China launches Wentian space laboratory中国成功发射问天实验舱

张岚

问天实验舱舱体总长17.9米，直径4.2米，发射重量约23吨。这样的“大个子”使它成为全世界现役在轨最重的单舱主动飞行器。问天实验舱包含了哪些设备设施？它成功发射的背后，又藏了哪些高科技？

主题语境：科技 篇幅：348词 建议用时：7分钟

China launched its Wentian space laboratory at 2：22 pm on July 24th， sending the country's largest?ever spacecraft to the Earth's orbit to become part of the Tiangong space station.

Wentian laboratory module consists of three parts： a crew working compartment， an airlock cabin and a service module. With a length of 17.9 meters and a takeoff weight of 23 tons， the height of Wentian is almost equal to a six?storey building and the weight of ten cars.

There are three sleeping areas and one bathroom in the Wentian laboratory module. With six beds， the Chinese space station will be comfortable. After the following launch of Shenzhou ⅩⅤ manned spacecraft， crews of Shenzhou ⅩⅣ and Shenzhou ⅩⅤ can join forces and once they do， the space station will be fully occupied.

The solar panel in the Wentian laboratory module is more than 55 meters， longer than half a football field; each solar panel has an area of about 110 square meters， roughly the size of a three?bedroom apartment， setting a new record for China's solar panel in orbit. Working together， the two giant solar panels will efficiently collect more solar energy， generating electricity of more than 430 kWh on average per day， which provides enough energy for space station operations. The electricity it generates is enough to power a normal household for one and a half months.

The lab will carry a set of 5?meter?long robotic arms outside the airlock， which are small but precise， making it easy for small and medium?sized devices to be grasped for more delicate operations.

Outside the Wentian laboratory module， two lamps and four high?definition cameras are set up to shoot and record the Earth and the vast outer space. Ground controllers will be able to clearly see the site situation and provide real?time security assurance when astronauts are doing extravehicular activities.

Wentian laboratory is packed with much equipment which makes noise and may disturb the astronauts. In order to provide a quiet working and resting environment， the engineers identified the noisiest equipment and took stricter noise control measures， which meet the medical standards， allowing the astronauts to sleep well.

Reading Check

1. What can we learn about the Wentian space laboratory from the first two paragraphs？

A. It is made up of four parts.

B. It was launched ahead of time.

C. It is as heavy as a six?storey building.

D. It belongs to the Tiangong space station.

2. How many sleeping areas are there in the Wentian laboratory module？

A. Three. B. Four.

C. Six. D. Eight.

3. How does the author develop the fourth paragraph？

A. By explaining scientific knowledge.

B. By providing research results.

C. By giving figures.

D. By giving examples.

4. What will guarantee that the astronauts can sleep well at night？

A. Effective equipment.

B. Aimed strategies.

C. Quieter outer space.

D. Astronauts' better adaptation.

Language Study

Ⅰ. Difficult sentence in the text

The lab will carry a set of 5?meter?long robotic arms outside the airlock， which are small but precise， making it easy for small and medium?sized devices to be grasped for more delicate operations. 该实验舱将在气闸舱外携带一组5米长的机械臂，它们虽小巧但精度高，便于抓取中小型设备，从而进行更为精细的操作。

【点石成金】本句是一个主从复合句，which are small but precise是which引导的非限制性定语从句，修饰先行词arms；making it easy...operations是现在分词短语作结果状语。

Ⅱ. Text?centered chunks

consist of 包括；由……组成（构成）

join forces 齐心协力；联合

set a new record 创造新纪录

be packed with 有大量……的

in order to 为了；以便；目的是

allow sb to do 允许某人做……