英语听力精选进阶版 6196

1,000mph Target for British Car 英国制造时速达1000英里/小时的高速汽车

A British team has begun building a car designed to smash¹ all previous land speed records and go faster than even the speed of sound.

The supersonic² car, called Bloodhound, is expected to reach an awe-inspiring 1,000mph (1,610km/h), while sound travels at around 760mph (1,223km/h).

The car, which looks more like a plane without wings thanks to its sleek³, aerodynamic frame, will also travel much faster than most passenger aircraft, which is why the man chosen to drive it is actually a pilot.

Wing Commander Andy Green will be in the hot seat for the car’s record attempt, and is hoping to break the present land speed record of 763mph (1,228km/h) which he himself set in 1997.

The time trial is scheduled for 2011 and will take place on a 10-mile-long track in a desert in South Africa.

But while achieving such speeds would undoubtedly⁴ be a major accomplishment⁵, Andy Green says the project is about more than this.

He said the aim was to “create an iconic project that can inspire the nation and the nation’s schools to have an interest in science and engineering.”

“If it gets kids from around the world motivated and we only get to 950mph (1,529km/h) then it’ll be worth it. If we get to 1,000mph and nobody cares then we’ll have failed.”

While you’re unlikely to have the chance to drive such a car yourself, you will be able to watch the attempt on television.

“It will be unmissable television,” said Green.

“It will be very hot and noisy with a violent acceleration⁶ and deceleration which will feel pretty much like a crash.

“But as long as all four wheels stay on the ground, everything else we can deal with.”

Glossary 词汇表

land speed records 陆上速度的世界纪录 

supersonic 超音速的 

awe-inspiring 令人惊叹的 

sleek 光滑的 

aerodynamic frame 空气动力的构架 

passenger aircraft 客机 

Wing Commander 中校 

in the hot seat 承担重任 

time trial 计时检测 

desert 沙漠 

major accomplishment 重大成就 

iconic project 代表性的工程 

motivated 有动力的 

unlikely 不太可能的 

unmissable 不可错过的 

violent acceleration 急剧加速 

deceleration 减速 

pretty much 几乎 

crash 撞车 

deal with 应对处理

1 smash   

v.粉碎，打碎；n.轰动的演出，巨大的成功

参考例句：

• We heard the smash of plates breaking in the kitchen.我们听到厨房里盘子破碎的声音。
• The gifted author wrote one smash after another.这个天才作家创作了一篇又一篇轰动一时的作品。

2 supersonic   

adj.超声的，超声速的

参考例句：

• These planes travel at supersonic speeds.这些飞机以超音速的速度飞行。
• Supersonic methods for determining the q value of material.材料q值的超声波测定方法。

3 sleek   

adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢

参考例句：

• Women preferred sleek,shiny hair with little decoration.女士们更喜欢略加修饰的光滑闪亮型秀发。
• The horse's coat was sleek and glossy.这匹马全身润泽有光。

4 undoubtedly   

adv.确实地，无疑地

参考例句：

• It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
• He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。

5 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

6 acceleration   

n.加速，加速度

参考例句：

• All spacemen must be able to bear acceleration.所有太空人都应能承受加速度。
• He has also called for an acceleration of political reforms.他同时呼吁加快政治改革的步伐。