2021-22学年度第10期总第847期（6版）
Dating the moon (P6)
山东省烟台第二中学  柳力文

I. Lead-in
1.    What do you know about the moon?
2.    What’s the surface of the moon like? 
3.    How has the moon evolved over the years?

II. Basic facts about the moon
•    The moon is Earth's only natural satellite. 
•    It has a diameter (直径) of about one-quarter that of Earth.
•    The average distance between Earth and the moon is 384,400 km, about 30 times Earth's diameter.
•    Its surface gravity is about one-sixth of Earth’s.
•    Tides
 
Earth’s ocean tides result from complicated forces and motions (运动). The moon is the main driver of Earth’s tides.
•    Moon phases (月相)
 
Like Earth, the moon has a day side and a night side, which change as the moon rotates (旋转).
•    Lunar eclipse (月食)
 
A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon moves into Earth’s shadow. This can occur only when the sun, Earth and moon are exactly or very closely aligned with Earth between the other two, and only on the night of a full moon. 
•    The lunar surface
  
Astronomers found a pile of metal under the surface of the moon.
There are many craters on the moon.

III. Read for main idea
Read the article quickly and figure out the meaning of the title.
•    What is the article mainly about?
Chang’e 5 brought back lunar samples to Earth and new findings have been made on the history of the moon.
•    What does the title mean?
The moon’s volcanic activities lasted much longer than previously thought and the lunar volcanic history will be rewritten accordingly.

IV. Read for details
Read carefully with the following questions in mind and underline the answers.
•    How are the samples brought back by Chang’e 5 rewriting lunar history?
The lunar samples brought back by Chang’e 5 showed something new about when volcanic activity ended on the moon.
•    What do paragraphs 4-6 mainly talk about?
The process of the research and the results.
Process:
Scientists used a dating (年代测定) method based on the number of craters (火山口) to predict that it might have seen lava (熔岩) flows between 1 and 3 billion years ago.
Then they analyzed the rocks brought back by Chang’e 5 and confirmed that the Chang’e 5 samples came from the same eruption lava, which occurred around 2 billion years ago. 
Results:
Their finding has delayed (推迟) the recorded end of the moon’s volcanic activity... This may mean that the moon cooled down much slower.
•    What do scientists need to do next?
They will work on a new theoretical framework (框架) and evolutionary model to provide new directions for future lunar exploration and research.
They are to receive and conduct research on the second batch (批次) of lunar samples brought back by the Chang’e 5 mission.

V. Language study
•    Previous research based on lunar samples brought back by the Apollo and Luna missions suggested that most volcanic lunar activities stopped around 2.8 billion or 2.9 billion years ago.
1）之前对阿波罗计划以及其他月球探测活动所带回的月球样本的研究表明，大部分月球火山活动在大约28亿至29亿年前就停止了。
2）suggested在这里表示“暗示、表明”，后面that 引导宾语从句作suggested的宾语，宾语从句中使用陈述句语序。

•    Scientists used a dating (年代测定) method based on the number of craters (火山口) to predict that it might have seen lava (熔岩) flows between 1 and 3 billion years ago.
1） 科学家采用了一种基于火山口数量的年代测定法，预测出嫦娥五号着陆采样的地点可能在10亿到30亿年前有熔岩流动。
2）might have seen表对过去的推测。
3）结构：情态动词+have done

•    China has announced a list of research institutions (机构) that are to receive the second batch (批次) of lunar samples brought back by its Chang’e 5 mission.
1）中国公布了将接收嫦娥五号任务带回的第二批月球样本的研究机构名单。
2）be to do: 
按计划或安排要做的事
吩咐、命令、禁止、可能性
命中注定要发生的事
3）e.g. She is to get married next month.

•    Translate the following sentences with the expressions in blue. 
mission, based on, uncertainty, confirm
1）她以帮助无家可归者为己任。
Her mission in life is to work with the homeless.
2）这部电影以现实生活中的一件事为基础。 
The movie is based on a real-life incident.
3）这家公司的前景相当渺茫。 
There is considerable uncertainty about the company's future.
4）裁员的传言后来得到了证实。 
Rumors about layoffs were later confirmed. 

VI. Think and share
What is the significance of lunar exploration?
•    Advancing the development of engineering technology and science technology;
•    Increasing the possibility for mankind to colonize the moon or other planets in the future;
•    Making use of resources;
•    Exploring mysteries about the moon and the universe, such as the origin and evolution.
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