China successfully launches first Mars mission

 China Post issued a set of stamps(邮票 yóupiào) featuring the Palace Museum(故宫 Gùgōng) on Saturday, with a total face value(总面值 zǒng miànzhí) of 11.40 yuan (about 1.62 U.S. dollars).

 

The newly issued set consists of four stamps bearing architectural features in the Palace Museum, including the Inner Golden Water Bridge(金水桥) and the Hall of Central Harmony(中和殿), as well as a miniature sheet showcasing a sketch-map(平面图 píngmiàntú) of the Palace Museum, which is the first time the sketch-map presented on a stamp.

 

A series of cultural activities will be held to promote traditional Chinese culture in 2020, as the Forbidden City, former imperial compound, marks its 600th anniversary. This year also marks the 95th anniversary of the establishment of the Palace Museum.

 

China has successfully launched(发射 fāshè) a Mars probe(火星探测器 huǒxīng tàncè qì), aiming to complete(完成 wánchéng) orbiting, landing and roving in one mission(任务 rènwù). Tianwen-1 is the country's most ambitious attempt in its rapidly advancing space program and follows last year's achievement of being the first to land a spacecraft, known as Chang'e 4, on the far side of the Moon(月球 yuèqiú). If successful, the Chinese rover, will provide us with a fresh view of the Martian surface(地表 dìbiǎo) following the images taken by the United States. It is also designed to look for underground water(水 shuǐ), as well as evidence of any possible signs of life(生命 shēngmìng).

 

It will take the probe about seven months to reach Mars and another several months for the landing and roving to be complete.

 

Key word 重点词汇：

 

任务 <名词 n.> task; mission; assignment

 

E.g. Wǒmen de shǒuyào rènwù shì shōují xìnxī.

我们的首要任务是收集信息。

Our first task is to gather information.

 

Zhè shì duì huǒxīng de shǒucì zài rén hángtiān rènwù.

这是对火星的首次载人航天任务。

It's the first manned space mission to Mars.