Question

    While jewelry made from gold can be beautiful, most people admit that wearing the heavy metal over long periods of time can get a little annoying. Now, researchers from Swiss university ETH Zurich have created a new form of lightweight gold that weighs five to ten times less than traditional 18-carat gold—which typically consists of 75 percent gold and 25 percent copper—but has the same purity.

The researchers began by mixing gold with water, salt, protein fibers and other materials. They then replaced the water with alcohol and placed the mixture inside a high-pressure carbon dioxide (CO2) box. The reaction between the gas and alcohol transformed the golden plastic into a light material that can be heated to melt and made into whatever form was needed. "This gold has some characteristics of plastic,” says team leader Raffaele            Mezzenga, professor of Food and Soft Materials at ETH Zurich.

In addition to being lighter, the "plastic” gold has other advantages over traditional forms. It can be melted into shape at about 105 degrees Celsius, much lower than the 1,064 degrees Celsius required to melt pure 24-carat gold. The metal's firmness can be easily adjusted by changing the components at the beginning of the process. It is also much easier to vary the color. "As a general rule, our approach lets us create almost any kind of gold we choose, in line with the desired properties, says Mezzenga.

The researchers, who published their study in the journal Advanced Functional Materials on January 10, 2020, believe the new lightweight gold will be able to replace the metallic version in most traditional applications, including jewelry and watches. However, given that most buyers associate high-quality gold with weight, that may take some time. But the material will undoubtedly be beneficial for use inside electronic devices, chemical catalysts (催化剂),and even radiation shielding.

1.Why do many people find the traditional gold annoying?

A.It costs too much。

B.Its purity is too low.

C.It feels too heavy to wear long.

D.Its beauty lasts a short time,

2.What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A.The functions of the "plastic" gold.

B.The components of the "plastic” gold.

C.The characteristics of the "plastic” gold.

D.The production process of the "plastic" gold.

3.Which is the "plastic" gold's advantage over the traditional gold?

A.It is easier to process.

B.It is more widely used.

C.It has a lower temperature.

D.It is more convenient to get.

4.Where is this text most likely from?

A.A diary. B.A guidebook.

C.A novel. D.A magazine.

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.A

4.D

【解析】

本文是一篇说明文。介绍了研究人员通过技术手段研制出了新型的轻质黄金。

1.

细节理解题。根据第一段While jewelry made from gold can be beautiful, most people admit that wearing the heavy metal over long periods of time can get a little annoying.( 虽然黄金制成的珠宝很漂亮，但大多数人承认长时间佩戴重金属会让人有点厌烦。)可知，人们觉得传统的金子首饰戴久了太重。故选C。

2.

主旨大意题。根据第二段The researchers began by mixing gold with water, salt, protein fibers and other materials. They then replaced the water with alcohol and placed the mixture inside a high-pressure carbon dioxide (CO2) box. The reaction between the gas and alcohol transformed the golden plastic into a light material that can be heated to melt and made into whatever form was needed.可知，研究人员首先将黄金与水、盐、蛋白质纤维和其他材料混合。然后，他们用酒精代替水，并将混合物放入高压二氧化碳(CO2)盒中。气体和酒精之间的反应将黄金塑料转化为一种轻质材料，可以加热熔化，并制成任何需要的形式。因此推断本段主要介绍了新的轻质黄金的制造过程。故选D。

3.

推理判断题。根据第三段中In addition to being lighter, the "plastic” gold has other advantages over traditional forms. It can be melted into shape at about 105 degrees Celsius, much lower than the 1,064 degrees Celsius required to melt pure 24-carat gold. The metal's firmness can be easily adjusted by changing the components at the beginning of the process. It is also much easier to vary the color.(除了较轻，“塑料”黄金比传统形式有其他优势。它可以在105摄氏度左右熔化成形状，远低于熔化纯24克拉金所需的1,064摄氏度。金属的硬度可以很容易地通过改变过程开始时的部件来调整。改变颜色也容易得多)可知，新型黄金熔点低，硬度易调节，颜色易调整。从而可以推断出，新型黄金更容易加工处理。故选A。

4.

推理判断题。根据文章最后一段“The researchers, who published their study in the journal Advanced Functional Materials on January 10, 2020(研究人员于2020年1月10日在《高级功能材料》杂志上发表了他们的研究)”并结合文章体裁和内容可知，本文最有可能出自于杂志。故选D。