咕咕愛囉唆

The True Story of Laika, the Hero Space Dog 萊卡的單程太空旅行

Part 1

The True Story of Laika, the Hero Space Dog

萊卡的單程太空旅行   

Before humans were sent into space, animals did the first few test runs to see if living beings could survive the trip.

人類上太空之前，先行將動物運送到太空測試了幾回，看看活的生物是否能撐過這一趟旅程。       

Throughout the 1950s, the US and other countries had different animals make the dangerous journey.

1950年代期間，美國以及其他國家將各種動物送上這危險的太空航程。  

Mice, monkeys, dogs, and frogs were among many of the test subjects.

被實驗的動物當中包含老鼠、猴子、狗還有青蛙。

These animals simply went straight up into space and came back down.

這些動物就直接被送到外太空，然後再回來。

Most of them died in space or during their re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.

多數動物都在重新進入地球大氣層時死掉。

The Soviet Union made history in 1957 when it sent a dog into orbit.

蘇聯在 1957 年時因成功把一隻狗送到繞行軌道上而創造了歷史。

Laika was the first animal to circle Earth.

萊卡是第一隻繞行地球的動物。

Scientists used special equipment to keep track of her body's reaction.

科學家們利用特殊儀器記錄萊卡身體的反應。

Her heart and breathing rates were extreme, likely because of fear.

牠的心跳以及呼吸頻率都極度快速，很可能是因為牠感到恐懼。

Laika died after circling Earth more than three times in about five hours.

萊卡在花了五小時繞行地球超過三圈之後便死去

The space capsule had become too hot and killed her.

牠因為太空艙過熱而致死。

Laika's body burned up when her capsule fell back to Earth five months later.

萊卡的軀體在太空艙飛行五個月後掉落回地球時燃燒殆盡。

She is remembered as a hero, though her experience later raised questions about how animals are used in science.

牠被紀念成一個英雄，不過牠所經歷的一切帶動了一些關於動物實驗方式的疑慮

atmosphere（n.）大氣層

orbit（n.）軌道

in orbit在軌道上

equipment（n.）設備；器材

space capsule（n.）太空

Part 2

In the early years of space exploration, nobody knew the effects of being weightless.

在太空探索的初期，沒有人知道無重力的狀態會有什麼影響。   

Animals were used as the first test subjects, but scientists planned for them to die.

動物被拿來當作最一開始的實驗對象，但科學家們是策劃讓牠們死去的。

In Laika's case, they wanted to find out how she would die so they could determine the risk to humans.

以萊卡來說，他們想要知道牠會是如何死的，來判斷對人類的風險。

The public in the 1950s were not very concerned about animal rights.

1950年代時大眾對於動物權利較為不聞不問。

Most people didn't think much about the fact that these animals were being sent to painful deaths.

大部分的人不太在意這些動物被送出去後是以很痛苦的方式死去的。

Not only that, but their lives came to an end in a state of extreme fear.

除此之外，牠們的生命也在極度恐懼的狀態下結束。

Laika's suffering began even before she was launched.

萊卡所受到的折磨在牠被發射出去前早就開始。

To prepare her to travel in a tiny capsule, scientists kept her in a small cage for months.

為了讓牠能習慣待在一個空間很小的太空艙裡，科學家們把牠關在一個小籠子裡好幾個月

She was also placed in a machine that spun her around to make her used to feeling dizzy.

牠也被放到一個旋轉的機器讓她能習慣暈眩的感覺。

She wasn't fed properly, either.牠也沒被好好地餵食

However, Laika helped humans become astronauts.

然而，萊卡幫助人類成為太空人。

The information she provided allowed them to go safely into space.

牠所提供的資訊使人類能安全地登上太空。

exploration（n.）探勘；探測

launch（v.）發射

astronaut（n.）太空人