Week 3 (ch15-21)

Weekly Questions

1.Various teams on the Earth have been literally working around clock to put together Project Iris. What is the outcome of this project? And please share your thoughts of it.

The shimmy got strong and then the signal of Iris lost.

It is failed because they don't get enough time to build it and do some inspections.Everyone in this project has sacrificed their own time for grueling work.I think it is a risk way which shows the contradiction between quality and the time saving.

2. The higher-ups at NASA are presented with two rescue options, one risky, and the other riskier. Who is it that makes the final decision? And how?

Send Watney enough food to last until Area 4,or send Hermes back to get him.Both plans require the Taiyang Shen.Commander Lewis and other crews decided to rescue Mark by turning back.

3. The end is near. Watney is going to Schiaparelli Crater, but not so fast. He first needs to do a shitload of preparation. However, during this process, what fatal mistake does he make?

The workbench is metal so it can make a mental to mental connection.Pathfinder operates on only 50 milliamps not to mention 9000 milliamps which can fry everything along the delicate electronic way.

4. Even with one setback after another, Watney is still fighting to survive. If he is not a tenacious son of a bitch, I truly do not know what he is. Anyway, all the physical labor has taken its toll on Watney's back. What does he do to relieve the pain? And how does he do it?

He takes drugs and playing with radiation.Also he uses RTG to get hot water for a shower.

5. This chapter is not about Watney, not directly anyway; it happens on the Hermes -- the crew are having "FaceTime" with their family, and in Jiuquan -- Taiyang Shen is ready for launch. According to Johanssen's FaceTime with her father, what kind of "plan" has been made? Any thoughts on this? 

Everyone would die by taking pills except Johanssen.Then the remained supplies and crewmates’ body which could be used as food would last longer for Johanssen untill she got back to Earth.

6. Why does Watney give himself the title "Space Pirate"?One problem in the Sirius 4 mission has been the uncomfortably tight space in the rover. Since this time, the trip is going to be significantly longer, what does he do to make sure this problem does not repeat itself?

He takes control of a craft in international waters without permission that makes him a pirate.

He made a tent where he could relax and lay down comfortably while sleeping.

7.This is the last chapter before Watney officially leaves for Schiaparelli Crater. Please summarize the THREE main activities he has accomplished in this final stage of his preparation.

Manage carbon dioxide.  Test the bedroom.  Cook potatoes.

Words

patch 修补  malnourished 营养不良的  forlornly 孤苦地  connotation 含蓄  run rampant 猖狂  redundant 多余的  stave off 避开延缓  trudge 跋涉  inflate 充气