第六篇 $lesson$

Weaving with Light

　　In the Sierra Madre mountain range of west central Mexico1，the native Huichol people2 live much the way their ancestors did-without electricity. That's because it's too expensive to string power lines3 to the remote mountain areas where they live. To help support themselves，the Huichol create beautiful artwork. They sell their art in cities hundreds of miles away from their villages. And without electricity-at home or on the road，they can only work during daylight hours. When it gets dark，they must stop whatever they’re doing.

　　Now，a team of scientists，designers，and architects is using4 new technologies to provide the Huichol with light after the sun sets The scientists' technique involves weaving tiny electronic crystals into fabrics that can be made into clothes，bags，or other items.

　　By collecting the sun’s energy during the day，these lightweight fabrics provide bright white light at night. Their inventors have named the fabrics "Portable Lights." Portable Lights have the potential to transform the lives of people without electricity around the world，says project leader Sheila Kennedy.

　　“Our invention，”Kennedy says，“came from seeing how we could transform technology we saw every day in the United States and move it into new markets for people who didn’t have a lot of money.”

　　At the core of5 Portable Light technology are devices called high-brightness light-emitting diodes，or HB LEDs6.These tiny lights appear in digital clocks，televisions，and streetlights.

　　LEDs are completely different from the light bulbs. Most of those glass bulbs belong to a type called incandescent lights. Inside，electricity heats a metal coil to about 2,200 degrees Celsius. At that temperature，bulbs give off light we can see.

　　Ninety percent of energy produced by incandescent lights，however，is heat - and invisible. With all that wasted energy，bulbs bum out quickly. They are also easily broken.

　　LEDs，on the other hand，are like tiny pieces of rock made up of molecules that are arranged in a crystal structure. When an electric current passes through an LED，the crystal structure produces light. Unlike incandescent bulbs，they can produce light of various colors. Within an LED，the type of molecules and their particular arrangement determines what color is produced.

　　詞匯：

　　Portable adj.輕便的，手提式的 incandescent adj.白灼的

　　Light-emitting diode(LED) 發光二極管 coil n.線圈，卷，圈

　　Bulb n.燈泡;球狀物 molecule n.分子

　　注釋：

　　1.Sierra Madre mountain range of west central Mexico：墨西哥中西部的馬德雷山脈。Sierra一詞在西班牙語中本身就包含了“山脈”的意思，確切地說是“呈齒狀起伏的山脈"，因為在西班牙語中Sierra有“鋸子"的意思。

　　2.Huichol people：維克人。他們是居住在墨西哥中西部地區馬德雷山脈的土著印地安人。該地區山路崎嶇，所以西班牙人未涉足于此，墨西哥文化也沒能影響維克人的土著文化。據估計，維克印地安人現僅存約一萬人。

　　3.string power lines：架設輸電線

　　4.Now，a team of scientists…is using：a team of scientists可以視作單數，也可以視作復數。本句用作單數，所以后接的謂語動詞是is。

　　5.At the core of：此處the core of意為the basic or most important part of(最重要的部分)。

　　6.At the core of Portable Light technology are devices called high-brightness light-emitting diodes， or HB LEDs：本句是倒裝句，主語是“devices called high-brightness light-emitting diodes, or HB LEDs"，謂語動詞是“are”。High-brightness light-emitting diodes可譯為“高亮度發光二極管。

　　練習：

　　1.To make a living，the Huichol create artwork and

　　A.sell it to tourists in their villages.

　　B.sell it in cities far away from their villages.

　　C.display it in their village museum.

　　D.keep it in their homes to attract tourists.

　　2.Why Can Portable Lights emit light?

　　A.Electronic crystals are woven into fabrics.

　　B.Items such as clothes and bags are used to carry lights.

　　C.The sun’s energy is collected during the day.

　　D.All of the above.

　　3.What does Sheila Kennedy say about Portable Lights?

　　A.This invention Can change the lives of people，both rich and poor.

　　B.They are widely used in the United States.

　　C.Portable Lights can help poor people around the world to get light.

　　D.They are expensive to make but easy to carry.

　　4.What is the most important part of the Portable Light technology?

　　A.HB LEDs

　　B.Glass Bulbs.

　　C.Incandescent lights.

　　D.Heated metal coils.

　　5.LEDs are different from light bulbs in that

　　A.LEDs ale incandescent lights while light bulbs are not.

　　B.LEDs have a metal coil while light bulbs have not.

　　C.LEDs emit colored light while most fight bulbs don’t.

　　D.LEDs are made up of tiny pieces of rock while light bulbs are not.

　　答案與題解：

　　1.B短文的第一段提供了答案，該段告訴我們，維克人為了謀生，制作工藝品，并到幾百英里以外的城市去銷售。

　　2.D文章的第二和第三段包括了A、B和C所述內容。所以D是答案。

　　3.C短文的第四和第五段提供了答案。短文第四段的句子說了Potable Lights可以在世界范圍內改變窮鄉僻壤用不上電的人們的生活，C準確地表達了這層意思，所以是答案。A不是答案，說Potable Lights能改變富人窮人的生活，不符合原文的意思。短文沒有提及Portable Lights在美國使用，也沒有說Portable Lights是否花費很大。所以B和D都不是答案。

　　4.A 第六段的第一句提供了答案。Portable Lights技術的最主要部分是high-brightness light-emitting diodes，即高亮度發光二極管。

　　5.C短文的第六段對light bulbs進行了描述。第二句中的those glass bulbs即指第一句中的light bulbs。因此，LEDs不是incandescent lights(白熾燈)，也沒有金屬絲。所以A和B均是錯誤的選擇。最后一段的第一個句子LEDs，on the other hand，are like tiny pieces of rock

　　made up of molecules that are arranged in a crystal structure中的like pieces of rock，不等于pieces of rock，所以，D也是錯誤選擇。根據短文的最后一段內容，C是正確選擇。