英国新闻听力 世界上速度最快的车

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.”

一个英国的团队开始建造超过以往所有路上速度记录的车，其速度甚至超过声速。

这辆名为“侦探犬”(Bloodhound)的超音速汽车的速度预期将达到令人惊叹的每小时1,000英里(约1,610千米每小时)。而声音的传播速度时每小时760英里(约1,223千米每小时)。

由于其光滑的，气动的框架，这辆汽车看上去更像是一架没有机翼的飞机，其速度甚至比大部分客机还要快。所以，被选中驾驶这辆车的人实际上是一位飞行员。

Andy Green中校将承担驾驶任务，测试这辆车的速度记录。预期车速将打破目前世界上最高的陆地汽车速度记录，763英里每小时(约1,228千米每小时)。该记录也是由Andy Green本人在1997年创下的。

试驾安排在2011年进行，在南非一座沙漠中长达10英里的跑道上进行。

但是，尽管取得这样的速度无疑是一项重大成就，Andy Green表示，该项目的意义远远不止如此。

他说，该项目的目标是“创立一个标志性的项目，激励全国和全国的学校对科学和工程产生兴趣”。

“如果能够激励全世界的孩子，即使我们仅达到950英里每小时(1,529千米每小时)的速度，也是值得的。如果无人在意，即使我们达到1,000英里每小时的速度，我们也是失败的。”

即使你没有机会亲自驾驶这样的汽车，你也能够在电视上观看试驾实况。

“这将是一次不容错过的节目。”Green说。

“将会非常热，非常吵闹，加速和减速都将非常突然，非常像撞车。”

“但是只要四个轮子都还在地上，我们就能解决一切问题。”

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。