VOA慢速英语:NASA Spacecraft, Dawn, Close to Reaching a 'Dwarf Planet'

orbit – n. the curved path that something (such as a moon or satellite) follows as it goes around something else (such as a planet)

belt – n. a region that has a lot of a particular thing

asteroid – n. any one of thousands of small planets that circle around the sun

extraterrestrial – adj. coming from or existing outside the planet Earth

protoplanet – n. a mass of material within a planetary disk that is thought to be an early stage in the formation of a planet; a hypothetical whirling gaseous mass within a giant cloud of gas and dust that rotates around a sun and is believed to give rise to a planet

terminate(d) – v. to cause (something) to end

body(ies) – n. an object that is separate from other objects

impact(ed) – v. to hit (something) with great force

terrestrial – adj. relating to or occurring on the earth

vigorous – adj. done with great force and energy

dominant – adj. more important, powerful, or successful than most or all others

bone dry – idiom very dry; no moisture

patch(es) – n. a small spot or area that is different from the surrounding area

significant – adj. very important

bound – scientific located in; a part of

sophisticated – adj. highly developed and complex

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