【一起听英语】美国航天的成功

美国航天事业的成功，都经历了哪些阶段，人们又是如何来庆祝的？

This is not a word for word transcript¹.

Jackie: Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Jackie

and today I'm joined by Kaz. Hello Kaz!

Kaz: Hello Jackie!

Jackie: Today we'll be talking about the American John Glenn.

Kaz: Yes, John Glenn is a former astronaut – someone who goes into space.

Jackie: That's right, he's a former astronaut – he used to be an astronaut and he was

also the first American to orbit the Earth.

Kaz: To orbit the Earth – that means to go round the Earth in space.

Jackie: Before we continue Kaz, let's not forget this week's tricky² question! Can you

tell me what NASA – N-A-S-A stands for? Is it

a) National Aeronautics³ and Space Administration?

b) North American Space Agency?

c) National American Space Aeronautics?

Kaz: Tricky one there, Jackie. The first one, I think, National Aeronautics and

Space Administration, but NASA… Hang on, there is no A there. So I'm going

to go for North American Space Agency. See how we get on with that.

Jackie: OK, we'll find out whether it was a good idea to change your answer or not at

the end of the programme.

Kaz: So John Glenn was the first American to orbit Earth, so that must've been

what – about fifty years ago?

Jackie: That's right – exactly 50 years ago, in fact, in February 1962, which is why

NASA is honouring him. Let's listen to a report on John Glenn. As you listen,

try to answer this question:

Kaz: How many times did John Glenn go round the Earth in 1962?

Jackie: Reporting from Washington, here's Steve Kingstone. 

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Steve Kingstone, BBC

It was, of course, the Soviet⁴ Union that put the first man into orbit. But when John Glenn

circled the Earth three times in five hours in February 1962, it marked America's return to

the space race - paving the way for Neil Armstrong's moon landing seven years later.

Jackie: The answer to the question was: he orbited the Earth three times. As we

heard in the report, it was, of course the Soviet Union that put the first man

into orbit.

Kaz: But when John Glenn circled the Earth, it marked – it showed - America's

return to the space race.

Jackie: The space race – the big competition between the Soviet Union and the

United States for supremacy⁵ in space – to dominate and take control of space.

Kaz: Steve Kingstone said this paved the way – it prepared the path - for Neil

Armstrong's landing on the moon seven years later.

Jackie: So this was a very important event for the United States – not only a sign of

their return to the space race, but also an event that paved the way for Neil

Armstrong's landing on the moon. It was a pioneering voyage.

Kaz: A pioneering voyage – a journey that explored new areas and opened up new

possibilities.

Jackie: The anniversary of this event was celebrated⁶ in a special way. Let's listen to

the rest of Steve Kingstone's report to find out how it was celebrated.

Steve Kingstone, BBC

On the fiftieth anniversary of that pioneering voyage, NASA had a surprise for Mr Glenn,

now a sprightly⁷ ninety years old.

NASA: "We've got you loud and clear, welcome aboard the International Space Station."

He was greeted in a live video call by today's astronauts, orbiting the Earth. And the VIP

guest was clearly impressed by the communications.

Glenn: "I just was sitting here thinking a minute ago about how technology has gone ahead

so rapidly in the space age because here we are watching high-definition television here and

you guys are coming through perfectly⁸, so you have constant communication around here.

It's just amazing that we can sit here and talk to you back and forth⁹."

John Glenn joked that he'd like to return to space - something he last achieved fourteen

years ago, in his late seventies. This anniversary event was in part an effort to publicise

NASA's achievements at a time when its budget is under threat

Jackie: The anniversary was marked by a live video call to the International Space

Station with the astronauts of today. 

6 Minute English © British Broadcasting Corporation 2012

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Kaz: And John Glenn was very impressed – he thought it was great that he could

talk live to the astronauts, something that technology could not achieve in

1962.

Jackie: So this video call was a way of honouring John Glenn and celebrating the

anniversary of the orbit, but aside from this, the report touched on another

reason why NASA might have chosen to mark the occasion.

Kaz: Yes, Steve Kingstone mentioned that the event was partly an effort to

publicise – to make known – NASA's achievements. Why would they do that?

Well because their budget is under threat: they are worried they might not

get as much money as they need to do their work.

Jackie: Well, John Glenn seems eager to achieve more things. He joked that he'd like

to return to space.

Kaz: He's only 90 years old after all – why not pop up to space for a quick visit if

he wants to?

Jackie: Yes, why not! After all, the last time he went he was in his seventies – that

made him the oldest man ever in space! Steve described John Glenn as

'sprightly', which means lively and full of energy. Did you ever have dreams

of being an astronaut Kaz?

Kaz: Funnily enough, that's exactly what I wanted to be.

Jackie: Really? But it never happened?

Kaz: It never happened. But it might, you know, I am still a spring chicken.

Jackie: Let's have a reminder¹⁰ of some of the words we've talked about:

astronaut

pioneering

to go into orbit

the space race

to pave the way

to publicise

sprightly

Jackie: Now, the answer to the question: what does NASA, N-A-S-A stand for? You

said North American Space Agency, and you shouldn't have changed your

answer because you had it right the first time. It's actually the National

Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Kaz: Ah, wrong again.

 

Jackie: Yeah, it's a bit of a mouthful anyway that one. That's all for now, but do join

us again soon for more 6 Minute English! Bye!

Kaz: Bye bye! 

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 tricky   

adj.狡猾的，奸诈的；(工作等)棘手的，微妙的

参考例句：

• I'm in a rather tricky position.Can you help me out?我的处境很棘手，你能帮我吗？
• He avoided this tricky question and talked in generalities.他回避了这个非常微妙的问题，只做了个笼统的表述。

3 aeronautics   

n.航空术，航空学

参考例句：

• National Aeronautics and Space undertakings have made great progress.国家的航空航天事业有了很大的发展。
• He devoted every spare moment to aeronautics.他把他所有多余的时间用在航空学上。

4 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。

5 supremacy   

n.至上；至高权力

参考例句：

• No one could challenge her supremacy in gymnastics.她是最优秀的体操运动员，无人能胜过她。
• Theoretically,she holds supremacy as the head of the state.从理论上说，她作为国家的最高元首拥有至高无上的权力。

6 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

7 sprightly   

adj.愉快的，活泼的

参考例句：

• She is as sprightly as a woman half her age.她跟比她年轻一半的妇女一样活泼。
• He's surprisingly sprightly for an old man.他这把年纪了，还这么精神，真了不起。

8 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

9 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

10 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。