65 航天飞机的飞行准备
DATE=7-4-01
TITLE=EXPLORATIONS #1959 - Preparing Shuttle for Space Flight
BYLINE=Paul Thompson
VOICE ONE:
This is Shirley Griffith.
VOICE TWO:
And this is Steve Ember with the VOA Special English program, EXPLORATIONS. Our Explorations programs often tell about the launch of a (1) NASA (2) space shuttle from Florida's (3) Cape Kennedy. Today, we tell about the job of making the Space Shuttle Atlantis ready for its next flight.
((THEME))
VOICE ONE:
For many hundreds of years, the only object on Earth made by humans that could be seen from space was the Great Wall of China. That is no longer true. The space shuttle landing area at Cape Kennedy, Florida is so big that it too can be seen from space. The landing area is more than four-thousand-five-hundred meters long and ninety meters wide.
VOICE TWO:
The men and women who work at the Kennedy Space Center of the American space agency say each new flight of the space shuttle begins as the shuttle safely returns to Earth. Preparations for the next launch into space begin when the (4) astronauts leave the huge (5) vehicle.
The space shuttle is quickly linked to a large vehicle that pulls it into a building called the (6) Orbiter (7) Processing (8) Facility. Once in the building, workers begin to prepare the shuttle to return to space.
VOICE ONE:
Work crews begin to immediately test, repair or replace each and every piece of the shuttle's equipment. Nothing is left to chance. Nothing is forgotten. Each system is studied to make sure it will work correctly during the next flight. The body of the shuttle is carefully examined for any damage. The inside of the shuttle is cleaned. And, workers recently began removing and replacing the engine on each shuttle with one that is better and safer.
NASA says a shuttle will remain in the Orbiter Processing Facility for two or three months before it is declared ready for its next flight. When the cleaning and examining are finished, the shuttle is carefully moved to the Vehicle (9) Assembly Building.
VOICE TWO:
NASA says the Vehicle Assembly Building is the largest building in the world. It is one-hundred-sixty meters tall. The building sits on more than three (10) hectares of land.
The Vehicle Assembly building is the first thing that people see when they visit Cape Kennedy. This huge building is where the space shuttle is prepared for (11) launch.
VOICE ONE:
The Space Shuttle Atlantis is the next shuttle that will be launched. The necessary work on it was just finished in the Vehicle Assembly building. When Atlantis entered the building, each system was examined and final tests were completed. At the same time, two long objects called solid fuel (12) booster rockets were placed on a device called a Mobile (13) Launcher (14) Platform.
Then a larger, orange colored liquid fuel (15) tank was placed on the platform. Work (16) crews then used special equipment to pull Atlantis up into the air so that its nose was pointing toward the top of the building.
Very slowly the shuttle was lowered to within (17) centimeters of the large fuel tank and the two long booster rockets. Then, these three objects were linked to the underside of Atlantis. When this work was completed, Atlantis looked like it does when it is ready for launch.
VOICE TWO:
While NASA crews were busy in the Vehicle Assembly Building, the team of experts who control the launch of Atlantis gathered in the Launch Control Center. These experts direct, control and observe all efforts to prepare the Atlantis for launch.
The Launch Control Center is crowded with computers. This center is often seen on television. It is the control center where the Launch (18) Director gives the final commands that will send Atlantis up into space.
(((MUSIC BRIDGE)))
VOICE ONE:
In June, work on Atlantis was completed inside the huge Vehicle Assembly Building. Atlantis was ready for its trip to the Cape Kennedy launch area.
The Mobile Launch Platform was placed on a huge vehicle called a (19) Crawler Transporter. It is the crawler's job to safely move the space shuttle to the launch area. These (20) giant vehicles are about half the size of a (21) soccer football field. They move very slowly -- only about one and a half kilometers an hour.
On June Twentieth, Atlantis was slowly moved out of the huge building. It was taken to the launch area.
VOICE TWO:
The Crawler Transporters take a shuttle to one of two launch areas called pads. These two areas are Launch Pads Thirty-Nine-"A" and Thirty-Nine-"B."
Both of these launch (22) pads are the same. The Atlantis was taken to Launch Pad Thirty-Nine-"B". On each of the pads are two large structures that reach high into the air. These are called the Fixed Service Structures. They are used by NASA crews to work on the shuttle.
Each structure has a long, (23) moveable device that looks like a huge arm. When it is time for launch, the crew of Atlantis will enter the space shuttle through this arm-like device.
VOICE ONE:
Another structure covers the space shuttle until it is ready for launch. It is called the (24) Rotating Service Structure. It protects the shuttle from bad weather and permits workers to enter the (25) cargo area of the shuttle.
Atlantis will link with the International Space Station during its next flight. It will carry a device called an airlock. The airlock will permit crewmembers to leave the space station or to link the station with other space vehicles. The airlock was placed in the cargo area of Atlantis while the Rotating Service Structure (26) surrounded it.
VOICE TWO:
As the date for the launch of the Atlantis gets closer, the Launch Control Center begins a process called a "(27) count down." Most count-downs begin three days before the planned launch. This is also called "L-Three." A special clock begins moving backwards, showing forty-three hours to launch.
The other twenty-nine hours in that three-day period of time are called "Holds." The countdown clock is stopped during "Holds." These time periods are used to slow the process and to observe, study and decide again if everything is ready.
The experts in Launch Control may decide to delay the launch if they find a problem. This decision is usually made during a "Hold."
For Atlantis, L-Three will begin at eight hours U-T-C on July Ninth. The space shuttle is to be launched at eight-oh-four U-T-C on July Twelfth.
VOICE ONE:
The Atlantis astronauts have been in a special medical center in (28) Houston, (29) Texas. They are kept away from other people to make sure they do not become sick before the flight.
Early on "L-Three" day, the Atlantis astronauts will leave Houston, Texas and fly to Cape Kennedy. At Cape Kennedy, they will again be placed in a special medical center to prevent them from coming near anyone who may be sick.
VOICE TWO:
When the count down clock moves to launch (30) minus two days, or "L-Two," liquid (31) hydrogen and liquid oxygen will be placed into special tanks inside Atlantis. The Atlantis crew will use these two extremely cold chemicals to produce (32) electricity during the flight into space.
Workers again will examine all of the Atlantis' many systems. Other workers will use millions of liters of water to wash the area around the launch pad Thirty-Nine-"B". They also will carefully inspect the area for objects that may cause damage during the launch.
VOICE ONE:
On launch day, almost two-million liters of super-cold liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen will be placed inside the orange-colored (33) temporary fuel tank. More fuel will also be placed in the shuttle. All of this fuel will be used by the shuttle's three main engines.
Three hours before launch, the astronauts will leave their special medical center and go to the launch pad. They will ride an (34) elevator up to the service arm and enter the crew area of Atlantis. There, they will begin a series of (35) communications tests with Launch Control at Cape Kennedy and with Mission Control in Houston.
When the clock reaches nine minutes before launch, the last "Hold" will be reached and the clock will stop. The Flight Director will ask the engineers, medical advisors and others experts at launch control if all is ready. There are so many experts it is ten minutes before they can all answer his question.
The Flight Director then asks the experts at Launch Pad-Thirty-Nine "B" if all is ready. If everything is normal, the countdown is started again. As soon as it starts, the Launch Control computers will begin launching the Atlantis.
VOICE TWO:
The computers on Atlantis will take control of the countdown when the clock reaches thirty-one seconds. Seconds later, the three main engines of the Atlantis will start. Fire will (36) appear at the base of the two solid fuel rockets. Very slowly and loudly, the American space shuttle Atlantis will lift off Launch Pad-Thirty-Nine "B" for its flight into space.
((THEME))
VOICE ONE:
This Special English program was written by Paul Thompson and produced by Cynthia Kirk. Our studio engineer was Keith Holmes. This is Shirley Griffith.
VOICE TWO:
And this is Steve Ember. Join us again next week for another EXPLORATIONS program on the Voice of America.
(1) NASA [?????] abbr.National Aeronautics and Space Administration (美国)国家航空和宇宙航行局
(2) space shuttle n.(往返于地球和太空站之间运载人和物资的)航天飞机
(3) Cape Kennedy n.肯尼迪角(有名的火箭试射场)
(4) astronaut [??????????] n.太空人, 宇航员
(5) vehicle [ ??????? ] n.交通工具, 车辆, 媒介物, 传达手段
(6) orbiter [??????????] n.盘旋物, 人造卫星
(7) processing [ ?????????? ] n.处理
(8) facility [?????????? ] n.容易, 简易, 灵巧, 熟练, 便利, 敏捷, 设备, 工具
(9) assembly building 装配间
(10) hectare [ ??????? ] n.公顷
(11) launch [ ??????] n.下水, 汽艇, 发射vt.使(船)下水, 掷(标枪等), 发射(导弹、火箭等), vi.起飞, 下水
(12) booster [ ??????? ] n.<美俚> 后援者, 调压器
(13) launcher [ ????????] n.发射者, 运载火箭, 发射台
(14) platform [ ????????? ] n.(车站)月台, 讲台, 讲坛, 平台
(15) tank [ ???? ] n.(盛液体, 气体的大容器)桶、箱、罐、槽, 池塘, 坦克, 战车, 柜, 储水池 vt.储于槽中, 击败 vi.大量喝酒
(16) crew [ ???? ] n.全体人员, (工作)队
(17) centimeter [???????????????] n.厘米
(18) director [ ????????] n.主任, 主管, 导演, (机关)首长, (团体)理事, (公司)董事, 指挥仪, 控制器
(19) crawler [ ??????? ] n.爬行者, 爬行动物
(20) giant [ ?????????] n.巨人, 大力士, 巨大的动物或植物, 伟人, 天才 adj.庞大的, 巨大的
(21) soccer [ ????? ] n.英式足球
(22) pad [ ??? ] n.垫, 衬垫, 便笺簿 v.加上衬垫
(23) moveable [ ???????? ] n.可移动的东西 adj.可移动的, 活动的
(24) rotate [ ???????? ] v.(使)旋转
(25) cargo [ ??????? ] n.船货, (车、船、飞机等运输的)货物
(26) surround [ ???????? ] vt.包围, 环境 v.围绕
(27) count down v.倒计数, 倒计时
(28) Houston [ ????????? ] n.休斯顿
(29) Texas [ ??????? ] n.德克萨斯州(美国州名)
(30) minus [ ??????? ] adj.负的, 减的 prep.减去 n.负数
(31) hydrogen [ ???????????? ] n.氢
(32) electricity [????????????] n.电流, 电, 电学
(33) temporary [ ?????????? ] adj.暂时的, 临时的, 临时性
(34) elevator [ ????????? ] n.电梯, 升降机, [空]升降舵
(35) communications [??????????????????] [计] 通信
(36) appear [ ??????] vi.出现, 看来, 似乎, 公开露面, 出版, 发表
66 神秘的彗星"里尼尔"
DATE=7-4-01
TITLE=SCIENCE REPORT - Comet LINEAR
BYLINE=Caty Weaver
(Start at 59")his is Bill White with the VOA Special English Science Report.
A space object of (1) frozen gas and rock broke into many pieces one year ago. The (2) Hubble Space Telescope and telescopes on Earth recorded the death of the (3) comet named LINEAR. Now scientists have reported what they learned from the information provided by the telescopes.
Hal Weaver is an (4) astronomer at the Johns Hopkins University in (5) Baltimore, (6) Maryland. His study of LINEAR was published in the magazine Science. Mister Weaver says the break up of LINEAR has taught scientists about the period when Earth and the (7) solar system formed. LINEAR began forming at that same time -- about four-and-one-half-thousand-million years ago.
Mister Weaver says watching the death of the comet was like looking back in time. He says as LINEAR's pieces fell away scientists could see how the comet may have developed.
Mister Weaver says scientists are not sure why LINEAR broke up. He says no other comet has fallen apart in the way LINEAR did. He says the comet was not close to any large object. This means LINEAR was not (8) torn apart by a (9) gravitational force.
Mister Weaver says frozen (10) carbon monoxide gas probably was not involved. This gas can cause a sudden (11) pressure increase in the center of a comet. But Mister Weaver says LINEAR had fifty times less carbon monoxide than comets Hale-Bopp and Hyakutake.
Mister Weaver says there is another (12) mystery connected with LINEAR. He says the comet's (13) estimated mass was about three-hundred-thousand-million kilograms. After LINEAR broke up scientists measured the (14) mass of the sixteen large pieces that remained. They also measured the mass of a huge area of dust left by the comet.
The combined weight of the pieces and the dust was just over three-thousand-million kilograms. That is about one-hundred times less than the mass of the comet when it was whole.
Mister Weaver thinks the missing mass may be in pieces no bigger than fifty meters across. Hubble and other telescopes would not be able to see these pieces.
Comet pieces of such size are unusual. Scientists believe (15) gravity pulls together much larger objects to form comets. Mister Weaver says the (16) existence of medium-size pieces may change that theory.
This VOA Special English Science Report was written by Caty Weaver. This is Bill White.
(1) frozen [ ??????? ] adj.冻结的, 冷冰的, 冷酷的
(2) Hubble Space Telescope n.哈勃天文望远镜
(3) comet [ ?????? ] n.彗星
(4) astronomer [?????????????] n.天文学家
(5) Baltimore [ ?????????? ] n.巴尔的摩
(6) Maryland [ ?????????? ] n.马里兰
(7) solar system n.[天] 太阳系
(8) tear [ ??? ]n.破处, 破缝, 泪滴vi.流泪, 飞奔, 被撕破 vt.扯, 戳破
(9) gravitational adj.重力的
(10) carbon monoxide?一氧化碳
(11) ????????[??????????] n.压, 压力, 电压, 压迫, 强制, 紧迫
(12) mystery [ ???????? ] n.神秘, 神秘的事物
(13) estimate [ ????????? ] v.估计, 估价, 评估 n.估计, 估价, 评估
(14) mass [ ??? ] n.块, 大多数adj., 集中的 vt.使集合 vi.聚集
(15) gravity [ ???????? ] n.地心引力, 重力
(16) existence [??????????? ] n.存在, 实在, 生活, 存在物, 实在物
67 维生素C能否破坏DNA？
DATE=7-11-01
TITLE=SCIENCE REPORT - Vitamin C and DNA
BYLINE=Nancy Steinbach
(Start at 59") is is Bill White with the VOA Special English Science Report.
Millions of Americans take large amounts of (1) vitamin C (2) pills every day because they believe the vitamin will help them stay healthy. However, a new study says vitamin C may help produce substances that can damage the cell's (3) genetic material, (4) DNA. Scientists at the (5) University of Pennsylvania experimented with vitamin C in (6) test tubes. They published the results in the publication Science.
The scientists studied the effects of vitamin C on a substance produced in the body from fat. That substance is called (7) hydroperoxide. The hydroperoxide can be changed in a cell into substances that can damage DNA. The scientists found that vitamin C easily changed the hydroperoxide into the gene-damaging (8) poisons. Such damage is the first step toward developing cancer.
However, the scientists said the study does not mean that vitamin C causes cancer. But they said people should probably (9) reconsider taking large amounts of vitamin C pills each day. They say it is well known that vitamin C is important for human health. But they say people can get enough vitamin C in the foods they eat. Earlier studies have shown that eating a lot of fruits, vegetables and grains can (10) reduce the chance of developing both heart disease and cancer.
Other researchers agreed. They said the latest study is important in understanding the chemistry of vitamin C. But they said the study did not (11) involve people. The vitamin C was tested in the laboratory only. They said the results might be different in living cells.
Mark Levine is a vitamin C expert at the National Institutes of Health near Washington, D.C. He also questioned whether a (12) similar study in people would produce the same results. Doctor Levine also said people should get their vitamin C in food instead of taking huge amounts in pills to stay healthy. He said research does not support taking a lot of vitamin C.
The United States government says people should get about eighty (13) milligrams of vitamin C each day in the foods they eat. Studies have shown that the body can not use more than two-hundred milligrams of vitamin C each day. Medical researchers say that taking vitamin C pills cannot (14) replace the value of eating healthy foods.
This VOA Special English Science Report was written by Nancy Steinbach. This is Bill White.
(1) vitamin [ ????????? ] n.维他命, 维生素
(2) pill [???? ] n.药丸
(3) genetic [ ????????? ] adj.遗传的, 起源的
(4) DNA deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸
(5) University of Pennsylvania n.宾夕法尼亚大学
(6) test tubes n.试管
(7) hydroperoxide [ ????????????????? ] n.[化]氢过氧化物,过氧化氢物
(8) poison [ ?????? ] n.毒药, 毒害
(9) reconsider [ ???????????? ] v.重新考虑, 重新审议
(10) reduce [ ???????? ] vt.减少, 缩小, 简化, 还原
(11) involve [ ??????? ] vt.包括, 笼罩
(12) similar [ ??????? ] adj.相似的, 类似的
(13) milligram [ ????????? ] n.毫克
(14) replace [ ??????????? ] vt.取代, 替换, 代替
