20110223 Aluminum Does it All (1)

Aluminum Does it All

You'll be amazed at what this silvery metal can do!

Ask your friends to name some things made with aluminum. Chances are they'll mention common items like cooking foil or soda cans. But do they know that aluminum was once so rare it was considered a precious metal? Before the late 19th century, aluminum was rarely found in its pure form. But in 1886, American Charles Martin Hall and Frenchman Paul-Louis-Toussaint Heroult both made a discovery. They found an inexpensive way to separate aluminum from other minerals using electricity. Thanks to Hall and Heroult, aluminum became easier to process. It has since become the second most-used metal in the world after iron.

Prized for its many uses, aluminum can be combined with other metals to create alloys with unique features. Depending on which metal is added, aluminum can be made stronger or more flexible. By far, aluminum's most attractive feature is its light weight. Pure aluminum is roughly one-third the weight of steel. That means aluminum can be used to make items that are light and durable. Uses range from car parts to power cables. Aluminum may be less expensive than it once was, but it remains as valuable as ever!




electricity n. 電/電力
eg: Make sure you turn off the electricity before you change the light bulbs.
=> 在換燈泡之前確定你把電先關掉了
eg: There's no electricity left in my laptop.
=> 我的筆電沒有剩下電力

electrical adj. 電的/用電的
eg: electrical wire 電線

electric adj. 電動的
eg: electric cars 電動車

flex 彎曲
flexible 易彎曲的/有彈性的
eg: These flexible plastic tubes are replacing the old tubes.
=> 舊式的水管會用新的有彈性的塑膠水管取代
eg: The flexible working hours allow me to study while I am at work.
=> 彈性的工作時間可以讓我半工半讀

dur- 堅固的
durability n. 持久/耐久
durable adj. 持久耐用的
eg: The appliances manufactured by this company are very durable
=> 這家公司出產的小家電都很耐用
eg: The cell-phones they made are quite durable.
=> 這家出產的行動電話都很耐用



aluminum n. 鋁

precious metal 真貴金屬


flexible adj. 柔韌的/有彈性的



//== Chat room ==//

use在當名詞和當動詞時的複數形發音不同

eg: John uses the chopsticks well.

versatile adj. 多才多藝/多用途的
=> have a lot of usage
=> 美國人和英國人對這個單字的發音不同
eg: versatile tool 多用途的工具
eg: versatile chef 能夠做出各式各樣菜餚的廚師


//== Grammar on the go ==//

Prized for its many uses, aluminum can be combined with other metals to create alloys with unique features.
=> Because aluminum can be used in many things, it is considered valuable.

prized for its ..., subject + verb
=> how highy value something is because of certain trade or characteristic it has

eg: Prized for its ability to improve many things in life, salt has been fought over by different governments and people groups throughout history.
eg: Prized for its soft texture, light weight, and breathable quality, silk was traditionally reserved only for the Chinese imperial courts.





//== More information ==//

Why does aluminum have two different pronunciations? Before the metal was officially discovered, it was known as aluminum. Later, to conform to the I-U-M ending of the other elements on the periodic table, the British changed aluminum to aluminium. In 1925, the American Chemical Society officially changed the name of aluminium back to aluminum. And that's why there two different pronunciations – one American and one British!