职称英语综合类阅读理解第15篇Orbital Space Plane逐句翻译.doc

Orbital Space Plane 轨道航天飞机While scientists are searching the cause of the Columbia disaster， NASA is moving ahead with plans to develop a new craft that would replace shuttles on space station missions by 2012 and respond quickly to space station emergencies.当科学家们在寻找哥伦比亚号灾难的起因时，国家航空航天局已开始着手于新型飞行器的开发计划。这种飞行器将在2012年之前取代现有的穿梭机执行空间站任务，并且能对紧急情况作出迅速反应。The space agency released the first set of mission needs and requirements several days ago for the orbital space plane，几天前，国家航空航天局公布了轨道航天飞机的第一批任务要求， which would be designed to transport a crew of four to and from the International Space Station.它的设计必须能够运送四名机组人员往返空间站。Although it includes few specifics， the plan stipulates the orbiter will be safer， cheaper and require less preparation time than the shuttle. 尽管没有透露很多细节，这项计划保证了飞机更为安全，价格更低，准备时间也少于穿梭机。It would be able to transport four crew members by 2012 though it would be available for rescue missions by 2010.在2012年前，它将可以运送四名成员，但在2010年前，它就将可以执行救援任务。 NASA says the craft should be able to transport injured or ill space station crew members to “definitive medical care” within 24 hours.国家航空航天局表示，这一飞行器能够在24小时之内将受伤或生病的空间站工作人员运送到最权威的医疗机构。The release of the requirements showed NASA remains focused on the long-term priorities of space exploration，新计划的公布表明了国家航空航天局仍旧关注于其在太空探索领域的长期优势所在。 even as questions linger concerning the loss of Columbia and its seven-member crew on February 1， 2003.尽管2003年2月1日哥伦比亚号坠毁及其7名机组人员丧生所带来的问题仍然存在Experts at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville， Alabama， have been working for years on a successor to the shuttle. 位于阿拉巴马州汉茨威尔的马歇尔太空飞行中心的专家们近年来一直致力于飞行器继任者的研究。The project， known as the Space Launch Initiative， was divided last year into two parts one focusing on a future launch vehicle， the other on a space station orbiter. 这个计划，名称为“空间发射倡议”在去年被分为两部分：一部分聚焦于未来的发射装置，另一部分则着力于轨道航天飞机。The orbiter is expected to be ready sooner.而轨道航天飞机将会更快实现。The programs managers say NASA officials have told them not to alter Space Launch Initiative in light of the Columbia disaster.该项目的负责人说，国家航空航天局的官员们告诉他们不要因为哥伦比亚号灾难而改变这一项目。U.S. President George W. Bush asked Congress for about USD1 billion for Space Launch Initiative in 2004， funds that would be almost equally split between the Orbital Space Plane and Next Generation Launch Technology.美国总统布什已经向国会要求10亿美元，用于2004年该项目的研究。这一资金将平分给轨道航天飞机项目及新一代发射技术项目。练习：1. The orbital space craft has been designed forA. controlling the International Space Station.B. carrying astronauts to the International Space Station.C. transporting equipment to the International Space Station.D. training astronauts in space flights.2. From the passage we know that the design of the orbiter indicatesA. NASAs determination to continue its space exploration projects.B. the U.S. space technology superiorities.C. a victory in space exploration.D. the birth of an absolutely safe space craft.3. When did the scientists start working on a successor to the shuttle?A. Immediately after the Columbia disaster.B. One year after the Columbia disaster.C. Years before the explosion of Columbia.D. Not mentioned in the passage.4. Besides the main mission stipulated by NASA， the orbiter would also be used asA. a space hospital.B. a medical research center.C. a medicine-transporting vehicle.D. a space ambulance.5. According to the passage， the funds， if granted， wouldA. be used for developing the orbiter only.B. be equally shared by the two projects under Space Launch Initiative.C. be given to Marshall Space Flight Center.D. be mainly used to improve space launch technology答案与题解： B 答案的依据是第二段的.which would be designed to transport a crew of four to and from the International Space Station. ” A答案的依据在第四段。第四段提及即使发生了哥伦比亚航天飞机失事、7名宇航员丧生 的悲剧,国家航空航天局仍旧关注于其在太空探索领域的长期优势所在。 C本文应该是在哥伦比亚航天飞机失事之后不久写的，因为第一段中说到哥伦比亚航天飞 机失事的原因还在调查之中，第五段又提到the orbiter的研究巳进行了多年。所以，选项C 是答案。