Rockets

　　Today rockets are very advanced machines which we can use to send astronauts into space. They are also used in firework displays to celebrate great events, such as the end of the Olympic Games or the beginning of the new millennium in the year 2000.

　　Rockets were probably invented by accident about 2,000 years ago. The Chinese had a form of gunpowder which was put in bamboo tubes and thrown into fires to make explosions during festivals. Perhaps some of the tubes jumped out of the fire instead of exploding in it. The Chinese discovered that the gas escaping from the tube could lift it into the air. The idea of the rocket was born.

　　The first military use of rockets was in 1232. The Song Dynasty was at war with the Mongols.During the battle of Kaifeng, the Song army shot "arrows of flying fire". The tubes were attached to a long stick which helped keep the rocket moving in a straight direction.Soon the Mongols learned how to make rockets themselves and it is possible that they introduced them to Europe. Between the 13th and 15th centuries there were many rocket experiments in England, France and Italy. They were used for military purposes. One Italian scientist even invented a rocket which could travel over the surface of water and hit an enemy ship.

　　But not everybody wanted to use rockets in battles. Wan Hu，a Chinese government official, invented a flying chair. He attached two big kites to the chair, and 47 rockets to the kites. The rockets were lit, there was a huge explosion and clouds of thick smoke. When the smoke cleared Wan Hu and his chair had disappeared. No one knows what happened. Did Wan Hu die in the explosion? Or was he carried miles into space, becoming the world's first astronaut？

　　火箭

　　今天，火箭是我们可以用来将宇航员送入太空的先进机器。它们也被用在庆祝重大事件的火焰表演中，比如奥运会的闭幕式或者是2000年新千年的开始。

　　火箭可能是2000年前被偶然发明出来的。中国人有一种装在竹管里的火药，这种火药是被用来在节日里扔进火里制造爆炸的。也许一些竹管没有在火里爆炸而是窜出了火焰。中国人发现从竹管里漏出的气体可以使其飞向空中。于是关于火箭的想法就诞生了。

　　火箭第一次被用在军事上是在1232年。那时宋朝与蒙古作战。在开封战役中，宋军射出了"飞火箭"。竹管被绑在一根帮助火箭直线运动的长棍上。很快，蒙古人就学会了自己制造火箭，而且有可能是他们将火箭引入了欧洲。13世纪到15世纪之间在英国、法国和意大利有很多关于火箭的实验。它们都被用作军事目的。一位意大利科学家甚至发明了一种可以飞过水面击中敌舰的火箭。

　　但并不是每个人都想将火箭用于军事。一个叫万虎的中国政府官员发明了一种"飞椅"。他把两个大风筝绑到椅子上，又把47个火箭绑到风筝上。火箭被点燃了，发生了巨大的爆炸，产生了厚厚的浓烟。当烟散去的时候，万虎和椅子不见了。没有人知道发生了什么。万虎被炸死了？还是他被载入了太空数英里，成为了世界上第一个宇航员呢？

　　1．What is Einstein known for? (P36)

　　爱因斯坦因为什么而闻名？

　　★be known for因......而出名/闻名

　　①Hangzhou is known for its beautiful scenery.

　　杭州因其美景而出名。

　　be known as　 被认为是；作为......而出名　　　　　

　　be known to 为......所知(强调对象)

　　be famous for 因......而著名

　　be famous as 作为......而著名(接职务、身份类名词)

②He is known to most people as a good actor.