Lesson 61  Trouble with the Hubble  哈勃望远镜的困境

 

First listen and then answer the question.

听录音，然后回答以下问题。

What is the special importance of a telescope in space?

The Hubble telescope was launched into space by NASA on April 20, 1990  at a cost of over a billion dollars. Right from the start there was trouble with the Hubble. The pictures it sent us were very disappointing because its main mirror was faulty! NASA is now 5  going to put the telescope right, so it will soon be sending up four astronauts to repair it. The shuttle Endeavour will be taking the astronauts to the Hubble. A robot-arm from the Endeavour will grab the telescope and hold it while the astronauts make the necessary repairs. Of course, the Hubble is above the earth's atmosphere, so it will soon be sending us the clearest 10  pictures of the stars and distant galaxies that we have ever seen. The Hubble will tell us a great deal about the age and size of the universe. By the time you read this, the Rubble's eagle eye will have sent us thousands and thousands of wonderful pictures.

 

New words and expressions 生词和短语

 

Hubble( title)/'h)bl/n. 哈勃

shuttle(1.6)/'M)tl/n. 航天飞机

telescope(1.10/'telisk+(p/n. 望远镜

Endeavour( 1. 6)/'indev+/n.“奋进”号

launch(1.1)/l&:ntM/v.发射

robot- arm(1.7)/'r+ub+t-?a:m/n. 机器手

space(1.1)/speis/n. 空间

grab(1.8)/gr$b/v. 抓

NASA(1.1)/'n$s+/n.(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)国家航空和航天局

atmosphere(1.9)/'$tm+sfi+/n. 大气层

distant(1.10)/'dist+nt/adj. 遥远的

billion( 1. 2)/'bilj+n/n. 10亿

galaxy(1.10)/'g$l+ksi/n. 星系

faulty(1.4)/'f&:lti/adj. 有错误的

universe(1.11)/'ju:niv+:s/n. 宇宙

astronaut(1.6)/'$str+n&:t/n. 宇航员

eagle eye(1.11)/'i:g+l-'ai/鹰眼

 

Notes on the text 课文注释

 

1  the Hubble telescope,哈勃望远镜。

2   at a cost of,造价为……。

3   right from the start,从最开始。

 

参考译文

 

哈勃望远镜于1990年4月20日由国家航空航天局发射升空，耗资10多亿美元。从最开始哈勃望远镜就有问题。它传送给我们的图像很令人失望，因为它的主要镜子有误差。国家航天局准备纠正这一错误，为此将把4名宇航员送入太空修复望远镜。“奋进”号航天飞机将把宇航员送上哈勃。当宇航员进行必要的修复工作时，“奋进”号上的一只机器手将抓住望远镜并托住它。当然，哈勃位于地球的大气层之外，因此，它很快就会给我们传送我们所见到过的、有关行星和远距离星系的最清晰的照片。哈勃将告诉我们有关宇宙的年龄和大小的许多事情。等到你读到这篇文章时，敏锐的哈勃望远镜已经为我们送来了成千上万张精彩的照片。

 

Summary writing 摘要写作

 

Answer these questions in not more than 60  words.

回答下列问题，将答案组成一个段落，不要超过60个单词。

1  When was the Hubble telescope launched into space? What were the pictures it sent us like? Why? (When the Hubble …,the pictures…, because…)

2  What will the four astronauts from the shuttle Endeavour be doing? What will the pictures from the Hubble tell us? (and eventually)

 

Composition 作文

 

Write three or four sentences using the ideas given below.

用以下词组写出3至4个句子来。

There was trouble with the Hubble---- the main mirror---- faulty---- the pictures---- disappointing---- now the shuttle Endeavour---- four astronauts---- make the necessary repairs---- the Hubble---- soon send---- the clearest pictures---- ever seen.

there was trouble with the hubble right from thestart. the main mirror was falty ,so the pictures it sent us were very disappointing . now the shuttle endeavour will be taking four astronauts to make the necessary repairs, so thet the hubble will soon be sending us the clearest pictures of the stars and distant galaxies that we have ever seen.

Letter writing 书信写作

Learn the following opening phrases by heart:

熟记以下两个开头语：

I have not heard from you for some time, so…; It was very kind of you to…

 

Exercise 练习

 

Write two short paragraphs(of not more than two sentences each) completing the above phrases.

用以上两个开头语写出两小段话，每段不超过两句。

 

Key structures 关键句型

 

By the time you read this, the Hubble's eagle eye will have sent us thousands and thousands of wonderful pictures. 将来完成时、将来进行时和将来完成进行时

a  Study these sentences. (KS37)

细续以下句子。(参见第37课关键句型)

I will be writing letters all day tomorrow. 明天我一天都将写信。

Soon the astronauts will have repaired the telescope.宇航员很快会把望远镜修好。

b  Compare these two sentences:

对比将来完成时和将来完成进行时：

Soon the astronauts will have repaired the telescope. 宇航员很快会把望远镜修好。

By Friday midday, they will have been working on it for seven days. 到星期五中午，他们就在这个工程上干了7天了。

c  Compare these pairs of sentences. Pay close attention to the words in italics.(KS60c)

对比以下各组句子，特别注意用斜体印出的部分。(参见第60课关键句型c)

He will have arrived by this time tomorrow. 明天的这个时候他已经到了。

The moment he has arrived, I will let you know. 他一来我就会告诉你。

You can go home at five o'clock. 你可以在5点钟的时候回家。

Now that you have finished work, you can go home. 你既然已经做完工作，你就可以回家了。

He will phone us later today. He will have received his exam results by then.今天晚些时候他会给我们打电话，那时他已经接到考试成绩了。

As soon as he has received his exam results, he will phone us. 他一接到考试成绩就会给我们打电话的。

 

Exercises 练习

 

A  Underline all the verbs in the passage which tell us what will happen in the future.

划出课文中所有表示将来发生事情的动词。

B  Give the correct form of the verbs in parentheses. Do not refer to the passage until you have finished the exercise.

用正确的时态填空，完成练习后再对照课文核对你的答案。

The Hubble telescope______(launch)into space by NASA on April 20, 1990, at a cost of over a billion dollars. Right from the start there______(be) trouble with the Hubble. The pictures it_______(send)us_______(be)very disappointing because its main mirror______(be)faulty! NASA now______(put)the telescope right, so it soon_______(send up) four astronauts to repair it. The shuttle Endeavour_______(take) the astronauts to the Hubble. A robot-arm from the Endeavour________(grab) the telescope and________(hold)it while the astronauts________(make) the necessary repairs. Of course, the Hubble_________(be) above the earth's atmosphere, so it soon________(send) us the clearest pictures of the stars and distant galaxies that we ever _______(see). The Hubble______(tell) us a great deal about the age and size of the universe.  By the time you_______(read)this, the Hubble's eagle eye_______(send)us thousands and thousands of wonderful pictures.

 

Special difficulties 难点

 

Words often confused 经常容易混淆的词

Study these examples:

细读以下例子：

a  Nouns: Cost, Price, Value

The Hubble was launched at a cost of over a billion dollars. 哈勃望远镜发射升空，耗资10多亿美元。

How much is that blouse? Let's ask the price. 这件衬衣多少钱？让我们来问一下价钱。

The stolen items were of sentimental, rather than financial value. 被盗物品更具有情感上的涵义，而不是经济上的价值。

b  Verbs: Cost, Price, Value.

What does this blouse cost, please? 请问，这件衬衣多少钱？

I want to price the bed linen in a few other shops before I buy any.我想在买床单之前打听几家商店的价格。

I value you advice a great deal. 我非常尊重你的建议。

 

Exercise练习

 

Choose the correct words in the following sentences.

选择正确的词。

1  There has been a sharp rise in the(price)(cost)(value) of living.

2  Whenever I buy anything new, my father always asks me the(value)(cost)(price).

3  If you have to work for something you will(value)(price)(cost) it more.

4  That house(valued)(cost)(priced) a fortune to build.

5  Dr. James's work is of enormous(value)(cost)(price) to the community.

6  Jane has(valued)(cost)(priced) the alternative products and she recommends this one.

7  So far, ten countries have given money towards the(value)(price)(cost) of rebuilding after the earthquake.

 

Multiple choice questions 多项选择题

 

Comprehension 理解

1  The Hubble failed to send us satisfactory pictures because _______.

a． the cost of sending satisfactory pictures was terrible

b． there was a problem with its main mirror

c． it was a long time since it was launched into space

d． it was high above the earth's atmosphere

2  The Hubble telescope ______.

a． will tell us a great deal about the universe

b． cost a lot but was almost worthless

c． will measure the size of the earth

d． requires constant care from the astronauts

Structure句型

3  NASA is now going to put the telescope right. NASA ______it.

a． is repairing                b． has already repaired

c． will be repairing         d． to repair

4  Four astronauts_______ to the Hubble.

a． will take                    b． will send up

c． will be taken              d． will be sending up

5  A robot-arm will hold the telescope ________the astronauts to repair it.

a． for                            b．so that

c． so long as                 d．which

6  The Hubble will be sending us clear pictures_______ it is above the earth's atmosphere.

a． when                        b． and

c． while                        d． because

7______ you read this, thousands of pictures will have been sent to us.

a． As soon as                b． The moment

c． Before                      d． When

Vocabulary词汇

8  The Hubble was launched by NASA. It was ________.

a． sent into space           b． carried away

c． put up                       d． taken up

9  There was trouble with the Hubble _______.

a． then                         b． from the beginning

c． a few years ago         d． before

10  The pictures the Hubble sent us were _______.

a． wonderful                 b． unsatisfactory

c． the clearest                d． disappointed

11  The main mirror of the Hubble _______.

a． had problems             b． was distant

c． was the clearest         d． requires repairs

12  The Hubble is _______the earth's atmosphere.

a． below                       b． over

c． within                       d． outside