Lesson 61
Trouble with the Hubble
哈勃望远镜的困境
First listen and then answer the question.
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
What is the special importance of a telescope in space?

The Hubble telescope was launched into space by NASA on April 20,1990 at a cost of over a billion dollars. Right from the start there was trouble with the Hubble. The pictures it sent us were very disappointing because its main mirror was faulty! NASA is now going to put the telescope right, so it will soon be sending up four astronauts to repair it. The shuttle Endeavour will be taking the astronauts to the Hubble. A robot-arm from the Endeavour will grab the telescope and hold it while the astronauts make the necessary repairs. Of course, the Hubble is above the earths atmosphere, so it will soon be sending us the clearest pictures of the stars and distant galaxies that we have ever seen. The Hubble will tell us a great deal about the age and size of the universe. By the time you read this, the Hubbles eagle eye will have sent us thousands and thousands of wonderful pictures.

New words and expressions 生词和短语
Hubble n. 哈勃
telescope n. 望远镜
launch v. 发射
space n. 空间
NASA n.(National Aeronautics and Space Administration) 国家航空和航天局
billion n. 10亿
faulty adj. 有错误的
astronaut n. 宇航员
shuttle n. 航天飞机
Endeavour n. “奋进”号
robot-arm n. 机器手
grab v. 抓
atmosphere n. 大气层
distant adj. 遥远的
galaxy n. 星系
universe n. 宇宙
eagle eye 鹰眼