CNN news 2011-05-19 加文本

短语讲解：

1. The space shuttle Endeavour taking off on its final endeavor.

space shuttle航天飞机
take off (飞机)起飞
例句：It's exciting to feel the plane taking off.
感觉到飞机起飞令人兴奋。

2. The launch was delayed due to mechanical problems, but NASA officials said those were all fixed.

due to由于，因为
例句：Her absence is due to illness.
她因病缺席。

3. She said yesterday's launch brought up mixed emotions.

bring up使突然停住
例句：He brought the car up short when the light changed to red.
红灯一亮, 他突然把车停住。

4. When we spoke last year, we were there talking about the fact that the shuttle era was coming to an end, and now the United States was putting more of its research money into how to do interplanetary travel, how to come up with the kinds of engines that are needed to go, to taking us to an asteroid. So, that transition is great, but it's sort of hard to see the shuttle program ending.

come to an end 结束, 终止
例句：The diving competitions have come to an end.
跳水项目已经比赛完了。
come up with想出, 提出
例句：Did you come up with any ideas?
有没有想到什么新的意见？
sort of有几分地，有点
例句：I feel sort of cold.
我感到有点冷。