VOA标准英语2015--高分辨率显微镜让研究员更好观察小世界

High-Resolution Microscope Brings Tiny Worlds Closer to Researchers 高分辨率显微镜让研究员更好观察小世界

Modern microelectronic devices contain billions of components¹ crammed² into thumbnail-size flakes³. The chemical industry uses nanoparticles to make better cleaning products, while pharmaceutical⁴ companies use them for delivery of medicines straight into human cells.

Scientists at the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology have combined a specially⁵ designed spectrometer with a commercially available helium ion microscope to build a very high-resolution optical device capable of looking into these tiny worlds. It allows them to see objects 100,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair.

“We can follow where those nanoparticles have been uptaken into, for example, human cells," said LIST senior researcher David Dowsett. "And also we can see whether or not a labeled drug is present within the cell, in the same place as the nanoparticle. So we can really start to test whether or not a delivery system is effective.”

One of the first practical uses was checking the effectiveness of new cosmetic⁶ products. For instance, the new microscope helped scientists test the effectiveness of shampoos containing silver nanoparticles, which are highly toxic⁷ to bacteria living in human hair.

“We can also analyze⁸ the hair as well to see whether the shampoo, for example, penetrates⁹ just onto the outside or to see how deeply it's penetrated,” Dowsett said.

Researchers say the new microscope could also find applications in the development of more efficient batteries for electric cars and portable electronic devices.

1 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

2 crammed   

adj.塞满的，挤满的；大口地吃；快速贪婪地吃v.把…塞满；填入；临时抱佛脚( cram的过去式)

参考例句：

• He crammed eight people into his car. 他往他的车里硬塞进八个人。
• All the shelves were crammed with books. 所有的架子上都堆满了书。

3 flakes   

小薄片( flake的名词复数 )； （尤指）碎片； 雪花； 古怪的人

参考例句：

• It's snowing in great flakes. 天下着鹅毛大雪。
• It is snowing in great flakes. 正值大雪纷飞。

4 pharmaceutical   

adj.药学的，药物的；药用的，药剂师的

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a pharmaceutical laboratory.她捐款成立了一个药剂实验室。
• We are engaged in a legal tussle with a large pharmaceutical company.我们正同一家大制药公司闹法律纠纷。

5 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

6 cosmetic   

n.化妆品；adj.化妆用的；装门面的；装饰性的

参考例句：

• These changes are purely cosmetic.这些改变纯粹是装饰门面。
• Laughter is the best cosmetic,so grin and wear it!微笑是最好的化妆品，所以请尽情微笑吧！

7 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

8 analyze   

vt.分析，解析 (=analyse)

参考例句：

• We should analyze the cause and effect of this event.我们应该分析这场事变的因果。
• The teacher tried to analyze the cause of our failure.老师设法分析我们失败的原因。

9 penetrates   

v.穿过( penetrate的第三人称单数 )；刺入；了解；渗透

参考例句：

• This is a telescope that penetrates to the remote parts of the universe. 这是一架能看到宇宙中遥远地方的望远镜。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The dust is so fine that it easily penetrates all the buildings. 尘土极细，能极轻易地钻入一切建筑物。 来自辞典例句