环球英语 — 293：The Space Race

　　Voice 1
Hello, I’m Marina Santee.
Voice 2
And I’m Ruby¹ Jones. Welcome to Spotlight². This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
This is the sound of the first man-made satellite in space. The time - 10:30 at night. The date - 4th of October 1957. The place - Baikonur Cosmodome, Kazakhstan. The event - the launch³ of the first man-made satellite into space.
Voice 2
People all around the world watched the satellite launch on television. They could not believe what they saw. The countdown finished ... and a large rocket exploded into the sky. It carried a satellite the size of a large football. Once the rocket reached space, the satellite separated from it. Hours later, scientists in the space control centre heard a signal. The satellite had reached outer space! It was travelling up to 900 kilometres above the earth. The satellite only had enough power to send messages and information for 15 days. But it stayed in space for six months.
Voice 1
Today, satellites are common. They are necessary to the success of today’s communication technologies. But the first satellite was a great wonder. Russian scientists and engineers designed and built this satellite. They called it Sputnik. The launch of Sputnik was the result of much hard work and intelligent engineering⁴. It marked an important development in science and technology. It opened the door for future space exploration. And, it also represented a great political victory.
Voice 2
At that time, Russia was only one part of another huge country. The country’s official name was the Union of Soviet⁵ Socialist⁶ Republics, or USSR. 14 countries from Eastern Europe and Northern Asia belonged to the USSR. Each country’s parliament⁷, or soviet, believed in the same method of government - communism.
Voice 1
Many western countries feared this kind of political system. The United States government in particular felt threatened by the growing influence of the USSR. And the USSR felt threatened by the United States. The two countries competed against each other in everything to become the main Super Power. This included the race to control space. The launch of Sputnik was a major political success for the USSR. They had the technology to launch powerful weapons. And the USSR wanted the United States to know that. Sputnik became a powerful symbol.
Voice 2
In the following years, the space race continued. In 1958, the USA successfully launched⁸ its own satellite. This was one year after the USSR.
Voice 1
In 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space. This astronaut from the USSR made one complete trip around the earth. Less than one month later, the USA sent their man, Alan Shepherd⁹, into space. And the American president declared his country’s desire to put a man on the moon. Who ever did this, would win the space race!
Voice 2
The most famous event in space happened in 1969 - man walking on the moon. The USA sent up a team of three men. They travelled in the Apollo eleven spaceship. Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin spent two hours walking on the moon’s grey, dusty surface. They placed an American flag there. They won the space race for the United States.
Voice 1
But exploration of space did not finish with landing¹⁰ on the moon landing. In the following years, both the USA and USSR sent up more space vehicles. Their satellites gathered information from Mars¹¹, Jupiter¹² and Venus. The USA produced the space shuttle. This was the first re-usable space vehicle. And the USSR built a scientific centre in space. Astronauts lived there for short periods of time. They collected information and performed experiments.
Voice 2
But in the nineteen nineties, events in the USSR stopped their space exploration. The country experienced¹³ great political change. There were protests¹⁴ against the communist government. And these led to the break-up of this huge country. The 14 member states then became independent. And Russia became responsible for the space programme. But it no longer had the same financial resources. And it could not pay for continued space exploration.
Voice 1
The United States also had its problems. In 1986, its re-usable space vehicle, the shuttle, exploded. The seven astronauts inside it died. A similar tragic¹⁵ accident happened in 2003. And for some time, the people involved in the space programme lost their desire to continue.
Voice 2
Today however, the space race has changed. Many countries work together now, including the United States and Russia. They work for scientific knowledge, instead of weapons development. And many others have joined this race. China and some European countries have also started their own space programmes. Today, communications technology dictates¹⁶ the direction of space exploration. And satellite development is now big business. Modern satellites can carry mobile¹⁷ telephone or internet networks. Or they can observe the earth and its climate - they then can send information back to countries. This helps people to prepare for natural events like floods or earthquakes.
Voice 1
Sergei Krikalyov is a Russian astronaut. He is excited about all that space technology can offer. He says,
Voice 3
“One of Russia’s plans for the future is industrialized¹⁸ space - working high up in space to develop energy and produce new materials.”
Voice 1
And the next step? Sergei Krikalyov continues:
Voice 3
“Our long term plan is to travel in between different planets¹⁹ - Mars and places on the other side of it.”
Voice 1
In fact, a joint²⁰ Russian/European Space Agency²¹ team will start doing some experiments in 2008. These will provide the information necessary to help prepare for the long and difficult trip to Mars.
Voice 2
Space technology has travelled a long way since the days of Sputnik. Professor Colin Pillinger was a small boy when he listened to Sputnik’s signals on the radio. Now he is involved in the British space programme. He describes Sputnik’s effect on the world:
Voice 4
“We did not know Sputnik was going to change the way we looked at the world. We did not know then that we would be able to send information around the world - that we would see what was going on in Australia in real time on the television.”
Voice 2
So, what is next? Will humans land on Mars? Time will tell. But one thing is for sure. For today’s space scientists, the sky is no longer the limit!
 

1 ruby   

n.红宝石，红宝石色

参考例句：

• She is wearing a small ruby earring.她戴着一枚红宝石小耳环。
• On the handle of his sword sat the biggest ruby in the world.他的剑柄上镶有一颗世上最大的红宝石。

2 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

3 launch   

vt.发动，推出；发射；n.发射，下水，投产

参考例句：

• The makers are about to launch out a new product.制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。
• Would it be wise to launch into this rough sea?在这样汹涌的大海中游泳明智吗？

4 engineering   

n.工程，工程学，管理，操纵

参考例句：

• The science of engineering began as soon as man learned to use tools. 人类一学会使用工具,工程科学就开始了。
• It was the first great engineering works in the world. 这是世界上第一家大型的工程工厂。

5 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

6 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

7 Parliament   

n.议会，国会

参考例句：

• She won a seat in Parliament at the election.她在选举中赢得了议会中的席位。
• The drug was banned by an act of parliament.议会的法案明令禁止该药品。

8 launched   

v.发射( launch的过去式和过去分词 )；[计算机]开始（应用程序）；发动；开展（活动、计划等）

参考例句：

• He launched a bitter diatribe against the younger generation. 他对年轻一代发起了猛烈的抨击。
• The product was launched amid much fanfare worldwide. 这个产品在世界各地隆重推出。

9 shepherd   

n.牧羊者，牧师，指导者；v.看守，领导，指导

参考例句：

• The shepherd boy waited for his sheep to drink.牧童等羊喝水。
• The shepherd and his dog gathered in the sheep.牧羊人和牧羊狗把羊群赶到一块。

10 landing   

n.登陆；着陆；楼梯平台

参考例句：

• Owing to engine trouble,the plane had to make a forced landing.由于发动机出了毛病，飞机不得不进行迫降。
• When are we landing?我们什么时候着陆？

11 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。

12 Jupiter   

n.木星

参考例句：

• Jupiter is unlike the Earth in almost every way.木星与地球几乎完全不同。
• The astronomers were taking an observation of Jupiter.天文学家们正在观测木星。

13 experienced   

adj.有经验的；经验丰富的，熟练的

参考例句：

• Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather.有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。
• Perhaps you and I had better change over;you are more experienced.也许我们的工作还是对换一下好，你比我更有经验。

14 protests   

n.[体]抗议；抗议，反对( protest的名词复数 )v.声明( protest的第三人称单数 )；坚决地表示；申辩

参考例句：

• The protests have forced the government to back-pedal on the new tax. 抗议活动已迫使政府撤销新的税目。
• Plans to build a new mall were deep-sixed after protests from local residents. 修建新室内购物中心的计划由于当地居民反对而搁浅。

15 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

16 dictates   

n.命令，规定，要求( dictate的名词复数 )v.大声讲或读( dictate的第三人称单数 )；口授；支配；摆布

参考例句：

• Convention dictates that a minister should resign in such a situation. 依照常规部长在这种情况下应该辞职。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He always follows the dictates of common sense. 他总是按常识行事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 mobile   

adj.可移动的，易变的，机动的；n.运动物体

参考例句：

• The old lady sits on a mobile chair every morning.那位老妇人每天上午坐在一把可携带使用的椅子上。
• She's much more mobile now that she's bought a car.自从她买了汽车后，活动量就大多了。

18 industrialized   

adj.工业的，工业化的

参考例句：

• Pollution is the price we pay for an overpopulated, over industrialized planet. 污染就是我们为这个人口过密，过度工业化的星球所付出的代价。 来自新概念英语第三册
• Industrialized countries must reduce carbon dioxide emissions. 工业化国家必须减少二氧化碳的排放。

19 planets   

行星( planet的名词复数 )； 地球（尤指环境）

参考例句：

• Does life exist on other planets? 其他行星上有生命吗？
• the planets of our solar system 太阳系的行星

20 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。

21 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。