Chinese Taikonaut Debuts Spacewalk

The video grab taken on Sept. 27, 2008 in Beijing, China, shows Chinese taikonaut Zhai Zhigang is outside the orbital module. [Photo: Xinhua]

The video grab taken on Sept. 27, 2008 in Beijing, China, shows Chinese taikonaut Liu Boming also emerged from the orbital module hatch and hands Zhai Zhigang a Chinese national flag that Zhai Zhigang waves in the outer space. [Photo: Xinhua]

The video grab taken on Sept. 27, 2008 in Beijing, China, shows Chinese taikonaut Zhai Zhigang waves a Chinese national flag in the outer space. [Photo: Xinhua]

In this video grab taken on Friday, September 27, 2008 from China Central Television, Chinese astronaut Zhai Zhigang waves as he conducts China's first spacewalk. [Photo: Xinhua]

Space Heroes 太空英雄

Three Chinese astronauts returned safely on Sunday after orbiting the Earth on board the Shengzhou-VII space capsule. The message to the world is clear: after a slow start in space, China is catching up fast.

The spacecraft touched down in the Mongolian desert to rapturous applause from mission control in Beijing. Millions tuned in to watch the historic moment on television around the world.
Mission leader Zhai Zhigang was the first to emerge from the capsule and he was incredibly proud of their achievement.

"It was a glorious mission, full of challenges with a successful end," he said.

The mission follows China's successful hosting of the Olympics and included the country's first ever spacewalk.

Mr Zhai wore a Chinese-made spacesuit costing up to £20million (220million Yuan), and stayed outside the capsule for 15 minutes while his team mates stayed inside, monitoring his progress.
This exercise puts China as only the third nation, after the United States and Russia, to stage a successful space walk. It is also seen as a critical progression in the country's three-step space programme, with the ultimate aim to build a large space station.

Is there a new space race underway now? Roger Launius of the National Air and Space Museum think there is. "It is an Asian space race. It's between China, Japan, maybe Korea, certainly India," said Mr Launius.

"The Chinese, because of their full service capability – humans, robots and military – are at this point in time the leaders in that race. But those other countries have a lot of capabilities too," he added.

Meanwhile, the families of the astronauts have to wait patiently as their space heroes undergo two weeks of preventative quarantine, just in case their body defences may have been weakened by the trip.

China Leaves Footprints in Space

SHANGHAI — China’s Shenzhou VII spacecraft blasted off at 9:07 p.m. Thursday, carrying three Chinese astronauts into space on this country’s third manned space mission in the past five years., according to state television.

The three-day mission is part of Project 921, China’s ambitious manned space program, and was expected to include the country’s first attempt at a space walk, which would make China only the third country to accomplish the feat, after Russia and the United States.

上海－据中国国家电视台报道，载着三名宇航员，中国神州7号飞船于周四晚间九点零七分成功发射，这是中国在过去五年内第三次实现载人航天飞行任务。

为期三天的航天使命是921工程载人航天项目的部份，此次航天飞行也是中国航天员的首次外太空行走，此举使中国将继俄罗斯、美国后成为世界上第三个能让宇航员在外太空行走国家。

中国宇航员成功完成首次太空行走

A Chinese astronaut has made the historic first step in outer space for his country. With the successful spacewalk, China has become the third country, after the United States and Russia, to do so.

一名中国宇航员为中国向外太空迈出历史性的一步。翟志刚成功进行太空行走以后，中国成为继美国和俄罗斯之后的第三个进行太空行走的国家。

Cheering erupted in the control room when Chinese astronaut Zhai Zhigang opened the hatch of the Shenzhou 7 spacecraft and went outside.

中国宇航员翟志刚走出神舟7号轨道仓，进入太空的时候，地面的控制室里爆发出一片欢呼声。

His emergence from the module was captured by video cameras mounted on the outside of the space ship and broadcast live to millions of Chinese viewers.

安装在航天器外部的录像机把翟志刚进入太空的场面记录下来，然后实况播放给地面上数以百万计的中国观众。

Zhai, who became China's first-ever spacewalker, waved to the camera at this historic moment.

刚刚成为中国太空行走第一人的翟志刚挥舞著中国国旗，他说，这是一个历史时刻。

Zhai says he sends greetings to the Chinese people and all the people in the world. Shortly afterwards, his teammate handed him a Chinese national flag, which he also waved for the camera.

Outside the craft, Zhai recovered a scientific experiment that official Chinese media said were solid lubricant samples. The ship also will release a satellite that will circle the orbiter and send back images to mission command.

在航天器外面，翟志刚从太空中取回一个科学试验，中国官方媒体说，那是一些固体润滑材料。航天器将向太空投放一枚卫星，这枚卫星将环绕航天器飞行，向使命指挥中心发送图像。

For his 20 minute spacewalk, Zhai wore a Chinese-made Feitian suit, which is being highlighted as the first indigenous space suit.

翟志刚进行了20分钟太空行走，他身穿中国制造的飞天宇航服，中国强调说，这是第一套中国自制的宇航服。

It cost nearly $4.5 million, has 10 layers and weighs about 120 kilograms.

成本高达近450万美元。这套宇航服有10层，重量大约是120公斤。

The Feitian is like a mini space ship. It provides pressurized atmosphere, oxygen and temperature control to keep astronauts alive in outer space, while still allowing them to carry out their tasks. The suit also protects wearers from radiation and small flying meteoroids.

飞天宇航服就象一个微型宇航器。它提供加压大气，氧气，还配有温度调节，能保持宇航员在太空中生存，同时完成他们的任务。宇航服还保护宇航员免受幅射和微小的宇宙微粒的打击。

One of the Shenzhou 7 astronauts, who did not actually exit the craft, wore a Russian-made Orlan space suit. Chinese authorities say Russian experts have been on hand to support the entire mission.

神舟7号的另一名没有离开航天器的宇航员穿着俄罗斯制造的太空服。中国当局说，俄罗斯专家在指挥中心准备随时协助支持整个使命。

Shenzhou 7 launched Thursday night from the western province of Gansu, and is due to land in the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia Sunday.

神舟7号在星期四晚间从甘肃省发射升空，按计划将在星期天在内蒙古地区着陆。

Official Chinese media report the country's ultimate goal is to build a permanent space laboratory and a larger-scale space engineering system. The chief designer of the Shenzhou spacecraft system, Zhang Bainan, is quoted as saying China is planning to begin mass production of the spacecraft starting from the Shenzhou 8 mission.

中国官方媒体报告说，中国的最终目标是建造一个永久的空间实验室，和一个大型太空工程系统。神舟飞船系列的主要设计师被引述说，中国计划从神舟8号开始批量制造太空飞行器。

Top 10 moments of the Beijing Olympics

1) Usain Bolt breaks the 100 meters world record. Bolt already owned the record and in front of a packed Bird's Nest stadium he ran 9.69 seconds. He thumped his chest in triumph over the last few meters before his 'marksman' celebration which became one of the lasting images of the Games.

2) Michael Phelps roars in triumph and relief after American team mate Jason Lezak overtook France's Alain Bernard on the final leg of the 4x100 freestyle relay to keep alive Phelps's dream of beating Mark Spitz's record from 1972 of seven golds in a Games - a dream he was to realize.

3) Liu Xiang dejectedly walks away from the track as he realizes he has to withdraw from the defense of his 110 meters hurdles title because of a leg injury. Liu was the most popular sportsman in China and his grimacing departure clouded the Games for millions of home fans.

4) Russia's Yelena Isinbayeva turns the Bird's Nest into her private theatre with a gold medal and world record-breaking pole vault performance that captivated the 91,000 crowd. After she spent most of the competition lying under a towel, she broke her own world mark with a leap of 5.05 meters.

5) The Opening Ceremony. It was a jaw-dropping beginning to the Games, culminating in former gymnast Li Ning being swung up the roof of the stadium and 'running' around the top level before lighting the cauldron.

6) German weightlifter Matthias Steiner kisses a picture of his late wife Susann on the gold medal podium, choking back tears over the promise he made to her that he would keep their Olympic dream. The super-heavyweight made the pledge to Susann at her bedside in hospital as she lay dying after a car crash in 2007.

7) American Matt Emmons blows a 3.3-point lead on the very last shot of a 120-shot competition to throw away the gold medal in the "marathon" event of shooting. Four years ago in Athens he had fired at the wrong target and squandered a 3-point lead.

8) Usain Bolt breaks Michael Johnson's 200 meters record. Charging towards the finish line, Bolt has his eye on the clock all the way and once again celebrates his triumph in style -- this time, after he completed his run.

9) Rohullah Nikpai wins Afghanistan's first Olympic medal with a bronze in the men's 58-kg taekwondo. Proof that no matter how tough the conditions you have to train in, Olympic success is achievable if you have the talent.

10) Estonian Gerd Kanter celebrates his discus gold medal by sprinting down the 100 meter track at the Bird's Nest and mimicking Bolt's marksman routine.

北京奥运会十大动容瞬间

1）乌塞恩-博尔特打破男子100米世界纪录。博尔特之前已经是该项目的世界纪录保持者，在鸟巢数万观众的见证下，他跑出了9秒69的成绩。在最后几米的时候他兴奋地捶打着胸膛，庆祝胜利，之后的“博尔特式”招牌庆功动作成为北京奥运会上最令人难忘的画面之一。
　　2）在男子4x100米自由泳接力赛中，迈克尔-菲尔普斯的队友贾森-莱扎克在最后一棒超过法国选手阿兰-贝尔纳，使菲尔普斯打破了马克?斯皮茨在1972年奥运会上一人夺七金的纪录。那一刻，菲尔普斯如释重负，纵情欢呼。这是他的圆梦时刻。
　　3）因脚伤无奈退出男子110米栏卫冕冠军的比赛时，刘翔沮丧地走出了跑道。刘翔是中国最受欢迎的运动员，他的意外离场让他的无数支持者扼腕叹息。
　　4）俄罗斯女子撑杆跳高运动员叶莲娜?伊辛巴耶娃把鸟巢变成了她的个人秀场。她的表现征服了91000名观众，最终夺得了金牌并打破世界纪录。比赛的大部分时间她都拿块毛巾遮着脸躺在地上，然后一跃而起将自己保持的世界纪录提高到了5.05米。
　　5）开幕式。这是一场精彩绝伦的开幕式，前体操运动员李宁被威压吊至高空，“跑步”绕场一周，点燃主火炬的一瞬让开幕式的气氛达到顶点。
　　6）德国举重运动员马蒂亚斯-施泰纳在领奖台上亲吻亡妻苏姗娜的照片，含泪感叹他终于实现了对妻子的承诺：永不放弃奥运梦想。苏珊娜2007年遭遇车祸，在妻子弥留之际，守在病床边的施泰纳向她做出了上述承诺。
　　7）在男子步枪3x40决赛上，美国射击运动员马修-埃蒙斯在最后一枪还保有3.3环的大好优势下，不料最后一枪失手，将这枚射击“马拉松”的金牌拱手让出。四年前的雅典奥运会上，他也是在最后一枪打到了别人靶上，错失了3环的领先优势。
　　8）乌塞恩-博尔特打破迈克尔?约翰逊保持的200米世界纪录。冲刺的时候，博尔特一直盯着计时器，然后又一次以他独特的方式庆祝这一胜利——不过这次是在他跑完全程之后。
　　9）鲁胡拉-尼帕伊获跆拳道男子58公斤级比赛的铜牌，为阿富汗赢得首枚奥运奖牌。这说明，无论训练条件多么艰苦，有实力的运动员还是能在奥运会上脱颖而出的。
　　10）爱沙尼亚运动员戈德-坎特获得男子铁饼金牌后，在鸟巢百米跑道上狂奔，并模仿博尔特的招牌动作庆祝胜利。

Paralympic closing ceremony kicks off

Photo taken on September 17, 2008 shows the scene of the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, ahead of the closing ceremony of Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, capital of China. The closing ceremony will kick off at 8 p.m. sharp on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Liao Yujie)

The delegation of Great Britain enter the stadium while holding a slogan writing "Thank you, China", ahead of the closing ceremony of Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games at the National Stadium, also know as the Bird's Nest in Beijing, capital of China, on Sept. 17, 2008. The closing ceremony will kick off at 8 p.m. sharp here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Han Chuanhao)

South Korean athletes hold the banner saying "Love Paralympics. Love China" as they walk in ahead of the closing ceremony of Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 17, 2008. The closing ceremony will kick off at 8 p.m. sharp on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Liu Dawei)

The Canadian delegation held "Thank you, Beijing" slogan Admission

Red leaves of Fragrant Hill, a famous scenic spot in Beijing, are shaked off at the center of the field during the art performance "A Letter to the Future" of the closing ceremony of Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 17, 2008. The closing ceremony kicked off at 8 p.m. sharp on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Guo Dayue)

Red leaves of Fragrant Hill, a famous scenic spot in Beijing, are shaked off at the center of the field during the art performance "A Letter to the Future" of the closing ceremony of Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 17, 2008. The closing ceremony kicked off at 8 p.m. sharp on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Guo Dayue)

Art performance "Watering" goes on during the closing ceremony of Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 17, 2008. The closing ceremony kicked off at 8 p.m. sharp on Wednesday. (Xinhua photo)

How to Lose Weight

如何减肥*How to Lose Weight

It seems that many people today are overweight. No one wants to carry around extra pounds, lout few people know how to slum down effectively. They look for miracle pills and magic cures. In the end, they fail and the pounds come back. But the most effective way of losing weight is actually very simple. It is a combination of a good diet and proper exercise. What makes it work is determination. It requires discipline and commitment to succeed. Here is an example that proves the truth of these words.

My aunt had been trying to lose weight for years. She went on one diet after another, but none of them worked. She lost a lot of weight quickly only to have it come back. Finally, she followed her doctor's advice and began to eat a simple, well-balanced diet. She ate lots of fruits and vegetables and avoided high-fat foods. In addition, she joined an exercise class. She worked out three times a week. At first, my aunt wasn't happy because the weight came off so slowly. But her classmates encouraged her to stick to it and eventually she reached her goal. Best of all, she was able to stay at her ideal weight. That was because she had developed healthy new habits.

现在似乎有许多人的体重都过重。没有人会希望身上有多余的重量，但是很少人知道如何才能有效地瘦下来。他们会去寻找特效药，以及神奇的治疗法。最后不仅失败，而且反弹了。但是事实上，最有效的减肥方法非常简单。主要就是结合均衡的饮食，以及适当的运动。成功的关键就是要有决心。成功需要自制和投入。以下这个例子，可以证明这个方法是正确的。

我阿姨试图减肥已经好多年了。她一次又一次地节食，但是没有一次成功。她的体重会快速地下降，但没多久就又反弹了。最后，她听从医生的建议，开始吃简单、均衡的饮食。她吃大量的蔬果，并避免高脂肪的食物。除此之外，她还去参加运动课程。她一星期运动三次。起初，我阿姨并不是很开心，因为体重下降得很慢。但是她的同学们鼓励她坚持下去，最后她终于达到目标。最棒的是，她能够维持她的理想体重。因为她已经养成健康的新生活习惯。

Mid-Autumn Legend-the moon fairylady

中秋节的传说

　Many years ago, there was a king in China. He was a brave man who did lots of belifits to the people. He admired a beautiful girl and made her stay in the palace so that he could see her whenever he wanted. But, the girl did not like the frightful figure of the king. She seldomly spoke a word in the palace. Each time the king went to her place, he used to show her some treasures and brought some gifts to the girl in order to make her smile and speak.

　On every full moon, the girl would burned incenses and wax candles to worship the moon. People believed that there was a god lived in the moon that made the moon shine. Girls who wanted to be a beauty and have a handsome husband should worship the moon.

　One day, the full moon of the eighth month, the king brought three herbs pills to show her.

　"This is from the priest of the palace. If I eat them up, I can live forever." He exclaimed.

　This was the first time the girl stuffs he brought.

　He continued,"If you and I both take one, we will both live forever. No one can take you away from me!"

　Because the king afraid of the pills would have side effects. He forced the girl to take the pill first. If nothing wrong with her after taking the pill, he would take it immediately. However, the girl recognized that if she took all three of them, the king would left her eventually. Therefore, the first time, she spoke to the king,"Let me have a look of the pills first. Otherwise, I will not try at all."

　The king surprisingly the girl talked to him. So, he handed the pills to the girl. She did not say anything but eat all of them. The king was extremely angry. He wanted to kill her.

　At this moment, the girl started to fly. She could fly because of the intake of the pills. The king could not catch her, but watched her flew toward the moon and disappeared.

　After that, people believed that there was a beautiful girl stay in the moon with a little old man and a bunny. The old man was believed to be the god inside the moon and the bunny was his pet. Day after day, Chinese believed that there were people lived in the moon. Their movement made the dark spot when we looked up to the moon. People used to worship the girl to glorify her chastity. So, on every full moon of the mid-Autumn became a festival in order to memorize her.

　Moon in Chinese Celestial Cosmology

　The choice of the festival's theme -- celebrating the glories and mysteries of the moon -- was a natural. Along with the sun, the moon has long been an object of human curiosity and worship. "It is probable that sun and moon were early held to be deities and that they were the first visible objects of worship," according to the book "Sketches of the History of Man." To the most ancient ancestors of the Chinese, the sun and the moon were considered the "chief objects of veneration," according to records dating to the Han dynasty emperor Wu Di (157-87 B.C.).

　In ancient Asian mythology, there is a strong relationship between the moon and water. The moon is said to regulate reservoirs and supplies of water. There is a suggestion that the moon produces fertility and freshness in the soil. The moon's role in bountiful harvests is widely recognized during autumns around the world.