CCTV9英语新闻12月：嫦娥3移动到接近月球轨道

China's lunar probe Chang'e-3 has moved a step closer to the moon. The probe descended¹ from a 100 kilometer-high lunar orbit to an elliptical orbit with its nearest point, just 15 kilometers from the moon's surface.

 

China's lunar probe Chang'e-3 entered an orbit closer to the moon on Dec. 10, 2013. (Xinhua)

 

The State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense² says the transition was made while the probe transited³ the dark side of the moon at 9:20 p.m. on Tuesday, Beijing time. The transition took around four minutes. Chang’e-3 will now prepare for a soft-landing on the moon’s surface. T

he probe, which is carrying the moon rover "Yutu", was successfully launched on December the 2nd, from China’s Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The moon landing is set to take place around mid-December, the first time a Chinese spacecraft has made a soft landing on a non-earth surface.

 

China's lunar probe Chang'e-3 is expected to land on Sinus Iridum of the moon in mid-December. (Xinhua)

1 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 transited   

通过（transit的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• We will be transited through the border without any checks. 我们将穿越边境，不用接受任何检查。
• Flow profile and flow type also transited along pipeline inter thermal stations. 在加热站间管道沿线，流态和流型随着温度的变化也会发生转变。