Scientist-explorers set sail for Antarctica

时间：2007-11-13 06:49:35

（单词翻译:单击）


The ship Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, carrying 91 members of what will eventually be a 188-strong expedition team and 40 crew members, left Waigaoqiao Dock at about 10 am.
 
SHANGHAI, Nov.13 - A group of scientists set sail from Shanghai Monday morning, marking the start of the country's 24th scientific expedition to Antarctica.

 

The ship Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, carrying 91 members of what will eventually be a 188-strong expedition team and 40 crew members, left Waigaoqiao Dock at about 10 am. The rest of the explorers will travel to Antarctica by air.

 

"The expedition will last for more than five months. We expect to be back home on April 18," Shen Quan, the ship's captain, said.

 

"It's the largest scientific expedition team China has sent to Antarctica. The expedition will lay the foundations for China's in-depth exploration of the Antarctic," Chen Lianzeng, deputy director of the State Oceanic Administration, said.

 

The expedition team will pick the final site of China's third scientific research station at the South Pole, an observatory1 with seven telescopes and one acoustic2 radar3 at Dome4 A, Chen said. At 4,093 m above sea level, Dome A is the highest point on the continent.

 

"We are prepared to build a third station, and construction will start once the site is finalized5. The whole project is expected to be completed by 2010," Xu Xiaxing, a veteran explorer on his eighth trip to the continent, said.

 

They will carry out an inspection6 of Dome A and draw the first topographic map of the 450 km surrounding the peak. A model of an ancient Chinese compass, one of the country's four great inventions, will be brought to Dome A for permanent display.

 

This expedition marks the first time China has participated in the International Polar Year program.

 

It also marks the start of reconstruction7 for two existing Chinese stations in the Antarctic, Changcheng and Zhongshan.

 

The ship will stop in Chejudao in the Republic of Korea and Frementle in Australia for supplies before it arrives at the Zhongshan Station.

 

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1 observatory hRgzP     
n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台
参考例句：
  • Guy's house was close to the observatory.盖伊的房子离天文台很近。
  • Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day.格林威治天文台的职员们每天对大钟检查两次。
2 acoustic KJ7y8     
adj.听觉的，声音的；(乐器)原声的
参考例句：
  • The hall has a fine acoustic.这个大厅的传音效果很好。
  • Animals use a whole rang of acoustic, visual,and chemical signals in their systems of communication.动物利用各种各样的听觉、视觉和化学信号来进行交流。
3 radar kTUxx     
n.雷达，无线电探测器
参考例句：
  • They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
  • Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。
4 dome 7s2xC     
n.圆屋顶，拱顶
参考例句：
  • The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着。
  • They formed the dome with the tree's branches.他们用树枝搭成圆屋顶。
5 finalized 73d0ccbca69b94ee4cd7fc367a8ac9fc     
vt.完成（finalize的过去式与过去分词形式）
参考例句：
  • The draft of this article has been finalized [done]. 这篇文章已经定稿。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • The draft was revised several times before it was finalized. 稿子几经删改才定下来。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
6 inspection y6TxG     
n.检查，审查，检阅
参考例句：
  • On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
  • The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。
7 reconstruction 3U6xb     
n.重建，再现，复原
参考例句：
  • The country faces a huge task of national reconstruction following the war.战后，该国面临着重建家园的艰巨任务。
  • In the period of reconstruction,technique decides everything.在重建时期，技术决定一切。

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