今天的洋碩美語-新聞好週到單元,對天文新知很有興趣的Sophia老師(Yes, I am interested in astronomy!)也要來分享一則關於火星的新聞!

繼2015年9月28日Nasa公開證實火星上存在液態水後,歐洲國家與俄羅斯合作,名為ExoMars的探測計畫也摩拳擦掌準備開始了,不過這次的任務重點是探測火星上的微量氣體”甲烷”與生命是否存在的關聯性! 整個計畫預計在明年三月啟動,探測器Schiaparelli(19世紀研究火星聞名的科學家Giovani Schiaparelli命名 )十月可到達火星表面,如果過程順利,2019年將會啟動火星探測的第二步,頗有與Nasa較勁的味道。(文: Sophia)

 

…“The first of Europe's ExoMars missions is finally ready to get under way.

This initial venture will involve a satellite going to the Red Planet to study trace gases, such as methane, in the atmosphere.

The orbiter will also drop a probe on to the surface to test technologies needed to land the second mission - a rover - that should arrive in 2019.

1.involve: (v.)包括、包含….

2.satellite :(n.)人造衛星

3. trace gases: 微量氣體

4. methane: (n.)甲烷

5. 此處的probe是探測器,而rover則是有輪子可在星球表面上移動的探測車。

 

…“The 3.7-tonne Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) is equipped with remote sensing experiments that will make a detailed inventory of Mars' atmospheric gases.

 

A key quest is to better understand the presence of methane. From previous measurements, its concentration is seen to be low and sporadic in nature. But the mere fact that it is detected at all is really fascinating.

Most of the methane in Earth's atmosphere comes from living organisms, and it is not a ludicrous suggestion that microbes might also be driving emissions on Mars.

5.make a detailed inventory ofMars' atmospheric gases:

=>inventory: (n.)存量

=>這句是指,探測器將會仔細探測火星大氣各種氣體的存量。

6.measurement : (n.)測量

7.concentration: (n.)氣體的密度

8.sporadic : (n.)偶發的、零零星星的

9.organism : (n.)有機體

10. it is not a ludicrous suggestion that..:

=>ludicrous: (adj.)可笑的 / suggestion:(n.)提示、暗示

=>此處指的是,因為大部分甲烷來自於生命等有機體,如果能在火星上發現一定濃度的甲烷,暗示生命可能存在,絕對不是開玩笑。

11. microbe:(n.)微生物

How did we get here? Two reasons. The first was the willingness of the people who wanted this programme. And the second was that, despite all the storms - the funding problems, the politics - we worked as if nothing was happening outside. We worked triple shifts; we worked seven days a week. And you see the result.

 

10.willingness :(n.)意願

11.despite…:儘管…..

12. funding: (n.)資金

13. triple shifts : shift意思是輪班,此處指科學家一天輪三班

 

So                 ( Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-34919025) 

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