英语听力：探索发现 2014-05-25 BBC 地平线：陨石的真相-7

 By collecting and comparing meteorites¹, scientistshave been able to piece together a picture of how they form and these studieshave revealed some of the most remarkable² rocks in the solar system. 

 

Few places in the world have got as many meteoritesas the Natural History Museum, meteorites like this. It’s a cracker³, isn’t it? Theones that are out here on display are just a fraction. The bulk of thecollection is behind the scenes and that is where the science goes on. 

 

So all these are meteorites in some shape or form? 

 

They are all either meteorites or…

 

Professor Sara Russell is expert at decoding⁴ themessages hidden within these fragments of space rock.

 

This looks quite rocky, what about that one?

 

It looks like a humble⁵ rock but if you hold it—be verycareful of this one, this is older than the Earth. It is the oldest thing youwill ever hold. 

 

This is older than what, 4.6 billion years?

 

Yes. We have this number of 4.6 billion years of theage of the solar system. We know that from meteorites like this one and from lookingat the age of the components⁶ within it. So if you can see, it’s got theserounded objects in it, which are 1mm to 1cm in size. These are calledchondrules and these were once free-floating. Before there were planets, thesewere free-floating in the solar system around the very young Sun and then theyslowly coalesced⁷ to make asteroids⁸ and larger and larger objects untileventually planets were formed. These are the building blocks of planets.

 

1 meteorites   

n.陨星( meteorite的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Small meteorites have left impact craters all over the planet's surface. 这个行星的表面布满了小块陨石留下的撞击坑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• One theory about the existence of extraterrestrial life rests on the presence of carbon compounds in meteorites. 地球外存在生命的理论是基于陨星上存在碳化合物质这一事实的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

3 cracker   

n.（无甜味的）薄脆饼干

参考例句：

• Buy me some peanuts and cracker.给我买一些花生和饼干。
• There was a cracker beside every place at the table.桌上每个位置旁都有彩包爆竹。

4 decoding   

n.译码，解码v.译（码），解（码）( decode的现在分词 )；分析及译解电子信号

参考例句：

• We cannot add any other memory to this system without further decoding. 如果不增加译码，就不能使系统的存贮容量有任何扩展。 来自辞典例句
• Examples using the 8250 will be presented in hardware section to clarify full-decoding schemes. 在硬件一节中有应用说明全译码方案8250的例子。 来自辞典例句

5 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

6 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

7 coalesced   

v.联合，合并( coalesce的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The puddles had coalesced into a small stream. 地面上水洼子里的水汇流成了一条小溪。
• The views of party leaders coalesced to form a coherent policy. 党的领导人的各种观点已统一为一致的政策。 来自辞典例句

8 asteroids   

n.小行星( asteroid的名词复数 )；海盘车，海星

参考例句：

• Asteroids,also known as "minor planets",are numerous in the outer space. 小行星，亦称为“小型行星”，在外太空中不计其数。
• Most stars probably have their quota of planets, meteorids, comets, and asteroids. 多数恒星也许还拥有若干行星、流星、彗星和小行星。