人教版英语选修第二册 unit 1 Using Language THE FATHER OF CHINA’S AEROSPACE

THE FATHER OF CHINA’S AEROSPACE

中国航天之父

Perhaps no other scientist has had a greater impact on China’s aerospace science than Qian Xuesen.

也许再没有哪一位科学家，比钱学森对中国航天科学的影响更大。

Described by the authors of the Story of Qian Xuesen as a man with “great scientific thought and scientific spirit” who was patriotic and served his homeland with effort, achievement, and devotion, Qian was an extremely well-respected man.

《钱学森的故事》一书的作者评价他，拥有“伟大科学思想和科学精神”，热爱祖国、勤勉努力、甘于奉献、成就斐然。钱学森深受人们敬重。

Born in Hangzhou in 1911, Qian attended schools in Beijing and then entered Shanghai Jiao Tong University to study Railway Mechanical Engineering.

钱学森1911年生于杭州，在北京求学，后来考入上海交通大学，主修铁道机械工程。

However, after the Songhu Battle broke out in 1932, Qian made the decision to switch his major to aviation.

然而1932年淞沪会战爆发后，钱学森决定转修航空专业。

because he realised that China needed its own powerful air force to protect and defend the country.

因为他意识到，中国需要建立强大的空军来保卫国家。

Qian went to the United States in 1935 to pursue his graduate studies.

1935年，钱学森前往美国攻读研究生。

Over the course of the 1930s and 1940s, Qian became a pioneer in American jet and rocket technology.

二十世纪三四十年代，钱学森成为美国喷气飞机与火箭技术领域的先驱。

As a graduate assistant at the California Institute of Technology during the 1930s, Qian helped conduct important research into rocket propulsion.

二十世纪三十年代，他在加州理工学院担任研究生助理，协助开展火箭推进相关重要研究。

and in the 1940s, he and several other people founded the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, now one of NASA’s leading space-exploration centres.

二十世纪四十年代，他与其他人一同创立喷气推进实验室。如今这里是美国国家航空航天局顶尖的太空探索中心之一。

After overcoming some difficulties during his final few years in the US, Qian returned to China in 1955.

在美国的最后几年，钱学森克服重重阻碍，于1955年回到祖国。

He received a hero’s welcome from his homeland and was put in charge of not only developing China’s rocket science but also its space and missile programme.

祖国给予他英雄般的迎接，他受命主持中国火箭科学、航天以及导弹项目的研发工作。

At that time, China was poor and its rocket science was undeveloped.

那时的中国国力薄弱，火箭科学发展滞后。

No institute or university in China offered rocket science as a major, and there were no talents or experts in this field in China.

国内没有高校开设火箭科学专业，也缺少该领域的人才与专家。

Nevertheless, Qian did not let that discourage him from taking on the challenge.

即便如此，钱学森没有退缩，毅然接受这项挑战。

When asked “Can we Chinese possibly make missiles?”, his reply was a determined “Why not? We Chinese are able to make the same things that other people make.”

有人问他：“我们中国人能造出导弹吗？”他坚定地回答：“有什么不能的，外国人能造出来的，我们中国人同样能造得出来。”

Under Qian’s leadership, China developed the Dongfeng missiles, followed by the first generation of Long March rockets.

在钱学森的带领下，中国研制出东风导弹，随后造出第一代长征系列火箭。

In 1970, China successfully launched its first man-made satellite, Dong Fang Hong I, from a Long March rocket.

1970年，中国依靠长征火箭，成功发射第一颗人造卫星“东方红一号”。

Because much of the technology behind the Shenzhou rockets can also be traced back to Qian’s research, Qian earned the name of “the father of China’s aerospace”.

神舟系列火箭大量技术也源自钱学森的研究，因此他被誉为“中国航天之父”。

Qian read a lot and was extremely knowledgeable, especially in the area of frontier science research.

钱学森博览群书，学识渊博，尤其精通前沿科学研究领域。

However, what might have made him such an outstanding and creative scientist was probably his strong interest in other things, such as music and drawing.

而造就这位杰出、富有创造力科学家的，或许是他对音乐、绘画等事物浓厚的兴趣。

His deep appreciation for art often gave him inspiration in his scientific research.

深厚的艺术素养，常常为他的科学研究带来灵感。

On 31 October 2009, the whole country was saddened by Qian’s death, and people honoured and remembered him in different ways.

2009年10月31日，钱学森与世长辞，举国悲痛。人们以各种方式缅怀、纪念他。

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