【简介：】航空探险一直是国内外英语写作的重大主题，2004年考研写作也不例外。去年美国哥伦比亚航天飞机的失事，引发了人们对航空探险的思考：我们应该不应该冒生命危险？我们应该不应该投入
航空探险一直是国内外英语写作的重大主题，2004年考研写作也不例外。去年美国哥伦比亚航天飞机的失事，引发了人们对航空探险的思考：我们应该不应该冒生命危险？我们应该不应该投入那么多的金钱？航空探险的目的是什么？航空探险到底能给我们带来什么？这一系列的问题需要我们思考。前不久，我国神州五号的成功发射，以及杨利伟这个名字又使人们对航空探险进行深思。下面的文章就是有关航空探险的，第一、二篇讲述了我国的神州五号探险的原因以及伟大意义，第三、四篇文章讲述了有关美国哥伦比亚航天飞机的内容，由于文章较难我给大家附上了汉语译文。
1． New chapter in space history 航天历史的新篇章
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
中国的载人飞行预示着更好的未来
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 哥伦比亚航天飞机
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)
参考译文：
“哥伦比亚号”失事了；无一人生还。
机上的七名男女宇航员为造福全人类而承担了巨大的风险。
在太空飞行似乎已基本成为常规作业的时代，人们易于忽视乘坐火箭飞行的危险和在险恶的地球外层空间飞行的难度。这些宇航员懂得这些危险，而且甘心情愿地面对这些危险，因为他们知道生命中有着远大而崇高的目标。正是因为他们的勇气、胆识和理想主义精神，我们会更加怀念他们。
他们为之献身的事业将继续下去。人类是在探索精神和求知欲望的引导下，超越我们的世界，进入黑暗的未知空间。我们的太空之旅将继续下去。
今天，我们在空中看到的是毁灭和悲剧。但在我们的视野之外存在着安慰和希望。先知以赛亚说：“你们向上举目，看谁创造这万象？他逐一领出烁烁繁星，一一称其名。因为他的大力全能，一个都不缺。”
4．To Columbia Space Shuttle Heroes 致哥伦比亚航天飞机的英雄们
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)
参考译文：
英雄之所以称之为英雄，并不在于我们颂赞的语言，而在于他们始终以高度的事业心、自尊心和锲而不舍地对神奇而美妙的宇宙进行探索的责任感，去实践真正的生活以至献出生命。
他们彼此很不相同，但他们每个人的追求和肩负的使命却又是那样的一致。
我们还记得凝聚了整个国家想象力的科里斯塔・麦考利芙，她用她的勇气和永不停息的探索精神激励我们。她是一位教师，不仅是她的学生们的教师，而且是全国人民的教师，她以这次太空飞行作为激励我们向未来冲击的教例，孜孜不倦地讲述给我们。
我们将永远记住他们，这些杰出的专家、科学家、冒险家，这些艺术家、教师和家庭中的男女成员们。我们将珍爱他们每个人的故事，这是诉说胜利和勇敢的故事，这是真正的美国英雄的故事。
你们所热爱的人们的牺牲轰动了整个国家。在痛苦中我们认识到了一个意义深远的道理：未来的道路并不平坦，整个人类前进的历史是与一切艰难险阻斗争的历史。我们又一次认识到，我们的美国是在英雄主义和崇高献身精神的基础上建立起来的，它是由像我们的七位宇航员那样的男人和女人，那些把全社会的责任作为自己责任的人，那些给予人民比人民期望和要求的更多的人，那些为人类做出贡献而从不企求些微报答的人建立起来的。
今天的荒漠就是太空和人类知识没有达到的疆域。有时，我们会感到想到达外星球还力不从心。但我们必须重新振作起来，忍受着磨难，不断前进。我们的国家的确非常幸运，因为我们依然保持着巨大的勇气、令人信赖的声誉和刚毅不屈的品质，我们仍然有像“挑战者”号上七位宇航员那样的英雄。
今天，我们向迪克・司各比和他的伙伴们保证，他们的梦想决没有破灭，他们努力为之奋斗的理想一定会成为现实。为国家航空和宇宙航行局献身工作的人们，他们的大家庭中失去了七位成员，他们仍要继续工作去实现既安全可行又冒险、大胆的更有效的太空计划。人类将继续向太空进军，不断确立新的目标，不断取得新的成就。这正是我们纪念“挑战者”号上七位英雄的最好方式。
我们所能找到的唯一安慰是，我们在心里知道飞得那样高那样自豪的你们，现在在星际之外找到了上帝许诺以不朽生命的归宿。
