【正文】 Lesson 2 Is the Aerospace Industry Ready for Mars? CATALOGUE About the Author Warmup Activities Background Information Language Points Keys text About the Author 《 紐約時報 》 （ The New York Times）是一份在美國紐 約出版的報紙，在全世界發(fā)行，有相當(dāng)?shù)挠绊懥?。它有時 也被戲稱為“灰色女士”（ The Gray Lady）或簡稱為“時報” （ The Times）。它最初的名字是“紐約每日時報”（ The NewYork Daily Times），創(chuàng)始人是亨利 J雷蒙德和喬治 瓊斯。他們當(dāng)時打算發(fā)行一份比較嚴(yán)肅的報紙，來打破當(dāng) 時在紐約盛行的花花綠綠的新聞報道方式。 About the Author 1851 September 18 We publish today the first issue of the NewYork Daily Times, and we intend to issue it every morning (Sundays excepted) for an indefinite number of years to e. The founders are Henry Jarvis Raymond and Gee Jones. 在 1851年 9月 18日它的首刊中該報寫到：“今天我們發(fā)行紐約每日時報的首刊，我們打算在今后無限期內(nèi)每天早晨（周日除外）發(fā)行一刊。” About the Author 紐約時報享有可靠的新聞來源的聲譽。它的社論一般被認(rèn) 為是比較開通的。不過實際上它的社論是由許多不同的作 者撰寫的，而他們的觀點則從左到右各不相同。 許多年后該報也在周日發(fā)行。今天周日版是紐約時報每周篇幅最大的一版，除新聞報道外其中還包括許多專欄如食品、旅游、藝術(shù)和其它文化專題。 許多保守派人物認(rèn)為紐約時報的新聞報道，尤其是它的社 論，太自由開放。甚至有許多人就紐約時報對美國政治界 的影響著書。與紐約時報相比在紐約出版的另兩份重要報 紙紐約郵報和華爾街日報至少在其社論方面比較保守。 Warmup Activities it necessary and sensible for us to spend a huge amount of money to explore the outer space? 2. What do you know about Mars? In your opinion, is it possible that there life on Mars? Background Information Experimental space exploration dates back to as early as 1912 when the Europeans discovered cosmic rays through balloon flight. In the 1940s USA first observed the Sun’s UV spectrum and solar x rays. The former USSR sent Sputnik1, the first artificial satellite, into space in 1957 which marked the advent of man’s space exploration era. Sputnik1 1. Space Exploration and Mars Survey Background Information In 1958 USA sent Pioneer 0 into Lunar Orbiter. Apollo 11 was the first manned lunar landing, which took place on July 20, 1969. Neil A Armstrong and Edward E Aldrin collected kilograms of soil and rock samples and deployed experiments. USA launched several manned lunar explorations in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Apollo 17 carried Eugene A Cernan, Harrison H Schmitt, and Ronald B Evans onto the moon on December 12, 1972. They became the last persons on the moon. Crew Apollo 11 1. Space Exploration and Mars Survey 1. Space Exploration and Mars Survey Former USSR’s attempts to explore Mars in the earlier 1960s failed. USA began its Mars exploration in 1964. Since then USA has been attempting to know more about Mars and considering sending man onto it. Like Earth, Mars has polar ice caps and clouds in its atmosphere, seasonal weather patterns, volcanoes, canyons and other recognizable features. However, conditions on Mars vary wildly from what we know on our own pla. Background Information Mars 1. Space Exploration and Mars Survey Over the past three decades, spacecraft have shown us that Mars is rocky, cold, and sterile beneath its hazy, pink sky. We’ve discovered that today’s Martian wasteland hints at a formerly volatile world where volcanoes once raged, meteors plowed deep craters, and flash floods rushed over the land. And Mars continues to throw out new enticements with each landing or orbital pass made by spacecrafts. Background Information Volcano on Mars Among our discoveries about Mars, one stands out above all others: the possible presence of liquid water on Mars, either in its ancient past or preserved in the subsurface today. Water is key because almost everywhere we find water on Earth, we find life. If Mars once had liquid water, or still does today, it’s pelling to ask whether any microscopic life forms could have developed on its surface. Is there any evidence of life in the pla’s past? If so, could any of these tiny living creatures still exist today? Imagine how exciting it would be to answer, ―Yes!!‖ Background Information 1. Space Exploration and Mars Survey Even if Ma