(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
From VOA Learning English, this is the Education Report.
Students at Saint Louis University are launching weather balloons into the sky above St. Louis, Missouri. The United States space agency NASA is paying for this activity. It's a part of a study to improve our understanding of air pollution and climate.
A group of students surround a laptop computer and a radio receiver outside the Saint Louis Science Center. They're getting ready to take part in a NASA project to measure ozone. The students hear the sound of information.
Inside container made of Styrofoam material are small instruments, they measure direction, temperature, humidity, air pressure and ozone. The students tested all the instruments. When they are certain everything is operating correctly, they attach the container to a weather ballon.
The ballon will carry it into the atmosphere three times higher than jets airplane. But first, the students need to fill the ballon with helium gas, so it can rise. They need a lot of helium, fully blown up, the ballon will be 2 to 3 meters in diameter.
A voice announces the launch time.
"This is Gary Morris with the Saint Louis University weather balloon launch team at the St. Louis planetarium. We're five minutes from a weather balloon launch."
Gary Morris is a professor at Valparaiso University in Indiana. He is the lead trainer for the nationwide study. The professor says NASA wants more information on ozone because how it affects our atmosphere ― both good and bad.
High up in what is called the stratosphere, the ozone layer keeps harmful ultraviolet radiation from reaching the earth. But near the ground, emissions from cars and petrochemical plants form ozone pollution and smog, the unhealthy air condition that affects breathing.
Jack Fishman leds the ozone study at Saint Louis University. He says new requirements that decrease pollution have lowered ozone levels in American cities, but he notes that pollution in remote areas continues to increase. He blames industrial activity in eastern Asia for that pollution.
Mr Fishman says polluted air is being blown across the Pacific by currents in the upper atmosphere. He says ozone pollution has slown the growth of farm crops and forests.
And now, at the Saint Louis Science Center, is time for the balloon launch. OK, comes a voice, ready...
"Five, four, three, two, one, lift-off! Alright!"
And that's the VOA Education Report. I'm Jerilyn Watson.
译文属可可原创，仅供学习交流使用，未经许可请勿转载
词汇解释
1.ozone n. [化学] 臭氧；新鲜的空气
They will press for international action to safeguard the ozone layer.
他们将督促国际社会采取行动保护臭氧层。
2.humidity n. [气象] 湿度；湿气
The humidity of soil helps to grow.
土壤潮湿有助于植物生长。
3.planetarium n. 天文馆；行星仪
The motions of the stars can be approximated in a planetarium.
星星的运动可在天文馆里模拟。
4.stratosphere n. 同温层；最上层；最高阶段
This was enough to launch their careers into the stratosphere.
这足够将他们的事业推上顶峰了。
5.ultraviolet adj. 紫外的；紫外线的 n. 紫外线辐射，紫外光
The sun's ultraviolet rays are responsible for both tanning and burning.
太阳的紫外线是皮肤晒黑和晒伤的原因。
内容解析
1.They need a lot of helium, fully blown up, the ballon will be 2 to 3 meters in diameter.
blow up 爆发，爆炸；放大；使充气
Other than blowing up a tyre I hadn't done any car maintenance.
除了给一个轮胎充气外，我没有做过任何汽车保养。
He was jailed for 45 years for trying to blow up a plane.
他因图谋炸飞机而被监禁了45年。
2.High up in what is called the stratosphere, the ozone layer keeps harmful ultraviolet radiation from reaching the earth.
keep from 隐瞒；阻止；抑制
The turkey is basted to keep it from drying out.
烤火鸡时润以油脂以免烤干。
Cover the food with a bowl to keep it from getting cold.
用碗把菜扣上，免得凉了。
参考译文
这里是美国之音慢速英语教育报道。
圣路易斯大学的学生在密苏里州圣路易斯上空放飞气象气球，美国航天局NASA为这次活动支付费用，这是一项意在加深我们对污染和气候认识的研究的一部分。
在圣路易斯大学外，一群学生围着一台笔记本电脑和无线接收器，他们准备加入NASA测量臭氧的项目，学生们在听信息的声音。
塑料泡沫容器里装着小仪器，用来测量方向、温度、湿度、气压和臭氧。学生们测试了所有仪器，当确认一切就绪后，就将容器绑在一个气象气球上。
气球将带着仪器升入大气层中相当于喷气式飞机三倍高度的地方，但首先，学生们需要将气球装满氦气，这样气球才能升空。他们需要大量的氦气，装得慢慢的，气球的直径将达到2到3米。
一个声音宣布发射时间到了。
“我是圣路易斯大学气球放飞组的加里·莫里斯，我们在圣路易斯大学天文馆，5分钟后我们将发射气象气球。”
加里·莫里斯是印第安纳州瓦尔帕莱索大学的教授，他是这个全国性研究的主要培训师，这位教授说，因为臭氧对我们的大气有着或好或坏的影响，因此NASA需要更多有关臭氧的信息。
在上方的平流层中，臭氧层使得有害的紫外线不能进入地球。但在接近地面的地方，汽车和石化厂的排放能形成臭氧和烟雾，这种有害气体会影响呼吸。
杰克·菲什曼是圣路易斯大学臭氧研究的负责人，他说，减污新规定降低了美国城市的臭氧污染水平，但他指出，偏远地区的污染仍在上升。他指责东亚的工业活动造成了这种污染。
菲什曼说，在上层大气中，污染空气被气流吹过太平洋，他说臭氧污染导致农场作物和森林生长放慢。
现在，在圣路易斯科学中心，放飞气球的时间到了。好的，准备好...
“五、四、三、二、一，放飞！好了！”
这里是美国之音教育报道，我是Jerilyn Watson。
