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Scientists are a step closer to providing an affirmative answer to the question "Are we alone?" For centuries, astronomers have been observing the heavens for signs of extraterrestrial life. Earlier this week, a team of astronomers announced they had detected a chemical that provides the conditions for life forms. Astrophysicist Dr Nikku Madhusudhan from the University of Cambridge's Institute of Astronomy announced the existence of two chemicals called DMS and DMDS. These are "biosignatures" – the potential fingerprints of life. On Earth, these are only produced by microorganisms, such as plankton. The astronomers said the chemicals are "the most promising signs yet" of life.
The two biosignatures were discovered on a planet called K2-18b. This is about 124 light years from Earth. One light year is approximately 9.46 trillion km. Dr Madhusudhan speculated that the planet is a Hycean world. This is a potentially habitable planet covered in liquid water with an abundance of hydrogen. He said: "Given everything we know about [the planet K2-18b], a Hycean world with an ocean that is teeming with life is the scenario that best fits the data we have." However, he stopped short of stating that life exists on the planet. He said he was 99.7% sure that his findings did not occur by chance, but needed to be 99.99994% certain to state as fact that we are not alone.
Scientists now have a definite answer to whether or not we are alone. T / F
Scientists found chemicals on Earth that came from a distant planet. T / F
An astrophysicist said the chemicals were potential fingerprints of life. T / F
The astrophysicist said there is a lot of plankton in space. T / F
The planet K2-18b is 9.46 trillion km from Earth. T / F
The plant K2-18b could be covered in liquid water and hydrogen. T / F
The astrophysicist stated that there was definitely life other planets. T / F
The astrophysicist needs a little more proof to be sure we are not alone. T / F
本周，科学家们发现了可能证明外星生命存在的迹象。他们在一颗名为 K2-18b 的行星上发现了两种化学物质，这些化学物质被称为“生物标志物（biosignatures）”，它们通常是地球上微生物产生的。在这篇新闻中，我们不仅学到了与外星生命相关的词汇，还学到了如何用英语表达复杂的科学发现。
Extraterrestrial life [ˌɛkstrətəˈrɛstrɪəl laɪf] - 外星生命
Affirmative [əˈfɜːrmətɪv] - 肯定的，确认的
Biosignatures [ˈbaɪəʊˌsɪɡnətʃərz] - 生物标志物
Plankton [ˈplæŋktən] - 浮游生物
Habitable [ˈhæbɪtəbəl] - 可居住的
Speculate [ˈspɛkjʊleɪt] - 推测，猜测
Hycean world [ˈhaɪˈsiən wɜːrld] - 海洋世界（一个理论上的可居住星球）
Teeming with life [ˈtiːmɪŋ wɪð laɪf] - 生机勃勃，充满生命
Certainty [ˈsɜːtənˌti] - 确定性，确信
Chance [ʧæns] - 机会，可能性
Example 1: Scientists are a step closer to providing an affirmative answer to the question "Are we alone?" 科学家们离给出“我们是否孤单？”这个问题的肯定答案更近了一步。
这个句子使用了“a step closer to”这个常见的表达，表示“离某件事情更近了一步”。你可以用这个句型表达对某个目标的接近。
Example 2: Astronomers have been observing the heavens for signs of extraterrestrial life. 天文学家们一直在观察天空，寻找外星生命的迹象。
“Observing the heavens”指的是观察天文学现象，这个表达是天文学相关的常见说法。
Example 3: These are "biosignatures" – the potential fingerprints of life. 这些是“生物标志物”——生命的潜在指纹。
这个句子使用了“potential fingerprints of life”这个比喻，形象地表达了生物标志物可能是生命的标志。类似的比喻可以帮助你更形象地理解一些复杂的科学概念。
Example 4: The planet is covered in liquid water with an abundance of hydrogen. 这颗行星被液态水覆盖，并且拥有丰富的氢气。
这句话中使用了“covered in”来表达某物被另一物质覆盖，常用于描述物体的表面。
Example 5: He said he was 99.7% sure that his findings did not occur by chance. 他说他99.7%确定他的发现不是偶然的。
这里用到的“99.7% sure”表示确信度，是表达“有把握”或者“确定”的常用方式。
