新概念英语第二册61_Trouble with the Hubble

Lesson 61: Trouble with the Hubble
哈勃的问题

Key words and expressions

• the Hubble telescope 哈勃望远镜
• lauch 发射
• NASA 美国国家航空航天局 National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• bilion 十亿
• faulty 有错误的
• astronaut 宇航员
• shuttle 航天飞机
• the shuttle ‘Endeavour’ “奋进”号航天飞机
• robot-arm 机器手
• grab 抓
• atmosphere 大气层
• galaxy 星系
• eagle eye 鹰眼

eagle n. /ˈiːɡl/

1. a large bird of prey (= a bird that kills other creatures for food) with a sharp curved beak and very good sight雕
   • eagles soaring overhead 在上空翱翔的雕

sat·el·lite n. /ˈsætəlaɪt/

1. an electronic device that is sent into space and moves around the earth or another planet. It is used for communicating by radio, television, etc. and for providing information.人造卫星
   • a weather/communications satellite 气象╱通信卫星
   • The interview came live by satellite from Hollywood.采访是通过卫星从好莱坞现场传来的。
   • satellite television/TV (= broadcast using a satellite ) 卫星电视
   • a satellite broadcast/channel/picture 卫星广播╱频道╱照片

Questions on the text

1. When and by whom was the Hubble telescope lauched?
   1. It was lauched by NASA on April 20, 1990.
2. What was the trouble with the Hubble from the start?
   1. The pictures of the telescope sent to us were disappointing.
3. How is NASA going to repair the telescope?
   1. NASA is going to send up four astronauts to the Hubble.
4. What will the Hubble tell us?
   1. It will tell us a great deal about age and size of universe.

Language points

1. The Hubble telescope was lauched into space by NASA on April 20, 1990 at a cost of over a billion dollors.

   1. launch a rocket / an artificial satellite 发射一门火箭、人造卫生
   2. launch an attack 发起进攻
   3. launch a new enterprise 创办一个新的企业
   4. launch a movement 发起一个运动

2. Right from the start there was trouble with the Hubble.

   1. from the start 一开始。。。. right 这里是副词，强调
      1. He’s on the phone right now. right now 就在此时此刻
      2. The ball hit the man right in the head. 正打在那个人头上

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

   1. put … right 纠正，改正
      1. To put things right, they started out with an investigation.

4. A robot-arm from the ‘Endeavour’ will grab the telescope and hold it while the astronauts make the necessar repairs.

   1. while 连词，表在。。。期间

5. The Hubble will tell us a great deal about the age and size of the universe.

   1. a great deal 名词性词组
      1. He knows a great deal about plants.
   2. a great deal of 许多的，（修饰性的）
      1. This trip has cost him a great deal of money.

6. By the time you read this, the Hubble’s eagle eye will have sent us thousands and thousands of wonderful pictures.

   1. by the time you read this 时间状语从句。（从句用by，主句一般是将来时）
   2. eagle eye 千里眼
   3. thousands and thousands 成千上万的

Key structures and usage

将来进行时

1. NASA is now going to put the telescope right, so itwillsoonbe sendingup four astronauts to repair it.
2. The shuttle ‘Endeavour’will be takingthe astronauts to the Hubble.
3. The Hubble is above the earth’s asmosphere, so itwillsoonbe sendingus the clearest pictures of the starts and distant galaxies that we have ever seen.

将来完成时

1. He will have arrived by this time tomorrow.
2. You will have received your exam results by next Monday.
3. By the time we get there, he will have already left.

Extension

The Big Bang Theory