科学美国人60秒 SSS 2014-08-15_在线英语听力室

(单词翻译:双击或拖选)

As is well known, geckos sell car insurance. But they’re also famous for their extremely adhesive¹ feet, which can keep them stuck to walls and even ceilings. Archimedes wondered how they do it. Geckos can also easily loosen their grip and break into a dash, which has flummoxed physicists². But scientific stick-to-itiveness finally found the on/off switch.

Geckos’ toes are covered in thousands of tiny hairs called setae. These setae can bend to make contact with all the grooves³ and crevices⁴ in a surface. To adhere, the setae rely on small electromagnetic attractions between molecules⁵ called van der Waals forces.

Researchers created mathematical models that revealed that the default for gecko feet is non-sticky. To activate⁶ the grip, the lizards⁷ extend and angle their setae to create millions of contact points with a surface. The research is in the Journal of Applied⁸ Physics. [Congcong Hu and P. Alex Greaney, Role of seta angle and flexibility⁹ in the gecko adhesion mechanism]

Scientists would love to create synthetic¹⁰ adhesives¹¹ based on the gecko trick. Perhaps by harnessing the power of setae, robots could climb walls, and stick or unstick without expending¹² much energy, just as the gecko does.

点击

收听单词发音

1 adhesive
n.粘合剂；adj.可粘着的，粘性的
参考例句：
You'll need a strong adhesive to mend that chair. 你需要一种粘性很强的东西来修理那把椅子。 Would you give me an adhesive stamp?请给我一枚带胶邮票好吗？

2 physicists
物理学家( physicist的名词复数 )
参考例句：
For many particle physicists, however, it was a year of frustration. 对于许多粒子物理学家来说，这是受挫折的一年。来自英汉非文学 - 科技 Physicists seek rules or patterns to provide a framework. 物理学家寻求用法则或图式来构成一个框架。

3 grooves
n.沟( groove的名词复数 )；槽；老一套；（某种）音乐节奏v.沟( groove的第三人称单数 )；槽；老一套；（某种）音乐节奏
参考例句：
Wheels leave grooves in a dirt road. 车轮在泥路上留下了凹痕。来自《简明英汉词典》 Sliding doors move in grooves. 滑动门在槽沟中移动。来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 crevices
n.（尤指岩石的）裂缝，缺口( crevice的名词复数 )
参考例句：
It has bedded into the deepest crevices of the store. 它已钻进了店里最隐避的隙缝。来自辞典例句 The wind whistled through the crevices in the rock. 风呼啸着吹过岩石的缝隙。来自辞典例句

5 molecules
分子( molecule的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。 Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

6 activate
vt.使活动起来，使开始起作用
参考例句：
We must activate the youth to study.我们要激励青年去学习。 These push buttons can activate the elevator.这些按钮能启动电梯。

7 lizards
n.蜥蜴( lizard的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Nothing lives in Pompeii except crickets and beetles and lizards. 在庞培城里除了蟋蟀、甲壳虫和蜥蜴外，没有别的生物。来自辞典例句 Can lizards reproduce their tails? 蜥蜴的尾巴断了以后能再生吗？来自辞典例句

8 applied
adj.应用的；v.应用，适用
参考例句：
She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。 This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

9 flexibility
n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性
参考例句：
Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。 The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

10 synthetic
adj.合成的，人工的；综合的；n.人工制品
参考例句：
We felt the salesman's synthetic friendliness.我们感觉到那位销售员的虚情假意。 It's a synthetic diamond.这是人造钻石。

11 adhesives
黏合剂( adhesive的名词复数 )
参考例句：
These include dyes, adhesives, solvents, detergents, metals, and other foreign materials. 其中包括染料，粘合剂，溶剂，洗涤剂、金属等外界物质。 Preparation, properties and kinds of polyurethane adhesives were described. 综述了聚氨酯胶粘剂的合成、特性和种类。

12 expending
v.花费( expend的现在分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽
参考例句：
The heart pumps by expending and contracting of muscle. 心脏通过收缩肌肉抽取和放出（血液）。来自互联网 Criminal action is an action of expending cost and then producing profit. 刑事诉讼是一种需要支付成本、能够产生收益的活动。来自互联网

在线英语听力室_免费在线英语听力学习网站

科学美国人60秒 SSS 2014-08-15