美国国家航空航天局（NASA）的 “毅力号”（Perseverance）漫游探测器在火星的任务迎来了一个要紧时刻。
This is the sound of Nasas Perseveranceroverhard at work on the surface of the Red Planet. It landed on Mars 15 months ago. Since then, its been on the move,trundlingmore than seven miles across the dry anddustyterrain.
这是美国国家航空航天局的 “毅力号” 漫游探测器在火星表面努力工作时的声音。它在15个月前登陆火星。自那将来，它争分夺秒地进行探测任务，已经在干燥多尘的地表上行驶了七英里多。
Now its reached its target: a delta wher a river once flowed into a huge lake billions of years ago. Scientists think thesedimentsthere could contain signs of ancient life, possiblymicrobesthat once lived in theMartianwaters.
目前它到达了目的地：一个三角洲，数十亿年前一条河流曾在这里流入一个大湖。科学家觉得，那里的沉积物可能含有古时候生命的迹象，大概是过去生活在火星水域的微生物。
The rover will climb up the front of the delta and search for the most promising rocks,drillinginto them to collect samples. And some of these could be heading back to Earth – a future mission is currently being planned to retrieve them.
探测器将爬上三角洲的前端，探寻可能与微生物有过接触或被微生物改变的岩石，在它们上面钻孔采集样本。“毅力号” 采集的一些样本或许会被送到地球，现在正在计划一个将来的任务将样本一一取回。
词语表
rover 探测器
trundling 慢慢地移动
dusty 多尘的
sediments 沉积物
microbes 微生物
Martian 火星的
drilling 钻孔，打眼
阅读理解：请在读完上文后，回答下列问题。
1. According to the article, how long ago did the rover land on Mars?
2. What nickname for Mars is used in the text?
3. How far has the rover travelled since it arrived?
4. What is the rovers target destination?
答案
1. According to the article, how long ago did the rover land on Mars?
The rover arrived 15 months ago.
2. What nickname for Mars is used in the text?
Mars is referred to as the Red Planet.
3. How far has the rover travelled since it arrived?
The rover has travelled seven miles.
4. What is the rovers target destination?
The rover is heading to a delta wher a river once flowed into a huge lake billions of years ago.
