太陽能飛機上的首次跳傘

河北樂亭第一中學 胡金瑩

為了展示可再生能源的用途很多，瑞士一名跳傘運動員從瑞士西部1,520米的高空跳下，首次實現了人類從太陽能飛機上跳傘的壯舉。

題材體裁 文章詞數 建議用時約276 6分鐘科技產品 新聞報道

難詞探意

1. kerosene /?ker?si?n/ n. 煤油

2. single-propeller /?s??ɡl pr??pel?(r)/ n. 單螺旋槳

Inventors working to take a solar-powered plane to the edge of space have performed the first jump and free fall from an electric aircraft.

The Swiss SolarStratos team's experimental two-seater plane took off from an airfield in western Switzerland with two people on board and climbed to 1,520 meters before its founder, Rapha?l Domjan, jumped out of the aircraft. SolarStratos reported that Mr Domjan remained in free fall for several hundred metres, reaching speeds of over 150 km/h before splaying his parachute and landing safely near the project base in Payerne, Switzerland.

The excellent skill was part of the goal of demonstrating that activities such as skydiving can be carried out without producing planet-warming greenhouse gases. “Today there were many firsts but the most important thing is that this is the first time ever that someone has jumped from an electric aircraft. And this is something that is changing the future for this sport for skydivers,” said Mr Domjan. “It was the first time that we had done a solar skydiving. I climbed with the energy coming from the solar cells of the plane.”

Emissions from kerosene fueled planes currently account for about 2 percent of the man-made carbon emissions. “I hope that this will continue to make the young people of tomorrow dream, thanks to the aircraft that is more respectful of our planet and our climate,” Mr Domjan added.

The SolarStratos team follows the pioneering work of Switzerland's Solar Impulse mission, which completed the first travel of the globe with a solar-powered plane in 2016. By 2022, the team hopes to fly the single-propeller aircraft—powered by solar energy—into the sky with an altitude of 20,000 metres.

Reading Check

1. What does the underlined word “splaying” mean in paragraph 2?

A. Searching. B. Checking. C. Opening. D. Connecting.

2. What did Domjan intend to do during the jump?

A. To advertise for the electric aircraft.

B. To encourage people to try adventurous activities.

C. To make young people become interested in solar planes.

D. To show skydiving can do no harm to the environment.

3. What does Domjan think of their solar skydiving?

A. It's influential. B. It's respectful.

C. It's interesting. D. It's challenging.

4. What's the purpose of the text?

A. To advocate the use of solar energy.

B. To provide safe tips for parachute jumpers.

C. To show the model of an electric aircraft.

D. To report a parachute jump from a solar plane.

Language Study

Sentence for writing

Today there were many firsts but the most important thing is that this is the first time ever that someone has jumped from an electric aircraft.

【信息提取】this is/was the first time (that)...為固定句型，意為“這是第一次……”，從句的謂語動詞用現在完成時態。

【句式仿寫】這是我第一次看到一幅如此優秀的中國畫。