VOA慢速英语2014 飞船从火星发回“诱人”的信息

 

AS IT IS 2014-10-15 Spacecraft Sends 'Tantalizing¹' Information from Mars² 飞船从火星发回“诱人”的信息

Scientists working on the year-long American mission³ to explore Mars hope that it will “help solve the mystery of how the Red Planet⁴ lost most of its atmosphere.”

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the scientists said they are surprised and excited by the amount and quality of the information the spacecraft MAVEN has provided⁵ so far.

MAVEN reached Mars in late September after a 10-month-long journey. It had traveled 711-million kilometers from Earth to the Red Planet.

NASA says MAVEN is the first spacecraft ever made to study the upper atmosphere of Mars. MAVEN will measure the rates at which gases leave the Martian atmosphere. Scientists hope the information the spacecraft gathers will help them learn how the climate of Mars has changed over time.

Scientists say carbon dioxide and water control the climate. They believe if they can discover the history of Mars over the past four billion years, they will come to understand how the planet changed “from a warm and wet climate to the cold, dry climate present today.”  

Scientists began working on the project 11 years ago. One of the mission’s top scientists said the mission will look at “how the processes involving the sun and the solar wind affect the gas at the top of the atmosphere and strip⁶ it away to space.”

Bruce Jakosky leads the mission. He is a professor in the geological⁷ sciences department at the University of Colorado in Boulder⁸. He said Tuesday that seven of the spacecraft’s eight instruments are already providing information to scientists. He says much more will be received from the instruments in the next few weeks.

“What we’re seeing so far is really just a tantalizing teaser of what’s to come.”

Even this early in the mission, when the instruments are only being tested, scientists now have the most complete picture of the Red Planet’s upper atmosphere that they have ever had. The instrument testing will continue for about two weeks. Scientists hope to begin the actual science mission early next month. 

But Professor Jakosky says the quality of information already sent back from MAVEN is better than he and his colleagues expected they would get.

“I’m looking at the science team -- some here in the room with me, some distributed -- and just seeing an incredible⁹ number of really excited people that are, are just beside themselves with the quality of the data we’re seeing already. Just this morning my administrative¹⁰ assistant told me that for the first time in months she’s hearing me whistling again as I walk down the corridor¹¹. This is gonna really be an exciting mission and we’re, we’re just ready to get on with it.”

Five times during the mission, the spacecraft will move to 125 kilometers above the surface of the Red Planet. During these “deep-dip campaigns,” MAVEN will travel in an area where the upper and lower atmospheres meet. This will give scientists information about the differences between the two atmospheres.

The spacecraft will also try to find out if human beings can survive on Mars. The space agency¹² is working on plans to send humans to the planet in the 2030s.

Words in This Story

quality – n. how good or bad something is

journey – n. trip

atmosphere – n. the gases surrounding any star or planet

climate – n. the normal weather conditions of a place

instruments – n. tools or devices designed to do something or to make something

1 tantalizing   

adj.逗人的；惹弄人的；撩人的；煽情的v.逗弄，引诱，折磨( tantalize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• This was my first tantalizing glimpse of the islands. 这是我第一眼看见的这些岛屿的动人美景。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We have only vague and tantalizing glimpses of his power. 我们只能隐隐约约地领略他的威力，的确有一种可望不可及的感觉。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史

2 Mars   

n.火星，战争

参考例句：

• As of now we don't know much about Mars.目前我们对火星还知之甚少。
• He contended that there must be life on Mars.他坚信火星上面一定有生物。

3 mission   

n.使命，任务，天职；代表团，使团

参考例句：

• He was charged with an important mission.他受委托承担一项重要使命。
• I'll leave you to undertake an important mission.我要让你承担一项重要使命。

4 planet   

n.行星

参考例句：

• Neptune is the furthest planet from the sun. 海王星是离太阳最远的行星。
• Rubbish, however, is only part of the problem of polluting our planet. 然而, 垃圾只是我们这个星球的污染问题的一个方面。

5 provided   

conj.假如，若是；adj.预备好的，由...供给的

参考例句：

• Provided it's fine we will have a pleasant holiday.如果天气良好，我们的假日将过得非常愉快。
• I will come provided that it's not raining tomorrow.如果明天不下雨，我就来。

6 strip   

n.长条，条状；连环漫画；n.脱衣舞；vt.脱衣，剥夺；挤干(牛奶)；vt.拆卸；去除(烟叶的茎)；vi.脱衣，表演脱衣舞；剥落

参考例句：

• I need one more strip of cloth to finish this decoration.我还要一根布条来完成这个装饰品。
• We had to strip the old paint from the doors.我们只好把门上的旧漆刮掉。

7 geological   

adj.地质（学）的

参考例句：

• aeons of geological history 数以亿万年计的地质史
• The workers skirted the edge of the cliff on a geological survey. 工人们沿着崖壁作了一次地质勘察。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 boulder   

n.巨砾；卵石，圆石

参考例句：

• We all heaved together and removed the boulder.大家一齐用劲，把大石头搬开了。
• He stepped clear of the boulder.他从大石头后面走了出来。

9 incredible   

adj.难以置信的，不可信的，极好的，大量的

参考例句：

• Some planets run at incredible speed.某些星球以难以置信的速度运行着。
• Her answer showed the most incredible stupidity.她的回答显示出不可思议的愚蠢。

10 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

11 corridor   

n.走廊，回廊，通路

参考例句：

• The corridor opens into Mr.Brown's office.这条走廊通到布朗先生的办公室。
• There was a ring of laughter in the corridor.走廊里传来响亮的笑声。

12 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。