必修三册第四单元阅读讲解

必修三册第四单元第40页阅读讲解

SPACE:THE FINAL FRONTIER
太空：最后的边境

frontier /frʌnˈtɪər/[ C ]
a border between two countries
国境，边境

border noun [C] (DIVISION)
the line that divides one country from another
国境；边界；边境

vehicle noun (MACHINE) [ C ] formal
a machine, usually with wheels and an engine, used for transporting people or goods on land, especially on roads
（陆上）交通工具；车辆；机动车
“Are we alone? What's out there? " Looking up at the stars, people have always wanted to learn more about space, and scientists work hard to find answers. They make vehicles to carry brave people into space to find out the secrets of the universe. They also really wish to discover other planets that are suitable enough to support life.
“我们是孤家寡人吗？外面还有什么呢？”仰望星空，人们一直想要更加深刻地认识太空，科学家们也正在努力寻求答案。他们研制出飞行器，将勇敢者送入太空，去探寻宇宙的奥秘。他们也十分希望发现能够维持生命存在的其他行星。

determined adjective
wanting to do something very much and not allowing anyone or any difficulties to stop you
下定决心的，坚决的，决意的

escape verb (GET FREE) [ I or T ]
to get free from something, or to avoid something
逃走，逃脱，逃离；逃避，避开

gravity noun [U] (FORCE)
the force that attracts objects towards one another, especially the force that makes things fall to the ground
（尤指地球的）重力，引力，地心引力

Sputnik[ˈspʌtnɪk]旅伴

satellite noun [C] (IN SPACE)
a device sent up into space to travel around the earth, used for collecting information or communicating by radio, television, etc.
人造卫星

launch verb (SEND)[ T ]
to send something out, such as a new ship into the water or a spacecraft into space
使（新船）下水；发射（火箭）

the USSR
abbreviation for the Union of Soviet/ˈsəʊ.vi.ət/ Socialist Republics
苏维埃社会主义共和国联盟，苏联（the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics的缩写）

orbit /ˈɔːr.bɪt/ verb [ I or T ]
to follow a curved[/kɝːv/弧线的] path around a planet or star
绕轨道运行，沿轨道围绕（行星或恒星）运行

famously adverb (IN A FAMOUS WAY)
in a way that is famous or well known
著名地

giant adjective
extremely large
巨大的，特大的

leap noun [C] (SUDDEN CHANGE)
a big change, increase, or improvement
巨变；激增；提高

NASA /ˈnæs.ə/
abbreviation for National Aeronautics and Space Administration: the US government organization that is responsible for space travel and the scientific study of space
（美国）国家航空和航天局，太空总署(NationalAeronautics and Space Administration的缩写）

aeronautics noun [ U ]
the science of designing, building, and operating aircraft
航空学

agency[ C ]
a government organization
政府专门机构；政府内的局，部，处

voyager
a person who goes on a long and sometimes dangerous journey
航海者；远航者

transmit[UK/trænzˈmɪt/ US/trænsˈmɪt/] verb (RADIO/TELEVISION)
[ I or T ]
to broadcast something, or to send out or carry signals using radio, television, etc.
播送，发射，传送（信号）
Before the mid-20th century, most people felt travelling into space was an impossible dream. However, some scientists were determined to help humans realise their dream to explore space. After many experiments,they succeeded in making rockets that could escape Earth's gravity. On 4 October 1957, the Sputnik 1 satellite was launched by the USSR and successfully orbited around Earth. Afterwards, the USSR focused on sending people into space, and on 12 April 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first person in the world to go into space. Over eight years later, on 20 July 1969, American astronaut Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon, famously saying, "That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind." Following this, many more goals were achieved. For example, America's NASA space agency launched Voyager 1 on 5 September 1977 to study deep space, and it still transmits data today.
二十世纪中叶之前，大部分人认为在太空旅行是一个无法实现的梦。然而，有些科学家下定决心要帮助人类实现探索太空的梦想。无数次实验之后，他们终于成功研制出能够摆脱地心引力的火箭。 1957年10月4日，“旅伴一号”人造卫星在苏联发射升空，并成功环绕地球运行。之后，苏联专注于载人太空飞行。1961年4月12日，尤里·加加林成为世界上进入太空的第一人。八年后，美国宇航员尼尔·阿姆斯特朗于1969年7月20日踏上月球，说出了那句名言：“对一个人来说，这是一小步；对人类来说，这是一大步。”此后，诸多其他目标得以实现。例如，为了研究外太空，美国国家航空航天局于1977年9月5日发射“旅行者一号”，该探测器至今仍在传回数据。

make sure (that)
to look and/or take action to be certain that something happens, is true, etc.
确保，保证，确定

go verb (BE)
[ L only + adj ]
to be or stay in a particular condition, especially an unpleasant one
处于（尤指令人不快的状况）

can modal verb (POSSIBILITY)
used to express possibility
（表示可能性）可以，能，会

Soyuz[sɔːˈjʊz]联盟号

mission noun (JOB) [ C ]
an important job, especially a military[军事的] one, that someone is sent somewhere to do
（尤指军事）任务，使命

desire noun (WANT)
[ C or U ]
a strong feeling that you want something
欲望，渴望，愿望

believe in sth
to be confident that something is effective and right
对…有信心；认为…有效（或正确）

carry verb (DEVELOP)
[ T usually + adv/prep ]
to develop or continue something
发展；继续

despite preposition
without taking any notice of or being influenced by; not prevented by
不管；尽管；无论

ongoing adjective
continuing to exist or develop, or happening at the present moment
持续存在的；不断发展的；继续进行的；进行中的

on board
on a boat, train, or aircraft
在船（或火车、飞机）上
Although scientists try to make sure nothing goes wrong, accidents can still happen. All the astronauts on the USSR'S Soyuz 11 and America's Challenger died during their missions. These disasters made everyone sad and disappointed, but the desire to explore the universe never died. This is because people believe in the importance of carrying on space exploration despite the huge risks. An example of this ongoing work is the International Space Station. It orbits Earth and has astronauts from different countries on board, providing a continuous human presence in space.
虽然科学家们极力确保万无一失，但事故仍时有发生。 苏联“联盟11号”和美国“挑战者号”的宇航员们在执行任务时全部遇难。这些悲剧使人倍感伤心与失望，但是，探索宇宙的愿望永不磨灭。这是因为尽管风险巨大，人类还是坚信太空探索极为重要。航天事业持续发展，国际空间站（的建立）就是一个例子。空间站环绕地球运行，其宇航员来自不同国家，空间站使得人类能够持续在太空中开展工作。

man verb [ T ] -nn-
To man something such as a machine or vehicle is to be present in order to operate it.
为…配备人手

jade
a precious green stone from which jewellery and small decorative items are made, especially in China and Japan
玉；翡翠

dock verb (SHIP)[ I or T ]
If a ship docks, it arrives at a dock and if someone docks a ship, they bring it into a dock.
（使）靠岸，（使）停泊，（使）进港
China's space programme started later than those of Russia and the US, but it has made great progress in a short time. China became the third country in the world to independently send humans into space in 2003, when Yang Liwei successfully orbited Earth in the Shenzhou 5 spacecraft. Then Shenzhou 6 and 7 completed a second manned orbit and the first Chinese spacewalk, followed by the vehicle Jade Rabbit being sent to the moon to study its surface. After that, China launched the Tiangong 2 space lab into space and Tianzhou 1 to dock with it. This signalled one step further in China's plan to establish a space station in the future. More recently, China has sent Chang'e 4 to explore the surface of the far side of the moon to make measurements and observations.
中国的太空项目起步晚于俄罗斯和美国，但在短时间内发展迅速。2003年，杨利伟乘坐“神舟五号”宇宙飞船成功环绕地球运行，中国成为世界上第三个能够独立将人类送入太空的国家。之后，“神舟六号”和“神舟七号”分别完成了第二次载人环绕地球飞行和中国人的第一次太空漫步。紧接着，“玉兔号”月球车飞抵月球，开展月球表面研究。在此之后，中国发射“天宫二号”空间实验室进入太空，再发射“天舟一号”与之对接。这标志着中国未来建设空间站的计划又迈出了一步。不久之前，中国发射“嫦娥四号”，对月球背面进行测量和观察。

remain verb[ I or L ] formal
to stay in the same place or in the same condition
停留，留下；保持不变，仍然是

Jupiter /ˈdʒuː.pɪ.tər/ noun [S] (PLANET)
the planet fifth in order of distance from the Sun, after Mars and before Saturn[/ˈsæt̬.ɚn/土星]
木星

enable /ɪˈneɪ.bəl/ verb [ T ]
to make someone able to do something, or to make something possible
使能够；使可能

survive [ I or T ]
to continue to live or exist, especially after coming close to dying or being destroyed or after being in a difficult or threatening situation
继续生存，存活；（尤指）幸存
The future of space exploration remains bright. Europe, the US, and China all have plans to further study and explore planets like Mars and Jupiter. Despite the difficulties, scientists hope future discoveries will not only enable us to understand how the universe began, but also help us survive well into the future.
太空探索的未来仍然是光明的。 欧洲、美国及中国都已制订计划，将进一步研究和探索火星、木星等行星。尽管困难重重，科学家们希望未来的发现不仅能让我们了解宇宙的起源，还能让人类延续生存，直到未来。

必修三册第四单元第44页阅读讲解

IS EXPLORING SPACE A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY?
探索太空是浪费时间和金钱吗？

argue verb (GIVE REASONS)[ I or T ]
to give the reasons for your opinion, idea, belief, etc.
论证；说理；辩论

immediate /ɪˈmiː.di.ət/
in the present or as soon as possible
目前的；尽快的

fatal /ˈfeɪ.t̬əl/
A fatal illness, accident, etc. causes death.
致命的

shallow adjective (NOT SERIOUS)disapproving[不赞成的]
not showing serious or careful thought
肤浅的，浅薄的

fail verb (NOT DO)[ I ]
to not do something that you should do
未做；未履行
Countries around the globe are spending billions of dollars and lots of time on various space missions, whether to Mars or other planets much further away. Some people argue that we should stop wasting time and money exploring space. Instead, we should feed the world's poor and find immediate solutions to other problems, such as pollution and fatal diseases. However others feel this is a shallow view which fails to realise how exploring space helps us.
世界各国正在投入数十亿美元的资金和大量时间执行各种太空任务，无论是去火星还是更远的星球。一部分人认为，我们应该停止浪费时间和金钱去探索太空。相反，我们应该解决世界上穷人的温饱问题，并尽快找到污染、致命性疾病等其他问题的解决方案。然而，另一部分人觉得这是一种肤浅的观点，没有认识到探索太空给我们带来的好处。

make a (big) difference(also make all the difference)
to improve a situation (a lot)
（极大地）改善

fight[ C ]
a situation in which you use a lot of effort to defeat someone or achieve something, or to stop something happening
斗争

result verb [ I ]
to happen or exist because something else has happened
（因为…）发生；（随…）产生

pattern noun (WAY)[ C ]
a particular way in which something is done, is organized, or happens
方式，形式；模式
Firstly, exploring space has already made a difference in the fight against world hunger. It has directly resulted in the many satellites that now orbit Earth. A number of the satellites record data on land and weather patterns. Then the data is transmitted to scientists on Earth. After careful analysis, the scientists can provide useful recommendations and advice for farmers. As a result, space-based science has helped farming in its efforts to grow enough food to feed Earth's increasing population.
首先，太空探索已经在对抗世界饥饿的斗争中发挥了重要作用。如今环绕地球运行的众多卫星都直接归功于太空探索。许多卫星记录着陆地与天气模式数据，然后把这些数据传输给地球上的科学家。经过仔细的分析，科学家们可以为农民提供有用的建议和意见。因此，基于太空的科学有助于提高农业产量，从而为地球上不断增长的人口提供充足的食物。

promote verb (ENCOURAGE)[ T ]
to encourage people to like, buy, use, do, or support something
促进；促销，推销；推广

benefit verb [ I or T ]-t- or -tt-
to be helped by something or to help someone
得益，受惠；使受益；对…有帮助

meet verb (SATISFY) [ T ]
to fulfil[满足], satisfy, or achieve
满足；达到，完成

regularly adverb (OFTEN)
often
经常地

industry noun (TYPE OF WORK) [ C ]
the people and activities involved in one type of business
行业

foam noun [U] (SOFT MATERIAL)
a soft material used to fill furniture and other objects
泡沫橡胶，海绵橡胶
Secondly, space exploration has already promoted technological improvements that benefit us all. High-end products around the world are made to a higher standard now because of advanced technology which was first created to meet the requirements for space exploration. For example, space technologies have helped the research and development of different types of new material. They have also helped companies make better heart monitors and other machines that doctors regularly use. Today, space technologies are widely used in all kinds of industries, and everyday products such as GPS, memory foam pillows, and smartphone cameras are changing our lives.
其次，太空探索推动了科技进步，使全人类受益。由于采用了先进的技术，如今全球高端产品的生产标准提高了，而这些技术最初是为了满足太空探索的要求而研制出来的。例如，太空技术促进了各种新型材料的研发，还帮助一些公司制造出更好的心脏监测仪以及医生经常使用的其他设备。如今，太空技术广泛应用于各行各业，一些日用产品，如全球定位系统、记忆海绵枕头、智能手机摄像头等，正在改变我们的生活。

provide for sth
to make plans in order to deal with a possible event in the future
为…做准备；防备
Finally, sending astronauts into space has helped people to think about the world's problems and even to find ways to solve them. Seeing pictures of our planet as an island in a black sea made people realise that our planet's resources are limited. In order to provide for such a rapidly increasing population, scientists are trying to find other planets that could one day be our new home. The greatest attention at present is on Mars because it is closer to Earth. In the future, humans may live on both planets.
最后，将航天员送入太空促使人们思考全球问题，甚至去寻找解决办法。看着我们星球的照片，犹如黑色汪洋大海中的一个小岛，人们意识到地球的资源是有限的。为了满足快速增长的人口需求，科学家们正在努力寻找有朝一日能够成为我们新家园的其他星球。目前最受关注的是火星，因为它离地球较近。未来，人类很可能居住在这两个星球上。

In closing
结笔之际

therefore adverb
for that reason
因此，因而，所以

so as to
in order to
为了，以便
In closing, exploring space provides the world with many different benefits. Therefore, it should continue so as to provide new and better solutions to people's short-term and long-term problems.
总而言之，太空探索给世界带来了种种好处。因此，这项事业应该继续下去，以便为人类（面临的）的长期问题和短期问题提供更好的更新的解决方案。