牛津译林版新教材高中英语选择性必修三unit2课文原文.docx

牛津译林版新教材高中英语选择性必修三全册课文原文 U2 Reading Living in space is every would-be astronaut’s dream. My six-month stay on a space station has come to an end, and it has been a challenging but magical adventure. I bet you’d love to know what daily life is like up in space and how it differs from that on the Earth—the low gravity definitely makes ordinary things strange! The strangeness of living in space is apparent from the moment we sleep. Due to the near absence of gravity in space, we have to attach ourselves so that we don’t float around. We usually sleep in private quarters, which are more like large cupboards, or in sleeping bags attached to the walls or the ceiling. It’s strange that we try to sleep with no pressure against our back, but the unusual beds don’t bother us any more. After about eight hours of sleep, we start our day of work. The routine tasks that occupy most of the day are demanding, but they can also be extremely rewarding. Our main mission is to conduct scientific research. We need to evaluate the effects of low gravity on animals and plants. Creatures such as mice, fish and mosquitoes have also been sent to the station! In a low-gravity environment, we can learn more about changes in cells and microorganisms under the microscope. As well as doing these biological experiments, we carry out experiments in other research fields. I have been working on one experiment which locates and tracks lightning over large regions of the Earth. Hopefully, it will cast new light on the Earth’s climate and lead to better lightning protection. With so much going on, the space station needs a lot of maintenance, so we constantly check support systems and do some cleaning. The most challenging work takes place when we need to perform tasks outside the space station, such as testing new equipment, monitoring scientific experiments or repairing the space station. In the circumstances, it’s time for a spacewalk. First, we put on our spacesuits, which allow