VOA标准英语2015--太阳能飞机准备环游世界
时间：2018-12-16 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2015年(三月)
Solar Plane Prepares for Global Circumnavigation 太阳能飞机准备环游世界
Pilots of the sun-powered plane Solar Impulse 1 2 completed two successful test flights Thursday in the United Arab Emirates, in preparation for the first attempt to fly around the world. Officials say the plane performed flawlessly and that, weather permitting, it may start its journey as soon as March 3.
A test pilot took Solar Impulse 2 on its first flight, which lasted four hours. Then, project co-founder Andre Borschberg took off and stayed in the air for a full day.
These test flights are crucial because flying a four-engine plane powered only by sunlight, which charges its batteries at a cruising 2 speed between 50 and 100 kilometers an hour, requires a lot of special skills
Solar Impulse 2 is a single-seater so Borschberg and his co-founder and fellow pilot, Bertrand Piccard, will take turns during 25 flying days stretched over five months.
But both men are determined 3 to show the world that sustainable energy sources are ready for everyday use.
“To fly with a solar airplane [you] need an airplane which is extremely energy efficient and we have technologies which you could use in your home, that people could use in ground transportation and that's what we want to show around the world,” said Borschberg.
In order to be efficient, the plane must be light so pilots sacrificed not only cockpit space but pressurization. They had to practice yoga and self-hypnosis to endure long periods with little sleep, such as the five-day non-stop flight over the Pacific.
Pilot Bertrand Piccard, who also was the first to circumnavigate the world in a hot air balloon, is a clean-energy enthusiast 4, as well.
“We want to show that clean technologies and renewable energies can achieve the impossible, like flying day and night in an airplane with no fuel, and this is the way to encourage governments and societies and corporations to reduce their energy consumption 5 to be more energy efficient like we are,” said Piccard.
Solar Impulse 2 will be followed by a team of 80 dedicated 6 technicians making sure that it performs without flaws 7 until it returns to Abu Dhabi by early August.
- She wrote that letter on impulse.她一时冲动写了这封信。
- I don't know how to resist my impulse.我不知道怎样抑制自己的感情冲动。
- The car was cruising along at 100 kilometres an hour. 这辆汽车平稳地以每小时100公里的速度行驶。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- They will go cruising in the Mediterranean. 他们将在地中海上巡游。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
- He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。
- He is an enthusiast about politics.他是个热衷于政治的人。
- He was an enthusiast and loved to evoke enthusiasm in others.他是一个激情昂扬的人，也热中于唤起他人心中的激情。
- Consumption of oil has declined in recent years.石油消耗量在最近几年下降了。
- The meat was condemned as unfit for human consumption.这种肉已被宣布不适宜人们食用。