VOA慢速英语:A Vacuum Cleaner for Destroying Space Junk

短语讲解：
1. Today, we tell about an effort to destroy unused spacecraft andother objects floating high above the Earth.

tell about 讲述
例句：Tell about time and way to mail something 
说明邮寄的时间及方式  
 
2. It will be shot into space to help remove the thousands ofpieces of space junk floating around up there.

thousands of 成千上万,几千
例句：A computer consists of thousands of components. 
电脑由成千上万个部件组成。 

3.  Over time, many unused spacecraft have hit each other farabove the Earth.

each other 互相
例句：Work and play shaded into each other. 
工作和娱乐渐渐地融合起来。

4. Big pieces break into thousands of small pieces.

break into 打断，打扰
例句：Did a burglar break into your house last night? 
昨晚有个窃贼闯进你家吗？ 

5. Sometimes they fall back into the atmosphere and burn up.

fall back 回落,退回
例句：He tries to fall back on the other pleasure of life. 
他试图回到生活的其他享乐之中。 
burn up 烧掉，烧毁
例句：Put some wood on the fire and make it burn up. 
在火上加点柴,使它烧旺一点。

6. It will not be used to take away space junk.

be used to 习惯于
例句：This will be used to multiply each term. 
它被依次用来乘每一项。 

7. When they break apart, they create thousands of smaller partsthat continue floating around the Earth. Professor Junkins says wewould need to remove ten large pieces of space junk each year tostop the damage they might cause.

break apart 使…分裂开
例句： Scientists have developed ways to break apart the geneticmaterial. 
科学家已研究出分离遗传物质的方法。

8. They have asked the public to use home computers, and theirears, to search for anything unusual.

search for 寻找；搜查；
例句：The search for peace also means the search for justice. 
寻求和平也意味着寻求正义。

9. But just as suddenly as the signal had started, it stopped.

as suddenly as 突然
例句：These demonstrations ceased, as suddenly as they had brokenout. 
种种表演忽然停止，正如它们忽然开始一样。

10. We might be able to look at the entire known universe at onetime instead of just examining such a small part of it.

be able to 能
例句：He is able to lift a very heavy weight. 
他能举很重的份量。
instead of 代替
例句：I might have two families to stand by me instead of one. 
我可以得到两个而不只是一个家族的支持。 

11. That should increase the chances that we will hear from ourdistant neighbors -- if they are out there.

hear from 收到...的信(或电报等)
例句：Hoping to hear from you in the near future, I remain 
希望近日内能得到您的回音。