世界节假日博览 第141期:航空日

 　　Aviation Day is on August the 19th. It is a day to celebrate the development and importance of aviation in the world. The holiday started in 1939. President Franklin Roosevelt decided¹ theanniversary of Orville Wright's birthday should be National Aviation Day in the U.S.A. Wright was one of the brothers who made the first ever flight.President Roosevelt invited “the peopleof the United States to observe National Aviation Day with appropriate exercises to further stimulate² interest in aviation”.Today, this means educational workshops in schools learning about the history of aviation. It is also a good time for airlines to try and get students interested in a career in aviation, either as a pilot or a member of the ground crew.Orville Wright piloted the world’s first airplane, the Wright Flyer.He and his brother Wilbur built an airplane with controls that enabled them to steer³.Orville’s historic flight took place on December the 17th, 1903. The flight lasted just 12 seconds. In that short time, he flew a total of 120 feet, 40 metres. The Wright brothers were bicycle engineers who believed man could fly. Theybelieved the secret to what was called “the flying problem” was not more powerful engines, but better aerodynamics.They knew that if a bicycle could remain upright while moving forwards, an airplane could fly in a straight line. Their wing and propeller⁴ design changed the world forever.

　　航空日设在8月19号。这一节日是用来庆祝世界航空的发展及其重要性。它始于1939年。富兰克林·罗斯福总统决定将奥维尔·莱特的周年纪念日设为美国的国家航空日。莱特是制造第一架飞机的兄弟中的一个。罗斯福总统鼓励“美国人民用合适的活动庆祝航空日，进一步激发人们对航空事业的兴趣。”如今，航空日意味着到学校的教育研习班学习航空史。航空日也是航空公司让学生对航空事业产生兴趣的好时机，无论是当飞行员还是做地勤人员都好。奥维尔·莱特驾驶了世界上的第一架飞机——莱特飞行者。他和他的兄弟威尔伯用控制装置制造了第一架飞机，使它能够受控制。奥维尔的历史性飞行是在1903年12月17号。这次飞行持续了12秒。那么短的时间内，他总共飞行了12英尺，约40米。莱特兄弟是自行车修理员，他们相信人类可以飞起来。莱特兄弟确信解决“飞行难题”的秘诀不是更有力的发动机，而是更好的空气动力。莱特兄弟知道如果自行车能够向前移动时保持垂直，那么飞机也可以飞成直线。莱特兄弟的机翼和螺旋桨设计永远改变了世界。

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 stimulate   

vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋

参考例句：

• Your encouragement will stimulate me to further efforts.你的鼓励会激发我进一步努力。
• Success will stimulate the people for fresh efforts.成功能鼓舞人们去作新的努力。

3 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

4 propeller   

n.螺旋桨，推进器

参考例句：

• The propeller started to spin around.螺旋桨开始飞快地旋转起来。
• A rope jammed the boat's propeller.一根绳子卡住了船的螺旋桨。