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VOA慢速英语2011--Space Shuttle Program Nears an End

时间:2011-03-30 05:12:36

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CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS, in VOA Special English. I’m Christopher Cruise.
BOB DOUGHTY1: And I’m Bob Doughty. Today, we will tell about American plans for space exploration after the space shuttle program. We tell how more and more Americans are using the Internet to gather information about their health. And we tell about a study that linked eating apples to a longer life.
(MUSIC)
CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: The end is near. The American space shuttle Discovery returned to earth on March ninth after visiting the International Space Station. Now there are only two shuttle flights left. The shuttle Endeavor is set for launch in the middle of April. Near the end of June, the shuttle Atlantis will return to space. Then, after thirty years and one hundred thirty-five flights, the shuttle program ends.
BOB DOUGHTY: So, what is next for NASA, the American space agency? The answer is…many things. But for a while, NASA will not be sending any humans into space. Using astronauts is costly2.
Earlier this month, NASA signed a deal with Russia’s space agency to transport American astronauts to the International Space Station. NASA says the agreement is worth more than seventy-hundred fifty million dollars. Under the agreement, the Russian space agency will take twelve astronauts to Space Station between twenty-fourteen and twenty-sixteen.
Space Shuttle Discovery completing its 39th and final flight
CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: In the months to come, the American space agency will mainly use robotic devices that explore planets and our solar system. Earlier this month, NASA scientists watched the spacecraft Messenger as it began to orbit the planet Mercury. It took Messenger six years to travel to Mercury. Over thirty years ago, NASA sent the Mariner3 Ten spacecraft to the planet closest to the Sun. But Messenger is the first to go into orbit around the planet.
Messenger has a lot of work to do. While in orbit, it will look for magnetized rocks in the planet’s crust. Another experiment will make a highly detailed4 map of the surface of this very hot planet. Are there gases or minerals on Mercury? Messenger’s scientific equipment will gather information and send it back to Earth, one hundred fifty-five million kilometers away.
BOB DOUGHTY: This August, the American space agency will turn its attention to the planet Jupiter. NASA plans to send the spacecraft Juno to the largest planet in our solar system. Juno will make thirty-two trips around the planet in about a year. It will attempt to learn how much water is in Jupiter’s atmosphere. It will also try to find what is deep inside the planet. Scientists say that the information from Juno will help them understand the beginnings of our solar system.
The National Research Council advises the United States government on science, health, and technology issues. Earlier this month, the NRC suggested that NASA plan robotic missions to Mars, and to Europa, an icy moon of Jupiter. The Council says programs like these will provide the most scientific knowledge for the money spent.
CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: The United States Congress will decide NASA’s budget for twenty-twelve. The Obama administration has asked for a small amount of money to aid commercial human space flights. The administration has asked for almost three billion dollars for NASA to start plans for something to replace the shuttles. Scientists think the next spacecrafts will be able to fly to the moon, asteroids5, and other places much deeper in space than we have gone before.
(MUSIC)
BOB DOUGHTY: A new study shows that more than eighty percent of Internet users in the United States search for health information online. The study comes from the Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project and the California HealthCare Foundation.
Susannah Fox from the Pew Internet Project says doctors are still the main providers of health information. But the survey found that exploring the Internet is one of the leading ways that people look for a second opinion.
SUSANNAH FOX: "People are sort of fact-checking what they have heard from a doctor. Our studies show that people are still very likely to turn to a health professional when they need a diagnosis6 or are planning a treatment."
CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: Forty-four percent of people are looking for doctors or other providers when they search for health information online. Another finding of the survey: Two-thirds of Internet users look online for information about a specific disease or medical condition.
The Internet has also become an important resource of emotional support for people with health problems. Susannah Fox says one in five Internet users has gone online to find other people who have the same condition.
SUSANNAH FOX: "It was more prevalent among people with more serious health issues -- one in four people living with chronic7 disease. And it was basically off the charts with people living with rare disease. They are so eager to find other people online who share their health concerns."
BOB DOUGHTY: A disease is considered rare if it affects fewer than two hundred thousand people worldwide. The rise of social networking has made it easier for people with rare diseases to connect with each other and feel less alone. Social networking is also changing the way some doctors and patients communicate with each other.
Dr. Jeff Livingston operates a medical center for women in Irving, Texas. His office uses password-protected computer software to share information with patients.
JEFF LIVINGSTON: "We provide the patient full access to their medical care. Anything I can see, the patient can see. All of their notes, all of their doctor visits are right there. All of their lab work is right there."
BOB DOUGHTY: Dr. Livingston says the software has increased efficiency, reduced costs and improved relations with patients.
JEFF LIVINGSTON: "It has just revolutionized the way we do health care."
BOB DOUGHTY: His medical center also has a Facebook page, a MySpace page and a Twitter feed.
(MUSIC)
CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: In the eighteen hundreds, the people of Wales advised, “Eat an apple on going to bed, and you will keep the doctor from earning his bread.” In the United States, you are more likely to hear that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” These sayings mean about the same thing. Red, green, or yellow…color is not important. People, and doctors, know that apples are good for you.
Now, a new report says that apples may even help you to live longer. The report was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Scientists at the Chinese University of Hong Kong used fruit flies in their tests. These small insects have many of the same genes8 as humans. The scientists gave some of them a substance from apples called polyphenol antioxidants.
Fruit flies normally live about fifty days. But the ones with the apple chemical lived about fifty-five days. That is a ten percent increase in lifespan! The researchers also found that the polyphenol antioxidents helped the flies walk, climb, and move around better as they got older.
Workers inspect Golden Delicious apples for packing at the Rice Fruit Company in Gardners, Pennsylvania
BOB DOUGHTY: Apples also contain fiber9, which helps with the processing of food in the body. One kind of fiber, called pectin, helps to prevent fat from building up in the blood. Studies have shown that women who ate apples often had from thirteen to twenty-two percent less chance of having heart disease.
Another kind of fiber in apples helps food move through the body faster. That helps to keep intestines10 clean and healthy. And, of course, apples are rich in vitamin C, especially when you eat an uncooked apple, skin included.
CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: Some people think that apples can help people to lose weight. Apples are naturally low in calories. But the act of eating a fresh apple may also help, because breaking down the fruit takes time. Eating more slowly is better for your health. Apples need to be chewed and chewed and chewed. By the time you are done, your stomach feels full.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations says apples are grown in many parts of the world. There are over seven thousand five hundred kinds of apples. China and the United States are the largest producers. But you can also find apples in South Africa, South America, Europe, South Asia, Australia and other places.
BOB DOUGHTY: Last year, eighty-six scientists from around the world found all the genes in “Golden Delicious” apples. They hope to use this information to make a fruit that is better tasting and more disease resistant11.
So the next time you go to see grandmother and grandfather, take some apples along. They just might make them feel better and live longer.
(MUSIC)
CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS was written by Jim Tedder12 and June Simms, who also was our producer. I’m Christopher Cruise.
BOB DOUGHTY: And I’m Bob Doughty. Join us again next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 doughty Jk5zg     
adj.勇猛的,坚强的
参考例句:
  • Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质:脾气倔强,性格刚强。
  • The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。
2 costly 7zXxh     
adj.昂贵的,价值高的,豪华的
参考例句:
  • It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
  • This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用,左不过贵了些。
3 mariner 8Boxg     
n.水手号不载人航天探测器,海员,航海者
参考例句:
  • A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner.平静的大海决不能造就熟练的水手。
  • A mariner must have his eye upon rocks and sands as well as upon the North Star.海员不仅要盯着北极星,还要注意暗礁和险滩。
4 detailed xuNzms     
adj.详细的,详尽的,极注意细节的,完全的
参考例句:
  • He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
  • A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。
5 asteroids d02ebba086eb60b6155b94e12649ff84     
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。
6 diagnosis GvPxC     
n.诊断,诊断结果,调查分析,判断
参考例句:
  • His symptoms gave no obvious pointer to a possible diagnosis.他的症状无法作出明确的诊断。
  • The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做一次彻底的调查分析。
7 chronic BO9zl     
adj.(疾病)长期未愈的,慢性的;极坏的
参考例句:
  • Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
  • Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。
8 genes 01914f8eac35d7e14afa065217edd8c0     
n.基因( gene的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因,所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪
9 fiber NzAye     
n.纤维,纤维质
参考例句:
  • The basic structural unit of yarn is the fiber.纤维是纱的基本结构单元。
  • The material must be free of fiber clumps.这种材料必须无纤维块。
10 intestines e809cc608db249eaf1b13d564503dbca     
n.肠( intestine的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Perhaps the most serious problems occur in the stomach and intestines. 最严重的问题或许出现在胃和肠里。 来自辞典例句
  • The traps of carnivorous plants function a little like the stomachs and small intestines of animals. 食肉植物的捕蝇器起着动物的胃和小肠的作用。 来自辞典例句
11 resistant 7Wvxh     
adj.(to)抵抗的,有抵抗力的
参考例句:
  • Many pests are resistant to the insecticide.许多害虫对这种杀虫剂有抵抗力。
  • They imposed their government by force on the resistant population.他们以武力把自己的统治强加在持反抗态度的人民头上。
12 tedder 2833afc4f8252d8dc9f8cd73b24db55d     
n.(干草)翻晒者,翻晒机
参考例句:
  • Jim Tedder has more. 吉姆?特德将给我们做更多的介绍。 来自互联网
  • Jim Tedder tells us more. 吉姆?泰德给我们带来更详细的报道。 来自互联网

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