【新唐人2010年10月19日訊】【看新聞學英語】
Virgin Spaceship Completes First Solo Flight
維京太空船完成單飛首航
By Jessie Chen, David Lee
A Virgin Galactic spaceship has completed its first solo test flight.
維京銀河太空船已完成首次單獨試飛。
Called the VSS Enterprise, the world’s first commercial manned spaceship was carried to an altitude of 45,000 feet by an airplane, and then released to glide for 11 minutes before landing at the Mojave Air and Space Port.
名為VSS 企業號，世上第一架商用人為駕駛太空船，由飛機乘載至45,000英尺的高度，然後釋放，在莫哈韋航空航天港降落前滑翔11分鐘。
Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, described Saturday’s flight as a “big milestone".
理查德布蘭森，維珍集團創辦人，形容週六的飛行是一個“重要的里程碑”。
[Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Group Founder]:
“The big milestones in the spaceship program, and it couldn’t have gone better. The spaceship flew like a bird and the crew got out with big smiles on their face. So, I am absolutely delighted."
[理查德布蘭森，維珍集團創辦人]理查德布蘭森說：
“這是太空船計劃的重要里程碑，它表現的太好了。太空船的飛行就像一隻鳥，飛行員出來後都帶著滿滿的笑容。因此我非常高興。”
Branson expresses his desire for everyone in the world to be a part of the space travel project.
布蘭森表示，他希望世上每個人都能成為太空旅行計劃的一部分。
[Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Group Founder]:
[理查德布蘭森，維珍集團創辦人]理查德布蘭森說：
“Obviously we want to involve everybody in the world in this wonderful project. And some people will be involved by taking them into space, but everybody can be involved by following it on the internet through Virgin Galactic."
“顯然我們希望世上所有人，都能參與這項美好的計劃。有些人的參與是帶他們到太空，但是每個人都能在網路上，透過維京銀河號的腳步參與其中。
VSS Enterprise officials confirmed that all the flight’s objectives were successfully completed.
VSS 企業號官員證實，所有飛行目標都順利完成。
Space tourists will soon have the opportunity to book a trip on the Enterprise for 200,000 dollars.
太空觀光客將很快有機會，以20萬美元預定VSS企業旅程。
【新聞關鍵字】
1. galactic: [gəˋlæktɪk] adj. 銀河的、星系的
【英解】relating to the Galaxy or other galaxies
【例句】Intergalactic travel is space travel between galaxies. 星際旅行就是在星系間的太空旅行。
2. manned: [mænd] adj. 由人駕駛的
【英解】describes a spacecraft, or a place where military guards work, that has no people present to operate or be in charge of it
3. altitude: n. [ˋæltə͵tjud] 高度
【英解】height above sea level
【例句】We are currently flying at an altitude of 15 000 metres.
我們目前飛行在15,000公尺的高度。
4. release: v. [rɪˋlis] 釋放
【英解】to give freedom or free movement to someone or something
【例句】He was released from prison after serving two years of a five-year sentence. 他服完五年徒刑的兩年後，獲釋出獄。
5. glide: [glaɪd] v. 滑翔
【英解】to move easily without stopping and without effort or noise
【例句】I love my new pen – it just glides over the paper.
我愛我的新鋼筆─它就像在紙上滑翔一般
6. milestone: [ˋmaɪl͵ston] n. 里程碑
【英解】an important event in the development or history of something or in someone’s life
【例句】 He felt that moving out from his parents’ home was a real milestone in his life. 他覺得搬出父母家，是人生中一個真正的里程碑。
7. delighted: [dɪˋlaɪtɪd] adj. 高興的
【英解】very pleased
【例句】I was delighted at your news. 聽到你的消息，我很高興。
8. express: [ɪkˋsprɛs] v. 表達
【英解】to show a feeling, opinion or fact
【例句】Words can’t express how happy I am.
話語無法表答我是多麼快樂
本新聞影音出處：新唐人電視台英語新聞
http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns_na/2010-10-12/125023911195.html
歡迎邀約David Lee老師演講：如何看大紀元及新唐人學英語新聞 [email protected]
【看頭條學英語】
1. Heavy rain warning issued for eastern, northeastern Taiwan
對台灣東部與東北部發佈豪雨特報
2. Ma calls for heightened alert on year’s strongest typhoon
馬總統要求對年度最強颱風提高警戒
3. Taiwan to open doors to independent Chinese visitors
台灣將開放獨立中國訪客來台
4. No decision yet on replacing death penalty with life sentence: MOJ
法務部說：尚未決定以無期徒刑取代死刑
