Tiangong--1(or.HeavenlyPalace)spacemodule(舱)isthefirststeptowardChina’splantobuildaspacestationaround2020.Itslaunch(发射)byChinahasupsetsomecountries,whichareaskingwhyChinadidnotaddontotheInternationalSpaceStationthathasbeeninplacesince1998.AfteralltheAmericans,Russians,EuropeansandJapaneseareusingoneplatformtoexperimentinspace.
QuestionshavealsobeenaskedaboutChina’sfinalpurposeinspaceandsuggestionsmadethatthereissomethingasunpleasantasthethemeinaJamesBondmovie,inwhichChinese-lookingenemieswereattherootofsomeevil(邪恶的)plottocontroltheworld.
Chinesedon’tseethemselvesthatwayandneverinhistoryhavetheybeenflag-plantingsettlers.MostWesternersareeducatedintheadventuresofthegreatEuropeanexplorers,headedbyChristopherColumbusandJamesCook,andfollowedcloselybythegroupsofcultureegotists(自大者)withamixofguns,goldandtheBibleintheirhands.
Incomparison,ZhengHe,thegreatChinesesailingmaster,tookgroupsofshipstoAfricaandtheMiddleEasttopromotegoodwillwithgiftsofchinawareandart.Noflagsclaiming(宣称)possessionofdistantareas.ButthisisstrangetoWesternsociety.
Inthiscentury,itisclearthatspacecannotbeclaimedbyonenation.Yetadvantageoftechnologyinspacedoesseemtobeonsomeminds.FormerUSpresidentRonaldReagancausedshocksandworrieswithhisStarWarsprogram.SowhenChinashotdownitsownsatelliteasatestinJanuary2010therewereanxietiesintheWestaboutStarWars1ikescenario(剧本)becomingrealityinthenearfuture.
【小题1】ThelaunchofTiangong--1__________.