VOA慢速英语2021--柬埔寨学生制造无人机

Cambodian students have designed a prototype¹ drone that they hope can eventually be used to move people around Phnom Penh and even help fight fires.

The drone was developed by students at the National Polytechnic² Institute of Cambodia (NPIC), a college in the capital city.

The drone has eight propellers⁴ and uses a school chair for the pilot's seat.

Lonh Vannsith, age 21, recently piloted the drone.

"The drone, when we see it flying without a pilot, there is a lot of shaking, but when I sit on it and fly... it becomes more stable and I feel so excited," he said.

Excited is a term that means very happy or enthusiastic about something.

Vannsith added that the group of students "wanted to solve some problems for our society by making a taxi drone and... inventing drones for firefighters." He explained that the drone could reach the upper floors of a building to bring a hose⁵ if a fire truck could not reach the area.

The prototype can carry a pilot weighing up to 60 kilograms and fly for about 10 minutes for a distance of 1 kilometer. It took three years of research and development, and it cost around $20,000 to build.

The drone currently⁶ only rises as much as 4 meters, but the team hopes it will eventually fly far higher.

The project faced delays because of coronavirus restrictions⁷.

Parts for the drone had to be purchased from abroad, said Sarin Sereyvatha. He is NPIC's head of research and development technology.

The team plans to improve the design to permit it to take more weight and fly farther and higher.

"In principle, if we make one drone, the cost is expensive but if we make them to sell on the market, the cost will go down," said Sarin Sereyvatha.

Words in This Story

prototype – n. an original or first model of something from which others are copied or developed

propeller³ – n. a device with two or more blades that turn quickly and cause a ship or aircraft to move

shake – v. to move sometimes violently back and forth⁸ or up and down with short, quick movements

stable – adj. in a good state or condition that is not easily changed or likely to change

hose – n. a long, usually rubber tube that liquids or gases can flow through

principle – n. a basic truth or theory, an idea that forms the basis of something

1 prototype   

n.原型，典型，范例

参考例句：

• This is the prototype for future school buildings.这是未来的学校建筑的蓝本。
• He was the prototype of the elder statesman.他是老一辈政治家的典型。

2 polytechnic   

adj.各种工艺的，综合技术的；n.工艺(专科)学校；理工(专科)学校

参考例句：

• She was trained as a teacher at Manchester Polytechnic.她在曼彻斯特工艺专科学校就读，准备毕业后做老师。
• When he was 17,Einstein entered the Polytechnic Zurich,Switzerland,where he studied mathematics and physics.17岁时，爱因斯坦进入了瑞士苏黎士的专科学院，学习数学和物理学。

3 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。

4 propellers   

n.螺旋桨，推进器( propeller的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The water was thrashing and churning about under the propellers. 水在螺旋桨下面打旋、翻滚。 来自辞典例句
• The ship's propellers churned the waves to foam. 轮船的推进器将海浪搅出泡沫。 来自辞典例句

5 hose   

n.输水软管，长统袜；vt.浇园子，用管冲洗

参考例句：

• Connect the hose to the tap and turn on the tap.把水管接在龙头上，打开水龙头。
• After raining,I always hose the yard out.雨后，我总是用软管把院子冲干净。

6 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。

7 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

8 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。