The ISS is Going to Fall Back to Earth

Have you ever wondered what happens to all of the machines that people have sent into space? 你有沒有想過，人類送上外太空的東西，用完之後去了哪裡？ For example, the International Space Station, or ISS, is like a giant "building" in outer space that astronauts use. 太空人使用的國際太空站就像一棟很大的建築物。 But NASA, the U.S.'s space agency, say they need to shut it down soon. 美國太空總署說，需要盡快關閉它。 So what will they do? Leave it in space? Nope, they're going to let the station… crash back to Earth. 被關掉的太空站會被留在太空嗎？不會，它會墜毀到地球上。 But don't worry, it's not as dangerous as it sounds. Really smart space scientists know how to control the International Space Station as it comes back to Earth, and they will make it land in a spot far away from any people. 科學家會讓太空站落在無人地區。 The spot is about three-thousand miles from the coast of New Zealand in the ocean. This spot is called Point Nemo. 這個地方叫做尼莫點，在距離紐西蘭五千公里的大海中。 In fact, a lot of space junk has been dumped in this spot over the years. Over two hundred and sixty-three pieces of space junk has fallen back to Earth in this area since the year 1971. 從1971年開始，已經有260多個太空垃圾掉在那裡。 That's a lot of space garbage in the ocean. But until scientists can figure out a better way to bring things back to Earth, that's where they will all go. ________________________________ Vocabulary 太空垃圾不會永遠留在太空中。 1. Space junk 太空垃圾。 There's so much space junk up there! 天上有好多太空垃圾！ Really? How much? 真的喔? 有多少？ NASA says over 27,000 pieces! 太空總署說超過兩萬七千件！ 2. Dangerous 危險的。 Is it dangerous for Earth? 對地球來說那些垃圾會危險嗎？ It can be dangerous for satellites. 對人造衛星可能會危險。 3. Land 降落。 The spaceship will land in a desert. 太空船會降落在沙漠中。 When will it land? 它什麼時候降落？ At 7 tonight. 今晚七點。 4. Go 去。 Where are you going? 你要去哪裡？ To Yilan. 去宜蘭。 Didn't you go there last week? 你不是上星期去過了嗎？ I did. But I'd like to go again. 是去過了，但是還想再去。 These are fun words to learn. space junk 太空垃圾 dangerous 危險的 land 降落 go 去 ________________________________ Quiz 1. What is NASA planning to shut down? a. The moon b. The International Space Station c. The Tiangong Space Station 2. Where is this thing from outer space going to land? a. In Taiwan b. At Point Nemo c. In New Zealand 3. How many pieces of space junk have fallen in this place? a. Over 200 pieces b. Over 2,000 pieces c. Over 2 million pieces Answers 1. B 2. B 3. A -- Hosting provided by SoundOn