SpaceX星舰第四次试飞成功

近日，美国太空探索技术公司（SpaceX）的“星舰”（Starship）火箭进行第四次试飞，最终实现海面软着陆，完成预定目标，创造人类历史。

🤔️小作业：

1. Based on the passage, why is the flight considered encouraging for NASA officials?

A) Because it showcased the successful use of Starlink satellites

B) Because it demonstrated the viability of SpaceX's break-it-then-fix-it approach

C) Because it proved that Starship can be used for the Artemis III mission

D) Because it showed SpaceX's dominance in the global space industry

2. Which of the following words can best replace "searing" in thepassage?

A) Intense  B) Gentle

C) Mild  D) Cold

无注释原文：

SpaceX's Starship Rocket Successfully Completes 1st Return From Space

From: The New York Times

SpaceX's launch of its giant Starship rocket accomplished a set of ambitious goals on Thursday that Elon Musk, the company's chief executive, set out before the test flight, its fourth.

The flight, while not a perfect success, offered a sign that Mr. Musk's vision of building the most powerful rocket ever and making it reusable could again transform a global space launch industry that his company already dominates. It is most likely encouraging for officials at NASA, which will use a version of Starship to take astronauts to the surface of the moon during its Artemis III mission, currently scheduled for late 2026.

Bill Nelson, the administrator of NASA, offered his congratulations on X, the social media site that Mr. Musk owns.

“We are another step closer to returning humanity to the Moon through #Artemis—then looking onward to Mars,” he wrote.

The upper-stage Starship vehicle was lifted into space, coasted halfway around the world, survived thesearingheat of re-entry and then made a water landing in the Indian Ocean, as planned.

During the descent, cameras on the spacecraft captured the colorful glow of gases heating up below it. At an altitude of above 30 miles, part of one of the steering flaps started falling apart, but it still held together. The view then became obstructed when debris cracked the camera lens.

“The question is how much of the ship is left,” Kate Tice, one of the hosts of the SpaceX broadcast said.

But real-time data continued to stream back, via SpaceX's Starlink internet satellites, to company's headquarters in Hawthorne, Calif., all the way until the altitude was reported at 0 — back to the surface of the Indian Ocean.

A final maneuver to flip Starship to a vertical position just before landing was commanded.

“Despite loss of many tiles and a damaged flap, Starship made it all the way to a soft landing in the ocean!” Mr. Musk wrote on X.

A crowd of onlooking SpaceX employees outside mission control, cheered wildly, seeing the outcome as a validation of the company's break-it-then-fix-it approach to engineering.

Earlier in the flight, the rocket's first stage, the giant Super Heavy booster with 33 engines, was also able to perform maneuvers that in the future would take it back to the launch site. For this flight, it made a simulated landing in the Gulf of the Mexico.

- ◆ -

注：完整题目见本文开头；中文文本为纽约时报官方译文，仅供参考

含注释全文：

SpaceX's Starship Rocket Successfully Completes 1st Return From Space

From: The New York Times

SpaceX's launch of its giant Starship rocket accomplished a set of ambitious goals on Thursday that Elon Musk, the company's chief executive,set outbefore the test flight, its fourth.

周四，SpaceX成功发射了重型火箭“星舰”，实现了公司首席执行官埃隆·马斯克在这次试飞前制定的一系列雄心勃勃的目标，这是该火箭的第四次试飞。

set out

set out 1）表示“出发，启程”，英文解释为“to start a journey”

2）表示“（怀着特定目的）开始，着手”，英文解释为“to start an activity with a particular aim”举个🌰：She set out with the aim of becoming the youngest ever winner of the championship. 她努力的目标就是成为历史上最年轻的冠军。They set out to discover a cure for cancer. 他们开始寻找一种治愈癌症的方法。

3）set sth out 表示“（尤指书面）详述，阐明”，英文解释为“to give the details of something or to explain it, especially in writing, in a clear, organized way”举个🌰：The board has set out its goals/plans/proposals for the coming year. 董事会阐述了下一年的目标/计划/建议。

The flight, while not a perfect success, offered a sign that Mr. Musk's vision of building the most powerful rocket ever and making itreusablecould againtransforma global space launch industry that his company alreadydominates. It is most likely encouraging for officials at NASA, which will use a version of Starship to take astronauts to the surface of the moon during its Artemis III mission, currentlyscheduledfor late 2026.

虽然这次试飞并不完美，但它表明，马斯克制造迄今最大运载火箭，并让其能重复使用的愿景可能会再次改变全球航天发射行业，他的公司已在该行业占主导地位。对美国国家航空航天局(NASA)的官员来说，这可能是最令人鼓舞的消息，NASA将在完成“阿尔忒弥斯3号”任务时使用某种类型的“星舰”将宇航员送到月球表面，登月时间目前定在2026年底。

reusable

reusable /ˌriːˈjuː.zə.bəl/ 表示“可重复使用的”，英文解释为“able to be used more than once”如：reusable nappies/packaging 可重复使用的尿布/包装。

transform

transform /trænsˈfɔːm/ 表示“使彻底改观；使大变样”，英文解释为“to change completely the appearance or character of something or someone, especially so that that thing or person is improved”举个🌰：The reorganization will transform the entertainment industry. 这次重组将使娱乐业大为改观。

dominate

dominate /ˈdɒm.ɪ.neɪt/ 表示“占支配地位；占主导地位；拥有优势；最明显的”，英文解释为“To dominate a situation means to be the most powerful or important person or thing in it.”举个🌰：The book is expected to dominate the best-seller lists. 这本书预期将居畅销书榜首。

schedule

schedule /ˈʃedʒ.uːl/ /ˈskedʒ.uːl/ 表示“为…安排时间；安排，排定”，英文解释为“to arrange that an event or activity will happen at a particular time”举个🌰：The meeting has been scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. 会议安排在明天下午。

Bill Nelson, the administrator of NASA, offered his congratulations on X, the social media site that Mr. Musk owns.

NASA负责人比尔·尼尔森在社交媒体平台X上表达了祝贺，该平台也被马斯克拥有。

“We are another step closer to returning humanity to the Moon through #Artemis—then looking onward to Mars,” he wrote.

“我们向通过#阿尔忒弥斯让人类离重返月球又迈近了一步，然后向火星前进，”他写道。

The upper-stage Starship vehicle was lifted into space,coastedhalfway around the world, survived thesearingheat of re-entry and then made a water landing in the Indian Ocean, as planned.

“星舰”飞船位于火箭顶部，进入太空后，飞船绕地球飞行了半圈，经受住了重返大气层的高温烧灼，然后按计划溅落在印度洋。

coast

coast /kəʊst/ 作名词，表示“海岸；沿海地区”，英文解释为“the land next to or close to the sea”

熟词僻义，作动词，1）表示“（通常指下山时凭借惯性）滑行，下滑；（不用多少动力）快速平稳地移动”，英文解释为“to move forward in a vehicle without using the engine, usually down a hill；to move quickly and smoothly, without using much power”举个🌰：The plane coasted down the runway.飞机顺着跑道平稳滑行。

2）表示“毫不费力取得进展；轻而易举取得胜利”，英文解释为“in every part of a country: ”举个🌰：He coasted through his final exams.他毫不费劲地通过了期末考试。

searing

searing /ˈsɪə.rɪŋ/ 表示“（感觉、温度等）极度的，强烈的”，英文解释为“If something, such as a feeling or temperature, is described as searing, it is extreme.”举个🌰：A searing pain shot up her ARM. 她的手臂忽觉一阵火辣辣的痛。

During thedescent, cameras on the spacecraft captured the colorfulglowof gases heating up below it. At analtitudeof above 30 miles, part of one of thesteering flapsstarted falling apart, but it still held together. The view then becameobstructedwhendebris crackedthe cameralens.

在降落过程中，飞船上的摄像机捕捉到了下方的气体温度升高后发出的彩色光芒。在降到距海平面约5万米的高度时，飞船一个转向襟翼的一部分逐渐开始破损，但没有完全解体。接下来的视频拍摄因镜头被碎片击破受到了妨碍。

descent

descent /dɪˈsent/ 作名词，表示“血缘关系，家族关系；祖先；出身，血统”，英文解释为“the state or fact of being related to a particular person or group of people who lived in the past”如：of Asian descent 亚裔，举个🌰：She's a woman of mixed/French descent. 她是一个混血/法裔女人。

📍descent 还有“下降，下落；下沉”的意思，可以作名词也可作动词，英文解释为“a movement down”举个🌰：The plane began (to make) its final descent into the airport. 飞机开始（做）最终下降，准备在机场着陆。

📍还可以表示“不期而至，突然到达”，英文解释为“an occasion when a group of people arrive somewhere, usually suddenly or unexpectedly”，举个🌰：We weren't prepared for the descent of thousands of journalists on the town. 我们没想到数千名记者会突然来到镇上。

glow

glow /ɡləʊ/ 作名词，表示“发光；发热；光亮；灼热”，英文解释为“continuous light and/or heat that is produced by something”举个🌰：Neon emits a characteristic red glow. 氖发出独特的红光。

altitude

altitude /ˈæl.tɪ.tʃuːd/ 表示“海拔；海拔高度；高程”，英文解释为“the height above sea level”举个🌰：We are flying at an altitude of 6 000 metres. 我们的飞行高度是6 000米。

区分：

📍latitude：the distance of a place north or south of the equator (= the line around the world dividing north and south) , measured in degrees 纬度;

📍longitude：the distance of a place east or west of the Greenwich meridian , measured in degrees 经度。

steering

steering 表示“（车辆等的）转向装置”，英文解释为“the machinery in a vehicle that you use to control the direction it goes in”

steer /stɪər/ 作动词，1）表示“引导，带领”，英文解释为“to take someone or something or make someone or something go in the direction in which you want him, her, or it”举个🌰：She steered her guests into the dining room. 她把客人们领到餐厅。

2）表示“驾驶”，英文解释为“When you steer a car, boat, or plane, you control it so that it goes in the direction that you want.”举个🌰：He steered the boat into the harbour. 他把船开进港。

flap

flap /flæp/ 作动词，表示“振（翅）；扑打翅膀；拍打，摆动”，英文解释为“to wave something, especially wings when or as if flying”举个🌰：A small bird flapped its wings furiously and flew off. 一只小鸟用力扑扇翅膀，向上飞去。

作名词，flap /flæp/ 表示“（飞机的）襟翼，副翼，阻力板”，英文解释为“part of the back of an aircraft wing that can be moved up or down to help the aircraft go up or down”

obstruct

obstruct /əbˈstrʌkt/ 表示“阻碍；阻止，阻挠；妨碍”，英文解释为“to try to stop something from happening or developing”如：to obstruct a police investigation 阻挠警方的调查。

debris

debris /ˈdeb.riː/ 表示“碎片，残片；残渣；垃圾；废弃物”，英文解释为“pieces of material that are not wanted and rubbish/garbage that are left somewhere”举个🌰：Clear away leaves and other garden debris from the pond. 把池塘里的树叶和其他庭园垃圾清除干净。

crack

crack /kræk/ 作动词，1）表示“（使）破裂；（使）裂开；（使）产生裂纹”，英文解释为“to break something so that it does not separate, but very thin lines appear on its surface, or to become broken in this way”举个🌰：A stone hit the window and cracked the glass. 石块击中窗户，打裂了玻璃。

2）表示“说（笑话）；开玩笑，说俏皮话”，英文解释为“If you crack a joke, you tell it.”举个🌰：He drove a Volkswagen, cracked jokes, and talked about beer and girls. 那时他开着一辆大众牌汽车，讲着笑话，谈论着啤酒和女孩。

📰奥巴马卸任后首次重返白宫 和拜登互开玩笑文中提到，INSIDER标题：Obama cracks joke at 'Vice President' Biden during White House event.

作名词，crack /kræk/ 1）表示“裂缝，缝隙；裂口”，英文解释为“a very narrow space between parts of something”举个🌰：Cracks had appeared in the dry ground. 干涸的土地上出现了裂缝。

2）表示“爆裂声；噼啪声”如：the crack of a rifle/whip/breaking branch 步枪/鞭子／树枝断裂的噼啪声。

作形容词，可以表示“优秀的；顶呱呱的；第一流的”，英文解释为“excellent, or of the highest quality”如：a crack regiment 王牌军团，crack troops 精锐部队。

lens

lens /lenz/ 作名词，表示“镜片，镜头，透镜”，英文解释为“a curved piece of glass, plastic, or other transparent material, used in cameras, glasses, and scientific equipment, that makes objects seem closer, larger, smaller, etc.”如：a camera with a Zoom lens 变焦（镜头）照相机。作动词，表示“拍摄”。

“The question is how much of the ship is left,” Kate Tice, one of the hosts of the SpaceX broadcast said.

“问题是飞船还剩下多大部分，”SpaceX直播节目的主持人之一凯特·泰斯说。

But real-time data continued tostreamback, via SpaceX's Starlink internet satellites, to company's headquarters in Hawthorne, Calif., all the way until the altitude was reported at 0 — back to the surface of the Indian Ocean.

尽管摄像机不再工作，但实时数据继续通过SpaceX的“星链”卫星互联网传回公司位于加利福尼亚州霍桑的总部，直到飞船报出了零海拔高度，也就是降到了印度洋面。

stream

stream /striːm/ 作动词，1）表示“流，流动；流出，涌出”，英文解释为“to flow somewhere or produce liquid, quickly and in large amounts without stopping”举个🌰：There were tears streaming down his face. 泪水顺着他的脸滑落。

2）表示“用流式传输，流播（无须待整个文件下载到计算机便可播放互联网上的视频或音频文件）；在线收听（或收看）”，英文解释为“to play video or sound on a computer by receiving it as a continuous stream, from the Internet for example, rather than needing to wait until the whole of the material has been downloaded”。

📍streaming 名词，表示“（音频或视频的）流动式接收，在线收听（或收看）”，英文解释为“the activity of listening to or watching sound or video directly from the internet”举个🌰：LR Sports now comes with free live streaming for mobile devices.LR体育台现在向用户提供免费的手机直播服务。

📍streaming service表示“流媒体服务，串流服务”，英文解释为“a service that sends video, music, etc., over the internet so that people can watch or listen to it immediately rather than having to download it, or rather than having to watch or listen at a particular time when something is broadcast”举个🌰：A streaming service such as Netflix or Amazon Prime provides unlimited streaming of TV shows, movies, comedy specials and original programming. 网飞或亚马逊Prime等流媒体服务可提供电视节目、电影、喜剧特辑和原创节目的无限流媒体节目。

A finalmaneuvertoflipStarship to averticalposition just before landing wascommanded.

溅落之前，飞船收到了翻转为垂直状态的命令。

maneuver

英式 manoeuvre /məˈnuːvə/ 美式 maneuver /məˈnuːvə/，1）作名词，表示“细致巧妙的移动；机动动作”，英文解释为“a movement performed with care and skill”；也可以表示“策略；手段；花招；伎俩”，英文解释为“a clever plan, action or movement that is used to give sb an advantage”

2）作动词，表示“（使谨慎或熟练地）移动，运动；转动”，英文解释为“to move or turn skilfully or carefully; to move or turn sth skilfully or carefully”举个🌰：There was very little room to maneuver. 几乎没有什么活动空间。

📍manoeuvring /məˈnuː.vər.ɪŋ/ 1）表示“策略”，英文解释为“the action of cleverly planning something to get an advantage”举个🌰：The directors managed to secure a good deal for the company with a bit of subtle manoeuvring. 董事们略施巧计，为公司赢得了一桩好买卖。

2）表示“精巧动作”，英文解释为“the action of moving, or of moving something, with skill and care”举个🌰：With some careful manoeuvring, I was able to get the car into the narrow space. 经过小心操作，我将汽车驶进了这个狭窄的空间。

flip

flip /flɪp/ 1）表示“投掷（尤指硬币）”，英文解释为“If you flip something, especially a coin, you use your thumb to make it turn over and over, as it goes through the air.”举个🌰：I pulled a coin from my pocket and flipped it. 我从口袋里掏出一枚硬币，把它投掷出去。

2）表示“翻动，转动”，英文解释为“If something flips over, or if you flip it over or into a different position, it moves or is moved into a different position.”举个🌰：The plane then flipped over and burst into flames. 这时飞机翻了个个儿，接着就燃烧了起来。

vertical

vertical /ˈvɜː.tɪ.kəl/ 表示“竖直的；垂直的；立式的”，英文解释为“standing or pointing straight up or at an angle of 90° to a horizontal surface or line”如：vertical lines/stripes 竖线/竖条纹。

command

command /kəˈmɑːnd/ U 1）表示“命令，指示”，英文解释为“to give someone an order”举个🌰：He commanded that the troops (should) cross the water. 他命令部队渡河。

2）表示“指挥；统帅；管辖”，英文解释为“to control someone or something and tell him, her, or it what to do”

3）熟词僻义，表示“应得，值得”，英文解释为“to deserve and get something good, such as attention, respect, or a lot of money”举个🌰：She was one of those teachers who just commanded respect. 她是那些值得尊敬的老师中的一位。She commands one of the highest fees per film in Hollywood. 她是好莱坞片酬最高的演员之一。

📍《经济学人》（The Economist）一篇讲述当今汽车产业的文章中提到：The only firm that commands their confidence is Tesla, an electric-car specialist, whose shares are up by 64% this year. 唯一能赢得投资者信心的公司是专做电动汽车的特斯拉，它的股票今年上涨了64%。

“Despite loss of many tiles and a damaged flap, Starship made it all the way to a soft landing in the ocean!” Mr. Musk wrote on X.

“尽管损失了许多陶瓷瓦片，襟翼也受到了损坏，但‘星舰'还是成功地在海上软溅落了！”马斯克在X上写道。

A crowd of onlooking SpaceX employees outside mission control, cheered wildly, seeing the outcome as avalidationof the company's break-it-then-fix-it approach to engineering.

在任务控制中心外，一群观看直播的SpaceX员工极为兴奋地欢呼雀跃起来，他们将这次成功视为确认了公司用“先创再修”(break-it-then-fix-it)方法进行工程设计的有效性。

validation

validation /ˌvæl.ɪˈdeɪ.ʃən/ 1）表示“证明，证据”，英文解释为“proof that something is correct”举个🌰：He saw this result as validation of his theory. 他认为这个结果证实了他的理论。

2）表示“批准；认证”，英文解释为“the act or process of making something officially or legally acceptable or approved”举个🌰：Parking is free with validation of your ticket by one of the outlets in the mall. 停车是免费的，您可以在购物中心里的任一商店验证您的车票。

Earlier in the flight, the rocket's first stage, the giant Super Heavyboosterwith 33 engines, was also able to perform maneuvers that in the future would take it back to the launch site. For this flight, it made asimulatedlanding in the Gulf of the Mexico.

火箭的第一级，也就是带有33个发动机的超极重型助推器在飞行的早些时候也完成了一些操作，这些操作以后能让其重返发射场。在这次飞行中，它在墨西哥湾完成了模拟降落动作。

booster

booster /ˈbuː.stər/ 1）表示“（航天器的）推进器”，英文解释为“an engine on a spacecraft that gives extra power for the first part of a flight”如：a rocket booster 火箭推进器。

2）表示“（增强药效的）辅助药剂”，英文解释为“a small amount of a substance that is given to increase the effect of the same substance given some time before, to continue to protect a person from illness”如：a polio booster 小儿麻痹症辅助药剂。

📍booster / booster shot / booster dose用来指加强针（疫苗）。

simulated

simulated /ˈsɪm.jə.leɪ.tɪd/ 表示“模拟的；模仿的”，英文解释为“made to look like or have the features of something else”举个🌰：The community has held training sessions, including a simulated attack. 社区举办了训练课程，包括模拟攻击。

- 词汇盘点 -

set out、 reusable、 transform、 dominate、 schedule、 coast、 searing、 descent、 glow、 altitude、 steering、 flap、 obstruct、 debris、 crack、 lens、 stream、 maneuver、 flip、 vertical、 command、 validation、 booster、 simulated

- 词汇助记 By ChatGPT -

Set out to transform space travel, a reusable booster dominates the skies. During a simulated descent, glowing at searing altitudes, the craft's flaps maneuver, flipping vertical to coast. A crack in the lens obstructs debris streaming past, yet steering commands validation of its course.

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