微重力及宇宙輻射的影響
Taiwan will send plant seeds to space for the first time in October for research on how the outer space environment may affect plant growth.
台灣將於10月首度將植物種子送上太空，目的是要研究外太空環境對於植物生長的影響。
affect(v.)影響
The seeds will stay in the International Space Station for four months before returning to Taiwan, where they will be planted and further studied.
植物種子將待在國際太空站4個月，之後將返回台灣栽種並進行進一步研究。
International Space Station國際太空站
Hosted by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Space Seeds for Asian Future is a science program which aims to learn how the Earth’s plants may be affected by space’s harsh environment, where microgravity and space radiation are present.
「太空種子亞洲未來」是由日本宇宙航空研究開發機構主辦的科學計畫，目的是要探究太空的微重力及宇宙輻射等嚴苛環境如何影響地球植物。
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency日本宇宙航空研究開發機構aim to V致力某事harsh(adj.)嚴酷的microgravity(n.)微重力radiation(n.)輻射present(adj.)存在的
Taiwan National Space Organization, National Chung Hsing University and the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute have participated in the program.
台灣國家太空中心與國立中興大學及農試合作參與了這項計畫，
National Space Organization國家太空中心Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute台灣農試所participate in sth.參與某事=take part in sth.
Two crops, Formosa lambsquarters (red quinoa) and chili pepper, and two flowers, sunflower and Phalaenopsis equestris (a kind of “butterfly orchid”) are selected to be tested in the program.
選出兩種作物種子：台灣藜（紅藜）、番椒及兩種花朵種子：向日葵及姬蝴蝶蘭參與這項計畫。
crop(n.)作物Formosa lambsquarters台灣藜Phalaenopsis equestris姬蝴蝶蘭butterfly orchid蝴蝶蘭
Yang Chin-ying, a professor at National Chung Hsing University, said that Phalaenopsis equestris was chosen because the flower has little records of mutation, and researchers wish to find out whether external stimuli in outer space may prompt mutation.
中興大學楊靜瑩教授表示，姬蝴蝶蘭出線的原因為研究其突變的文獻較少，所以學者希望藉此機會探究種子是否會受外太空的外在刺激突變。
mutation(n.)突變mutate(v.)突變mutant(n.)突變體、變種external(adj.)外在的stimulus(n.)刺激物(複數stimuli)prompt(v.)促使=bring on
Apart from Taiwan, there are eight other countries involved in the program, sending 16 kinds of seeds in total.
除了台灣，另外還有8個國家參與計畫，一共選出16種種子。
apart from sth.除某事之外=in addition to sth.be involved in sth.參與某事、涉入(負面事件)
Among them, Thailand chose the seed of a golden shower tree, New Zealand picked the seed of pohutukawa, Indonesia went for celery and onion seeds, and Malaysia chose the seed of holy basil (kaphrao).
其中，泰國選了阿勃勒、紐西蘭選了原生種聖誕紅，而印尼選擇芹菜及洋蔥，馬來西亞則選了聖羅勒（即打拋葉）。
golden shower tree阿勃勒樹pohutukawa(n.)紐西蘭原生種聖誕紅holy basil聖羅勒kaphrao(n.)打拋葉