Lesson 35 Space odyssey

The Moon is likely to become the industrial hub of the Solar System,

月球很可能成為太陽系的工業中心。

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

supplying the rocket fuels for its ships,

作為航天飛船的燃料。

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

easily obtainable from the lunar rocks in the form of liquid oxygen.

從月球上的巖石中很容易提煉出液態氧，

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

The reason lies in its gravity.

其原因在于月球的重力。

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

Because the Moon has only an eightieth of the Earth's mass,

因為月球的重量只有地球的1/8，

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

it requires 97 per cent less energy to travel the quarter of a million miles from the Moon to Earth-orbit than the 200 mile-journey from Earth's surface into orbit!

因此，從月球到地球的25萬英里所消耗的能量要比從地球表面進入地球軌道的200英里所耗能量少97%。

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

This may sound fantastic, but it is easily calculated.

這點聽起來令人難以置信，但卻很容易計算出來。

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

To escape from the Earth in a rocket, one must travel at seven miles per second.

要乘坐一枚火箭飛離地球，火箭的速度要達到每秒7英里，

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

The comparable speed from the Moon is only 1.5 miles per second.

而從月球出發的相應速度只是每秒1。5英里。

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

Because the gravity on the Moon's surface is only a sixth of Earth's

由于月球表面的重力僅是地球表面的1/6-

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

(remember how easily the Apollo astronauts bounded along),

還記得阿波羅飛船中的宇航員輕松地跳躍-

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

it takes much less energy to accelerate to that 1.5 miles per second than it does on Earth.

在月球上加速到每秒1。5英里比在地球上所用能源要少得多。

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

Moondwellers will be able to fly in space at only three percent of the cost of similar journeys by their terrestrial cousins.

月球居民在太空遨游的費用僅是地球上朋友飛越同樣路所需費用的3%。

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

Arthur C.Clark once suggested a revolutionary idea passes through three phases:

Arthur C.Clark曾經提出，一個革命性的想法經過三個階段：

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

1 'It's impossible---- don't waste my time.'

一、"根本不可能，不要浪費我的時間。"

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

2 'It's possible, but not worth doing.'

二、 可能，但不值得做。"

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

3 'I said it was a good idea all along.'

三、 我一直說這是個好想法。"

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

The idea of colonising Mars---- a world 160 times more distant than the Moon----

征服火星的計劃-一個比月球遠160倍的星球

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

will move decisively from the second phase to the third,

就可以明確地從第2階段進入第3階段。

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

when a significant number of people are living permanently in space.

如果有相當數量的人永久性地住在太空，

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

Mars has an extraordinary fascination for would-be voyagers.

火星對未來的星際旅客來說有著特殊的魅力。

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

America, Russia and Europe are filled with enthusiasts----

美國、俄羅斯和歐洲都有許多熱心此項事業的人

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

many of them serious and senior scientists---- who dream of sending people to it.

其中的不少人是認真和資深的科學家，他們一直夢想著把人送上火星。

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

Their aim is understandable.

他們的目標是可以理解的。

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

It is the one world in the Solar System that is most like the Earth.

火星是太陽系里與地球最接近的一顆行星。

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

It is a world of red sandy deserts (hence its name----the Red Planet),

紅色行星），

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

cloudless skies, savage sandstorms,

無云的天空，兇猛的沙暴，

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

chasms wider than the Grand Canyon and at least one mountain more than twice as tall as Everest.

比大峽谷還寬的裂縫，起碼有一座山有珠穆朗瑪峰的近兩倍高。

Lesson 35 Space odyssey

It seems ideal for settlement.

看起來，它很適合居住。

Lesson 36 The cost of government

If a nation is essentially disunited, it is left to the government to hold it together.

如果一個國家實際上處于分裂狀態，使之聯合起來就是政府的事了。