From VOA Learning English, this is In the News.
This week marks the first anniversary of a major exploration effort1 on Mars2. It has been 12 months3 since4 the exploration device5 called “Curiosity” landed6 on the distant planet. Curiosity is named for the human condition of wanting to learn or know something.
The United States space agency, NASA, says Curiosity has driven7 more than 1.6 kilometers on Mars. The device, called a “rover,” is about the size8 of a car.
Curiosity has found evidence9 of an ancient river bed10 and other signs11 of wet conditions. NASA scientists say that with these discoveries12, Curiosity has answered the question13 of whether14 conditions on ancient Mars could have supported life.
Jim Green leads15 the planetary division at NASA's Science Mission Directorate.
“We found all the ingredients of life as measured16 in this material that's deposited in this ancient river bed.Mars was habitable17 in its past.”
Curiosity is a traveling laboratory that contains 10 scientific instruments. The rover has found hydrogen, oxygen and other elements necessary for life.
The space agency says Curiosity has fired18 more than 75,000 laser shots19. The laser turns rocks and soil into gas20. The equipment on Curiosity then examines and identifies21 the materials on the Martian surface22.
Curiosity has sent back23 more than 70,000 images that give a new understanding24 of Earth's neighboring planet25.
Curiosity’s findings will help set26 future Mars exploration. NASA’s Jim Green says the next mission will be launched27 in 2020.
“Knowing that Mars was an environment28 that was habitable in its past, we're going to start seeking29 the signs of potential life that could have existed on Mars. And that, if we could answer that question, will change everything30.”
Space scientists chose31 to explore Mars instead of32 other planets because of the Red Planet’s similarities33 with our own34. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden says Mars is the most Earth-like planet35 in our solar system.
“If life exists beyond36 Earth, and I am one who believes that it may very well37, Mars, for me, is the most likely place38 that that life will be found.”
Mr. Bolden spoke at an event to mark Curiosity's first year of exploring Mars.
Curiosity is traveling in the low area39 called Gale Crater40, where it landed last year. The crater was formed by an asteroid that hit41 Mars long ago42. It is a deep43, 150-kilometer-wide44 area similar to a valley or canyon on Earth.
Curiosity is moving toward45 the area called ‘Mount Sharp’. NASA scientists plan for the device46 to study the lower levels47 of that Martian mountain.
This week marks the first anniversary of a major exploration effort1 on Mars2. It has been 12 months3 since4 the exploration device5 called “Curiosity” landed6 on the distant planet. Curiosity is named for the human condition of wanting to learn or know something.
The United States space agency, NASA, says Curiosity has driven7 more than 1.6 kilometers on Mars. The device, called a “rover,” is about the size8 of a car.
Curiosity has found evidence9 of an ancient river bed10 and other signs11 of wet conditions. NASA scientists say that with these discoveries12, Curiosity has answered the question13 of whether14 conditions on ancient Mars could have supported life.
Jim Green leads15 the planetary division at NASA's Science Mission Directorate.
“We found all the ingredients of life as measured16 in this material that's deposited in this ancient river bed.Mars was habitable17 in its past.”
Curiosity is a traveling laboratory that contains 10 scientific instruments. The rover has found hydrogen, oxygen and other elements necessary for life.
The space agency says Curiosity has fired18 more than 75,000 laser shots19. The laser turns rocks and soil into gas20. The equipment on Curiosity then examines and identifies21 the materials on the Martian surface22.
Curiosity has sent back23 more than 70,000 images that give a new understanding24 of Earth's neighboring planet25.
Curiosity’s findings will help set26 future Mars exploration. NASA’s Jim Green says the next mission will be launched27 in 2020.
“Knowing that Mars was an environment28 that was habitable in its past, we're going to start seeking29 the signs of potential life that could have existed on Mars. And that, if we could answer that question, will change everything30.”
Space scientists chose31 to explore Mars instead of32 other planets because of the Red Planet’s similarities33 with our own34. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden says Mars is the most Earth-like planet35 in our solar system.
“If life exists beyond36 Earth, and I am one who believes that it may very well37, Mars, for me, is the most likely place38 that that life will be found.”
Mr. Bolden spoke at an event to mark Curiosity's first year of exploring Mars.
Curiosity is traveling in the low area39 called Gale Crater40, where it landed last year. The crater was formed by an asteroid that hit41 Mars long ago42. It is a deep43, 150-kilometer-wide44 area similar to a valley or canyon on Earth.
Curiosity is moving toward45 the area called ‘Mount Sharp’. NASA scientists plan for the device46 to study the lower levels47 of that Martian mountain.
It will search for clues48 about how the planet has changed over time49.
The rover will also search for a type of soil called “clay50.” Curiosity has found clay minerals on Mars. Clay is evidence of once51 wet conditions on the planet.
Curiosity was designed to52 work for two years, but it could go on53 exploring and sending information back to Earth much longer54.NASA scientists and engineers55 say that in the years to come56 they hope57 to work on ways to send people to Mars.
And that’s In the News from VOA Learning English. For more reports, videos and lessons in American English, please visit us at learningenglish.voanews.com. I’m Steve Ember.
Curiosity was designed to52 work for two years, but it could go on53 exploring and sending information back to Earth much longer54.NASA scientists and engineers55 say that in the years to come56 they hope57 to work on ways to send people to Mars.
And that’s In the News from VOA Learning English. For more reports, videos and lessons in American English, please visit us at learningenglish.voanews.com. I’m Steve Ember.
Vocabulary
1. major exploration effort = grande esforço de exploração
2. Mars = Marte
3. . It has been 12 months = passaram-se 12 meses
4. Since = desde
5. device = mecanismo
6. landed = pousou
7. has driven = tem dirigido (dirigiu)
8. about the size = aproximadamente do tamanho
9. has found evidence = encontrou evidencias
10. ancient river bed = antigo leito de rio
11. signs = sinais
12. discoveries = descobertas
13. answered the question = respondeu à pergunta
14. whether = se ou não
15. leads = chefia
16. measured = mediu
17. habitable = habitável
18. fired = disparou
19. laser shots = disparos de laser
20. turns rocks and soil into gas = transforma rocha e solo em gás
21. identifies = identifica
22. Martian surface = superfície Marciana
23. Sent back = enviou de volta
24. understanding = compreensão
25. neighboring planet = planeta vizinho
26. will help set = ajudarão a estabelecer
27. will be launched = serão lançados(as)
28. environment = meio ambiente
29. start seeking = começar a procurar
30. will change everything = mudará tudo
31. chose = escolheu
32. instead of = ao invés de
33. similarities = semelhanças
34. own = próprio(a)
35. the most Earth-like planet = o planeta mais parecido com a Terra
36. beyond = além
37. may very well = pode muito bem
38. the most likely place = o lugar mais provavel
39. low area = area baixa
40. Crater = cratera
41. Hit = atingiu
42. long ago = há muito tempo atrás
43. deep = produndo(a)
44. 150-kilometer-wide = 150 km de largura
45. moving toward = movendo-se em direção a
46. device = dispositivo
47. levels = níveis
48. search for clues = buscar por pistas
49. over time = ao longo do tempo
50. clay = argila, barro
51. once = outrora, uma vez
52. designed to = projetado para
53. go on = continuar
54. much longer = muito mais tempo
55. engineers = engenheiros
56. years to come = anos futuros
57. hope = esperam (tem esperança)
