英语听力精选进阶版 14289

BBC Learning English

Video Words in the News 

7 August 2013

Space robot

Transcript¹:

This is Japan's latest astronaut.

Kirobo the robot was exposed to zero gravity before being blasted into space. Its destination: the International Space Station. 

The tiny android has been sent into orbit as a companion for Japan's human space traveller. 

Its creator says Kirobo's most important skill is that it can mimic² human emotions. He wants its sense of compassion³ to help lonely astronauts during their stay in space.

Vocabulary:

blasted

movement which started with an explosion

android

robot that looks like a human

orbit

route of an object around a planet or star

mimic

imitate

compassion

awareness⁴ of the suffering of others

Exercise:

Use one of the words or phrases below to complete each of these sentences from news reports. 

Note that you may have to change the form of a word to complete the sentence correctly.

blasted / android / orbit / mimic / compassion

1.  The European Space Agency (Esa) is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Mars Express mission. Launched on 2 June 2003, the probe went into __________ around the Red Planet in the December of that year.

2.  "All I can say is it makes you proud to be a human being when people show that kind of __________." 

3.  A Chinese rocket carrying a probe destined⁵ for the Moon has __________ into space. A Long March 3C rocket with the Chang'e-2 probe took off from Xichang launch centre at about 1100 GMT.

4.  The story of __________ on the silver screen cannot pass without mention of three contemporary classics: The replicants rebelling against their preprogrammed demise⁶ in Blade Runner (1982); Arnold Schwarzenegger's gun-toting turn as 2029-vintage cyborg in The Terminator (1984); and Peter Weller as officer Alex J Murphy's alter ego⁷ in the dystopic Detroit of RoboCop (1987). 

5.  A diabetes⁸ pill has anti-ageing effects and extends the life of male mice, research suggests. Scientists believe the drug, metformin, may __________ the effects of extreme calorie restriction⁹.

Answers:

1.  The European Space Agency (Esa) is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its Mars Express mission. Launched on 2 June 2003, the probe went into orbit around the Red Planet in the December of that year.

Source: Europe's Mars Express spacecraft celebrates 10 years

2.  "All I can say is it makes you proud to be a human being when people show that kind of compassion."

Source: Lindsay Sandiford appeal receives ￡1,800 from man aged¹⁰ 87

3.  A Chinese rocket carrying a probe destined for the Moon has blasted into space. A Long March 3C rocket with the Chang'e-2 probe took off from Xichang launch centre at about 1100 GMT.

Source: China launches Moon mission

4.  The story of androids on the silver screen cannot pass without mention of three contemporary classics: The replicants rebelling against their preprogrammed demise in Blade Runner (1982); Arnold Schwarzenegger's guntoting turn as 2029-vintage cyborg in The Terminator (1984); and Peter Weller as officer Alex J Murphy's alter ego in the dystopic Detroit of RoboCop (1987). 

Source: The evolution of movie robots

5.  A diabetes pill has anti-ageing effects and extends the life of male mice, research suggests. Scientists believe the drug, metformin, may mimic the effects of extreme calorie restriction.

Source: Pill linked to long life in mice

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 mimic   

v.模仿，戏弄；n.模仿他人言行的人

参考例句：

• A parrot can mimic a person's voice.鹦鹉能学人的声音。
• He used to mimic speech peculiarities of another.他过去总是模仿别人讲话的特点。

3 compassion   

n.同情，怜悯

参考例句：

• He could not help having compassion for the poor creature.他情不自禁地怜悯起那个可怜的人来。
• Her heart was filled with compassion for the motherless children.她对于没有母亲的孩子们充满了怜悯心。

4 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

5 destined   

adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的

参考例句：

• It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。
• The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。

6 demise   

n.死亡；v.让渡，遗赠，转让

参考例句：

• He praised the union's aims but predicted its early demise.他赞扬协会的目标，但预期这一协会很快会消亡。
• The war brought about the industry's sudden demise.战争道致这个行业就这么突然垮了。

7 ego   

n.自我，自己，自尊

参考例句：

• He is absolute ego in all thing.在所有的事情上他都绝对自我。
• She has been on an ego trip since she sang on television.她上电视台唱过歌之后就一直自吹自擂。

8 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

9 restriction   

n.限制，约束

参考例句：

• The park is open to the public without restriction.这个公园对公众开放，没有任何限制。
• The 30 mph speed restriction applies in all built-up areas.每小时限速30英里适用于所有建筑物聚集区。

10 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。