2017考研英语阅读题源经济学人文章：英国航天飞行计划..docVIP

2017考研英语阅读题源经济学人文章：英国航天飞行计划 ?每年考研英语阅读篇章很多都取材于经济学人，因此2017年考研复习之初，一定要从基础打好，稳扎稳打。凯程网考研频道分享《经济学人》文章，希望大家能够多看、多练，提升阅读能力！ 2017考研英语阅读题源经济学人文章：英国航天飞行计划 　　Britains aerospace industry 　　英国航天工业 　　Flight plan 　　飞行计划 　　Can Britain remain a planemaking superpower? 　　英国能维持飞机制造强国地位吗? 　　THE sleek de Havilland Comet, the worlds firstcommercial passenger jet, was designed and built inBritain 60 years ago. It is a dozen years since the last passenger jet, a small regional airliner,was assembled in the country. This would neatly illustrate a familiar tale of industrial tailspinwere the industry not in such fine fettle. Britain is currently the worlds second-largestaerospace manufacturer, with 17% of the global market, behind only America. But staying atthat altitude will be tough. 　　哈维兰彗星型客机是世界上第一架商用客机，由英国于60年前设计与制造。距最后一架客机—一架小型支线飞机在该国组装已经十几年了。要不是这个产业处于如此良好的状态，这将恰好呈现一个司空见惯的工业不景气故事。英国现在是世界上第二大航空航天制造商，占据全球17%的市场，仅次于美国。但要继续站在这个高峰困难重重。 　　Britains aerospace industry has a few obvious champions: Rolls-Royce makes engines, BAESystems makes fighter jets and AgustaWestland turns out helicopters. But much of it is hiddenand unheralded. Its muscle is in unlikely places like Western Approach, an anonymousindustrial estate near Bristol, where GKN crafts wing spars for Airbus. The long, slender beamsthat carry engines, landing gear and wing structure are made from light but tough carbon-fibrecomposites. GKN got the job because of its mastery of the material and its ability to producein volume. GKN also makes parts for Airbuss arch-rival, Boeing. 　　英国的航空工业有几个知名的的制造商：劳斯莱斯制造引擎，BAE系统公司制造战斗机，阿古斯特韦斯特兰公司生产直升机。但大多数是隐藏起来未公开的。飞机的支撑部位通常生产在看起来不太可能的地方，如布里斯托尔附近的一家不知名工业园区西进口航道(Western Approach)，吉凯恩(GKN)在那儿为空中客车公司制造翼梁。这种细长梁由质轻但坚韧的碳纤维复合材料制成，负责承载引擎、起落架和机翼结构。由于对材料有着出色的掌握并拥有批量生产的制造力，吉凯恩获得了制造权。吉凯恩同时也为空中客车公司的劲敌—波音公司制造零部件。 　　Rolls-Royces engines now provide the thrust for half the worlds new wide-bodied jets. Arounda quarter of Boeings 787 Dreamliner is made in Britain, including the landing gear, fuel pumpsand some seats.