大学英语六级考试拓展阅读练习(17)

　　William Illiam Morris suggested that nothing should have a place that is not known to be useful or believed to be beautiful. Opals, though, might be both. A group of researchers from the University of Southampton, in England, and the German Plastics Institute in Darmstadt, led by Jeremy Baumberg, have discovered how to create a plastic with the gemstones iridescent properties. Their invention could be used to make a sparkling substitute for paint, banknotes that are hard to counterfeit and chemical sensors that can act as visible sell-by dates. Opals get their milky sheen and rainbow sparkle from the way light is scattered by the tiny crystals that form them. These crystals are stacked in what is known as a face-centred cubic structure. This means that the constituent atoms are arranged in a lattice of cubes, with one extra atom sitting at the centre of each cubes six faces. Light entering this lattice gets bounced around in ways that generate colour by reinforcing the peaks of some wavelengths and cancelling out those of others. For many years researchers have been trying to develop a synthetic material with the same light-scattering properties as an opal, by etching patterns into various materials. That approach has failed. Instead, Dr Baumberg has built his opalescent material from scratch. He and his team grew tiny polystyrene spheres until they were some 200 nanometres across, before hardening them with a blast of heat. They then coated the spheres with a sticky polymer before heating them again. As the mixture was baked, the spheres moved naturally into a face-centred cubic structure. The result is a flexible film of crystals with opalescent properties that can be used to coat malleable surfaces, producing attractive iridescent hues. The size of the spheres can be tailored to scatter particular wavelengths of light a useful property for security applications in which it is important that materials can be identified precisely. Moreover, when the film is warped, the spaces between the crystals change and the colours produced change with them. These two properties make opalescent film an obvious material for currency. Banknotes containing it would produce distinctive colours when stretched, unlike counterfeits made from other materials. To use the film to detect food spoilage, Dr Baumberg proposes adding a sprinkle of carbon particles even smaller than the polystyrene spheres. These would nestle in the spaces between the spheres and cause the material to scatter light from even more angles, making it yet more iridescent. This arrangement could be tuned to react to specific toxic chemicals. Food packaging made from such a material would thus change colour as the rot set in. Such packaging need not be expensive. The polymer spheres and carbon particles arrange themselves spontaneously into the correct crystal structure when encouraged by a little heat, so manufacturing opalescent film should be easy. Indeed Merck, a German chemical company that was a partner in the research, has already produced rolls of the stuff a metre wide and 100 metres long. Perfect for wallpaper. 1.Which one of the following statement is NOT true of the opals according to the passage? For years, scientists endeavor of imitating opals unique characteristics has reached to nil. Opals could be brilliant mainly because they have some kind of iridescent properties. Opals could be brilliant because they have tiny crystals which could scatter light. Opals could be used to make a sparkling substitute for paint. 2.The opalescent material that Dr Baumberg and his team have developed model itself on _____ the face-centred cubic structure of the opals. the light scattering properties of the opals. the tiny polystyrene spheres of the opals. the flexible film of crystals of the opals. 3.The flexible film of crystals Dr Baumberg has finally got is an ideal material for currency because _____ it can be used to coat malleable surfaces so that the currency could have iridescent hues. the colour change as the film is bent so that the currency could be identified precisely. different colours could be produced as the film could be tailored to scatter particular wavelengths of light. certain colours could be made as the currency is distended so that it is easy to distinguish. 4.The logic that food spoilage could be detected by use of the film is that _____ the carbon particles Dr Baumberg adds into the film could react to specific toxic chemicals. the polystyrene spheres could scatter light from more angeles. carbon particles positioned among the spheres could be adjusted to be sensitive to addled materials. carbon particles added into the polystyrene spheres could make the film more iridescent. 5.The film of crystals with opalescent properties can be used to make the following materials except_____ paint. banknote. chemical sensors. wallpaper.

　　篇章剖析: 这篇文章讲述了人们利用蛋白石宝石闪光特性的情况。第一段是总体的论述;第二段讲述蛋白石发光的原理;第三、四段讲述Baumberg博士根据该原理研制了弹性的晶体薄膜;第五、六段讲述弹性晶体薄膜的作用。 词汇注释： opal n. 蛋白石，猫眼石 sheen n. 光泽 synthetic adj. 合成的 polystyrene n. 聚苯乙烯 polymer n. 聚合体 iridescent adj. 闪光的 malleable adj. 有延展性的 spoilage n. 腐败 难句突破： A group of researchers from the University of Southampton, in England, and the German Plastics Institute in Darmstadt, led by Jeremy Baumberg, have discovered how to create a plastic with the gemstones iridescent properties. A group of researchers have discovered 这是一个简单句，led by 过去分词结构是前面researchers的定语 英国南安普敦大学的一群研究者和Jeremy Baumberg领导的位于达姆施塔特的德国塑料研究所发现了如何用宝石闪光的特性来制造一种塑料。 Light entering this lattice gets bounced around in ways that generate colour by reinforcing the peaks of some wavelengths and cancelling out those of others. Light gets bounced around in ways that 这是一个复合句，that引导的定语从句用来修饰ways. 进入该格子的光线反弹回来，通过加强了一些波长的波峰和减少了其他的波峰长度来产生出颜色。 题目分析： 1.Which one of the following statement is NOT true of the opals according to the passage? 1. 根据这篇文章，下列哪个陈述是不正确的? For years, scientists endeavor of imitating opals unique characteristics has reached nil. 多年来，科学家们试图模仿蛋白石特性的努力都没有取得任何成就。 Opals could be brilliant mainly because they have some kind of iridescent properties. 蛋白石闪光的主要是因为有一种闪光的成分。 Opals could be brilliant because they have tiny crystals which could scatter light. 蛋白石闪光是因为有小的水晶颗粒可以反射光。 Opals could be used to make a sparkling substitute for paint. 蛋白石可以用于制造一种替代涂料的闪光替代品。 A ☆☆☆ 细节题。根据第三段， For many years researchers have been trying to develop a synthetic material with the same light-scattering properties as an opal, by etching patterns into various materials. That approach has failed ，因此A选项是正确的，其中nil的意思是 零 。B选项对应于文章第一段，也提到了宝石闪光成分存在使得它可以闪光。C选项，第二段提到了这一点。D选项，第一段提到是发明的塑料可以用于制作油漆的闪光替代品，而不是蛋白石本身。因此，答案为A选项。 2.The opalescent material that Dr Baumberg and his team have developed model itself on _____ 2. Baumberg博士和他的小组自己研制出的乳白色物质是以____为原型的。 the face-centred cubic structure of the opals 蛋白石面部中心的立方结构 the light scattering properties of the opals. 蛋白石光泽发散的特性 the tiny polystyrene spheres of the opals. 蛋白石聚苯乙烯球体 the flexible film of crystals of the opals. 蛋白石晶体的弹性薄膜 A ☆☆ 细节题。文章第二和三段都提到了 the face-centred cubic structure ，尤其是文章第三段最后指出 As the mixture was baked, the spheres moved naturally into a face-centred cubic structure ，即这种乳白色的物质是许多聚苯乙烯球体加热后形成了面部中心的立方结构，从而可以闪光。因此，是模仿了面部中心的立方体结构。答案为A选项。 3.The flexible film of crystals Dr Baumberg has finally got is an ideal material for currency because _____ 3.Baumberg博士最后的弹性警惕薄膜是理想的制作钞票的物质，因为_____ it can be used to coat malleable surfaces so that the currency could have iridescent hues. 这种物质可以用来做有延展性表面，这样钞票就可以有特别的光波了。 the colour change as the film is bent so that the currency could be identified precisely. 薄膜弯曲后颜色会改变，这样钞票就可以精确地辨认出来。 different colours could be produced as the film could be tailored to scatter particular wavelengths of light. 薄膜可以量身定做来反射各种不同的光波，从而产生不同的颜色。 certain colours could be made as the currency is distended so that it is easy to distinguish. 随着钞票被伸展，可以产生一定的颜色从而容易辨别。 B ☆☆☆ 细节题。根据第四段，这种物质可以用于制作钞票一是因为球体的尺寸可以裁减来发散出特别的光波，而是因为薄膜弯曲的话可以产生不同的颜色。选项中B最为符合。 4.The logic that food spoilage could be detected by use of the film is that _____ 4.食品腐败可以使用这种薄膜来发现，这背后的原理是_____ the carbon particles Dr Baumberg adds into the film could react to specific toxic chemicals. Baumberg加在薄膜中的碳颗粒可以对一定的有毒化学物质产生反应。 the polystyrene spheres could scatter light from more angeles. 聚苯乙烯球体可以从不同的角度来反射光。 carbon particles positioned among the spheres could be adjusted to be sensitive to addled materials. 在球体中间的碳颗粒可以调节，从而对腐败的物质产生反应。 carbon particles added into the polystyrene spheres could make the film more iridescent. 可以在聚苯乙烯球体中加入碳颗粒，从而使薄膜更加发光。 C ☆☆☆☆ 细节题。 根据第五段，加入碳颗粒可以市的物质从更多角度发光，通过调节可以对特殊的有毒化学物质作出反应，因此选项C为正确答案。 5.The film of crystals with opalescent properties can be used to make the following materials except_____ 5.

　　有闪光物质的晶体薄膜可以用来做除____以外的其他物品。 paint. 涂料 banknote. 钞票 chemical sensors. 化学感应物质 wallpaper. 墙纸。 A ☆☆☆ 细节题。根据第一段，这种薄膜可以用来做涂料的替代品、钞票、化学感应物质，最后一段提到可以做墙纸。因此，选项A的表述是错误的，是正确答案。 参考译文： William Illiam Morris(壁纸设计人而非汽车制造商)认为任何东西都不是是没有用或者是不美的。尽管蛋白石是既有用又漂亮。英国南安普敦大学的一群研究者和Jeremy Baumberg领导的位于达姆施塔特的德国塑料研究所发现了如何用宝石闪光的特性来制造一种塑料。他们的发明可以用于制作油漆的闪光替代品，难以仿造的钞票、以及就像销售日期那么清晰可见的化学仿形器。 蛋白石因为其光线受到水晶的发射呈现乳白色和五彩的光泽。这些水晶堆积在以平面中心的立方结构中。这就意味着组成原子呈方块的格子排列，另外一个原子位于每个方块六面的中心。进入该格子的光线反弹回来，通过加强了一些波长的波峰和减少了其他的波峰长度来产生出颜色。 很多年来，研究者一直想要研发一种合成物质，通过在不同的物质中雕刻形状来使其拥有和蛋白石一样的光泽发散功能。这种方法却失败了。而Baumberg博士从无到有地创造了自己的乳白色物质。他和他的小组培养了许多小的聚苯乙烯球体，直至它们长到了200微米，然后用热风来硬化。接着他们用一种粘性的聚合体来粘在球体外面，然后再次加热。随着混合体的加热，球体自然成为了以平面为中心的立方结构。 最后得到的就是有弹性的晶体薄膜，它带有蛋白石的成分，可以作为延展性的表面，发出好看的光泽。球体的尺寸可以进行裁减来发散出特别的光波 这个特点对于安检来说很重要，因为任何物质都可以被精确地辨认出来。而且，如果薄膜弯曲的话，晶体之间的空间会发生变化，产生的颜色也随之改变。这两种成分使得乳白色薄膜成为钞票的显性物质。含有该物质的钞票通过伸展可以产生出特别的颜色，这是用其它材料制作的假钞所不具备的。 如果用该薄膜来检查食品腐败，Baumberg建议加入一些甚至可以比聚苯乙烯的球体更小的碳颗粒。这些颗粒可以藏在球体间的空间里，使得物质从更多的角度发散光，从而显得更加光亮。也可以用这种方法来应对特殊的有毒化学物质。用该物质生产的食品包装可以随着腐烂的开始而产生颜色的变化。 这样的包装不需要太昂贵。只要加入一点聚合体球体和碳颗粒就可以自然地安排成正确的晶体结构，因此生产光亮的薄膜就很容易了。实际上一家德国化学公司Merck是该研究的合作者，现在已经生产出了一米宽、100米长的薄膜。这对于壁纸来说是非常理想的。