Beijing launched a new-generation aircraft carrier Friday, the first such ship to be both designed and built in China, in a milestone as it seeks to extend the range and power of its navy.
北京周五下水了一艘新一代航空母舰，这是第一艘在中国设计和制造的此类舰艇，对于试图扩大航程和战力的中国海军来说，这是一个里程碑。
The Type 003 carrier christened Fujian left its drydock at a shipyard outside Shanghai in the morning and tied up at a nearby pier, state media reports said.
据官方媒体报道，这艘名为福建号的003型航母早上离开了上海郊外一家造船厂的干船坞，并停靠在附近的码头。
Equipped with the latest weaponry and aircraft-launch technology, the Type 003 ship's capabilities are thought to rival those of Western carriers, as Beijing seeks to turn its navy, already the world's largest, into a multi-carrier force.
配备了最新的武器和飞机弹射技术，003型舰艇的能力被认为可以与西方航母相媲美，因为北京试图将其已经是世界上规模最大的海军转变为多航母部队。
The Type 003 employs a catapult launch, thought to be an electromagnetic-type system like one originally developed by the U.S. Navy.
003型采用弹射器发射，被认为是一种电磁型系统，类似于美国海军最初开发的系统。
Such a system puts less stress on the aircraft than older steam-type catapult launch systems, and the use of a catapult means that the ship will be able to launch a broader variety of aircraft, which is necessary for China to be able to project naval power at a greater range.
与旧的蒸汽式弹射器发射系统相比，这种系统对飞机的压力较小，使用弹射器意味着该舰将能够发射更多种类的飞机，这对于中国能够在更大范围内投射海军力量是必要的。
China's new carrier was named after the Fujian province on the country's southeastern coast, following a tradition after naming its first two carriers after the provinces of Liaoning and Shandong.
中国的新航母以中国东南沿海的福建省命名，遵循以辽宁省和山东省命名其前两艘航母的传统。
China's development of the Type 003 carrier is part of a broader modernization of China's military. As with its space program, China has proceeded extremely cautiously in the development of aircraft carriers, seeking to apply only technologies that have been tested and perfected.
中国发展003型航母是中国军队更广泛现代化的一部分。与其太空计划一样，中国在航空母舰的发展中也非常谨慎，只寻求应用已经经过测试和完善的技术。
Now that it is launched it will have to be fitted out, which could take two to six months. Then there will be harbor acceptance trials and sea trials, which will likely take another six months before engineers begin launching test loads using the catapult system.
该舰下水后，后续还要进行舾装，这可能需要2-6个月的时间。然后将进行验收试验和海试，这可能需要6个月的时间，然后工程师才能开始使用弹射器进行发射试验。
The first aircraft will only be launched from this carrier perhaps in late-2023 to 2024, and full operational capability will likely be declared closer to 2025.
第一架飞机可能将于2023年底至2024年从该航母上起飞，并且可能在2025年左右宣布具备全面作战能力。
以上文章来自WX公主号“英语跃进”
重点词汇
aircraft carrier n. 航空母舰
milestone /ˈmaɪlstəʊn/ n. 重要事件，转折点；里程碑，里程标
christen /ˈkrɪs(ə)n/ vt. 为……命名
catapult /ˈkætəpʌlt/ n. 弹弓；（从舰船上弹射飞机的）弹射器；（飞机上的）座椅弹射器
