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Learning English use a limited vocabulary and are read at a slower pace than VOA's other English broadcasts. Previously known as Special English.(2020/10/19 09:30)
A space object recently discovered as a possible asteroid may actually be an old rocket from a failed moon-landing attempt in the 1960s.
Astronomers observed the object last month through a telescope based in Hawaii. The scientists documented the object as an asteroid that was on its way toward Earth. Searching for such objects is common among astronomers as part of international efforts aimed at protecting Earth against asteroid hits.
The object was given the name 2020 SO. It was added to the International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center’s list of asteroids and comets found in our solar system. Currently, the list is just a little under 1 million.
But the American space agency NASA’s leading asteroid expert, Paul Chodas, says he believes the newly discovered object is not an asteroid at all. Instead, he believes the object is a piece of space junk.
Chodas has suggested that the object is likely the old booster rocket that successfully pushed NASA’s Surveyor 2 lander to the moon in 1966.
“I’m pretty jazzed about this,” Chodas told The Associated Press. “It’s been a hobby of mine to find one of these and draw such a link.”
Chodas has been studying asteroids for many years. He is currently director of the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
Surveyor 2 was a robotic spacecraft that crashed into the moon after one of its engines failed to start during the trip. The rocket, named Centaur, kept flying past the moon as planned and became space junk.
The object being observed is estimated to be about 8 meters long based on its brightness. That is about the size of the old Centaur rocket.
Chodas said the first thing that caught his attention was the object’s near-circular orbit around the sun, which is very similar to Earth’s. Such behavior is unusual for an asteroid. Chodas said the movement represented “flag number one” that the object is not an asteroid.
The mysterious object is also in the same plane as Earth, not positioned above or below. That was the second red flag for Chodas, since asteroids usually travel at uneven angles. Lastly, Chodas said the object is coming toward Earth at about 2,400 kilometers an hour, which is considered very slow for an asteroid.
As the object gets closer to Earth, astronomers should be able to better follow its orbit and observe how much it is pushed around by radiation and heat effects of the sun. If it is an old empty rocket, it will move differently than a heavy space rock that is not as affected by outside forces.
The movements are how astronomers usually tell the difference between asteroids and space junk such as used rocket parts.
Chodas said there are likely numerous fake asteroids out there. But if the movements of the objects cannot be effectively observed or measured, it is difficult to confirm their exact identities.
Sometimes, however, it can be the other way around. In 1991, Chodas and others identified a mystery object as an asteroid rather than space junk, even though its orbit around the sun was very similar to Earth’s.
In 2002, Chodas discovered what he believes was the leftover Saturn V booster rocket from 1969′s Apollo 12, the second moon landing by NASA astronauts. He admits the evidence was circumstantial, given the object’s one-year orbit around Earth. The object was never documented as an asteroid, and left Earth’s orbit in 2003.
But Chodas says the latest object’s path is more direct and much more stable, which strengthens his theory. “I could be wrong on this. I don’t want to appear overly confident,” he said. “But it’s the first time, in my view, that all the pieces fit together with an actual known launch.”
Carrie Nugent is an asteroid hunter at Olin College of Engineering in Needham, Massachusetts. She said Chodas’ theory is “a good one” based on strong evidence. Nugent is the writer of the 2017 book “Asteroid Hunters.”
“Some more data would be useful so we can know for sure,” she told the AP in an email. “Asteroid hunters from around the world will continue to watch this object to get that data. I’m excited to see how this develops,” she added.
I’m Bryan Lynn.
The Associated Press reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English, with additional information from NASA. Ashley Thompson was the editor.
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asteroid – n. a rocky object that goes around the sun like a planet
jazzed - adj. excited and happy
junk - n. things that are considered to be no longer useful or valuable
hobby – n. something done for pleasure, not for a job
angle – n. a space between two lines or surfaces that meet at one point
fake – adj. not real
booster – n. engine on a spacecraft that gives extra power for the first part of a flight
circumstantial – adj. containing information about something that makes you think it is true but not having enough evidence to completely prove it
stable – adj. firmly fixed and not likely to move or change
confident – adj. feeling or believing that one has the ability to succeed in something (2020/10/19 07:01)
Carmakers from the United States and other countries are thinking about ways to manufacture and improve a technology called an e-axle or e-drive. This technology is fast becoming an area of competition in the automobile industry.
The e-axle, or e-drive, joins an electric vehicle’s gear, motor, and power-control electronics. It is the “brain” that controls how a vehicle uses energy stored in its battery. This “brain” turns that energy into power. It also helps get back energy lost when stopping the vehicle.
In other words, a well-designed e-axle increases a vehicle’s power efficiency and ability to change speeds. It also helps extend the vehicle’s driving range and its smoothness.
The technology has become a competitive area, in part, because automakers are under pressure to cut electric vehicles’ manufacturing costs. The goal is to make them cost as much as cars powered by gasoline.
Progress in new technologies is also important for efforts to cut pollution, including carbon dioxide, also known as CO2.
Vehicle-based CO2 emissions are responsible for about 17% of emissions from all sources, says Zifei Yang. She is with the International Council on Clean Transportation in Washington.
Yang noted that the reduction in vehicle emissions has slowed as more people drive bigger, more polluting sports utility vehicles. Other industry experts point to changes in countries such as China and India, where more people are buying and using cars.
In recent years, the Japanese business Nidec has turned its attention to automobiles and e-axles. Shigenobu Nagamori is the company’s founder.
Nagamori says he wants Nidec to control up to 35% of the world’s e-axle market by the year 2030. That market could be worth $20- to 30-billion a year by then, up from an estimated $2.8 to $3 billion today.
Nagamori has said he believes the way to become a market leader in e-axles is to reduce the cost for the technology. The way to do that, he said, is by being able to produce every part that goes into an e-drive system.
Some automotive technology suppliers are working together to manufacture e-axle systems. Japan’s Denso and Aisin formed a group called BluE Nexus in 2019. This year, U.S. parts supplier BorgeWarner agreed to purchase Britain-based Delphi, and Japan’s Hitachi Automotive joined with three Honda group suppliers. Automakers Volkswagen, Ford, Toyota and smaller Japanese brands are each making technology groups in part to drive down e-axle manufacturing costs.
Electric car maker Tesla developed its own e-axle technology. But it is unclear whether the company continues to use it in more recent Tesla models, noted Reuters news agency.
General Motors, or GM, Nissan and some other carmakers believe e-axles offer such a large area for growth that they want to design and manufacture their own systems.
GM believes it can better join the e-axle with the battery and the rest of the vehicle, making for a quieter, smoother and more economical drive, said the company’s Adam Kwiatkowski.
I’m John Russell.
Reuters news agency reported this story. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
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Words in This Story
gear – n. a set of wheels that work together to affect the relation between the speed of a moving vehicle and the speed driven parts
battery – n. a device that is placed inside a machine to supply it with electricity
efficiency – n. the ability to do something or produce something without wasting materials, time, or energy
range – n. the distance within which something can be reached
gasoline – n. a liquid fuel used to power motor vehicles
emission – n. the act of producing or sending out something (such as energy or gas); something sent out or given off
source – n. a place or thing from which something comes
brand – n. a model or kind of product
We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. (2020/10/19 06:59)
Throughout the United States, people are concerned about voting and ballot counting in the presidential election next month. But it is hard to top the levels of concern in the eastern state of Pennsylvania.
The city of Philadelphia is home to 20 percent of all Pennsylvania voters likely to support Democratic Party candidates. U.S. President Donald Trump has described Philadelphia as a place “where bad things happen.” Trump’s political campaign has taken election officials in the city to court. They were forced to explain security measures after election equipment disappeared from a building where it was stored.
There is an investigation into military ballots that were mistakenly thrown away in one Pennsylvania county. In Harrisburg, the state capital, lawmakers are fighting over the way to count the large number of mailed-in ballots.
Pennsylvania is trying to hold the election in an environment where Republicans and Democrats believe the other side wants to “steal” the election.
State and local election officials say they are doing all they can to make sure the voting is fair. They recall the counting of ballots in Florida 20 years ago, when the presidential election was decided in the U.S. Supreme Court.
“For years, we have trusted our election officials to be…nonpartisan. Why should we suddenly not trust them?” said Eileen Olmsted. She is with the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania, a nonpartisan group. It works to increase people’s involvement in government.
Olmsted added that there is no evidence of any voter wrongdoing in the state.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden was born in Pennsylvania. He has visited it more than any other state since September 1. Kantar/CMAG watches the amount of money the candidates spend on political advertising. It says the political campaigns have spent more on television ads in Pennsylvania than any other state except Florida.
Pennsylvania has 20 electoral votes. Republican activists have made it clear that they will look at the legitimacy of each ballot before they will admit defeat.
States are given electoral votes based on their population. A presidential candidate must win 270 electoral votes to win the election.
Suzanne Almeida is with Common Cause Pennsylvania, another nonpartisan group. She says, “we are seeing the kind of incidents that are likely to happen in every election be “blown up to mean there is something…wrong with” the state’s election administration.
“There are any number of reasons why that’s not true,” she added.
The biggest difficulty may be verifying and counting the large number of mail-in ballots. Election officials expect more than 3 million state residents will vote by mail because of fear of the coronavirus. Four years ago, only 300,000 people voted by mail.
In Pennsylvania, election officials are not permitted to start counting the votes until election day. Attempts to change that law have been blocked by the Republican-controlled state legislature. So, the vote count will continue for days after the November 3rd election. It could delay a final result in the presidential election.
Yet for all the accusations and investigations, many Pennsylvania residents say they have not had any problems registering and voting. There is hope that all will go well on election day.
Elzena Hall changed her registration from independent to Democrat and voted last week at a small election office in Philadelphia.
“It was…easy,” said Hall.
Susan Stirling is a university academic adviser. This week she decided to vote early at one of the city’s election centers.
“It went really quickly and smoothly,” she said.
But that may change. There are several legal cases before judges that will decide which ballots get counted.
One case is about whether to count mailed-in ballots that arrive late. Another is about efforts to limit the number of places to drop off a marked ballot. These cases can cause confusion and other problems for election officials.
“Confusion does not promote safe, accessible and secure elections,” said Witold J. Walczak. He serves as legal director for the non-profit American Civil Liberties Union.
Republicans and the Trump campaign say they are only trying to protect the fairness of the election.
“His position was we have to have an election that is fair, and that every vote is counted and counted the right way,” said Bernadette Comfort, Trump’s state campaign chair.
Democrats use the same argument to criticize Republicans, who, they say, are trying to “steal” the election.
Mail-in ballots come with a “secrecy sleeve” that covers the outside of the ballot. Many voters throw away the sleeve, and simply put their ballot in the envelope. Republicans say these ballots should not be counted.
“That’s voter suppression,” said State Representative Malcolm Kenyatta, a Democrat from Philadelphia.
But election officials are pressing forward, hoping that election day and the weeks that follow are calm.
I’m Dorothy Gundy.
The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
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Words in This Story
county – n. an electoral and administrative area within in American state
non-partisan – adj. without preference for one political party or another
electoral – adj. having to do with an election
legitimacy – adj. legally correct and true in all ways
verify – v. to check the truthfulness of something
academic – adj. pertaining to scholarly study
accessible – adj. able to get or to be given something
sleeve – n. the arm of a shirt or a protective cover
envelope – n. the paper holder used to mail a letter (2020/10/19 06:58)
The Aeta people live in distant mountainous parts of the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The coronavirus pandemic forced their schools to close earlier this year. A group of teachers living nearby worried about the effect on children. So, they started to deliver school materials in a new way.
No internet or television
Other students in the Philippines have been able to take online classes. But Aeta people living in the mountains north of Manila have no internet connection - or even television – for distance learning.
Christopher Semsem is one of the teachers behind the project from the Villa Maria Integrated School. He and the other teachers thought of a different way to bring learning to the villages in the rural area of Pampanga.
They used old bookshelves and wooden boards to make a moving learning center. It has a large computer screen and rests on top of a motorcycle rickshaw.
Teachers first record videos on their mobile phones. Then they play the videos on the screen to help the children with lessons. This helps both teachers and students avoid the need for face-to-face contact.
So far, Aeta students have reacted well to the classes. Their parents were happy that classes had begun again, the teachers say.
History of the Aeta
There is debate among scientists about the history of the Aeta. Their traditional way of life is to move from place to place. But deforestation – or the cutting down of trees -- has led many of them to settle in one place.
School Principal Marizen Tolentino said the rickshaw project was important to help the children understand their lessons. Many of them cannot read, so they need help with learning materials on paper.
All-volunteer effort
Since the project first started in early October, the rickshaw has visited five villages. The moving classroom reaches around 500 students two to three times a week.
Teachers volunteer their time for the project. But the local government provided the rickshaw and driver.
I’m Jill Robbins.
Adrian Portugual and Eloisa Lopez reported on this story for Reuters. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.
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Words in This Story
pandemic - n. an occurrence in which a disease spreads very quickly and affects a large number of people over a wide area or throughout the world
screen - n. the usually flat part of a television or computer monitor that shows the images or text
motorcycle - n. a vehicle with two wheels that is powered by a motor and that can carry one or two people
rickshaw – n. a small, light vehicle with two wheels that is pulled by one person on foot or on a bicycle and that is used in some Asian countries
How do people in distant areas of your country learn? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section(2020/10/19 06:55)
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