托福听力荟萃 24

Most people think of astronomers² as people who spend their time in cold ______ ______through telescopes every night. In fact, a typical astronomer¹ spends most of his or her time analyzing³ data and may only be at the telescope a few weeks of the year. Some astronomers work on purely⁴ ______problems and never use a telescope at all. You might not know how rarely images are viewed directly through telescopes. The most common way to observe the skies is to photograph them. The process is very simple. First, a ______ ______is ______with a ______material. The plate is ______so that the image received by the telescope is recorded on it. Then the image can be developed, enlarged, and published so that many people can study it. Because most astronomical⁵ objects are very remote, the light we receive from them is rather ______. But by using a telescope as a camera, long time exposures can be made. In this way, objects can be photographed that are a hundred times too faint to be seen by just looking through a telescope.

 

 

【填空答案】

observatory⁶: n.［C］a special building from which scientists watch the moon, stars, weather etc 天文台；观象台；气象台

peer: v. to look very carefully or hard, especially because you are having difficulty in seeing （尤指因看起来费劲而）凝视，盯着看

theoretical: adj. of, relating to, or based on theory 理论的

photographic: adj. connected with photographs, using photographs, or used in producing photographs 摄影的，摄影用的

plate: n. ［C］technicala thin sheet of glass used especially in the past in photography, with chemicals on it that are sensitive to light 【术语】（尤指过去摄影用的）感光片

coat: v. to cover something, especially food, with a thin layer of liquid or another substance 给（某物，尤指食物）涂上（覆盖上）一层…

light-sensitive: adj. sensitive to visible light 光敏的

position: v. to put something in a particular position 把（某物）放在（某个位置），安置

feeble: adj. extremely weak 极其虚弱的，非常无力的

【听力原文】

Most people think of astronomers as people who spend their time in cold observatories⁷ peering

through telescopes every night. In fact, a typical astronomer spends most of his or her time

analyzing data and may only be at the telescope a few weeks of the year. Some astronomers work

on purely theoretical problems and never use a telescope at all.

You might not know how rarely images are viewed directly through telescopes. The most common

way to observe the skies is to photograph them. The process is very simple. First, a photographic

plate is coated with a light-sensitive material. The plate is positioned so that the image received by

the telescope is recorded on it. Then the image can be developed, enlarged, and published so that

many people can study it.

Because most astronomical objects are very remote, the light we receive from them is rather feeble.

But by using a telescope as a camera, long time exposures can be made. In this way, objects can be

photographed that are a hundred times too faint to be seen by just looking through a telescope.

1 astronomer   

n.天文学家

参考例句：

• A new star attracted the notice of the astronomer.新发现的一颗星引起了那位天文学家的注意。
• He is reputed to have been a good astronomer.他以一个优秀的天文学者闻名于世。

2 astronomers   

n.天文学者，天文学家( astronomer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Astronomers can accurately foretell the date,time,and length of future eclipses. 天文学家能精确地预告未来日食月食的日期、时刻和时长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Astronomers used to ask why only Saturn has rings. 天文学家们过去一直感到奇怪，为什么只有土星有光环。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 analyzing   

v.分析；分析( analyze的现在分词 )；分解；解释；对…进行心理分析n.分析

参考例句：

• Analyzing the date of some socialist countries presents even greater problem s. 分析某些社会主义国家的统计数据，暴露出的问题甚至更大。 来自辞典例句
• He undoubtedly was not far off the mark in analyzing its predictions. 当然，他对其预测所作的分析倒也八九不离十。 来自辞典例句

4 purely   

adv.纯粹地，完全地

参考例句：

• I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
• This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。

5 astronomical   

adj.天文学的，（数字）极大的

参考例句：

• He was an expert on ancient Chinese astronomical literature.他是研究中国古代天文学文献的专家。
• Houses in the village are selling for astronomical prices.乡村的房价正在飙升。

6 observatory   

n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台

参考例句：

• Guy's house was close to the observatory.盖伊的房子离天文台很近。
• Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day.格林威治天文台的职员们每天对大钟检查两次。

7 observatories   

n.天文台，气象台( observatory的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• John Heilbron, The Sun in the Church: Cathedrals as Solar Observatories, 3-23. 约翰．海耳布隆，《教会里的太阳：教堂即太阳观测台》，第3-23页。 来自互联网
• Meteorologists use satellites, land observatories and historical data to provide information about the weather. 气象学家使用卫星、上天文台和历史资料来提供有关天气的信息。 来自互联网