VOA标准英语2014--US Students Use Physics, Creativity to Create Whimsical Machine

 

US Students Use Physics, Creativity to Create Whimsical Machine

VENICE, CALIFORNIA— 

High school and college students throughout Los Angeles have been preparing for a machine building competition that challenges their science and creativity skills, as well as their patience.  It is the regional Rube Goldberg Machine Contest.  The machines have to have a series of chain reactions to complete a simple task. The task of building a machine is anything but simple.

At the end of the school day, a physics classroom at ánimo Venice Charter¹ High School is transformed into a workshop.  For the last two months, six students, with the help of their physics teacher Christina Hannouche, have been trying to build a machine that erases⁴ a chalkboard.

“That’s a simple task and they have to come up with a whole crazy machine that has as many chain reactions as possible to, in the end, erase³ that chalkboard," said Hannouche.

It’s called a Rube Goldberg Machine, named after the American Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist and inventor who specialized⁵ in drawing complex machines that performed simple tasks. In less than a week, the students will be entering their machine in a citywide competition in the regional Rube Goldberg Machine Contest. 

Fourteen-year-old Kelly McNamee is one of the team members.

 “I’m kind of nervous and excited because we’re not done yet, but we’re getting there, and we’re almost done," said McNamee.

But even getting to this point has not been easy, says Melissa Garcia.

“The most challenging part is trying to not get frustrated," said Garcia.

Hannouche says getting all the chain reactions to work is anything but simple.

 “They need to be persistent⁶ because we’ve probably run this 50 times and it’s only worked twice," she said.

“It’s hard not to blame other people or ourselves, and we sort of have to keep working together and find a solution," said Garcia.

Melissa Garcia and her teammates find solutions in physics and everyday objects such as marbles, a toilet seat and a toy train.  The objects came from students’ homes and their neighborhood streets.  Hannouche says the goal is not just a complex machine that works², but one that is also creative.

“Just combining all of their knowledge that they have about everything in life and then working as a team and putting it together, I think, is just an incredibly valuable experience," she said.

Melissa Garcia says she didn’t know what to expect when they first started.

 “I think we’re all impressed and amazed⁸ by what we created," she said.

 In just a few days these students will find out if their machine will impress and amaze⁷ the judges on competition day. 

1 charter   

n.特许状，执照，宪章；v.特许，发给特许执照

参考例句：

• This new law amounts to a tax evader's charter.这项新法律简直成了为逃税者开的许可证。
• We will charter a steamer to convey the goods.我们将租一艘船运送这批货物。

2 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

3 erase   

v.擦掉；消除某事物的痕迹

参考例句：

• He tried to erase the idea from his mind.他试图从头脑中抹掉这个想法。
• Please erase my name from the list.请把我的名字从名单上擦去。

4 erases   

v.擦掉( erase的第三人称单数 )；抹去；清除

参考例句：

• This command erases all data on the specified partition. 这指令在指定的分区上抹去所有的数据。 来自互联网
• A literary image erases the more indolent images of perception. 文学意象抹除那些感官的懒惰意象。 来自互联网

5 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

6 persistent   

adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的

参考例句：

• Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。
• She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤，使她很难为情。

7 amaze   

vt.使惊奇，使惊愕

参考例句：

• He stood in amaze at the sight.他看到那种景象，惊愕得呆呆地站在那里。
• You will soon amaze the world with your brilliant feat.你会一鸣惊人的。

8 amazed   

adj.吃惊的，惊奇的v.使大为吃惊，使惊奇( amaze的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Just the size of the place amazed her. 仅仅地方之大就使她十分惊奇。
• I was amazed at her knowledge of French literature. 她的法国文学知识之丰富使我大为惊奇。