2017考研英语阅读每日精选：首次太空花开 深空航行更近一步

　　考研英语阅读真题中的文章，多摘自英美主流外刊，有时候你认识所有单词、搞清全部语法还不够，还需要了解英美文化，掌握他们的表达方式，这就是阅读的潜台词。有时候是一些俗语和俚语，有时候是固定搭配，有时候需要借助历史、风俗、文化才能理解某种现象或表达。总之，这些地道的英语文章背后都有潜台词，一般人不容易读出，但往往是理解文章的关键。

　　2017考研复习开启，新东方在线考研分享《2017考研英语阅读精选》，赶快来学习吧！

　　Flower blooms in space for first time, bringing deep-space travel a step closer

　　首次太空花开 深空航行更近一步

　　In a historic first, a flower has bloomed in space.

　　一朵花在太空中完成了历史性的绽放。

　　While such news may at first sound frivolous, possibly conjuring up images of astronauts taking time out from their usual duties to prettify the International Space Station with pleasing arrangements of pink chrysanthemums and cerise anemones, the consequences of the breakthrough are in fact of huge significance.

　　尽管这样的新闻听上去有些无聊，让人们想起宇航员在日常工作之外用粉色菊花和鲜红海葵装点国际空间站的场景。实际上这是一项具有重大意义的突破。

　　The experiment’s success spells good news for NASA’s long-term ambition of deep-space travel as it means astronauts embarking on such missions will be able to consume the produce of edible flowering plants, such as tomatoes.

　　这次花开意味着执行任务的宇航员们将能够食用番茄之类的开花可食用植物，因此这次实验为NASA长时间对深空旅行的开发带来好消息。

　　Astronauts aboard the ISS last year succeeded in growing lettuce in microgravity conditions, a feat that, with this latest breakthrough, suggests future space travelers had better really like salad if they intend to put their name down for a Mars trip.

　　去年登陆国际空间站的宇航员们成功地在微重力条件下培育了莴苣。这件功绩加上本次最新的进展，预示着未来想参加火星游的太空旅行者就能够享用到蔬菜色拉。

　　Growing flowers in space is a far trickier proposition than other types of plant as they’re more sensitive to conditions and take longer to develop, NASA said.

　　NASA说，在太空中培育开花植物比培育别的品种更加棘手，因为这些植物对条件十分敏感，并需要更长的时间来栽培。

　　Indeed, getting the zinnia flowers to bloom proved challenging for ISS astronaut Scott Kelly. The American has been updating his Twitter followers on the progress of the flowers, which were grown using Veggie, NASA’s specially designed “space garden.”

　　实际上，培育百日菊属植物开花对空间站宇航员Scott Kelly来说极富挑战。这位美国人在他的推特上记录了他在NASA特别设计的“太空花园”Veggie里培育花朵的过程。

　　Kelly revealed last month that the experiment was in trouble after issues with humidity and air flow resulted in mold, causing some of the flowers to die.

　　上月，Kelly透露说由于湿度和气流的供给而催生了霉菌，导致一些花朵枯萎，实验陷入困境。

　　Determined not to give up, the green-fingered astronaut carefully cut away the moldy parts and altered the flowers’ watering routine. The zinnias responded positively and over the weekend Kelly proudly showed off a photo (top) of “the first ever flowers grown in space.”

　　但这位精通园艺的宇航员并不愿放弃，他仔细地切除了发霉的部位，调整了花朵的浇灌程序。这些植物经调整后长势喜人。周末，Kelly自豪地用照片展示了“首次在太空绽放的花朵”。

　　The fact that the experiment didn’t go exactly according to a plan will actually prove useful for scientists back on the ground.

　　虽然实验并未按照计划进行，但这实际上对地面的科学家带来莫大帮助。

　　“While the plants haven’t grown perfectly, I think we have gained a lot from this,” NASA scientist Dr. Gioia Massa said, adding, “We’re learning both more about plants and fluids and also how better to operate between ground and station. Regardless of final flowering outcome, we will have gained a lot.”

　　NASA的科学家Gioia Massa博士说：“尽管植物没有长得很完美，我认为我们从中受益匪浅。我们学到了更多关于植物、流体、以及如何在地球太空之间更好运作的知识。”

　　The Veggie team member also said recently that the farther and longer humans travel from Earth, “the greater the need to be able to grow plants for food, atmosphere recycling and psychological benefits,” explaining that plant systems like this “will become important components of any long-duration exploration scenario.”

　　Veggie团队的成员最近也提到，如果人类在太空中进行更远更久的航行，“那么就更需要栽培能够食用、进行大气循环以及带来心理愉悦的植物。”这解释了为什么像这样的植物系统“会成为长期探测方案的重要组成部分”。

　　However, the scientists seem happy to take their time with the project – the first tomato seeds won’t be taken to the ISS until 2017 at the earliest.

　　然而，科学家们十分乐意把时间耗费在这个项目上。第一批番茄种子最早在2017年可被带上国际空间站。

　　来源：爱语吧

【英语阅读资料】这里有↑↑↑