英语四级新闻听力20240902

文摘   2024-09-02 08:00   中国澳门  

一、听力练习

1.

A. The discovery of ancient Martian civilizations.

B. Evidence of a large ocean deep beneath the surface of Mars.

C. The existence of life on the surface of Mars.

D. The measurement of Martian atmospheric conditions.

2.

A. By analyzing atmospheric data from the Mars rover.

B. Through direct observation with a telescope.

C. By using seismic data collected by InSight to study marsquakes.

D. By drilling into the Martian surface to extract water samples.

3.

A. It evaporated into space and left the planet completely dry.

B. It formed a system of lakes, rivers, and oceans about 3 billion years ago.

C. It was never present in liquid form on the Martian surface.

D. It currently exists only at the poles in the form of ice.

二、听力文本

A new study provides evidence that Mars contains a large ocean deep beneath its surface. The finding is based on data collected by the InSight Lander, a robotic explorer operated by the American space agency NASA. InSight, which landed in 2018, was designed to capture data from within the planet's interior. The lander ended its operations on Mars in late 2022. For the current study, researchers used seismic data collected by InSight. The team examined the data to study Martian quake activity. Seismic activity on Mars happens in the form of “marsquakes.” NASA says InSight had recorded more than 1,300 marsquakes. The device InSight uses to measure ground movements is called a seismometer. NASA specially designed the lander and its instruments to be extremely sensitive for the Martian environment. The seismic data suggests liquid water exists deep beneath the ground where InSight operated from. Since water is considered necessary to support life, scientists say the presence of it on Mars leaves open the possibility that some form of life might exist, or existed there in the past. Numerous past studies have also provided evidence that liquid water could exist on Mars. Scientists have already uncovered evidence that about 3 billion years ago, the surface of Mars likely had an active system of lakes, rivers and oceans Mars is believed to have lost its surface water as its atmosphere thinned. This likely turned the planet into the dry, dusty world it is today. Scientists have theorized that much of the ancient water escaped out into space or remained buried under the surface. The researchers said the InSight lander operated around the planet's Elysium Planitia area, near the equator. They believe the area is representative of the rest of Mars. The study suggests enough water exists below the surface to form a planet-wide ocean about 1 to 2 kilometers deep. There is currently no way to confirm the study's suggested existence of liquid water because it sits so far beneath the Martian surface. Such a confirmation would require large drills and other specialized equipment.

Question 1: What is the main focus of the new study based on data from NASA's InSight Lander?

Question 2: How did researchers gather evidence suggesting the existence of water beneath Mars' surface?

Question 3: What do scientists believe about the ancient water on Mars?

三、重点词汇

1. robotic: relating to or like a robot 机器人的;机器人似的

四、背景知识

火星上的地震和陨石撞击会产生地震波,这些波可以帮助绘制火星内部结构。一项新研究分析了由美国航天局洞察号无人探测器检测到的火星地震波,认为在火星内部深层存在一个充满液态水的孔隙和裂缝区。研究认为,该区域存在于火星表面以下11公里至20公里的地方,其液态水储量远超此前认为的火星地表曾经有过的海洋所蕴藏的水量。尽管这些地下水资源因位置太深而无法开采,但这一储水层可能是生命的避难所。研究人员在分析中使用的一种数学模型与用于分析地球地下含水层和油田的模型完全相同。相关论文已发表在美国《国家科学院学报》周刊网站上。研究人员表示,确定存在一个大的液态水储层为了解火星的过去等提供了一些线索,既然地球上深深的矿井里和海底都有生命,那么火星深层地下储水层也可能存在生命。此前已有大量证据,比如河流通道、三角洲和湖泊沉积物等,都支持火星表面曾有液态水流动的假设,但这种潮湿时期早在30多亿年前火星失去大气层后就结束了。迄今,人类已经发射了许多探测器登陆火星,试图弄清楚过去那些液态水到底发生了什么。这项新研究表明,火星上大部分水并未逃逸到太空,而是渗入了火星地壳中。洞察号无人探测器携带地震仪于2018年降落在火星表面,这是第一个探测到火星地震的仪器。20221221日,美国航天局宣布,在对火星进行了4年多的科学探测后,洞察号正式结束任务。2018年至2022年间,仪器检测到数百次火星地震。通过分析洞察号收集的地震数据,研究人员对火星地壳的厚度、核心的深度和组成,甚至还有地幔内的一些温度信息有了更多了解。(背景知识来自于https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1807260104269040081&wfr=spider&for=pc

五、参考答案

Question 1: B

Question 2: C

Question 3: B

六、网络翻译

一项新研究提供了火星表面下深处存在大量海洋的证据。该发现基于美国宇航局(NASA)操作的机器人探测器洞察号(InSight Lander)收集的数据。洞察号于2018年着陆,旨在捕捉来自火星内部的数据。探测器于2022年底结束了在火星上的操作。在这项研究中,研究人员使用了洞察号收集的地震数据。研究团队分析了这些数据,以研究火星上的地震活动。火星上的地震活动表现为火震NASA表示,洞察号已经记录了超过1300次火震。洞察号用来测量地面运动的设备被称为地震仪。NASA特别设计了探测器及其仪器,使其对于火星环境极为敏感。 地震数据表明,在洞察号操作的地下深处存在液态水。由于水被认为是支持生命的必要条件,科学家表示,火星上存在水意味着火星上可能存在某种形式的生命,或曾经存在过生命。过去的许多研究也提供了液态水可能存在于火星上的证据。科学家已经发现,大约30亿年前,火星表面可能有一个活跃的湖泊、河流和海洋系统。据信,随着大气层的变薄,火星失去了表面的水。这可能使火星变成了如今干燥、多尘的世界。科学家们推测,古代的许多水分逃逸到太空中,或者仍然埋藏在地表下。 研究人员表示,洞察号探测器在火星赤道附近的埃律西昂平原区域操作。他们认为这一地区可以代表火星的其他地区。研究表明,地表下存在足够的水,可以形成一个深度约12公里的全球性海洋。目前无法确认该研究建议的液态水是否存在,因为它位于火星表面下如此深的地方。要确认这一点需要大型钻探设备和其他专业设备。

七、版权说明

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