一、听力练习
1.
A. To study the Earth's oceans and atmosphere.
B. To measure carbon and methane levels to help fight climate change.
C. To explore outer space and other planets.
D. To monitor weather patterns across the globe.
2.
A. Laser imaging technology.
B. Satellite radar technology.
C. Imaging spectrometer technology.
D. Infrared scanning technology.
3.
A. To create new weather forecasting models.
B. To support reductions in methane and carbon pollution.
C. To track the movement of tectonic plates.
D. To study the Earth's magnetic field.
二、听力文本
The American space agency NASA has launched an instrument to measure the world's carbon and methane levels in an effort to help fight climate change. The instrument is attached to a satellite called Tanager-1. It launched August 16 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Ground controllers reported they successfully established communications with the satellite shortly after launch. A statement from NASA said the satellite is equipped with a gas-seeking instrument powered with “imaging spectrometer technology.” A spectrometer is an instrument used to study the chemical composition and structures of substances. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) developed the imaging spectrometer instrument. The joint project also involved other organizations, including Planet Labs PBC. The private company helped build the Tanager-1 satellite. Tanager-1 is one of two satellites developed as part of the public-private partnership the Carbon Mapper Coalition. The other satellite has not yet been launched. The coalition says it aims to support the collection of detailed data on methane and carbon dioxide emissions worldwide. The coalition hopes to use the data to drive reductions in methane and carbon pollution. Scientists have linked carbon and methane emissions to warming temperatures on Earth. Many climate experts blame most of the warming on pollution caused by human activities. NASA says the instrument aboard Tanager-1 measures “hundreds of wavelengths of light that are reflected by Earth's surface.” This method permits the instrument to find sources of carbon and methane based on the light wavelengths they show. The process produces “fingerprints” that the imaging spectrometer can identify, NASA said. This data can be used to provide highly detailed information on where the world's carbon and methane come from. The level of detail is so exact, it can even identify “individual facilities and equipment,” the space agency added. When fully operational, Tanager-1 will aim to capture data across 130,000 square kilometers of Earth's surface each day. This will permit scientists to identify specific gas clouds releasing carbon dioxide and methane. NASA said the collected data will be publicly available online at the Carbon Mapper data portal. The launch of Tanager-1 came after NASA's February deployment of the PACE satellite. It is designed to closely study the world's oceans and atmosphere. PACE stands for Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem. The satellite will spend at least three years studying the environment from an orbit 676 kilometers above the Earth's surface.
Question 1: What is the main purpose of NASA's Tanager-1 satellite?
Question 2: Which technology does the instrument on Tanager-1 use to measure carbon and methane emissions?
Question 3: What will the data collected by Tanager-1 be used for?
三、重点词汇
1. spectrometer: a piece of equipment that scientists use to record and measure spectra (= the set of colours into which a beam of light can be separated, or a range of waves, such as light waves or radio waves) 光谱仪
四、背景知识
Tanager-1是美国宇航局喷气推进实验室开发的卫星，是碳绘图者联盟（Carbon Mapper Coalition）的第一颗卫星，将用于监测地球甲烷及二氧化碳排放。 2024年8月16日，Tanager-1搭乘 SpaceX 公司的猎鹰 9 号火箭，从加利福尼亚州范登堡空军基地的 4E 太空发射场升空，进入地球轨道。（背景知识来自于百度百科）
五、参考答案
Question 1: B
Question 2: C
Question 3: B
六、网络翻译
美国航天局NASA发射了一台仪器，用于测量全球的碳和甲烷水平，以帮助应对气候变化。该仪器被安装在一颗名为Tanager-1的卫星上。卫星于8月16日搭载SpaceX公司的猎鹰9号火箭从NASA位于加利福尼亚州的范登堡太空军基地发射升空。地面控制人员报告称，在发射后不久，他们成功与卫星建立了通讯联系。 NASA的声明表示，这颗卫星配备了一台使用“成像光谱仪技术”的气体探测仪器。光谱仪是一种用于研究物质化学成分和结构的仪器。NASA的喷气推进实验室（JPL）开发了这台成像光谱仪。该联合项目还涉及其他组织，包括帮助建造Tanager-1卫星的私人公司Planet Labs PBC。Tanager-1是碳探测联盟（Carbon Mapper Coalition）公共-私人合作伙伴关系下开发的两颗卫星之一。另一颗卫星尚未发射。该联盟表示，旨在支持全球范围内甲烷和二氧化碳排放的详细数据收集。联盟希望利用这些数据推动减少甲烷和碳污染。 科学家将碳和甲烷排放与地球温度升高联系起来。许多气候专家将大部分的全球变暖归咎于人类活动造成的污染。NASA表示，Tanager-1上的仪器测量地球表面反射的“数百种光波长”。这种方法使得仪器可以根据它们展示的光波长找到碳和甲烷的来源。这个过程会产生光谱仪可以识别的“指纹”，NASA说。这些数据可以用于提供世界各地碳和甲烷来源的高度详细信息。NASA还补充说，这种详细程度甚至可以识别“个别设施和设备”。 当Tanager-1完全投入运行后，它将每天捕捉地球表面13万平方公里的数据显示。这样，科学家就能够识别出释放二氧化碳和甲烷的具体气体云。NASA表示，收集到的数据将公开发布在碳探测数据门户网站上。 Tanager-1的发射是在NASA二月份部署PACE卫星之后进行的。PACE卫星旨在密切研究全球的海洋和大气。PACE代表浮游生物、气溶胶、云层和海洋生态系统。该卫星将在距离地球表面676公里的轨道上，至少花费三年时间来研究环境。
七、版权说明
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