24.太空探測的三大分類
段落大意：從以下三個角度看太空探測：直接應用性，如通信、天氣預報、地球觀測等；長期實用性，如衛星太陽能、宇宙資源探測等；文化用途，如探測地球的太空鄰居們。
Reasons for undertaking human exploration of space, and the ambitious human expansion into space, may be classified in various ways. Roughly in order of practical immediacy （直接性）, one may consider the division as follows. The first is the immediately useful applications, such as communications, terrestrial （地球的） or space weather forecasting, earth observations for environmental purposes, military objectives, political purposes, e.g, national prestige, and planetary protection against impact hazards （危險）. The second is the longer-term projects with sometimes controversial values, the economic viability（可行性） of which is not established, such as satellite solar power and the exploitation of extra-terrestrial resources. The third is the cultural ends, having no immediately discernible （可識別的） economic or practical value, such as scientific observations of the sun, solar system bodies, stellar （星的）, galactic （銀河的） and extra-galactic astronomy and cosmology （宇宙論）, and curiosity-driven exploration of the earth’s neighborhood in space.
25.有關人類太空旅行的爭議
段落大意：批評者認為，由於距離原因，太空旅行不會超出地球近鄰的範圍；支持者指出，太空旅行的意義不在於旅行本身，而在於國家聲望和民族自豪感等。
Some critics contend that in light of （考慮到） the huge distances in space, human space travel will never be able to do more than orbit around the earth or at best visit our closest neighbors in the solar system, barring any advances in the purely theoretical idea of faster-than-light travel, and that even this will consume large amounts of money and energy. Supporters of human space travel state that its real value lies in providing national prestige and arousing a sense of patriotism （愛國主義）. They suggest that this was the reason why the Bill Clinton administration cooperated closely with Russia on the International Space Station. From this point of view, the ISS （國際太空站） was a justifiable cash outlay （現金支出）.
26.對載人太空飛船計劃的反對
段落大意：使用載人太空飛船進行太空探測的費用要遠遠高於使用機器人或機器，而且安全性也得不到保障。
Many criticisms of space exploration are particularly critical of exploration carried out by human spaceflight. It is more expensive to perform certain tasks in space by humans rather than by robots or machines. Humans need a large spacecraft that contains provisions such as a hermetic （密封的） and temperature controlled cabin（機艙）, production of breathable air, food and drink storage, waste disposal, communication systems, and safety features such as crew escape systems, medical facilities, etc. There is also the question of the security of the spacecraft. Losing a robot is not as dramatic （嚴峻的） as losing the human life, so overall safety of non-human missions is not much an issue. All of these extra expenses have to be weighed against the value of having humans aboard. Some critics argue that those few instances where human intervention is essential do not justify the enormous extra costs of having humans aboard. However, others argue, with some reason, that many tasks can be more effectively accomplished by human beings.
27.太空探測的費用
段落大意：一些人認為太空探測花費巨大，這些資金的一部分本可用來對抗疾病和饑餓。然而，另一些人認為相對於軍費開支，太空探測所需費用並不高，而且從長遠看其將帶來巨大益處。
Some people have moral objections to the huge costs of space travel, and say that even a fraction of the space travel budget would make a huge difference in fighting disease and hunger in the world. However, compared to much more costly endeavors, like military actions, space exploration itself receives a very small percentage of total government spending, nearly always under 0.5%. It is also frequently pointed out by pro-space advocates that the long-term benefits could outweigh the short-term costs. In addition, the successful launches of Space Ship One, a privately constructed, reusable space plane developed for only $25.million dollars, has further diminished the impact of cost-based criticisms.