Step by Step 3000 第3册 Unit4:Returning To the Moon

Part 3. Returning to the moon.
Keywords.

UK, China, the moon, collaborate, Chang'e program, scientific instruments, space station.
Vocabulary.

robotic, phase, Briton, Apollo 17, Beagle 2 Probe.
Listen to a news report about returning to the moon, complete the news summary and briefly answer the questions you hear.
Scientists in the UK have expressed enthusiasm for China's plans to explore the moon with robotic spacecraft and are keen to take part in the adventure.
British scientists are seeking to collaborate with their Chinese counterparts on the Chang'e program.
This four-phase program could see the return of astronauts to the moon's surface for the first time since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.
Ties between the Chinese and UK space community have been strengthened since a visit to China made by a term of British academics, agency officials and space scientists earlier this year.
At that time, discussions took place regarding the UK building scientific instruments for the second phase of China's lunar missions.
One British academic who participated in the discussions, Professor John Zarnecki of the Open Univeristy said,
"I think they are looking for significant collaboration. They have got good technology themselves, but they will admit they are fairly new in space science. So they don't have all of the instrument capabilities and so on."
China has already established itself as the third space superpower.
Having successfully launched two manned spaceflights, last year two Chinese astronauts spent 5 days in orbit before safely returning to earth.
But China's space ambitions don't stop there.
As well as a lunar landing, plans are being made to set up a permanent space station.
The UK, on the other hand, has had a more modest space program.
Only a handful of Britons have broken free of the earth's atmosphere.
Most recently, UK-born astronaut, Piers Sellers spent 13 days on board the American space shuttle Discovery.
However, British space exploration has not always gone according to plan.
The Beagle 2 probe to Mars disappeared without a trace on Christmas day, 2003.
Questions. 1. How many phases are there for China's Chang'e program?
2. What is the aim of the Chang'e program?
3. What was discussed during UK team's visit to China earlier this year?
4. How many days did the two Chinese astronauts spend in space before returning to earth?
5. How many days did Piers Sellers, the UK-born astronaut spend on board Discovery?