【簡介：】航空探險一直是國內(nèi)外英語寫作的重大主題，2004年考研寫作也不例外。去年美國哥倫比亞航天飛機的失事，引發(fā)了人們對航空探險的思考：我們應(yīng)該不應(yīng)該冒生命危險？我們應(yīng)該不應(yīng)該投入

航空探險一直是國內(nèi)外英語寫作的重大主題，2004年考研寫作也不例外。去年美國哥倫比亞航天飛機的失事，引發(fā)了人們對航空探險的思考：我們應(yīng)該不應(yīng)該冒生命危險？我們應(yīng)該不應(yīng)該投入那么多的金錢？航空探險的目的是什么？航空探險到底能給我們帶來什么？這一系列的問題需要我們思考。前不久，我國神州五號的成功發(fā)射，以及楊利偉這個名字又使人們對航空探險進(jìn)行深思。下面的文章就是有關(guān)航空探險的，第一、二篇講述了我國的神州五號探險的原因以及偉大意義，第三、四篇文章講述了有關(guān)美國哥倫比亞航天飛機的內(nèi)容，由于文章較難我給大家附上了漢語譯文。

1． New chapter in space history 航天歷史的新篇章

The Shenzhou-V, or “Divine Ship,” has carried the first Chinese into orbit and the country into the prestigious space club pioneered four decades ago by the former Soviet Union and the United States. As the inventor of the ancient rocket, the Chinese nation had cherished a space dream for centuries. The launch of its first satellite, the Dongfanghong, in 1970 ushered in China’s space age. Now, the Shenzhou-V marks another giant stride in China’s space trek.

As the world’s largest developing country, China is more than proud of making its own contribution to human beings’ outer space exploration.

By reigniting people’s interest in the universe, China’s latest accomplishment appears especially important for rejuvenating the world’s space programmes, which have unfortunately been bogged down by accidents in recent years.

The blast-off of China’s first manned spacecraft will definitely breathe new energy into the country’s pursuit of space technologies for the overall welfare of its people. Just imagine what new seed varieties with higher yields and better qualities, which are developed in space, would mean to a country with 1.3 billion people. It is hoped that wider applications of space technology will turn out to be an important driving force in the country’s economic and social development.

Expensive as they are, manned missions are worth it. In addition to offering a tremendous boost to a country’s technological capabilities and creating a plenitude of other possibilities, they are a huge morale booster.

The successful launch of Shenzhou-V has clearly showcased the value of devotion, co-operation and pursuit of the unknown. And the upbeat spirit the first Chinese astronaut demonstrated in the face of the unknown will inspire the nation to take on challenges as it continues to evolve. (285 words)

2． China’s manned star trek signals a brighter future

中國的載人飛行預(yù)示著更好的未來

The ultimate goal of the programme is to explore outer space and make good use of its rich resources.

The universe is abundant with energy and resources, while mankind, on its way to self-improvement and development, must constantly seek new channels to acquire more resources.

Since the 1970s many countries have conducted experiments in space and achieved major breakthroughs in the research of key space technologies. A comprehensive satellite system, offering services in fields like telecommunications, navigation, meteorology and outer space exploration, has been established.

Since 1975, China has successfully launched 17 recoverable satellites. As those satellites orbited the Earth, a variety of experiments in space engineering, agriculture, life sciences and space materials were smoothly conducted.

As the world’s most populous nation with a population of 1.2 billion, China relies heavily on its agricultural sector. As early as 1987, China’s recoverable satellites started to carry plant seeds into orbit in a bid to breed new seed varieties with higher yields and better quality.

Outer space is an ideal industrial base, as the universe is very clean and almost without gravity.

The United States and Russia have both set up workshops in space stations. Products like semiconductors, optical glass, pottery and a variety of alloys have been produced in space.

In order to be able to share space resources with other countries as soon as possible, China has vigorously developed its manned space programme. Sending a man into space is just the “first step” for China’s ambitious programme. (247 words)

3．Columbia Space Shuttle 哥倫比亞航天飛機

The Columbia is lost; there are no survivors.

On board was a crew of seven, these men and women assumed great risk in the service to all humanity.

In an age when space flight has come to seem almost routine, it is easy to overlook the dangers of travel by rocket, and the difficulties of navigating the fierce outer atmosphere of the Earth. These astronauts knew the dangers, and they faced them willingly, knowing they had a high and noble purpose in life. Because of their courage and daring and idealism, we will miss them all he more.

The cause in which they died will continue. Mankind is led into the darkness beyond our world by the inspiration of discovery and the longing to understand. Our journey into space will go on.

In the skies today we saw destruction and tragedy. Yet farther than we can see there is comfort and hope. In the words of the prophet Isaiah, “Lift your eyes and look to the heavens. Who created all these? He who brings out the starry hosts one by one and calls them each by name. Because of His great power and might strength, not one of them is missing.” (201 words)

參考譯文：

“哥倫比亞號”失事了；無一人生還。

機上的七名男女宇航員為造福全人類而承擔(dān)了巨大的風(fēng)險。

在太空飛行似乎已基本成為常規(guī)作業(yè)的時代，人們易于忽視乘坐火箭飛行的危險和在險惡的地球外層空間飛行的難度。這些宇航員懂得這些危險，而且甘心情愿地面對這些危險，因為他們知道生命中有著遠(yuǎn)大而崇高的目標(biāo)。正是因為他們的勇氣、膽識和理想主義精神，我們會更加懷念他們。

他們?yōu)橹I(xiàn)身的事業(yè)將繼續(xù)下去。人類是在探索精神和求知欲望的引導(dǎo)下，超越我們的世界，進(jìn)入黑暗的未知空間。我們的太空之旅將繼續(xù)下去。

今天，我們在空中看到的是毀滅和悲劇。但在我們的視野之外存在著安慰和希望。先知以賽亞說：“你們向上舉目，看誰創(chuàng)造這萬象？他逐一領(lǐng)出爍爍繁星，一一稱其名。因為他的大力全能，一個都不缺?！?br>
4．To Columbia Space Shuttle Heroes 致哥倫比亞航天飛機的英雄們

Their truest testimony will not be in the words we speak, but in the way they led their lives and in the way they lost those lives ― with dedication, honor and an unquenchable desire to explore this mysterious and beautiful universe.

They were so different, yet in their mission, their quest, they held so much in common.

We remember Christa McAuliffe, who captured the imagination of the entire nation, inspiring us with her pluck, her restless spirit of discovery; a teacher, not just to her students, but to an entire people, instilling us all with the excitement of this journey we ride into the future.

We will always remember them, these skilled professionals, scientists and adventurers, these artists and teachers and family men and women, and we will cherish each of their stories ― stories of triumph and bravery, stories of true American heroes.

The sacrifice of your loved ones has stirred the soul of our nation and, through the pain, our hearts have been opened to a profound truth ― the future is not free, the story of all human progress is one of a struggle against all odds. We learned again that this America, which Abraham Lincoln called the last best hope of man on Earth, was built on heroism and noble sacrifice. It was built by men and women like our seven star voyagers, who answered a call beyond duty, who gave more than was expected or required, and who gave it with little thought to worldly reward.

Today, the frontier is space and the boundaries of human knowledge. Sometimes, when we reach for the stars, we fall short. But we must pick ourselves up again and press on despite the pain. Our nation is indeed fortunate that we can still draw on immense reservoirs of courage, character and fortitude ― that we are still blessed with heroes like those of the space shuttle Challenger.

Today, we promise Dick Scobee and his crew that their dream lives on; that the future they worked so hard to build will become reality. The dedicated men and women of NASA have lost seven members of their family. Still, they too, must forge ahead, with a space program that is effective, safe and efficient, but bold and committed.

Man will continue his conquest of space. To reach out for new goals and ever greater achievements-that is the way we shall commemorate our seven Challenger heroes.

We can find consolation only in faith, for we know in our hearts that you who flew so high and so proud now make your home beyond the stars, safe in God’s promise of eternal life. (437 words)

參考譯文：

英雄之所以稱之為英雄，并不在于我們頌贊的語言，而在于他們始終以高度的事業(yè)心、自尊心和鍥而不舍地對神奇而美妙的宇宙進(jìn)行探索的責(zé)任感，去實踐真正的生活以至獻(xiàn)出生命。

他們彼此很不相同，但他們每個人的追求和肩負(fù)的使命卻又是那樣的一致。

我們還記得凝聚了整個國家想象力的科里斯塔?麥考利芙，她用她的勇氣和永不停息的探索精神激勵我們。她是一位教師，不僅是她的學(xué)生們的教師，而且是全國人民的教師，她以這次太空飛行作為激勵我們向未來沖擊的教例，孜孜不倦地講述給我們。

我們將永遠(yuǎn)記住他們，這些杰出的專家、科學(xué)家、冒險家，這些藝術(shù)家、教師和家庭中的男女成員們。我們將珍愛他們每個人的故事，這是訴說勝利和勇敢的故事，這是真正的美國英雄的故事。

你們所熱愛的人們的犧牲轟動了整個國家。在痛苦中我們認(rèn)識到了一個意義深遠(yuǎn)的道理：未來的道路并不平坦，整個人類前進(jìn)的歷史是與一切艱難險阻斗爭的歷史。我們又一次認(rèn)識到，我們的美國是在英雄主義和崇高獻(xiàn)身精神的基礎(chǔ)上建立起來的，它是由像我們的七位宇航員那樣的男人和女人，那些把全社會的責(zé)任作為自己責(zé)任的人，那些給予人民比人民期望和要求的更多的人，那些為人類做出貢獻(xiàn)而從不企求些微報答的人建立起來的。

今天的荒漠就是太空和人類知識沒有達(dá)到的疆域。有時，我們會感到想到達(dá)外星球還力不從心。但我們必須重新振作起來，忍受著磨難，不斷前進(jìn)。我們的國家的確非常幸運，因為我們依然保持著巨大的勇氣、令人信賴的聲譽和剛毅不屈的品質(zhì)，我們?nèi)匀挥邢瘛疤魬?zhàn)者”號上七位宇航員那樣的英雄。

今天，我們向迪克?司各比和他的伙伴們保證，他們的夢想決沒有破滅，他們努力為之奮斗的理想一定會成為現(xiàn)實。為國家航空和宇宙航行局獻(xiàn)身工作的人們，他們的大家庭中失去了七位成員，他們?nèi)砸^續(xù)工作去實現(xiàn)既安全可行又冒險、大膽的更有效的太空計劃。人類將繼續(xù)向太空進(jìn)軍，不斷確立新的目標(biāo)，不斷取得新的成就。這正是我們紀(jì)念“挑戰(zhàn)者”號上七位英雄的最好方式。

我們所能找到的唯一安慰是，我們在心里知道飛得那樣高那樣自豪的你們，現(xiàn)在在星際之外找到了上帝許諾以不朽生命的歸宿。