夏说英语新闻晨读 第73期:火星探险更进一步

 本期内容：

The European Space Agency and Russia launched a joint¹ mission to Mars, with the lift-off of a Proton rocket in Kazakhstan. The spacecraft, comprising an orbiter, which will analyse methane² and other gases in the Martian atmosphere, and a lander, named Schiaparelli after an Italian astronomer³, is due to reach the red planet in October.

词义解析:

Joint mission: 联合任务
Lift-off：发射
Comprise：由……组成
Orbiter：轨道器
Methane：甲烷
Martian：火星的

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 methane   

n.甲烷，沼气

参考例句：

• The blast was caused by pockets of methane gas that ignited.爆炸是由数袋甲烷气体着火引起的。
• Methane may have extraterrestrial significance.甲烷具有星际意义。

3 astronomer   

n.天文学家

参考例句：

• A new star attracted the notice of the astronomer.新发现的一颗星引起了那位天文学家的注意。
• He is reputed to have been a good astronomer.他以一个优秀的天文学者闻名于世。