1.




　

過去のある時点から始まって現在まで継続している状況や動作を言い表すことを学びます。マーティンはフロリダのケープカナベラルにあるNASA(米国航空宇宙局)を訪れています。そこで彼はNASAの科学者に宇宙計画について話を聞きます。ちょうどこの日はスペースシャトルが宇宙から帰還し、着陸を行う日です。
*NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

This is English USA, on the Voice of America. Now, Lesson 104, Part 1.

MARTIN:

Will you tell me where we are, Dr. Rust?

MEL:

Call me Mel, please. We are at Cape Canaveral, of course. We have used Cape Canaveral as a missile launch site since nineteen forty-eight.

MARTIN:

Why this place?

MEL:

Several reasons. The weather is warm in Florida. We have been able to use the site year round.

MARTIN:

It does rain though.

MEL:

Oh, yes. We have had storms, but very little cold weather. Also we're on the Atlantic Ocean. We launch the rockets over the ocean.

MARTIN:

Is that because of problems?

MEL:

That's one reason. We will have accidents sometimes. Also there are islands out there. We have tracking stations on the islands and ships for about ten thousand miles toward the southeast.

MARTIN:

Tell me about the tracking stations.

MEL:

We've set up places where we watch the rocket launch. Then we have places all over the world that watch the satellites after they are in orbit.

MARTIN:

Is that rocket ready to launch?

MEL:

It will be ready in a few days. We're waiting for the Space Shuttle landing first.

MARTIN:

I thought the Space Shuttle landed in California.

MEL:

Usually, but the weather has been bad for several days. It will land here this time.

MARTIN:

When is it going to land?

MEL:

It will land in about two hours. Will you be here then?

MARTIN:

Yes, I'd like to be. Where will it land?

MEL:

Nearby. It's only a few minutes away.

MARTIN:

Is this the only launch area?

MEL:

No, it isn't. This is the oldest area. We use this for the smaller rockets. It's where the first U.S. satellite was put in orbit.

MARTIN:

That was in the nineteen fifties.

MEL:

Yes, nineteen fifty eight. The first American manned space flight was in nineteen sixty-one. It was also from this area.

MARTIN:

The space program has developed very quickly, hasn't it?

MEL:

Yes. By nineteen sixty-nine we launched men to the moon.

MARTIN:

Was that from here?

MEL:

Yes, but after that we started building bigger rockets. We moved to another launch area for those launches. We'll see that later if you like.

MARTIN:

Of course, I'd like that.

MEL:

The bigger rockets launched there are built there too. Can you see that very tall building?

MARTIN:

Yes.

MEL:

First, the rocket will be built there. When the rocket is ready, it will be moved to the launch site. It will be standing, ready for launch. It will be pulled to the launch site.

MARTIN:

What are these rockets used for?

MEL:

We still launch satellites with them.

2.
　

過去から現在までの状況や行動を言い表すときには現在完了形を使います。その例を聴いてください。

MEL:

It has been bad. We have had storms.

MEL:

We have set up tracking stations.

MEL:

We have used Cape Canaveral as a missile launch site.

MEL:

We have been able to use the site year round.

MEL:

The space program has developed quickly.

3.
　

これからマーティンがあなたに質問をしますので、現在完了形（have/has +　過去分詞）で答えてください。

MARTIN:

How long have you lived in your house?

YOU

[------------------------.]

MARTIN:

Have you studied English before?

YOU

[------------------------.]

MARTIN:

Has your family traveled to another country?

YOU

[------------------------.]

MEL:

Let's go to the Space Shuttle landing site. You want to watch the landing, don't you?

MARTIN:

Yes, I do. I have some questions about the Shuttle too.

MEL:

Good. We can talk on the way.