2006年VOA标准英语-78 and Still Flying High

By Paul Sisco
Washington, DC
12 July 2006
 
watch Space Pioneer report

He is unfamiliar¹ to most of us, but in the world of aviation Joe Kittinger is a true American hero.  Paul Sisco has more about one of America's space pioneers.

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Joe Kittinger 
  
Captain Joseph Kittinger, U.S. Air Force retired². On August 16, 1960, he was a space pioneer who did what no one had ever done before.

Outfitted³ in layers, upon layers, upon layers of clothing to protect him from temperatures reaching minus 70 degrees Celsius⁴, Kittinger rose in a gondola⁵ attached to a helium balloon that day in August, for an hour and half to 31,333 meters.  Then he jumped.  He fell continuously for four minutes and 37 seconds in what Kittinger says 'was absolutely black.'

  
  
An attached camera showed the curvature of the Earth, the emptiness of space.  While falling, he felt no wind, no rush of air; then he glanced up at his balloon.

''And I said, 'My goodness, I can't believe how fast that balloon was going,' and I realized that the balloon was standing⁶ still and it was me that was going down at a fantastic rate.  Then at about 14,000 feet my parachute opened."

He landed, eight minutes later, on target, with three world records.

"I was elated because we had accomplished⁷ what we set out to do, so it was a look of happiness, believe me."

John Crouch⁸   
  
Author, biographer, and friend John Crouch is the curator of aeronautics⁹ at the  Smithsonian Institution's Air and Space Museum. He says of Kittinger and his adventures: "He's still a very impressive guy. Well, there were the records, I mean it was the highest open gondola flight anybody had every made.  Obviously it was the highest parachute jump anybody had ever made.  It was even the longest parachute jump after the parachute opened.  But it was the reason they were doing it.  They were paving the wave for the space age.  You know -- developing life support systems that would keep air crews alive at extreme altitudes, even in space."

 
Kittinger on August 16, 1960
  
He later became the first to solo a balloon across the Atlantic Ocean.

According to Crouch, Kittinger is an American hero. "Just one thing after another.  He's a genuine American hero.  I think, if anyone qualifies he does."

Joe Kittinger turns 78 this month, and is still flying and competing in ballooning events.

1 unfamiliar   

adj.陌生的，不熟悉的

参考例句：

• I am unfamiliar with the place and the people here.我在这儿人地生疏。
• The man seemed unfamiliar to me.这人很面生。

2 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

3 outfitted   

v.装备，配置设备，供给服装( outfit的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They outfitted for the long journey. 他们为远途旅行准备装束。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• They outfitted him with artificial legs. 他们为他安了假腿。 来自辞典例句

4 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

5 gondola   

n.威尼斯的平底轻舟；飞船的吊船

参考例句：

• The road is too narrow to allow the passage of gondola.这条街太窄大型货车不能通过。
• I have a gondola here.我开来了一条平底船。

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

7 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

8 crouch   

v.蹲伏，蜷缩，低头弯腰；n.蹲伏

参考例句：

• I crouched on the ground.我蹲在地上。
• He crouched down beside him.他在他的旁边蹲下来。

9 aeronautics   

n.航空术，航空学

参考例句：

• National Aeronautics and Space undertakings have made great progress.国家的航空航天事业有了很大的发展。
• He devoted every spare moment to aeronautics.他把他所有多余的时间用在航空学上。