乘气球遨游太空

邢冬霞

一家名为“太空透视”（Space Perspective）的公司，计划使用巨型气球将游客送入平流层。他们的想法是让人们从高空俯瞰地球的壮观景象，而不必像其他公司计划的那样，乘坐火箭，以每小时数千英里的速度射向天空。未来，也许像《飞屋环游记》一样牵引房子升空或将成为现实！

1. biosphere /basf（r）/ n. 生物圈

2. ascent /sent/ n. 上升

3. descent /dsent/ n. 下降

Travelling into space is something that many people dream of， but until now has only been a reality for a few lucky astronauts. Now， a space company has shown plans to offer tourists trips into space on board giant balloons—although for a high cost. Space Perspective will offer flights on board its Spaceship Neptune spacecraft， with uncrewed test flights scheduled in early 2021.

Jane Poynter， founder and coCEO of Space Perspective， said， “We decide to change the way people have access to space—both to perform muchneeded research to benefit life on Earth and to affect how we view and connect with our planet. Today， it is more decisive than ever to see Earth as a planet， a spaceship for all humanity and our global biosphere.”

Spaceship Neptune features a huge balloon measuring the length of a football stadium， with a pressurised capsule to hold the tourists. The spacecraft will take up to eight passengers on a sixhour journey to the edge of space and back. This includes a twohour ascent to 100，000 ft above Earth， a twohour cruise， and a twohour descent， before splashing down into the ocean. A ship would then pick up the passengers， capsule and the balloon.

Taber MacCallum， coCEO of Space Perspective， said， “Following the return of human spaceflight from US soil just a few weeks ago， people have never been more excited about space travel. Few efforts are more meaningful than enabling people to experience the inspiring perspective of our home planet in space for the betterment of all， and thats what we are accomplishing with Space Perspective.” While the trips sound pretty appealing， theyll come at a high price. Speaking to Live Science， the firm explained that a ticket will likely sell for around $125，000. With uncrewed trips scheduled for early 2021， we wont have to wait long to see the air balloons in action！

1. What do we know about Space Perspective？

A. Its a name of a spacecraft.

B. Its a name of a company.

C. Its a name of a big balloon.

D. Its a name of a space scientist.

2. According to Jane Poynter， why do people travel to space？

A. To change our global biosphere.

B. To enjoy the beauty of space.

C. To do necessary research.

D. To build more huge balloons.

3. Where will the passengers be picked up？

A. In the ocean.

B. In Space Perspective.

C. In the space station.

D. In a football stadium.

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph？

A. Taber MacCallum designed Spaceship Neptune spacecraft.

B. Trips into space will come true in early 2021.

C. Making people experience the trip is meaningless.

D. Not everyone can afford such a space trip.

Difficult sentence

We decide to change the way people have access to space—both to perform muchneeded research to benefit life on Earth and to affect how we view and connect with our planet.

【翻譯】

【点石成金】本句为一个主从复合句，people have access to space是一个限制性定语从句，前面省略了引导词that，修饰先行词the way，后面的两个动词不定式短语作目的状语。