VOA慢速英语2016--欧洲航天局计划修建“月亮村”

AS IT IS 2016-05-02 European Space Agency¹ Plans a ‘Moon Village' 欧洲航天局计划修建“月亮村” 

The European Space Agency plans to build a base on the Moon. The agency said it would like a “Moon village” to be in working order in 20 years.

Johann-Dietrich Woerner is the director general of the European Space Agency. He said building a permanent base on the Moon is a “stepping stone” and a “test bed” for a visit to Mars³.

The American space agency, NASA, has set a goal of sending humans to Mars in the 2030s.

“I think we should go first to the Moon and then further on,” Woerner said. The effort to set up the Moon base is expected to be a collaborative one among countries that have or are developing space programs. That would include the United States, Russia, China and India.

Woerner said the village would be used for scientific experiments. He added the Moon’s minerals and other resources would be used to build and maintain⁴ the base.

It has been more than 50 years since men visited the Moon. Apollo 17 commander Gene² Cernan was the last man to walk on the Earth’s only natural satellite on December 14, 1972.

Words in This Story

collaborative –adj. involving two or more people or groups working together to reach a goal

maintain – v.  to keep something in good condition by making repairs or correcting problems

1 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。

2 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

3 Mars   

n.火星，战争

参考例句：

• As of now we don't know much about Mars.目前我们对火星还知之甚少。
• He contended that there must be life on Mars.他坚信火星上面一定有生物。

4 maintain   

vt.支撑；赡养，抚养；维持，保有

参考例句：

• He has to maintain a large family on a small salary.他不得不依靠很少的工资养活一家人。
• We must do our best to maintain sales at their usual rate.我们要尽力使销售额保持在平日的水平上。