Nature?inspired paint大自然的调色盘

孙启禄

主题语境：人与自然 篇幅：379 词 关键词：structural color

1 Scientists at the University of Central Florida（UCF） have created a new kind of paint thats superlight and super tough. The colors in the new paintarent at all like those in most paints. Instead， theyremore like the colors on a butterfly‘s wings.

2 The colors in most paints come from pigments—small amounts of colored stuff mixedinto the paint. For hundreds of years， humans have been mixing different minerals， metals，or chemicals together to produce different colors of paints.

3 But nature has another way to create color， called“ structural color”. Structural colorcomes from tiny shapes on the surfaces of things like wings， feathers， or shells. Normally，we never see the shapes that create these colors because they‘re so tiny. Now scientistshave used nanotechnology to make paints with structural color.

4 Researchers at UCF werent really planning on making paints. They were trying tocreate a special mirrored surface. But they found supertinypieces of aluminum （鋁） atomson the surface. The researchers were upset because these tiny pieces or “nanoislands”messed up the mirror. Then they realized that the nanoislandsmade colors when light hitthem. They decided to turn their discovery into paints.

5 All the color in the new paint comes from aluminum. There are tiny aluminum flakesand then even tinier nanoparticles （纳米粒） that create the colors. The nanoparticles don‘treally produce the color. They simply reflect back a single color. The size of the nanoparticlesdetermines which color gets reflected.

6 Because the new paint doesnt have pigments， the paint is extremely light. A little bit goes a long way. The paint is so light that it could reduce the amount of fuel used by planesand cars. The new paint should last a long time. In regular paints， pigments break downand fade over time. That‘s not true for structural color. Whats more， using the paint onbuildings in cities could help cool cities and reduce the electricity spent on air conditioning.

7 It will probably be a while before you start to paint pictures with structural color. Thescientists know how to make small amounts of the paint in the lab and now they aretrying to figure out how to make large amounts of the paint cheaply.

Reading Check

1. How are the colors in the new paint different from those in most paints？

A. They come from tiny shapes.

B. Their nanoparticles produce colors.

C. They come from chemicals mixed into the paint.

D. They are made from chemicals using nanotechnology.

2. How does the size of the nanoparticles affect the color reflected by the paint？

A. It determines the color that is reflected.

B. It determines the color of the aluminum flakes.

C. It determines the color of the pigments in the paint.

D. It determines the color produced by the nanoparticles.

3. What is paragraph 6 mainly about？

A. The sustainable use of the new paint.

B. The advantages of the new paint.

C. The producing process of the new paint.

D. The future application of the new paint.

4. What is the current challenge the scientists are facing in regard to the new paint？

A. Discovering new applications for the paint.

B. Finding a way to massproduce the paint cheaply.

C. Improving the colors produced by the nanoparticles.

D. Figuring out how to make small amounts of the paint in the lab.

語篇解码

本文是一篇新闻报道。中佛罗里达大学的科学家们开发了一种轻便耐用的颜料，它采用了由铝制成的结构色。这种颜料具有潜在的节能优势，但在扩大生产规模方面面临挑战。

语言学习

Ⅰ. 语料荟萃

Ⅱ. 语句分析

1. Normally， we never see the shapes that create these colors because they‘re so tiny.通常情况下，我们看不到产生这些颜色的形状，因为它们太小了。

【点石成金】本句是一个主从复合句。we never see the shapes是主句，that引导限制性定语从句，because引导原因状语从句。

2. The scientists know how to make small amounts of the paint in the lab and now theyare trying to figure out how to make large amounts of the paint cheaply. 科学家们知道如何在实验室中制造少量的颜料，现在他们正试图找出以低成本制造大量的颜料的方法。

【点石成金】本句是一个由and 连接的并列句。第一个分句中的how to make...in the lab和第二个分句中的how to make...cheaply都是“疑问词+动词不定式”结构作宾语。

语言运用

Ⅰ. 例句仿写

1. 我钦佩那些将传统技术与现代技术融合以创造出令人惊叹的视觉效果的艺术作品。

I admire the artwork ___________________________ to create stunning visual effects.

2. 我不知道如何用水彩作画，但我很想学习。

I don't know ___________________________， but Im eager to learn.

Ⅱ. 写作实践

假定你是李华，请你根据上面内容，以“Structural color paint： A breakthrough innovation”为题写一篇短文。要点如下：

1. 简要介绍这种颜料；

2. 这种颜料的优点；

3. 挑战与展望。

注意：

1. 词数80左右；

2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Structural color paint： A breakthrough innovation

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