时间:2018-12-08 作者:英语课 分类:VOA标准英语2009年(十二月)


英语课

Photo: NASA

US forces in Iraq speak with 2 NASA astronauts aboard the ISS in a video downlink aired on NASA TV about life on the station, their military careers and what it is like to live in space for up to 6 months, 29 Dec 2009


When many Americans think of the holidays, they envision snowflakes, a homemade meal and time spent with family.  However, that picture is far from reality for the thousands of U.S. servicemen and women stationed abroad this holiday season. Some are serving their nation farther from home than others. 


Two U.S. crew members aboard the International Space Station have spoken with American troops in Iraq.

 

Station Commander Jeff Williams, a retired 1 U.S. Army colonel, and Flight Engineer T.J. Creamer, an Army colonel, talked with U.S. forces Tuesday via a NASA satellite connection in a type of question-and-answer session.


Williams started by thanking the troops for their service and giving an update on the International Space Station's progress. 


"We're getting close to the final assembly of the space station," he said. "We will complete its assembly in 2010 and transition to full utilization 2 in this international partnership 3 made up of the Russians, the U.S., Japanese, European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency."


In addition to discovering similar challenges and rewards in their work with international partners, the astronauts and troops found common ground in facing the difficulty of being away from family and friends for months at a time. 


The astronauts told soldiers that their own experiences in the military had prepared them to face the day-to-day struggles of being in space.  They noted 4 values such as teamwork, a dedication 5 to mission and perseverance 6 are vital whether working on Earth or while orbiting 354 kilometers above it.

 



1 retired
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的
  • The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
  • Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。
2 utilization
n.利用,效用
  • Computer has found an increasingly wide utilization in all fields.电子计算机已越来越广泛地在各个领域得到应用。
  • Modern forms of agricultural utilization,have completely refuted this assumption.现代农业利用形式,完全驳倒了这种想象。
3 partnership
n.合作关系,伙伴关系
  • The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
  • Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。
4 noted
adj.著名的,知名的
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
5 dedication
n.奉献,献身,致力,题献,献辞
  • We admire her courage,compassion and dedication.我们钦佩她的勇气、爱心和奉献精神。
  • Her dedication to her work was admirable.她对工作的奉献精神可钦可佩。
6 perseverance
n.坚持不懈,不屈不挠
  • It may take some perseverance to find the right people.要找到合适的人也许需要有点锲而不舍的精神。
  • Perseverance leads to success.有恒心就能胜利。
标签: astronaut
学英语单词
-gen.
a-lot
accelerator M
active image
afterripening
allergy-free
amortization factor
amphibole groups
arithmetic mean particle diameter
arrowgrass
autoerythrocyte sensitization syndrome
beam-loading
bend slider
benzyne intermediate
berkeley standard distribution
Biot, Jean Baptiste
Black-Shouldered
boot leaf
brain deaths
break-your-heart
cephathiamidin
charging conduit
chromic pyrophosphate
Cleanthes
cognitive functions
component curve
compound aneurysm
consignified
Corydalis kailiensis
Criciuma
crystal pleat
decelerating trend
digital automation
disaffirmance
earthed aerial
east-sides
evenness
external security
faction-riddens
family zosteraceaes
Gandhiist
gastro-omental
gate length
genus rheas
geolocates
googleplexes
Granby car
griming
hand-operated photo-typesetting machine
harbour authority
hardware context
hare's eye
heavy duty gas turbine
information delivery
Jacobi matrix
lobed fruit
longitudinal frame system
matriarchist
medial femoral circumflex artery
Microchlaena
mineral exploration system
mishell
modern family
Muir of Fowlis
nonfungal
oligoneustic
over strain
paper formulation
perceived-as
pipe stopper
pitman
plan-makings
price pressure
purge process
rattill
reclaim sb from error
reconciliation of statement
reproachers
Resernine
roundleaf ash
running-in speed
rusaliye (macedonia)
Santa Cruz, Point
seamlessly
seapark
self-absorption correction
sensation of acceleration
sense printer
shoot(ing)
simulated system
Siyambalanduwa
sloganises
sonar countermeasure
steam union gasket
tension link
the flip side
throw someone to the dogs
trichloroacetic acid methyl ester
trifluorotrichloroethane
unstripped gas
unweeningly
virginality