英语听力精选进阶版 6137

A Glorious Journey 辉煌旅程

Three Chinese astronauts returned safely on Sunday after orbiting the Earth on board the Shenzhou-VII space capsule.

The message to the world is clear: after a slow start in space, China is catching¹ up fast.

The spacecraft touched down in the Mongolian desert to rapturous applause from mission control in Beijing. Millions tuned² in to watch the historic moment on television around the world.

Mission leader Zhai Zhigang was the first to emerge from the capsule and he was incredibly proud of their achievement.

"It was a glorious mission, full of challenges with a successful end," he said.

The mission follows China's successful hosting of the Olympics and included the country's first ever spacewalk.

Mr Zhai wore a Chinese-made spacesuit costing up to ￡20million (220million Yuan), and stayed outside the capsule for 15 minutes while his team mates stayed inside, monitoring his progress.

This exercise puts China as only the third nation, after the United States and Russia, to stage a successful space walk. It is also seen as a critical progression in the country's three-step space programme, with the ultimate aim to build a large space station.

Is there a new space race underway now? Roger Launius of the National Air and Space Museum think there is. "It is an Asian space race. It's between China, Japan, maybe Korea, certainly India," said Mr Launius.

"The Chinese, because of their full service capability³ – humans, robots and military – are at this point in time the leaders in that race. But those other countries have a lot of capabilities⁴ too," he added.

Meanwhile, the families of the astronauts have to wait patiently as their space heroes undergo two weeks of preventative quarantine, just in case their body defences may have been weakened by the trip.

GLOSSARY 词汇表

astronauts 宇航员

orbiting 环绕

Shengzhou-VII space capsule 神舟七号航天舱

catching up 迎头赶上

touched down 着陆

rapturous applause 热烈的掌声

mission control 太空航行地面指挥中心

tuned in 收看

emerge 出现

capsule 太空舱

spacewalk 太空漫步

spacesuit 航天服

monitoring his progress 监测他的进展

ultimate aim 最终目标

space station 宇航站

space race 太空竞赛

robots 机器人

capabilities 能力

undergo 接受（治疗）

preventative quarantine 预防性的隔离

1 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

2 tuned   

adj.调谐的，已调谐的v.调音( tune的过去式和过去分词 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调

参考例句：

• The resort is tuned in to the tastes of young and old alike. 这个度假胜地适合各种口味，老少皆宜。
• The instruments should be tuned up before each performance. 每次演出开始前都应将乐器调好音。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

4 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓