英语听力—环球英语 856 People Copying Nature

　　Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight¹, I'm Joshua Leo.
Voice 2
And I'm Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
What do butterfly wings have to do with computer screens?
Voice 2
What do birds have to do with high speed trains?
Voice 1
These may sound like strange things to put together. But scientists, inventors, and designers² are doing just that. They are learning³ from nature to create new technology.
Voice 2
Today's Spotlight is on biomimicry and the work of the Biomimicry Institute. The word biomimicry combines two words: biology and mimic⁴. In this case, biology means⁵ all of nature. And mimic means to copy something. So people using biomimicry try to use examples in nature to design new technology.
Voice 1
Biomimicry is not a new idea. People have been studying nature for hundreds of years. Leonardo DaVinci used birds as a model to invent his flying machine. And when the Wright Brothers made the first successful airplane, they also studied birds. In 1998, Janine Benyus wrote a book about biomimicry. She is a natural sciences writer and teacher. Her book made many people think in a new way. With so much interest, Janine Benyus started the Biomimicry Institute.
Voice 2
The Biomimicry Institute is a not for profit organization. They bring together scientists, building designers, engineers, inventors and many other people. They offer classes to teach people about biomimicry. They provide money for people to research and test new technologies. And they work hard to tell lots of people about biomimicry all over the world. They want all people, from children to adults, to think about new ways to learn from nature.
Voice 1
People involved with the Biomimicry Institute believe that biomimicry can help solve many of the world's problems. They think that the world has become too separate⁶ from nature. In fact, often new technologies can harm nature. Biomimicry helps to develop technologies that work with nature. Let's look at some examples.
Voice 2
Earlier in the program we asked about butterfly wings and computer screens. Some scientists are studying the color of butterfly wings. Butterfly wings have beautiful colors. This is because of the special way that light shines off of them. Scientists want to copy these same ways to make light shine off computers. They hope this will make more colorful screens.
Voice 1
Another example of biomimicry is the Japanese Shinkansen Bullet⁷ Train. It travels at speeds of over 250 kilometers per hour! But it had a problem. It made too much noise! People could hear the train from half a kilometer away.
Voice 2
Eiji Nakatsu was the lead engineer on the train. But he also loved watching birds. One day he thought about a kind of bird, the kingfisher. The kingfisher can dive into water without making any noise. This is because of the shape of its beak⁸ - its mouth and nose. Nakatsu thought that if he could design the front of the train like this beak, the train would be quieter. Well, it worked! The Shinkansen Bullet Train is very quiet now. But it is also faster and uses fifteen percent less electricity.
Voice 1
Another example of biomimicry comes from Zimbabwe. Termites¹⁰ are a kind of insect that eats wood. Termites damage homes and buildings all over the world. So how could termites make buildings better?
Voice 2
There is a termite⁹ called the Macrotermes Michaelseni. They make homes that look like tall hills of dirt. They live in areas where the temperature gets very hot in the day and very cold at night. But, these termites are able to control the temperature inside their dirt hills. They do this by opening and closing doors in the dirt for air to flow through. This brings the cool air in from the bottom. And it lets the hot air get out through the top.
Voice 1
In Harare, Zimbabwe, an office building is copying the termites' method. The office building opens and closes windows during the day. It now uses ninety percent less energy than any other surrounding buildings. These examples show how copying nature can solve problems and save energy at the same time.
Voice 2
The next example of biomimicry is about the relationship between animals and plants. Much of the medicine we use in the world comes from plants. There are millions of different kinds of plants in the world. It takes time to find WHICH plants are good for medicine.
Voice 1
But scientists discovered something when studying monkeys and chimpanzees¹¹. These animals also use plants for medicine. They found that chimps¹² use trees from the Vernonia group when they had a sick stomach. By watching monkeys and chimps, scientists found a medicine that can help heal¹³ parasites¹⁴. These small creatures make people very sick. But the leaves of Vernonia trees can kill the parasites!
Voice 2
This last story is about using nature to help keep humans safe. Tsunami¹⁵ waves are very large and dangerous. They can kill many people if they hit land. Warning¹⁷ systems are very important so that people can protect themselves. But it is very difficult to know when a tsunami is coming. This is because when it is out in the ocean, the wave is mostly underwater¹⁸. It cannot be seen from land or even above in an airplane. Scientists must put special machines on the floor of the ocean, thousands of meters under the water.
Voice 1
These machines send a signal¹⁹ to the surface. Sending this signal through all of the water is difficult. Sound is the best way. But sounds can be lost or confused²⁰ by the water. But there is an animal that is very good at sending under water signals²¹ - dolphins! Dolphins can send signals to each other from over 25 kilometres away. They use many different kinds of signals. This lets the signals travel far and clearly through the water. So, scientists copied the way that dolphins send signals. This technology now helps warn¹⁶ people in the Indian Ocean if a tsunami is coming.
Voice 2
Christians²² believe that God created the world. And by studying nature, we can learn about God. We can learn about beauty, design, and how the world is connected. Our world does have many problems. And Christians believe that people are responsible²³ to care for the earth. Sometimes these problems seem too big to solve. But sometimes the answer is right in front of us. God provides a solution in the nature that is all around us.
Voice 1
If you want to learn more interesting stories about biomimicry, you can visit our website and look for this program. We will have a link to the Biomimicry Institute website. There they have hundreds of amazing stories to share.
 

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 designers   

n.设计师( designer的名词复数 )；图案设计师；打样师；制图员

参考例句：

• Have you seen that article about young fashion designers? 你见到了关于年轻时装设计师的那篇文章没有？
• Every moment of the fashion industry's misery is richly deserved by the designers and magazine poltroons who perpetuate this absurd creation. 时装工业每一个痛苦的时刻都是完全应该被时装设计师们…和那些使这种荒诞创造永久化的杂志懦夫领受。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

4 mimic   

v.模仿，戏弄；n.模仿他人言行的人

参考例句：

• A parrot can mimic a person's voice.鹦鹉能学人的声音。
• He used to mimic speech peculiarities of another.他过去总是模仿别人讲话的特点。

5 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

6 separate   

n.分开，抽印本；adj.分开的，各自的，单独的；v.分开，隔开，分居

参考例句：

• Are they joined together or separate?它们是合在一起还是分开的？
• Separate the white clothes from the dark clothes before laundering.洗衣前应当把浅色衣服和深色衣服分开。

7 bullet   

n.枪弹，子弹

参考例句：

• The bullet wound in his shoulder was opened up for treatment.切开他肩上的枪伤进行治疗。
• The bullet missed me by a hair's s breadth.那颗子弹差一点就打中了我。

8 beak   

n.鸟嘴，茶壶嘴，钩形鼻

参考例句：

• The bird had a worm in its beak.鸟儿嘴里叼着一条虫。
• This bird employs its beak as a weapon.这种鸟用嘴作武器。

9 termite   

n.白蚁

参考例句：

• The termite control was also probed into further in this text.本文还进一步探讨了白蚁的防治方法。
• Termite often destroys wood.白蚁经常破坏树木。

10 termites   

n.白蚁( termite的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Termites are principally tropical in distribution. 白蚁主要分布在热带地区。 来自辞典例句
• This spray will exterminate the termites. 这种喷剂能消灭白蚁。 来自辞典例句

11 chimpanzees   

n.黑猩猩( chimpanzee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Chimpanzees are adept climbers. 黑猩猩是熟练的攀援者。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A large group of chimpanzees was feeding. 一大群黑猩猩在吃东西。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 chimps   

（非洲）黑猩猩( chimp的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Chimps are too scarce, and too nearly human, to be routinely slaughtered for spare parts. 黑猩猩又太少，也太接近于人类，不可以作为人器官备用件说杀就杀。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 医学的第四次革命
• And as nonprimates, they provoke fewer ethical and safety-related concerns than chimps or baboons. 而且作为非灵长类，就不会产生像用黑猩猩或狒狒那样的伦理和安全方面的顾虑。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 医学的第四次革命

13 heal   

v.使愈合，治愈，使康复；平息(争吵等)；消除，解决(分支等)

参考例句：

• Time helped heal the old wounds.时间有助于治愈旧创伤。
• This wound will soon heal if yon keep it clean.如果你保持伤口清洁，它很快就会痊愈。

14 parasites   

寄生物( parasite的名词复数 )； 靠他人为生的人； 诸虫

参考例句：

• These symptoms may be referable to virus infection rather than parasites. 这些症状也许是由病毒感染引起的，而与寄生虫无关。
• Kangaroos harbor a vast range of parasites. 袋鼠身上有各种各样的寄生虫。

15 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。

16 warn   

vt.警告，注意，远离；vi.提醒

参考例句：

• I must warn you that my patience is almost at an end.我必须警告你我已经没有耐心了。
• If you warn me in advance,I will have your order ready for you.你若预先通知我，我就能给您准备好了。

17 warning   

n.警告，告诫，训诫，警戒，警报

参考例句：

• The other side paid no attention to our warning.对方不重视我方的警告。
• He realized that his doctor was warning him off drink.他意识到医生在告诫他戒酒。

18 underwater   

adj.在水中的；adv.在水下

参考例句：

• I've never seen anyone stay underwater that long.我从没见过有人在水下呆那么久。
• This machine has been specially adapted for use underwater.这机器是为水下使用而特别改装的。

19 signal   

n.信号，暗号

参考例句：

• This is a signal failure.这是明显的失败。
• A train must not pass a signal that is at danger.火车切不可越过危险信号。

20 confused   

adj.困惑的，烦恼的

参考例句：

• They asked so many questions that they confused me.他们问了许多问题，都把我弄糊涂了。
• A wise man is never confused.智者不惑。

21 signals   

n.信号( signal的名词复数 )；（无线电或电视所传送的）讯号；标志；（尤指铁路和公路上的）指示灯v.发信号，用信号传达，用信号通讯( signal的第三人称单数 )；发暗号；示意

参考例句：

• signals transmitted from a satellite 从卫星传送来的信号
• This metal tower is used to relay television signals to distant villages. 这个金属塔是用于向遥远的村子转播电视讯号的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

23 responsible   

adj.有责任的，应负责的；可靠的，可信赖的；责任重大的；vi.休息，睡；静止，停止

参考例句：

• He must be responsible to me for this matter.这件事他必须对我负责。
• The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。