托福听力荟萃 59

Located at the NASA Research Center in Iowa is a 5,000-______ ______ of water, and inside the ______ is an underwater treadmill¹ designed by Dava Newman, an ______ engineer. For four years Newman observed ______ as they ______ walking on the Moon and on Mars on her underwater moving belt. She wanted to discover how the gravity of the Moon and of Mars would affect human movement. To do this, Newman attached weights to the divers² and then lowered them into the tank and onto the treadmill. These weights were carefully adjusted so that the divers could experience underwater the gravity of the Moon and of Mars as they walked on the treadmill. Newman concluded that walking on Mars will probably be easier than walking on the Moon. The Moon has less gravity than Mars does, so at lunar gravity, the divers struggled to keep their balance and walked awkwardly. But at ______ gravity, the divers had greater traction³ and stability and could easily adjust to a pace of 1.5 miles per hour. As Newman gradually increased the speed of the treadmill, the divers took longer, graceful⁴ ______ until they comfortably settled into an even quicker pace. Newman also noted⁵ that at Martian gravity, the divers needed less oxygen. The data Newman collected will help in the future design of Martian space suits. Compared to lunar space suits, Martian space suits will require smaller air tanks; and, to allow for freer movement, the ______ and knee areas of the space suits will also be altered.

 

 

【填空答案】

1. gallon: n. AmE a unit for measuring liquids, equal to 3.785 litres 【美】加仑（等于3.785升）

2. vat⁶: n. ［C］a very large container for storing liquids such as whisky or dye, when they are being made（酿酒、盛染料用的）大缸，大桶

3. tank: n. ［C］a large container for storing liquid or gas（盛放液体或气体的）大容器

4. treadmill: n. ［C］a mill worked in the past by prisoners treading on steps fixed⁷ to a very large wheel（过去用以惩罚犯人的）踏车

5. aerospace⁸: adj. involving the designing and building of aircraft and space vehicles 航空和航天（器制造）的 n.［U］the industry that designs and builds aircraft and space vehicles 航空和航天工业，航天工业

6. scuba⁹ diving: n. ［U］the sport of swimming under water while breathing through a tube connected to a container of air on your back 斯库巴潜泳，水肺潜泳（戴自携式潜水呼吸器潜泳）

7. simulate: v. to make or produce something that is not real but has the appearance of being real 模仿，模拟

8. Martian: adj. of or relating to the planet Mars 火星的

9. stride: n. ［C］a long step 大步，阔步

10. elbow: n. ［C］the joint¹⁰ where your arms bends 肘

【听力原文】

Located at the NASA Research Center in Iowa is a 5,000-gallon vat of water, and inside the tank is an underwater treadmill designed by Dava Newman, an aerospace engineer. For four years Newman observed scuba divers as they simulated walking on the Moon and on Mars on her underwater moving belt. She wanted to discover how the gravity of the Moon and of Mars would affect human movement. To do this, Newman attached weights to the divers and then lowered them into the tank and onto the treadmill. These weights were carefully adjusted so that the divers could experience underwater the gravity of the Moon and of Mars as they walked on the treadmill. Newman concluded that walking on Mars will probably be easier than walking on the Moon. The Moon has less gravity than Mars does, so at lunar gravity, the divers struggled to keep their balance and walked awkwardly. But at Martian gravity, the divers had greater traction and stability and could easily adjust to a pace of 1.5 miles per hour. As Newman gradually increased the speed of the treadmill, the divers took longer, graceful strides until they comfortably settled into an even quicker pace. Newman also noted that at Martian gravity, the divers needed less oxygen. The data Newman collected will help in the future design of Martian space suits. Compared to lunar space suits, Martian space suits will require smaller air tanks; and, to allow for freer movement, the elbow and knee areas of the space suits will also be altered.

【参考译文】

位于爱荷华州的NASA研究中心是一个5000加仑的大桶的水，油箱内的水下跑步机，的DAVA纽曼，航空航天工程师设计的。四年来，纽曼观察水肺潜水，因为他们在月球和火星上行走模拟她的水下运动的皮带上。她想发现的月球和火星的重力会如何影响人体运动。要做到这一点，纽曼配重的潜水员，然后降低他们的坦克和在跑步机上。这些权重都经过精心调整，使潜水员可以体验水下重力对月球和火星的，因为他们在跑步机上走。纽曼得出结论，火星上行走比在月球上行走可能会更容易。月球的重力比火星并在月球重力，潜水员在努力保持平衡，走笨拙。但是在火星重力，潜水员有更大的牵引力和稳定性，并可以很容易地调整，以每小时1.5公里的速度。作为纽曼逐渐增加的速度在跑步机上，在的潜水员需要较长的时间，优美的步伐，直到他们舒适地安顿下来到一个更快的步伐。纽曼还指出，在火星重力，潜水员需要较少的氧气。纽曼收集的数据将有助于在未来的火星航天服的设计。月球的航天服相比，火星的航天服将需要更小的空气罐，以允许更自由地流动，肘部和膝盖的太空服也将被改变。

 

1 treadmill   

n.踏车；单调的工作

参考例句：

• The treadmill has a heart rate monitor.跑步机上有个脉搏监视器。
• Drugs remove man from the treadmill of routine.药物可以使人摆脱日常单调的工作带来的疲劳。

2 divers   

adj.不同的；种种的

参考例句：

• He chose divers of them,who were asked to accompany him.他选择他们当中的几个人，要他们和他作伴。
• Two divers work together while a standby diver remains on the surface.两名潜水员协同工作，同时有一名候补潜水员留在水面上。

3 traction   

n.牵引；附着摩擦力

参考例句：

• I'll show you how the traction is applied.我会让你看如何做这种牵引。
• She's injured her back and is in traction for a month.她背部受伤，正在作一个月的牵引治疗。

4 graceful   

adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的

参考例句：

• His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
• The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 vat   

n.(=value added tax)增值税，大桶

参考例句：

• The office is asking for the vat papers.办事处要有关增值税的文件。
• His father emptied sacks of stale rye bread into the vat.他父亲把一袋袋发霉的黑面包倒进大桶里。

7 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

8 aerospace   

adj.航空的，宇宙航行的

参考例句：

• The world's entire aerospace industry is feeling the chill winds of recession.全世界的航空航天工业都感受到了经济衰退的寒意。
• Edward Murphy was an aerospace engineer for the US Army.爱德华·墨菲是一名美军的航宇工程师。

9 scuba   

n.水中呼吸器

参考例句：

• I first got hooked on scuba diving when I was twelve.12岁时我开始迷上了带水中呼吸器潜水。
• While on honeymoon in Bali,she learned to scuba dive.她在巴厘岛度蜜月时学会了带水肺潜水。

10 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。