新视野大学英语视听说教程 3 Unit 8-14

Task2:Results of Damage Testing
Script:
Birds often cause accidents when they strike aircraft. To date no reliable method of avoiding birds has been discovered. But scientists at the NASA space center have developed a gun built to launch dead chickens at the windshields of airliners¹, military jets and the space shuttle, all traveling at their top speed. The idea is to reproduce the frequent incidents of collisions with birds to test the strength of the windshields.
Trains sometimes encounter similar problems with birds. It was not surprising that when British engineers heard about the gun, they were eager to test it on the windshields of their new high-speed trains.
Arrangements were made to borrow the gun. It was flown across the Atlantic and set up with great care near London. But when the gun was fired, the engineers stood shocked as the chicken flew into the shield, smashed it, went through the engineer's chair, and landed on the back of the car.                
Horrified², the British sent NASA the results of the disastrous³ experiment, along with the designs of the new windshield. They begged the U.S. scientists to send them their suggestions for avoiding smashed windshields. NASA reviewed the test thoroughly⁴ and had one recommendation: "Thaw⁵ the chicken.”
 

1 airliners   

n.客机，班机( airliner的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The fog grounded the airliners. 大雾迫使班机停飞。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They placed very stable and accurate atomic clocks on regularly scheduled jet airliners. 他们将非常稳定、准确的原子钟装在定期飞行的喷气式班机上。 来自辞典例句

2 horrified   

a.(表现出)恐惧的

参考例句：

• The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。
• We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。

3 disastrous   

adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的

参考例句：

• The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
• Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。

4 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

5 thaw   

v.（使）融化，（使）变得友善；n.融化，缓和

参考例句：

• The snow is beginning to thaw.雪已开始融化。
• The spring thaw caused heavy flooding.春天解冻引起了洪水泛滥。