizabethWarren,thepanel'schairwoman.

Warren'soversightcommitteewasestablishedtokeeptabsonthefederalgovernment'sfinancialstabilizationeffort.Thecommittee'sMayreportfocusesontherolehercommitteeplayedinimprovingcreditaccessforsmallcompanies.

Madrid

TheEuropeanUnioneasestradewithLatinAmericaatMadridsummit

TheEUplanstoboosttradewithLatinAmericadespitewarningsfromsomeEuropeanministersandfarmers,whofearunfaircompetition.

EUnegotiationswiththeMercosurtradebloc,frozensince2004,willreopen.TheMercosurgroupembracesArgentina,Brazil,ParaguayandUruguay.

TradedealswerealsoreachedwithCentralAmerica,PeruandColombia,followingmarathontalksinMadrid.EUCommissionpresidentJoseManuelBarrososaid,“Wehaveopenedaground-breakingchapterintheEUrelationshipwithourLatinAmericaandCaribbeanpartners.”TheEUispursuingregionaltradeagreementswhileglobaltradetalks-theso-calledDohaRound-havefailedtomakeprogress.

Tripoli

MembersofaDutchfamilyareontheirwaytoLibyaafterbeingtoldthatthesolesurvivoroftheplanecrashthatkilled103peoplemightbetheirrelative.AmemberoftheDutchfamilytoldthemediathatofficialshadtoldherfamilythechildbeingtreatedatahospitalinTripolimightbehergrandson,9-year-oldRubenvanAssouw.

TheDutchforeignministryconfirmedthattwopresumedfamilymembersoftheinjuredchildwereontheirwaytoTripoli.

RubenhadbeenonsafariinSouthAfricawithhisbrother,motherandfather.Allofwhomperishedinthecrash,saidthenewspaper.

Sixty-oneDutchcitizenswerebelievedkilledwhentheMAFlight230fromJohannesburgtoTripolicrashedonlandinginclearweatherat6am.TheTimesunderstandsthatsevenpassengershadbeenduetoflyontoLondon.TwoofthedeadwereBritonsandonewasIrish.

London,theUnitedKingdom

TargetCorppostedahigherquarterlyprofitasconsumersloosenedtheirwalletstospendonitemsincludingclothingandelectronics.

Thediscountretailersaidprofitwas$671millioninthefirstfiscalquarterthatendedMay1,comparedwith$522millionayearearlier.

Targethasbenefitedfromconsumersbecomingabitmorewillingtospendondiscretionaryitemssuchasclothingandhomefurnishings.

Thecompanypreviouslysaidthatsalesatstoresopenatleastayearrose2.8percentinthefirstquarter.

Bonn

FearsofgreaterfinancialregulationacrossEuropehammeredstocksafterGermanmeasuresaimedatlimitingspeculationweretakentosmackofdesperation.

StockmarketswereunnervedbyGermany'sunilateralbanoncertainnakedshortsannouncedlateonTuesday.Andtheeurosufferedakneejerkreaction,fallingmorethan1percentagainsttheyen,asinvestorssawforeignexchangeastheonlywaytobetagainsttheeurozone.

Worldstocksweredown1.43percentwhilstthemorevolatileemergingmarketsindexfell2.64percent.

TherewerealsofearsthatthedebtcrisiswasabouttoworsenassomebelievedGermany'smovesmackedofdesperation.

Questions:

6.WhatdidtheWallStreetbanksdobetween2008and2009asreportedinthenews?

7.WhatdidtheEuropeanUnionplantodoattheMadridSummit?

8.HowmanypeoplewerekilledwhenthepassengerplanefromJohannesburgtoTripolicrashedonlanding?

9.HowmuchprofitdidTargetCorpmakeinthefirstquarteroftheyear?

10.WhatdidGermany’srecentfinancialmeasuresaimat?

Questions11-15

Man:Whenmostcouplesmarried,theymaydiscusssomethingsinadvancelikehowmanychildrentheywantorwheretheywanttolive.Butmostoftheday-to-daydetailsorproblemsofmarriedlifeworkoutaftermarriage.NotsowithStevenKarenParsonswhohavea15prenuptialagreementthatstatestherulestheymustfollowinalmosteveryaspectoftheirmarriedlife.Today,Karenisherewithus.

Man:Karen,firstI’dliketoaskyouwhyyoudecidedtowritethisagreement.You’vebothbeenmarriedbefore.AmIright?

Woman:Yes,I’vebeenmarriedtwiceandStevewasmarriedoncebefore.Sowehavesomeexperienceaboutwhatgoeswronginamarriage.

Man:Andthat’swhyyouwrotethisagreement.

Woman:Yes,wefoundthatmanyproblemshappenwhenapersonhasdifferentexpectationsfromhisorherspouse.Wewanttotalkabouteverythingopenlyandhonestlybeforewestartlivingtogether.Also,webothknowhowimportantitistorespecteachother’squotes.We’reallbotheredbythingsthatseemssmalltosomeoneelse,likeitusedtoreallybothermewhenmyex-husbandlethisdirtyclothesonthefloor.Soweputthatintheagreement:dirtyclothingmustbeputinalaundrybag.NowSteveknowswhatmyexpectationsare.

Man:I’msurethatsomepeoplehearingthisreportwillthinkthiscontractisn’tveryromantic.

Woman:Well,wedisagree.Wethinkit’sveryromantic.Disagreementshowsthatwesetdownandtalkedandreallytrytounderstandtheotherperson.Alotofproblemsoccurinamarriagebecausepeopledon’ttalkaboutwhattheywant.That’sright.Whenwedisagreeaboutsomething,weworkoutsolution.That’sgoodforbothofus.I’dmuchratherdothatthangetsomeromanticgiftslikeflowersorcandy.

Man:Someoftheserulessoundlike,well,abusinessagreement.Manyofyourrulesconcernmoneyinsomeway,eventherulesabouthavingchildren.

Woman:Inourexperience,disagreementsaboutmoneycancausealotofproblems,sowetalkedabouthowwewanttospendourmoneyandputthatintheagreementaswell.

Man:Sodoyouspendalotoftimecheckingoneachothertoseeiftherulesarebeingfollowed?

Woman:No,notatall.Andwedon’targueaboutthem,either.AsamatteroffactIthinkwespendlesstimearguingthanmostcouples.Becausewebothknowwhattheotherpersonexpects.Wecanspendourtimedoingthingsweenjoyandjustbeingwitheachother.

Man:Whathappensifoneofyoubreakstherule.？

Woman:Wedon’tthinkthatwillbeaproblem.No,becausewedoagreeontheserules.

Man:Butwhatif,say,youdon’twanttocookdinneronenight,whathappens?

Woman:Well,wetalkaboutitandreachacompromise.Maybethere’sagoodreason.

Man:Butifyoubreakalotofrulesallthetime?

Woman:Thenwehavetoask‘Isthismarriagereallyworking?’Becauseifwecan’tfollowallourownagreement.There’snopointmakingit.

Man:Soitsoundslikeyoutwoarehappywiththisagreement.Doyouthinkothercouplesshouldfollowyourexampleandwritetheprenuptialagreementoftheirown?

Woman:“Soalotofworktowriteanagreement,butIthinkitcouldbeusefultoalotofpeople.Maybetherewouldbefewerdivorcesifeveryonedidthis.

Questions:

11.Aboutwhichofthefollowingtopicsisthewomanbeeninterviewed?

12.Whatcanwelearnaboutthemanandthewomanfromtheinterview?

13.Accordingtothewoman,whydidsomanyproblemshappeninamarriage?

14.Whatdoesthewomanthinkofthiscontract?

15.Whathappensifoneofthecouplesometimesbreaksaruleofthecontract?

Questions16-20

Todaywearegoingtotalkaboutcross-culturalperceptionsoftime.

Differentculturesoftenhaveentirelydifferentperceptionsoftime.TheculturalanthropologistEdwardTHallpopularizedtheideathatculturesusetimeandviewtimeinverydifferentways.Theideaofthepast,presentandfutureandthewholeconceptofschedulingormanagingtimecanbesodifferentthatitleadstocross-culturalmiscommunications.Inhis1990book，TheDanceofLife,Hallwritestimeisoneofthefundamentalbases,onwhichallculturesrest,andaroundwhichallactivitiesrevolve.Understandingthedifferencebetweenmonochronictimeandpolychronictimeisessentialtosuccess.Hall'snotionofmonochronismandpolychronismcanbeunderstoodasfollows:monochronictimeislinear,eventsscheduledoneatatime,oneeventfollowinganother.Toamonochronicculture,thistypeofscheduleisvaluedoverinterpersonalrelationships.

Ontheotherhand,polychronictimeischaracterizedbymanythingshappeningsimultaneously.Inaddition,interpersonalrelationshipsarehighlyvaluedinpolychroniccultures.Hall'stheoryisthatmonochronictimecanbefoundprimarilyinNorthAmericanandnorthernEuropeancultures.Theseculturesemphasizeschedules,punctualityandpreciseness.Theyalsoemphasizedoingthings.Theyareculturesthatvalueproductivity,thatvaluegettingthingsdoneontime.Theyviewtimeassomethingthatcanbelost,killedorwasted.Orconversely,theyviewassomethingthatcanorshouldbemanaged,planedandusedefficiently.Polychronictime,ontheotherhand,canbefoundprimarilyinLatinAmerican,African,andNativeAmericancultures.Theirconceptionoftimeismoreconnectedtonaturalrhythms.Itisconnectedtotheearth,totheseasons.Thismakessensewhenweconsiderthatnaturaleventscanoccurspontaneously,sporadicallyorconcurrently.Polychronicculturesviewtimeasbeingsomewhatflexible.Sincelifeisn'tsopredictable,schedulingandbeingprocessedsimplyisn'tthatimportant.Inaddition,relationshipswithpeoplearevaluedmorethanmakingschedules.Thereismorevalueplacedonbeingthanondoing.

Differentculturalperceptionsoftimecanleadtoconflict,especiallyinthebusinessworld.Theideaofbeinglateversusontimeforameeting,forexample,mightdifferwidelybetweenanAmericanbusinesspersonandaBrazilian.TheAmericanbusinesspersonmightbefarlesstolerantofaBrazilian'slatearrival.However,theBrazilianbusinesspersonmightbeoffendedbyanAmerican'sinsistenceonpunctuality,orongettingrightdowntobusiness.TheBrazilianwouldgenerallyprefertofinishtalkingwithcolleaguesfirstandwouldnotwanttocutconversationshortinordertomakeanappointment.Sometraditionaltimemanagementprogramsusedinthebusinessworldmightnottranslatewellinanotherculture.Traditionaltimemanagementprogramsinthebusinessworldemphasizeto-do-listandcarefulscheduling.Theyaremonochronic.However,abusinessinapolychronicculturemightnotadjustwelltothatsystem.Companies,whoimposethosemonochronicsystemsonplacesofbusinessinpolychroniccultures,mightbeguiltyofethno-centrism,whichmeansmakingtheirownethnicalculturalvaluescentralandnotvaluingothervalues.EdwardHall'stheoryofmonochronicandpolychroniccultureshasbeenchallengedbysomecritics.Somepeoplethinkitisoverlygeneral.Theyarguethatwithinanyculturegroupwemightfindpeoplewhothinkoftimedifferently.

Inotherwords,aprimarilypolychronicculturemighthavebothmonochronicandpolychronictypesofpeople.Thesamediversityamongindividualsmightbefoundinaprimarilymonochronicculture.CriticsofanthropologistlikeEdwardHallfeelthatitismoreusefultothinkoftimedifferencesamongindividuals,notjustbetweenculturegroups.

Questions:

16.Whichofthefollowingtopicsisthepersontalkingabout?

17.WhatcanwelearnaboutMonochronismfromtheculturalanthropologistEdwardTHall?

18.WhichofthefollowingstatementsapplytoPolychronismaccordingtoEdwardHall?

19.Inthebusinessworld,whowouldprefertofinishtalkingwithcolleaguesbeforekeepinganappointment?

20.EdwardHall'stheoryhasbeenchallengedbysomecritics.Whatdothesecriticsthinkofhistheory?SECTION2

READINGTEST

30minutes

Directions:Inthissectionyouwillreadseveralpassages.Eachoneisfollowedbyseveralquestionsaboutit.YouaretochooseONEbestanswer,(A),(B),(C)or(D),toeachquestion.AnswerallthequestionsfollowingeachpassageonthebasisofwhatisstatedorimpliedinthatpassageandwritetheletteroftheansweryouhavechoseninthecorrespondingspaceinyourANSWERBOOKLET.

Questions1-5

Congressbegan2010withabadcaseoflegislativedéjàvu.Lastyear,itapproveda$787billionstimuluspackagemeantto"createorsave"millionsofjobs.PresidentObamasaysthestimulushassavedorcreatedasmanyas2millionjobssofar.Butevenifthathighlyoptimisticfigureistrue,intherealworld,over3millionjobshavebeenlostsincethestimuluswassignedintolaw–adismalfeatallfinancedwithenormousdebt.NowCongressisworkingonanotherstimuluspackage,butthey'recallingitajobsbill.InDecember,theHousepasseda$174billion"JobsforMainStreetBill"thatwouldusefederaldollarstofundjob-creatinginfrastructureprojects,whileextendingunemploymentbenefits.Soundfamiliar?

Unemploymentremainsatabout10percentandstateunemploymentinsurancefundsarerunningoutofmoney.WhiletheObamaadministrationworkstoartificiallyinflatethenumberofjobs,theunemployedfacediminishedopportunitiesandincomesecurity.By2012,40stateunemploymenttrustfundsareprojectedtobeempty,requiring$90billioninfederalloanstocontinueoperating.Normally,stateunemploymentbenefitspayjoblessworkersbetween50and70percentoftheirsalariesforupto26weeks.Butduringthisrecession,Congresshasextendedthosebenefitsfourtimes.Theresultisthatsomeworkerscannowclaimbenefitsfor99weeks.NowCongressmayenactarecordfifthextension.Whatwouldbewrongwiththat?Everything.Thestate-federalunemploymentinsuranceprogram(UI)isaneconomicdragonbusinessesandstates.Andit'sapoorsafetynetfortheunemployed.

UI,arelicoftheGreatDepression,failsworkerswhentheyneeditmost.UItrustfundsdependonastate-leviedpayrolltaxonemployers.Duringboomyears,thesefundsaregenerallyflush.Butduringrecessions,theycangetdepletedquickly.ThebindisthattoreplenishtheirUIfund,stateshavetoraisepayrolltaxes.Thathurtsthebottomlineforbusinessesbothlargeandsmall.Passedontoworkersasalowersalary,highpayrolltaxesdiscouragebusinessesfromhiring.Duringsteeprecessions,statesfaceafiscalCatch-22:Reducebenefitsorraisetaxes.Todate,27stateshavedepletedtheirUIfundsandareusing$29billioninfederalloansthey'llhavetostartrepayingin2011.Otherstatesareslashingbenefits.Whilefederalguidelinesrecommendthatstateskeeponeyear'sworthofunemploymentreserves,manystatesenteredtherecessionalreadyinsolvent.Whenfederalloansareexhausted,theonlyoptionleftishigherpayrolltaxes–amovesuretodiscouragehiringanddepresssalaries.

TheincreasinglysmallanduncertainpayoutsofUIaretheoppositeofincomesecurity.TheeffectofUI'seight-decadeexperimenthasbeentoconditionworkerstosavelessfora"rainyday"andinsteadrelyonasystemthatprovidesnoguarantee.UIlimitspersonalresponsibilitytosave;gradually,individualsfindthemselvesinfinancialperil.Realreformrequiresputtingemployeesinchargewithindividualprivateaccountsandgettingthegovernmentoutofthebusinessofcreatingillusionarysafetynets.

UnemploymentInsuranceSavingsAccounts(UISA),bycontrast,giveworkerscontroloftheirownincome,eliminatingthenegativeeffectsoftheUIprogramonbusinessesandbudgets.AdoptedbyChilein2003,UISAsarealsofinancedviaapayrolltaxonindividualworkersandemployers.Thedifferenceisthemoneyisdirectlydepositedintotheindividualworker'saccount.Basicallyaformofforcedsavings,UISAsallowindividualstodrawontheirownaccountsduringperiodsofunemploymentandrollunusedfundsintotheirsavingsuponretirement.Withtheburdenreducedonemployers,wagesrise,leadingtogreatercontributionstotheindividual'sfund.Thefederalgovernmentisremovedfromthepicture,andallworkersareguaranteedasavingsaccountuponretirement.

UISAsliberateworkersfromuncertaintyandimproveincentives.Whenunemployedworkersmustrelyontheirownfundsratherthanthecommonfiscalpool,theyfindjobsfaster.Congress'srepeatedextensionsofthecurrentUIprogrammaybewellintended,buttheymayalsobecounterproductive.Likeanydeadlineextension,additionaljoblessbenefitsdiminishthejobseeker'surgency,allattaxpayers'expense.

Today,expandedUIbenefitsmeanhigherstatepayrolltaxes,whichmakeitharderforemployerstoexpandhiringorraisewages.UISAs,ontheotherhand,makethepayrolltaxonbusinesspartoftheemployer'sinvestmentinanindividualworker,ratherthanapenaltyfordoingbusiness.In2010,it'stimetosaygoodbyetotheproblemscreatedbybrokenpolicies.Congressshouldstartthisdecadewithapromisefortrueeconomicfreedom:Letbusinessescreatejobsandletworkerskeepwhatthey'veearned.

Questions11-15

LIKEthespacetelescopehechampioned,astronomerLymanSpitzerfacedsomeperilousmomentsinhiscareer.Mostnotably,onaJulydayin1945,hehappenedtobeintheEmpire

Spitzerwasnotthefirstastronomertodreamofsendingatelescopeabovethedistortingeffectsoftheatmosphere,butitwashistirelessadvocacy,inpart,thatledNASAtolaunchtheHubbleSpaceTelescopein1990.Initiallyjubilant,astronomersweresoonhorrifiedtodiscoverthatHubble's2.4-metremainmirrorhadbeengroundtothewrongshape.Althoughitwasonlyoffby2.2micrometres,thisbadlyblurredthetelescope'svisionandmadethescientistswhohadpromisedtheworldnewimagesandscienceinexchangefor$1.5billionofpublicmoneythebuttofjokes.Thefiasco,inevitablydubbed"HubbleTrouble"bythepress,wasn'thelpedwheneventhelimitedsciencethecrippledHubblecoulddowasthreatenedasitsgyroscopes,neededtocontroltheorientationofthetelescope,startedtofailonebyone.

By1993,asNASApreparedtolauncharescuemission,thesituationlookedbleak.Thetelescope"probablywouldn'thavegoneonformorethanayearortwo"withoutrepairs,saysJohnGrunsfeld,anastronautwhoflewonthemostrecentHubbleservicingmission.Happily,therescuemissionwasasuccess.Shuttleastronautsinstallednewinstrumentsthatcorrectedfortheflawedmirror,andreplacedthegyroscopes.Twoyearslater,Hubblegaveusthedeepesteverviewoftheuniverse,peeringbacktoanerajust1billionyearsafterthebigbangtoseetheprimordialbuildingblocksthataggregatedtoformgalaxieslikeourown.

Thesuccessofthe1993servicingmissionencouragedNASAtomountthreemore(in1997,1999and2002).Farfrommerelykeepingtheobservatoryalive,astronautsinstalledupdatedinstrumentsonthesemissionsthatdramaticallyimprovedHubble'spower.Itwas"asifyoutookinyourChevyNova[forrepairs]andtheygaveyoubackaLearjet,"saysStevenBeckwith,whofrom1998to2005headedtheSpaceTelescopeScienceInstitute(STScI)inBaltimore,

Despiteitssuccesses,Hubble'slifelookedlikeitwouldbecutshortwhenin2004,NASA'sthenadministratorSeanO'KeefeannouncedtheagencywouldsendnomoreservicingmissionstoHubble,citingunacceptableriskstoastronautsinthewakeoftheColumbiashuttledisasterof2003,inwhichthecraftexplodedonre-entry,killingitscrew.Bythistime,threeofHubble'sgyroscopeswerealreadybrokenorailingandnoonewassurehowlongtheotherthreewouldlast.CitizenpetitionsandanoutcryamongastronomersputpressureonNASA,andafterahigh-levelpanelofexpertsdeclaredthatanothermissiontoHubblewouldnotbeexceptionallyrisky,theagencyreversedcourse,leadingtothemostrecentservicingmission,inMay2009.

Nomoreareplanned.TheremainderoftheshuttlefleetthatastronautsusedtoreachHubbleisscheduledtoretirebytheyear'send.Andin2014,NASAplanstolaunch