20100114 Rubik's Cube (1)

Rubik's Cube

After 30 years, this little cube continue to puzzle the world

Pick up one of these cubes and you probably won't be able to put it down. How hard can it be to rearrange the nine colored squares on each side of the cube? In reality there are 43 quintillion possibilities! This year marks the 30th anniversary of the cube's debut in stores around the world. Its beginnings, however, began years earlier as a simple classroom example. In 1974, Professor Erno Rubik invented the "Magic Cube: as he called it. He did this to help his students understand complex 3-D concepts.

This classroom model was quickly transformed into a popular toy. In 1979, Ideal Toys bought the rights and sold it as "Rubik's Cube." The invention quickly became a 1980s cultural icon. Eventually, the cub's popularity faded: however, it made a comeback with the Internet. Now anyone can go online and find many videos that show ways to solve the cube. Erik Akkersdijk of the Netherlands holds the current world record. He finished in just 7.08 seconds!


cube n. 立方體/立方形物體

quintillion (n) 百京 [美】【法】百萬的三次方【英】百萬的五次方
=> one with eighteen zeroes after it (in North America)，十的十八次方
=> one with thirty zeroes after it (in Europe)

million 百萬
billion 十億
trillion 兆
quadrillion 千兆
quintillion 百京




complex adj. 複雜的/錯綜複雜的/難懂的

debut v.
=> presented in the public for the very first time


invention n. 發明/創造
=> something that has been invented

icon n. 具代表性的人事物或是符號
=> a famous person/thing that represents a set of belief or a way of life
eg: Audrey Hepburn(奧黛莉赫本) has become an icon of her era.
eg: Madonna is an icon of pop music.

icon n. 電腦圖示
eg: Click on the icon and start the program.

comeback n. 恢復/復原
come back 回來
make a comeback 重振旗鼓/捲土重來
eg: The actor made his comeback by starring in a romantic comedy.


//== Chat room ==//

Rublic's Cube

debut n. 初次登臺(t不發音)
=> the "t" is silent

注意debut各時態的發音
debuted => t不發音
debuting => t不發音
debuts => t不發音

debutant n. 首次進入社交界的少女
=> 兩個t都要發音

//== More Information ==//

The Man Behind the Cube Erno Rubik was born July 13, 1944 in Budapest, Hungary. He was a student and later, professor of architecture at the Acaderny of Applied Arts and Crafts. He spent much of his time playing with different geometric shapes, which led to his invention. After his Rubik's cube grew in popularity, he became the richest, most famous man in Hungary.