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Here is the news. Chinese researchers have developed bricks from a material that has a similar composition to lunar soil with the hope that they can be used to build a lunar base in the future.
The Huajang University of Science and Technology used a lunar soil simulant to make lunar bricks that are more than three times stronger than standard red bricks or concrete bricks.
According to Professor Joe Chung at the university, the team used five different simulated lunar soil compositions and three different centering processes, which can provide more accurate scientific data for the selection of materials and process optimization for future lunar base construction.
The composition of lunar soil varies in different locations on the Moon.
Zhou said that there is one composition that simulates the lunar soil at the landing site of Chang 'e 5, which is mainly basalt.
Some other compositions simulate the soil found at other locations.
The Moon has a vacuum environment with significant cosmic radiation, and temperatures exceed 180 degrees Celsius during the lunar day, dropping to minus 190 degrees Celsius at night.
The team has to determine how well the bricks can insulate and if they can withstand the radiation.
Professor Zhou mentioned that the lunar bricks will be sent to China's Space Station aboard the Tianzhou -8 cargo spacecraft to verify their mechanical and thermal performance, – as well as the ability to withstand cosmic radiation.
The first lunar brick is expected to return to Earth by the end of 2025.
China has unveiled a National Midterm to Long -term Development Program for Space Science outlining a roadmap for its development of space science through 2050.
The International Lunar Research Station, which was initiated by China, will be constructed during the programme's second phase You're listening to special English Chinese researchers have discovered a new type of dinosaur egg fossil in East China's Jiangxi province, with one measuring just 29 millimetres in length, the smallest ever found globally.
Following a three -year study, the research team confirmed the six egg fossils as dinosaur eggs, dating back to the late Cretaceous period, over 80 million years ago.
The relatively completely, irregularly arranged egg fossils, were found in a well -preserved nest at a construction site in the city of Ganzhou in 2021.
According to Lo Far Sheng, chief engineer at the Jiangxi fossils belong to a non -avian theropod based on their morphology and microstructure.
Low said that the most complete egg has a maximum length of only 29 millimetres, setting a new record for the smallest dinosaur egg fossil ever found globally.
Low, noted this latest discovery, expanded the diversity of dinosaur eggs from the late Cretaceous, and offers valuable insights into the evolution of theropods during that period.
The findings have been published in the journal Historical Biology, engaging researchers from the Jiangxi Geological Survey and Exploration Institute, China University of Geosciences Wuhan, and the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Loh said the research team will use micro CT scanning to reconstruct the burial state of the egg fossils, study their formation process and further pinpoint the dinosaur type that laid these eggs as well as the reproductive methods of the species.
This is special English South -west China's Xizang Autonomous Region has launched its 2024 Winter Tourism Campaign, offering discounted air tickets, hotel vouchers, and free admission to tourist attractions to draw more visitors during the off -peak season.
as part of the campaign now in its seventh year.
Xi Zhang is offering 10 ,000 2 -for -1 domestic flight tickets, 10 ,000 free domestic train tickets, and hotel vouchers, at premium accommodations for tourists traveling to the region.
Special travel vouchers tailored for family tours and senior travellers have also been introduced.
Continuing its efforts to boost winter tourism, Xi Zhang once again provided free entry to A -rated tourist sites, including the iconic Patala Palace.
China's Tourist Attraction Rating System classifies sites from 1a to 5a, based on the overall tourism quality, with 5a being the highest grade.
The initiative aims to maintain steady tourism growth all year round, with the current round of promotions running until March 15 next year.
The Regional Culture and Tourism Department has signed cooperation agreements with several other Chinese provinces and cities.
Local travel operators also formed partnerships with international tour operators from countries including Australia, Thailand and Germany.
In 2023, Xi Zhang welcomed more than 55 million tourists, a year -on -year increase of 83%, generating total tourism revenue of $65 billion, about About $9 .2 billion, up 60%, from the previous year.
Hong Kong has announced an enhanced timeframe for new stock listings, giving companies greater certainty in the timing of their initial public offerings, a move that is expected to elevate Hong Kong's attractiveness as a leading international listing venue.
According to a joint statement issued by the Securities and Futures Commission and the Enhanced framework clarified rules for applications, fully meeting requirements, accelerated timeframe for eligible Ashare -listed companies, and applications requiring longer process.
Michael Dugnan, the Executive Director of Corporate Finance with the Commission, said that the improvement is in line with its strategic priority to enhance the global competitiveness and appeal of Hong Kong's capital markets.
The regulators noted that the enhanced application timeframe will be applicable to new listing applications filed after the statement.
According to China's Ministry of Civil Affairs, the nation had a total of 410 ,000 elderly elderly care institutions and facilities at the end of the second quarter of this year.
369 ,000 of these were community -based elderly care facilities, reflecting a marked increase compared to 2019.
Specifically, the number of elderly care institutions has doubled, while that of community -based community -based care facilities has grown by 120 per cent over the same period.
The progress comes as China has been significantly expanding its elderly care services over recent years, with a particular emphasis on the development of at -home and community -based care, with it's rapidly aging population, the country is under increasing pressure to provide sufficient care for its elderly citizens.
Official data shows that there were some 297 million people aged 60 and above in the country we, at the end of 2023, accounting for 21 .1 % of the total population.
The number of people aged 65 and above reached 217 million or 15 .4 % of the total.
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You're listening to special English.
What do you think is the meaning behind birthday celebrations?
It is an occasion to send and receive best wishes.
The Chinese people usually celebrate a child's first birthday with a traditional game called Dua Zhō.
In this ceremony, parents place various objects in front of the baby, believing that the first item the baby reaches for predicts their future profession, fortune, or personality.
For parents, Duageau is a way to express their deepest hopes for their child's bright and happy future.
Well, when it comes to celebrating birthdays for the elderly, the most common wish is for health and longevity.
In China, there is a specific term to describe birthday celebrations for seniors, especially those who have turned 60 and above.
of. The word is ju shou', which translates as a wish for or celebration of longevity.
This term conveys both the wish for longevity and a show of respect for the elder.
In China, to celebrate a senior's birthday, family members usually gather for a grand meal, either at home or in a restaurant.
A longevity banquet features an array of delicious dishes, with longevity noodles being a highlight.
Among them, a must -have dish is the longevity peach.
Hold on, I'm not talking about a piece of fruit.
The longevity peach is a steamed dessert bun, often filled with sweet pastes made from lotus seeds, dates or red beans.
The reason why the dessert is called a peach is that it is shaped and coloured like peaches.
It is made of white dough with a touch of pink on top, just like a fresh peach.
peach. While real peaches might appear at the celebration, they aren't always in season, so the peach buns serve as a delightful substitute.
Occasionally there's even a birthday cake shaped like a large peach.
So what's the connection between peaches and longevity?
property. This belief traces back to a military strategist named Sun Bin from the Warring States period over 2 ,200 years ago.
You might be more familiar with his ancestor, Sun Tzu, the esteemed author of The Art of War.
Legend has it that Sun Bin left home at an early age to study military strategy and didn't return for twelve years.
One day he suddenly remembered it was his mother's sixtieth birthday.
After realising that he had been far away from home for such a long time, Sunbin felt so guilty.
tea. His teacher heard the news and gave him a peach as a birthday gift for his mother.
After Sun Bin got home, he found out that all his brothers had prepared lavish gifts for their mother.
Yet all he had was a peach!
He felt even more ashamed.
seemed. However, much to everyone's surprise, the mother liked the peach the most out of all the gifts.
She took a bite of the peach, and then something magical happened.
The old woman's gray hair immediately turned black, and she appeared to become twelve years younger.
Everyone was stunned by what had happened to Sun Bin's mother.
Thereafter, it became a belief that peaches have some power to make people younger and live longer.
Since then, peaches have been essential in birthday celebrations for the elderly.
The images of longevity peaches also feature Chinese paintings and sculptures.
There are many other ancient Chinese legends surrounding longevity peaches.
One of the most famous is the tale of the Queen Mother of the West, a legendary goddess.
It is said that she cultivates peaches of immortality in her garden, which ripen every three thousand years.
When they do, she invites all the immortals to feast on these ripe peaches, granting them rejuvenation and eternal youth.
So, the next time you blow out the candles, or share a meal with family, remember the stories and traditions that enrich our lives.
Let us honour not just the passage of time, but the blessings of health, happiness and longevity that come with it.
This is Special English.
That is the end of this edition of Special English.
To recap, I am going to read two of the news items again at normal speed.
Please listen carefully.
Chinese researchers have developed bricks from a material that has a similar composition to lunar soil, with the hope that they can be used to build a lunar base in the future.
The Hua Zhong University of Science and Technology used a lunar soil simulant to make lunar bricks that are more than three times stronger than standard red bricks or concrete bricks.
According to Professor Joe Chung at the University, the team used five different simulated lunar soil compositions and three different sintering processes, which can provide more accurate scientific data for the selection of materials and process optimization for future lunar base construction.
The composition of lunar soil varies in different locations on the moon.
Zhou said that there is one composition that simulates the lunar soil at the landing site of Chang 'e 5 which is mainly basalt.
Some other compositions simulate the soil found at other locations.
The Moon has a vacuum environment with significant cosmic radiation, and temperatures exceed 180 degrees Celsius during the lunar day, dropping to minus 190 degrees Celsius at night.
The team has to determine how well the bricks can insulate, and if they can withstand the radiation.
Professor Zhou mentioned that the lunar bricks will be sent to China's space station aboard the Tianzhou -8 cargo spacecraft to verify their mechanical and thermal performance, as well as the ability to withstand cosmic radiation.
The first lunar brick is expected to return to Earth by the end of 2025.
China has unveiled a National Mid -Term to Long -Term Development Programme for Space Science, outlining a roadmap for its development of space science through 2050, The International Lunar Research Station, which was initiated by China, will be constructed during the programme's second phase, from 2028 to 2035.
You're listening to Special English South -West China's Xiuzhang Autonomous Region has launched its 2024 winter tourism campaign, offering discounted air tickets, hotel vouchers, and free admission to tourist attractions to draw more visitors during the off -peak season.
As part of the campaign, now it's 7th year, Xizang is offering 10 ,000 two -for -one domestic flight tickets, 10 ,000 free domestic train tickets and hotel vouchers at premium accommodations for tourists travelling to the region.
station. Special travel vouchers tailored for family tours and senior travellers have also been introduced.
Continuing its efforts to boost winter tourism, Xizang once again provided free entry to A rated tourist sites, including the iconic Potala Palace.
China's tourist attraction rating system classifies sites from 1A to 5A based on the overall tourism quality, with 5A being the highest grade.
The initiative aims to maintain steady tourism growth all year round, with the current round of promotions running until March 15th next year.
The Regional Culture and Tourism Department has signed cooperation agreements with several other Chinese provinces and cities.
Local travel operators also formed partnerships with international tour operators, from countries including Australia, Thailand and Germany.
In 2023, Xi Zhang welcomed more than 55 million tourists, a year -on -year increase of 83 percent, generating total tourism revenue of 65 billion yuan, about $9 .2 billion, up 60 percent from the previous year.
That is the end of today's programme.
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