听力文本

Scientists may have found one answer to the problem of water shortages. It is a new material that collects water from the air. They got their idea from a small beetle that lives in the desert in Africa. The deserts of the Skeleton Coast in Namibia are very dry, but the Namib desert beetle is an expert at surviving in hot and dry conditions. Its shell is covered in small bumps that collect tiny water droplets from the air. The water is enough to keep the beetle alive. Scientists studied the shape and material of the beetle's bumps. They want to use what they found out about the beetle to make their own materials that can collect water from the air. This will help people who live in very dry areas.

The scientists believe this new technology could help in many areas of our life. They said it could be very useful for power plants and for the heating and air conditioning in airplanes, cars and trains. One of the scientists, Philseok Kim, said: "Thermal power plants, for example, rely on condensers to quickly convert steam to liquid water. Our design could help speed up that process and even allow for operation at a higher temperature, significantly improving the overall energy efficiency." Another scientist, Joanna Aizenberg, said she was looking forward to the future of getting ideas for new technologies from nature. She said: "Everybody is excited about bio-inspired materials research."

中文翻译

科学家找到了缺水办法6[,[MV~zowG3,~。新型材料能够吸收空气中的水分S5)SyDM,rm9a~L=2。灵感来源于非洲沙漠中的甲壳虫Q_boYY-6qK。纳米比亚“骷髅海岸”极其干燥，但纳米布沙漠甲壳虫却应付自如HsnAt9#4EZ0g。其背部布满小突起，它能够吸收空气中的水滴xEKXzCuEI;7%。这些水足够甲壳虫存活vtG9*ANlzLJyR。就形状和材质，科学家对小突起进行了研究4x2H,f]2H9AY,j|q。通过研究，科学家希望发明出“吸水”材料Ix5;qw8,~o。帮助干燥地区民众解决饮水问题Of4@7R1awORWZcxV+Vfe。

科学家相信，新技术能够应用于多个方面KAs!kY~4=]-3d.!。它可以改善飞机、汽车以及火车的供暖和空调设备，还可以增强电厂能效UTAvcFRNf%d_A。菲尔斯克·金姆认为：“例如火电厂，火电厂依靠冷凝器，将水蒸气迅速液化成水W2P5%xO^(&-a_B。这种材料或将加速液化过程，甚至可以增加温度，大大提高能效-G.@Hg2(NP|&1oSF。”乔安娜·艾森贝格教授希望能从自然界寻找灵感，研发新技术#r1VpHY1J6*%ZWsU#。她表示：“人们对仿生材料研究表示期待g.xGoGir~mJ9。”

译文属可可原创，仅供学习交流使用，未经许可请勿转载

重点讲解

1.air conditioning 空调

例句：My car has been summerized by adding air conditioning.

我的汽车已安装上空调了S7!,Y.=A6^8]RH。

2.energy efficiency 能率

例句：But the energy efficiency approach could have broad appeal.

但是提高能源利用率的方法有着更广的吸引范围WEaHkutmJg@-R@Rluf。

3.look forward to 期待

例句：He has been looking forward to going to England for a long time.

好久以来他一直盼望去英国n)BnO8cx_knR~K1^pm_O。

4.find out 查明

例句：I'll find out her secret.

我要弄清她的秘密k3BMjOQr-QUG63_SK(&。

听力题目

1.How many answers did scientists find to the water shortage problem?

a) uncountable

b) many

c) 100

d) one

2.Which country is the beetle from?

a) Norway

b) Namibia

c) Niger

d) Nigeria

3.What is the beetle's shell covered in?

a) steam

b) ice

c) bumps

d) water

4.What do the scientists want to make?

a) their own materials

b) a humidifier

c) a robot beetle

d) money

5.Who will this new material help?

a) car designers

b) people in Malaysia

c) people who live in dry areas

d) bus drivers

6.What part of planes, cars and trains could the new material help?

a) the windscreen / windshield wipers

b) the air conditioning

c) the waterproofing

d) the seats

7.What do power plant condensers quickly convert to liquid water?

a) gas

b) coal

c) beetles

d) steam

8.What could the new material's design do to power plant efficiency?

a) improve it

b) damage it

c) make it perfect

d) revolutionise it

9.Where did a scientist say new technologies will come from?

a) insects

b) space

c) nature

d) books

10.What did a scientist say everybody is excited about?

a) snow

b) bio-inspired materials research

c) new beetles

d) water

听力答案

1.d

2.b

3.c

4.a

5.c

6.b

7.d

8.a

9.c

10.b