托福听力荟萃 29

（单词翻译）

Not long ago, some of you may have read about a team of mountain-climbing scientists who helped to ______ the ______ of the highest mountain in the world: Mt. Everest. Of course, the elevation¹ of Mt. Everestwas determined² many years ago, using traditional surveying methods. But these scientists wanted to make a more precise measurement using a new method that ______recent advances in technology. It's called the ______. The Global Positioning System uses 24 satellites that circle the Earth. Each of these satellites is constantly sending out signals. And each signal contains important information that can be used to determine the ______ , ______, and elevation of any pointon the Earth's surface. Well, in order to use this system to calculate Mt. Everest's elevation, scientists needed to put a special ______ on its ______ to receivesignals from the satellites. The problem with this was that, in the past, the receivers were much too heavy for climbers to carry. But now these receivers have been reduced to about the size and weight of a handheld telephone, soclimbers were able to take a receiver to the top of Everest and, from there, to______ the satellite system signals that would allow them to determine the precise elevation. And it turns out that the famous peak is actually a few feet higher than was previously³ thought.

【填空答案】

recalculate: v. 重新计算

elevation: n. ［C］海拔

takeadvantageof: 利用

GlobalPositioning System: 全球定位系统

longitude⁴: n. ［U］经度

latitude⁵: n. ［U］纬度

receiver: n. ［C］接收器

summit: n. ［U］定点

access: v. 接近，进入，使用

【听力原文】

Not long ago, some of you may have read about a team of mountain-climbing scientists who helped to recalculate the elevation of the highest mountain in the world: Mt. Everest. Of course,the elevation of Mt. Everestwas determined many years ago, using traditional surveying methods.

But these scientists wanted to make a more precise measurement using a new method that takes advantage of recent advances in technology. It's called the Global Positioning System.

TheGlobal Positioning System uses 24 satellites that circle the Earth. Each of these satellites is constantly sending out signals. And each signal contains important information that can be used to determine the longitude, latitude,and elevation of any point on the Earth's surface.

Well,in order to use this system to calculate Mt. Everest'selevation, scientists needed to put a special receiver on its summit to receive signals from the satellites. The problem with this was that, in the past, the receivers were much too heavy for climbers to carry. But now these receivers have been reduced to about the size and weight of a handheld telephone, so climbers were able to take a receiver to the top of Everest and, from there, to access the satellite system signals that would allow them to determine the precise elevation. And it turns out that the famous peak is actually a few feet higher than was previously thought.