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Solar-Powered Plane Getting Ready to Circumnavigate Globe

Pilots of the solar plane that already set records flying without a drop of fuel are close to making their first attempt to fly the craft around the globe. They plan to do it in 25 flying days over a five-month period.

Solar Impulse 2, or SI-2 for short, arrived in Abu Dhabi in pieces. Built mainly of lightweight glass-reinforced plastic, it is now being re-assembled and prepared for its journey around the globe.

The concept was previously tested by its predecessor, Solar Impulse 1, in 2012 during a long flight from Europe to North Africa and in 2013, flying across the United States.

SI-2’s 72-meter-long wings are covered with more than 17,000 solar cells that can generate up to 52 kilowatts of power. The cells also charge batteries which run the plane's four electric motors at night.

The single-seat plane, which will take off from Abu Dhabi, will follow a course roughly along the equator, where the sun is strongest, touching down only every few days. Two pilots will take turns in the cockpit during those stops.

Project co-founder Bertrand Piccard, who is one of the pilots, says the flight will require a lot of endurance.

“It's very exciting for everybody, and we are also in the psychological preparation of the pilot and the team, because technology is o.k., but you need to cope now with very long duration flights: single pilot on board for five days and five nights. Lot of stress for everybody," said Piccard.

Co-founder and alternate pilot Andre Borschberg says although SI2 can fly on autopilot, they plan to rest or sleep only 20 minutes at a time.

“How many of these breaks we will be able to take per night, it's hard to say. We've trained in a simulator to have six to eight of them every 24 hours, which means about two hours of sleep every 24 hours, which is not a lot," said Borschberg.

Bertrand Piccard says the project's goal is to demonstrate the advantages of renewable energy sources and clean technologies.

“If an airplane can fly with no fuel around the world, can you imagine how this technology could be used everywhere?," he asked.

SI-2 is scheduled to take off in March and return to Abu Dhabi some time in July.

词汇解析

promote

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

vt.促进；提升；升迁；发起；促销，推销

参考例句

用作及物动词 (vt.)

He failed to get promoted for lack of resolution.

他因缺乏果断力而未能得到升迁。

They now need to put some real elbow grease into promoting the products.

他们现在推销产品确实需要化大力气。

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repeatedly

难度：2星扩展词汇，属常用10000词

英汉解释

adv.重复地；再三地

参考例句

用作副词 (adv.)

He drew a long breath and repeatedly chanted the name of Rama, every word showering nectar into the hearts of the devotees.

他深深地吸了一口气，重复地唱颂着罗摩的名字，每一个字都像甘露般地洒落在奉献者的心里。

B. However, in order to restore peace and social order, individual states or the international community has repeatedly used force in history.

然而，历史上为了恢复和平和社会秩序，个别的国家或国际社会再三地使用武力。

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episode

难度：3星常用词汇，属常用6000词

英汉解释

n.一段情节；片段；轶事；插曲

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

One of the funniest episodes in the book occurs in chapter 6.

书中最有趣的情节是在第6章。

The episode of this film sounds good.

这部电影的插曲很好听。

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recall

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

n.回忆；取消；召回

vt.召回；恢复；回想起；唤起；与 ... 相似

参考例句

用作名词 (n.)

Do you have any recall of that meeting?

你还记得那次会见吗?

用作及物动词 (vt.)

With the impulse of "mercantile system", the Occident adjust their policy one after the other, recall Jew in succession.

在“重商主义”政策的积极推动下,西欧各国相继调整对犹政策,纷纷召回犹太人。

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reluctant

难度：3星常用词汇，属常用6000词

英汉解释

adj.不情愿的；勉强的

参考例句

用作形容词 (adj.)

They were very reluctant to help.

他们不大愿意帮忙。

By 1982 they had become reluctant to extend new loans to public borrowers.

到1982年，他们已不愿向公共借贷者发放新的贷款。

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attempt

难度：4星核心词汇，属常用3000词

英汉解释

v.企图；尝试

n.企图；试图

参考例句

用作动词 (v.)

He attempted to smother up the scandal about his family.

他企图掩饰有关他家庭的丑闻。

用作名词 (n.)

He studied hard in an attempt to pass the exam.

他努力学习试图通过考试。

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