ESL Podcast 605 – Talking About Astronomy

Dad: What are you working on, honey?

Mariko: It’s a project for school about the Earth and its place in the universe. I have to write a report and build a model of what scientists can see with a telescope in space.

Dad: I can help you with that. I was always good in science, especially astronomy.

Mariko: Okay, Dad. If I need help, I’ll ask you.

Dad: Is that the report you’re writing right now?

Mariko: Yes.

Dad: Make sure you include all of the planets in the solar system.

Mariko: I plan to, Dad.

Dad: Don’t forget to talk about the Big Bang. Oh yeah, and talk about traveling through space and how many light years it would take. Are you going to include stars, asteroids¹, and other galaxies² in your model?

Mariko: No, the teacher didn’t say we had to.

Dad: Yes, but including some of those would set your project apart from the others, don’t you think?

Mariko: Sure, Dad.

Dad: It would be out of this world!

Mariko: Right, Dad.


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1 asteroids   

n.小行星( asteroid的名词复数 )；海盘车，海星

参考例句：

• Asteroids,also known as "minor planets",are numerous in the outer space. 小行星，亦称为“小型行星”，在外太空中不计其数。
• Most stars probably have their quota of planets, meteorids, comets, and asteroids. 多数恒星也许还拥有若干行星、流星、彗星和小行星。

2 galaxies   

星系( galaxy的名词复数 )； 银河系； 一群（杰出或著名的人物）

参考例句：

• Quasars are the highly energetic cores of distant galaxies. 类星体是遥远星系的极为活跃的核心体。
• We still don't know how many galaxies there are in the universe. 我们还不知道宇宙中有多少个星系。