节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2014-02-17
难易度:Medium
关键字:satellite, ascend, laser, combination, cosmos, solar cell
Welcome back.
Have you ever wanted to travel into space?
Today we are discussing the possibilities with our TECHNOLOGY lesson called The
Space Elevator.
I was sad! And so I said: What should I do when I'm down? And she said...
Gabe...
Take an elevator!
Get it? An elevator will lift your spirits.
Hey, Gabe, Gabe! Hey! Earth to Gabe.
Hold on a second.
Carolyn, can't you see I'm engaged in an important conversation here?
Oh! Well, you should be engaged in our show.
I mean, you are getting paid for it.
Right, right.
Mom, I'll call you back later, OK? Bye.
So?
So, let's continue with the next part of our lesson about how a space elevator
works.
(Music).
The Space Elevator.
How would it work?
Over the last several decades, scientists have joined forces to bring the space
elevator closer to reality.
Current plans call for cars called climbers to travel up and down a ribbon-like
cable using electric motors.
In one plan the motors are powered by lasers fired from a ground station at
solar cells on the climber.
In another plan the motors get power from a combination of lasers and sunlight.
Both ways would help the climbers make their journey into space.
All right.
(Chinese).
And now let's go to our teachers.
Thank you, Michelle.
Well, this is getting exciting.
We get to see how a space elevator would work.
Yes. We read: Over the last several decades, scientists have joined forces to
bring the space elevator closer to reality.
Whoa! There's a lot to look at from that sentence.
Let's start with the word: over.
"Over the last several decades" means through the last several decades.
You use the word when talking about time.
And you could use it in other ways.
I'm sorry I couldn't go out with you the other day.
I was really busy over the last couple of days.
Or over the weekend, I spent some time thinking about my life goals.
Try using the word "over" today.
Well, let's talk about the phrase: to join forces.
When you join forces with someone, that means you work together with them to
accomplish the same goal.
Maybe you worked separately before, but now you join forces.
So what does that mean for our lesson?
This probably means Russian and American scientists are no longer racing against
each other but they are working together.
Now how can you use this phrase?
Do you ever join forces with others?
Hmm. For example, let's say there is a bully in your class.
You have tried to talk to him about his problem.
Someone else has tried to talk to him as well, but he still won't listen.
Maybe you need to join forces with that other person and talk to the bully
together.
Who knows? It might help.
Well, scientists have joined forces to bring the space elevator closer to
reality.
What is closer to reality?
Well, that means right now it's not very realistic.
It can't really happen or it's not possible, but scientists want to make it
possible.
Now what things can be far from reality?
Sometimes I talk to people who seem to be um... not living in reality.
We say they are not living in the real world.
Do you know anyone who is not living in the real world?
Hmm... Well, for example, maybe there's someone who only cares about his own
opinion, never shows interest in other people.
But when he hears about an event that he wasn't invited to, he complains:
Nobody ever invites me.
That person is not living in the real world.
I agree.
If you never show interest in others, you shouldn't get angry when they aren't
always interested in you.
That is not living in the real world because in reality, relationships are give
and take, not just take.
So, are you living in the real world?
Well, back to the space elevator.
Cars called climbers will travel up and down a ribbon-like long string.
So a ribbon-like cable, like a long string.
And sometimes people use ribbons to wrap presents or they use ribbons in their
hair.
And this cable might look kind of like a ribbon, the ribbon you just saw.
Well, let's learn something new with Liz in the Grammar Gym.
Hi, friends.
Thanks for joining me here at the Grammar Gym.
My name is Liz.
In today's article, we read:
Current plans call for cars called climbers to travel up and down a ribbon-like
cable using electric motors.
That's our Grammar Tip sentence.
Notice the phrase "call for." It means to need or require, so.
Today's sentence just means the current plans need these cars called climbers to
travel up and down the special cable.
Use this phrase "call for" when you want to talk about how a certain thing is
necessary in order for something to be done.
Like following a recipe.
For example, let's say Teresa has a great cake recipe.
But you will need 20 eggs if you want to follow that recipe. So we can say:
Teresa's cake recipe calls for twenty eggs.
Or if you want to describe how taking care of a young sick animal will require
extra care and patience, you can say:
Taking care of a young sick animal calls for extra care and patience.
OK, friends.
If you'd like to see some more example sentences, they're available in today's
Grammar Tip section in your Studio Classroom magazine.
That's all the time we have for today.
This is Liz from the Grammar Gym.
I'll see you next time.
Thank you, Liz.
Now it seems like there are many ideas out there for how this space elevator
should work.
But we read here: In one plan, the motors are powered by lasers fired from a
ground station at solar cells on the climber.
And we see two verbs there: powered by and fired from.
If a motor is powered by lasers, that means the lasers give it power.
But what about fire, though?
What does that mean?
Well, the lasers will be fired from a ground station.
So the station on the ground on Earth will fire lasers.
That means the station will start the lasers, aiming them in a certain
direction.
And we also use the word "fire" when talking about guns.
Guns are... fired.
You fire a gun.
It means you shoot the gun.
If someone shot a gun, you could ask: Where was the gun fired from?
So lasers are fired from a ground station directed at solar cells on the
climber.
OK. And sometimes we also call these solar panels.
They take solar power, or power from the sun, and change it into energy to be
used kind of like electricity or gas.
So cool.
Well, right now it is time for us to watch a video about how this space elevator
might work.
Then we'll join Linda for the Editor's Summary.
The space elevator, in simplest terms, is a ribbon.
One end attached to Earth, the other end is attached to a counterweight in outer
space.
The rotation of the Earth throws the counterweight on the ribbon outward,
keeping the ribbon taut.
Made from an advanced carbon nanotube composite material 30 times stronger than
steel,
the ribbon is 3 feet wide, thinner than a sheet of paper and 62,000 miles long.
Vehicles weighing up to 20 tons then climb the ribbon from Earth to outer space.
Simple electric motors hold the climbers upward with drive-treads gripping the
ribbon.
Power is supplied from a ground station in the form of a laser beam, which is
converted to electricity by the climber's photovoltaic array.
Located in the eastern Pacific Ocean, the anchor station is similar to a
floating oil drilling platform.
Additional platforms house the laser power beaming stations, allowing for power
to drive several climbers up the ribbon at once.
By using the outer end of the ribbon as a slingshot, it will be possible to
throw large payloads to destinations such as the Moon, Mars, Venus and beyond.
With cheap and frequent access to space a reality, mankind will be free to
pursue our destiny by climbing a ribbon to the stars.
(Music).
Way back in 1960, a Russian engineer wrote about sending things into space via
an electric train.
It talked about a cable that went from Earth to some object in space, and cars
could go up and down it like an elevator.
Since that time, scientists have been working together to see if they can make
the space elevator a reality.
(Music).
Thank you, Linda.
Well, so far, so good.
We have a space elevator in the making.
Well, not quite yet, Gabe.
We have some great ideas for how it could work, but I think we still need the
right kind of materials for it.
Hmm. Well, I think we'll be discussing that next time.
So be sure to come back right here at Studio Classroom.
See you.