“Elon Musk Is Betting Mars on Trump——马斯克押上整颗火星，与特朗普共赌未来。”这是我今天在权威外刊《大西洋月刊》中读到的一篇文章。文章中指出，“Musk wants to give Trump the presidency. Trump wants to give Musk the universe. （Musk想要让特朗普成为总统，而特朗普希望将整个宇宙拱手相让给马斯克）”这句话生动地体现了两者之间的战略合作关系。
文章强调，特朗普的重新当选可能标志着美国航天的新纪元，尽管这样的发展可能伴随一些实际代价和复杂性。“A Trump presidency could push America toward a new era of space travel.” 目前，美国政府已经在载人航天、卫星互联网服务和月球重返计划中严重依赖SpaceX。特朗普可能会进一步加深这一依赖，将太空探索的愿景部分交由马斯克来实现。
此外，文章提到，NASA已与SpaceX合作开发Starship，“NASA has hired SpaceX to develop a version of Starship, its biggest rocket yet, to land astronauts on the lunar surface by the end of the decade.” 这一火箭将用于将宇航员送上月球，并计划在未来的火星任务中发挥关键作用。然而，马斯克和SpaceX正面临来自联邦航空管理局（FAA）的监管障碍，“the Federal Aviation Administration, which is responsible for approving rocket launches, is holding them back from testing Starship.” 这限制了他们的测试和发射速度。如果特朗普再次当选，他可能会施加压力，“He could instruct the agency to relax its rules.” 推动FAA放宽这些规章，从而加速SpaceX的发射进程。
然而，随着SpaceX不断扩展其业务，文章也指出了一些潜在的风险。正如所述：“As Starship development has quickened in recent years, SpaceX’s rate of worker injuries has outpaced the industry average.”（“随着Starship开发的加速，SpaceX的工伤率已经超过了行业平均水平。”）这一点凸显了SpaceX在安全管理方面的挑战。此外，联邦和州监管机构指出，SpaceX在其位于南德克萨斯州的发射场上违反了环境法规，因“violating the Clean Water Act by releasing industrial wastewater during launches.”（“因在发射过程中释放工业废水而违反了《清洁水法》。”）尽管该公司声称这些水并不具有危险性，这仍然引发了外界的广泛关注。
Moreover, 马斯克与普京之间的互动引发了对其行为的进一步担忧，尤其是在特朗普如果再次上任的情况下，可能面临的道德和利益冲突更是令人忧虑。
文章最后提出了一个假设情境：如果哈里斯当选总统，马斯克可能会拒绝与她合作，并可能声称“election unfair.”（“选举不公。”）这一设想引发了对美国航天事业未来的重大担忧。“What if Elon Musk just declared SpaceX won’t work with the Harris administration if he considers it illegitimate?”（“如果马斯克宣布SpaceX不会与哈里斯政府合作，因为他认为该政府不合法呢？”）马斯克显然正在为选举否认铺路，这似乎是他最近在X平台上的主要关注点。
这一切表明，马斯克在美国太空探索中的角色日益重要，而这一角色的未来走向与美国的政治局势息息相关。
同时，这篇文章也为雅思写作提供了丰富的素材，事实上，在雅思写作的长河中，太空探索相关的主题经常出现，以下是一些典型的题目：
“Some people believe that spending money on developing the technology for space exploration is unjustifiable, and there are more beneficial ways to spend this money. To what extent do you agree or disagree?”
“The government is spending a lot of money on discovering life on other planets. Some people think that the government is wasting money and should spend more money addressing the problem of the public. To what extent do you agree?”
在写作这类议题时，我们可以从以下几个角度进行思考：
1. 科技进步 / Technological Advancements
创新与应用 / Innovation and Applications：空间探索推动了一系列尖端技术的研发，如卫星通信、遥感技术以及高性能材料科学等。这些技术不仅在航天领域取得显著成就，同时也在地面应用中发挥了重要作用。例如，全球定位系统（GPS）和气象卫星为现代社会的运作提供了不可或缺的支持。
Space exploration drives the development of cutting-edge technologies, including satellite communications, remote sensing technologies, and advanced materials science. These advancements not only achieve remarkable success in the aerospace sector but also play crucial roles in terrestrial applications. For instance, the Global Positioning System (GPS) and weather satellites provide indispensable support for the functioning of modern society.
跨领域应用 / Cross-Field Applications：许多航天技术在医学、交通运输及环境监测等领域具有重要应用，如遥感技术被用于自然灾害的监测和响应。
Many aerospace technologies have significant applications in fields such as medicine, transportation, and environmental monitoring; for instance, remote sensing technologies are utilized for disaster monitoring and response.
2. 经济增长 / Economic Growth
创造就业机会 / Job Creation：对空间探索的投资能够直接推动高科技行业的就业增长，包括科学、工程及技术相关职位的增加。此外，相关产业的发展亦会促进周边服务行业的繁荣。
Investment in space exploration can directly drive job growth in high-tech sectors, including the increase of positions in science, engineering, and technology. Furthermore, the development of related industries can also stimulate the prosperity of surrounding service sectors.
3. 环境保护 / Environmental Protection
资源监测与管理 / Resource Monitoring and Management：卫星技术的应用使得对地球环境变化的监测成为可能，有效追踪气候变化、森林砍伐和水资源管理，为环境保护提供了可靠的数据支持。
The application of satellite technology enables the monitoring of environmental changes on Earth, effectively tracking climate change, deforestation, and water resource management, thereby providing reliable data support for environmental protection.
寻找替代资源 / Searching for Alternative Resources：探索外星资源（如水和矿物）为解决地球资源短缺问题提供了潜在方案，促进人类的可持续发展。
The exploration of extraterrestrial resources, such as water and minerals, offers potential solutions to Earth's resource scarcity issues, thus promoting human sustainable development.
4. 人类生存与未来 / Human Survival and Future
长远生存战略 / Long-term Survival Strategy：在地球资源逐渐枯竭和人口持续增长的背景下，探索其他星球（如火星）为人类寻找新的栖息地提供了可行性，从而确保人类的长远生存。
Against the backdrop of depleting Earth's resources and continuous population growth, exploring other planets (such as Mars) offers feasibility for humanity to find new habitats, thereby ensuring long-term survival.
应对全球危机 / Addressing Global Crises：在应对气候变化、自然灾害等全球性危机时，空间技术能够提供关键的解决方案与支持，促进人类社会的可持续发展。In addressing global crises such as climate change and natural disasters, space technology can provide critical solutions and support, facilitating the sustainable development of human society.
同时，这篇文章也为反对太空探索的论点提供了重要素材，
例如：
安全与环境问题：
正如文章所述，As Starship development has quickened in recent years, SpaceX’s rate of worker injuries has outpaced the industry average. 随着Starship项目近年来的快速发展，SpaceX的工人受伤率已超过行业平均水平。Federal and state regulators say that SpaceX has disregarded environmental rules at its launch site in South Texas, violating the Clean Water Act by releasing industrial wastewater during launches. 联邦和州监管机构指出，SpaceX在其位于南德克萨斯州的发射场上违反了环境法规，通过在发射过程中释放工业废水而触犯了《清洁水法》。(The company has said that the water is not hazardous.) 尽管该公司表示这些水并不危险，但这一点并未消除外界对其安全和环境责任的关注。考生可以引用这些例子，强调在追求科技进步时必须重视安全和环境责任。
基于上述素材，以下是针对该雅思写作题目的9分范文：
“Some people believe that spending money on developing the technology for space exploration is unjustifiable, and there are more beneficial ways to spend this money. To what extent do you agree or disagree?”
引言段 (Introduction)
写法：引入主题并表明立场。可以先改写题目，接着提出个人的观点。
示例： “A widely-held opinion asserts that the exorbitant expenditures on space exploration are unwarranted and should instead be channeled into more immediate societal priorities. However, I completely disagree with this statement as I believe allocating funds to space exploration is not only justified but also crucial for a multitude of reasons.”
主体段1 (Body Paragraph 1)
写法：支持太空探索的第一个论点，提供具体例子和论据
示例： “One of the most compelling justifications for space exploration is the technological advancements that frequently arise from these endeavors. For instance, the development of satellite technology has revolutionized global communication, weather forecasting, and navigation systems. Furthermore, space research has contributed to advancements in medical technology, such as the development of life-saving imaging devices like MRI scanners, which were initially designed for use in space. These advancements not only enhance scientific understanding of the universe but also provide practical applications that directly benefit society. Thus, the technological dividends gained from space exploration justify the initial expenditures.”
主体段2 (Body Paragraph 2)
写法：支持太空探索的第二个论点，提供具体例子和论据。
示例： “Another rationale for investing in space mining lies in its potential to safeguard humanity’s future. While the activity of solar systems has abated since the early eons, the possibility of unforeseen disasters threatening our planet persists. Events such as nuclear wars, natural pandemics, engineered diseases, asteroid strikes and other catastrophic scenarios might eliminate the entire human species anytime. Moreover, Earth faces numerous challenges such as climate change, resource depletion, and overpopulation, which make the search for extraterrestrial resources and potential habitats increasingly relevant. Space exploration offers the possibility of discovering new planets with the capacity to support human life, which could be crucial for the long-term survival of human species. Therefore, investing in space technology is not merely an extravagant pursuit but a necessary step towards securing humanity's future.”
让步段 (Concession Paragraph)
写法：首先提出反方观点，承认其合理性，再通过有力的反驳强调正方观点的全面性，突出支持理由的深度
示例： “Admittedly, critics have raised legitimate concerns regarding the financial commitment to space exploration. For instance, worker safety at companies such as SpaceX has come under scrutiny, with reports indicating that the injury rate there exceeds the industry average. Environmental issues are also cited, including allegations of Clean Water Act violations at launch sites due to the release of industrial wastewater. Furthermore, opponents argue that these substantial resources could instead address more immediate challenges, such as poverty, education, and healthcare. While these concerns warrant attention, solving them does not depend on defunding space programs. In fact, the space industry contributes to economic growth by creating jobs, fostering innovation, and supporting a range of businesses involved in space-related activities. This can have positive ripple effects on the economy, expanding the reservoir of public funds available for addressing some of the world’s most urgent challenges.”
结论段 (Conclusion)
写法：总结论点，重申个人立场，并强调未来的重要性。
示例： “In conclusion, despite the concerns regarding safety and environmental issues, the potential benefits of space exploration funding far outweigh the drawbacks. It represents not just a leap in technological advancement but also a crucial step toward securing humanity's future.”
作者*雅思8.5达人@Lili 老师
-阅读听力9写作8.5口语8
超过10年的教学经验，曾多次创下帮学生40课时内达到雅思8分和7.5分的高分记录，擅长帮学生搭建高分句型结构、满分素材，强雅思写作批改，直击失分点，英国名校圣安德鲁斯大学(英国卫报排名第二; 威廉王子母校) 英语教育MBA 双硕士科班出身，有着深厚的英语语言教学以及写作功底，TESOL 资格证书 TESl Canada 资格认证；
