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1、大学英语精读文本1-6册2UNTH 1 TEXT It is humorous essay. But after reading it you will surely find that the author is most serious in writing it. Ts There Life on Earth? There was great excitement on the planet of Venus this week. For the first time Venusian scientists managed to land a satellite on the plant
2、 Earth, and is has been sending back signals as well as photographs ever since. The satellite was directed into an area know as Manhattan (named after the great Venusian astronomer Prof. Manhattan, who first discovered it with his telescope 20,000 light years ago). Because of excellent weather condi
3、tions and extremely strong signals, Venusian scientists were able to get valuable information as to the feasibility of a manned flying saucer landing on Earth. A press conference was held at the Venus Institute of Technology. We have come to the conclusion, based on last weeks satellite landing, Pro
4、f. Zog said, that there is no life on Earth. How do you know this? the science reporter of the Venus Evening Star asked. For one thing, Earths surface in the area of Manhattan is composed of solid concrete and nothing can grow there. For another, the atmosphere is filled with carbon monoxide and oth
5、er deadly gases and nobody could possibly breather this air and survive. What does this mean as far as our flying sauce program is concerned? We shall have to take our own oxygen with us, which means a much heavier flying saucer than we originally planned. Are there any other hazards that you discov
6、ered in your studier?Take a look at this photo. You see this dark black cloud hovering over the surface of Earth? We call this the Consolidated Edison Belt. We dont know what it is made of, but it could give us a lot of trouble and we shall have to make further tests before we send a Venus Being the
7、re.Over here you will notice what seems to be a river, but the satellite findings indicate it is polluted and the water is unfit to drink. This means we shall have to carry our own water, which will add even greater weight to the saucer. Sir, what are all those tiny black spots on the photographs? W
8、ere not certain. They seem to be metal particles that move along certain paths. They emit gases, make noise and keep crashing into each other. There are so many of these paths and so many metal particles that it is impossible to land a flying saucer without its being smashed by one. What are those s
9、talagmite projections sticking up? Theyre some type of granite formations that give off light at night. Prof. Glom has named them skyscrapers since they seem to be scraping the skies.If all you say is true, wont this set back the flying saucer program several years?Yes, but we shall proceed as soon
10、as the Grubstart gives us the added funds. Prof. Zog, why are we spending billions and billions of zilches to land a flying saucer on Earth when there is no life there? Because if we Venusians can learn to breathe in an Earth atmosphere, then we can live anywhere. NEW WORDS humorous a. funny; that m
11、akers people laugh 幽默的 humor n. essay n. 散文，随笔 excitementn. the state or quality of being excited planet n. large body in space that moves round a star esp. round the sun 行星 Venusian a. of or having to do with the plant Venus 金星的n. supposed Venus being 金星人 satelliten. spacecraft that goes round the
12、planet earth and sends back radio and television signals; heavenly body that goes round a plant （人造）卫星 signaln. 信号；暗号 astronomern. person who studies the science of the sun, moon, stars and planets 天文学家 telescope n. instrument with special glasses used for seeing distant things extremely ad. very 极端
13、，非常 extremea. feasibilityad. possibility of being carried or done 可行性 feasible a. manned a. occupied by one or more persons 载人的 saucern. 浅碟；茶托 flying saucern. 飞碟 conferencen. meeting press conferencen. meeting arranged by an important person to which news reporters are invited to listen to a stateme
14、nt or ask questions 记者招待会 technologyn. 技术 conclusionn. decision of opinion reached by reasoning 结论 conclude v. reporterv. person who gathers news for a newspaper, magazine, or radio or TV station 记者 composevt. make up, form 组成，构成 concreten. building material made by mixing cement with sand, small st
15、ones and water 混凝土 atmospheren. all the gasses round the earth; air in a place 大气；空气 carbonn. 碳 monoxide n. 一氧化物 deadlya. causing death; likely to cause death 致命的 gas n. 气体 survive vi. remain alive; continue to live or exist 活下来；幸存vt. remain alive after; live longer than 经历.后还活着；比.活得长 survivaln. program n. plan of what it to be done 计划 co
