IELTS Speaking Part 3: Is Space Exploration Worth the Cost?

Let's move on to science and space exploration.

我們接著來聊聊科學和太空探索。

Is space exploration a worthwhile use of public money?

太空探索值得動用公共資金嗎？

Oh, I'm a bit of a space nerd, so... yes!

哦，我算是個太空迷，所以……是的！

Ha, I suspected you might say that.

哈，我就懷疑您會這麼說。

Seriously though, it's not as wasteful as it seems.

不過說真的，這並不像看起來那麼浪費。

Space research has given us countless everyday technologies.

太空研究為我們帶來了無數日常生活中使用的技術。

Satellite navigation and weather forecasting, for instance.

比如衛星導航和天氣預報。

But couldn't that money tackle poverty here on Earth?

但這筆錢難道不能用來解決地球上的貧困問題嗎？

Hmm, that's the obvious counterargument...

嗯，這是最顯而易見的反對意見……

and I don't want to dismiss it lightly.

我也不想輕易地否定它。

But space budgets are tiny compared to, say, defence spending.

但太空預算與比如國防開支相比，簡直微不足道。

Really? Are you sure about that?

真的嗎？您確定嗎？

I'm afraid I don't know the exact figures.

恐怕我不知道確切的數字。

But I'm fairly confident it's a small fraction.

不過我相當有把握，那只占很小一部分。

That's fine. Let's move on.

沒關係。我們繼續。

Should private companies lead space exploration now?

現在應該由民營企業來引領太空探索嗎？

Oh, that worries me slightly, to be honest.

哦，說實話，這讓我有點擔心。

Billionaires racing each other to Mars? It feels like vanity!

億萬富翁們爭相飛往火星？這感覺就像是虛榮！

Yet they've dramatically reduced the cost of launches.

然而，他們大幅降低了發射成本。

True, reusable rockets have been a genuine breakthrough.

沒錯，可重複使用的火箭確實是一項真正的突破。

I just think space shouldn't belong to whoever's richest.

我只是認為太空不應該屬於最富有的人。

That's a thoughtful distinction.

這是個深思熟慮的區分。

Will humans ever live on another planet, do you think?

您認為人類有朝一日會住到另一個星球上嗎？

Wow, now that's the dream, isn't it?

哇，這才是夢想啊，不是嗎？

Realistically, though, Mars is brutally hostile to human life.

不過現實地說，火星對人類生命極其嚴酷。

Perhaps... in a century or so, with luck.

也許……大約一個世紀之後，運氣好的話。

Thank you. That's the end of the speaking test.

謝謝。口說測驗到此結束。

Oh, already? That was over in a flash!

哦，已經結束了？一眨眼就過去了！