研究人員們發(fā)現(xiàn)了火星上存在液態(tài)水體的證據(jù)。這片被科學(xué)家認(rèn)作是湖的水體位于該行星南極的冰蓋底部，橫跨約二十公里（十二英里）。

文字稿

Since Nasa's Viking Mission tested Martian soil samples back in the 1970s, we've known the surface of Mars to be a desert – inhospitable to life as we know it. But as missions to Mars focussed on what lies beneath the surface, a different picture has started to emerge.

自美國(guó)航空航天局（Nasa）在1970年代檢測(cè)了由維京號(hào)計(jì)劃從火星帶回的土壤以來(lái)，火星表面一片荒蕪且不適于生命生存這一道理就已為人熟知。但當(dāng)火星勘探任務(wù)重點(diǎn)轉(zhuǎn)向地表之下的時(shí)候，就有另一番景象開始浮出水面。

This discovery of water beneath the planet's South Pole is the result of radar echoes that were picked up by an instrument on a spacecraft that's been orbiting Mars for 15 years. To stay liquid beneath the long-frozen surface of Mars, the researchers say this sub-glacial lake must have huge amounts of salts dissolved in it. 

科學(xué)家之所以在該行星南極發(fā)現(xiàn)了水是因?yàn)橐凰矣钪骘w船在環(huán)行火星十五年后，其艙內(nèi)的儀器收到了來(lái)自水體的雷達(dá)回?fù)?。這些研究人員說(shuō)，能在長(zhǎng)期處于冰凍狀態(tài)的火星表面下保持液態(tài)，這片冰下湖泊內(nèi)一定溶有大量鹽分。

Its extreme cold and saltiness would make it a very harsh environment for any living thing. But the lead researcher, Professor Roberto Orosei from the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics, said the existence of organisms there, was not impossible.

這片水體的極度低溫和極高的鹽分使任何生命都難以在這個(gè)極為嚴(yán)酷的環(huán)境中生存。但來(lái)自意大利國(guó)家天體物理研究所的首席研究員羅伯特·奧羅賽說(shuō)在這里發(fā)現(xiàn)有機(jī)體的存在并不是不可能的。

To search for life in this newly discovered lake though, scientists will need to send a robot that's able to drill through the mile of ice encapsulating it.  But at least the teams looking for life on the Red Planet will now know where to start their search.

不過(guò)，為了在這片新發(fā)現(xiàn)的湖泊里尋找生命，科學(xué)家們需要派出一個(gè)機(jī)器人，它要能鉆入水體上方厚一英里（1.6公里）的冰蓋。但是對(duì)于這些在這顆紅色星球上尋找生命的研究團(tuán)隊(duì)來(lái)說(shuō)，他們現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)知道應(yīng)從哪里開始他們的搜索。

1. 詞匯表

Martian 火星的
desert 荒漠
inhospitable 條件惡劣的，不適合生存的
emerge （真相）顯露、浮現(xiàn)
radar echoes 雷達(dá)回波
instrument 儀器
sub-glacial 冰川下的
harsh （環(huán)境）嚴(yán)酷的
organisms 有機(jī)體
robot 機(jī)器人
encapsulating 壓住、蓋住
the Red Planet “紅色星球”，指火星

2. 閱讀理解：請(qǐng)?jiān)谧x完上文后，回答下列問(wèn)題 。 

1. How have missions to Mars changed over time?

2. How has this newly-discovered underground lake been able to stay liquid for so long?

3. What would a robot need to be able to do in order to see if life exists in the lake?

4. True or false? It has taken 15 years for a spacecraft to identify this water on Mars.

3. 答案

1. How have missions to Mars changed over time?
Missions to Mars have started to focus on what lies beneath the surface.

2. How has this newly-discovered underground lake been able to stay liquid for so long?
Researchers believe it must have huge amounts of salt dissolved in it.

3. What would a robot need to be able to do in order to see if life exists in the lake?
A robot would need to drill through a mile of ice encapsulating the lake.

4. True or false? It has taken 15 years for a spacecraft to identify this water on Mars.
True. A spacecraft that's been orbiting Mars for 15 years has only just discovered water beneath the planet's South Pole.