持续更新英语外刊精读，微信公众号搜：顶峰升学
文章来源：《Voice of America》,有删改。今天要谈论的话题呢是一种可食用水泥，这种由两位日本科学家发明的水泥，可以帮助缓解日益严峻的环境问题；而这种材质更能在紧急情况作为食物提供能量，具体是怎么制成的呢？一起看下去吧！
Eatable Concrete
University of Tokyo researchers in Japan have created a new technology that uses food waste in a surprising way. Student Machida and Professor Yuya Sakai say the operation can turn food waste into a strong but bendable (adj.可弯曲的) material like cement. They say it is four times stronger than regular concrete, and is sustainable.
And, you can eat it, the researchers found.
Food waste is a big problem in Japan and the world. In 2019, Japan produced 5.7 million tons of food waste.The food waste that would typically end up in landfills (n.垃圾填埋场),rotting (v.腐烂)，and releasing methane gas(甲烷/沼气) can now be used to make the concrete. ①The material can be reused and buried in the ground if not needed without affecting the environment. Sakai and Machida say they hope the new material can replace plastic and cement,and slow global warming linked to food waste, as well.
（①处译文：这种材料可以被重新利用，如果不需要的话也可以被填埋在地下而不对环境造成任何影响）
At first, Sakai used wood particles（n.微粒） with heat and pressure to create the concrete,and then he moved onto(进入到...方面)food waste with plastics mixed in.②Through a process of drying, crushing, and compressing(v.压缩) the food waste, Sakai and his student Machida had successfully made cement from food waste without plastic.They adjusted the pressure and the temperature with simple equipment that can be bought from the internet.
（②处译文：通过干燥、粉碎、压缩食物垃圾的一系列过程，Sakai和他的同学Machida成功地在不用塑料的情况下从食物垃圾中制得了水泥）
"The most challenging part was that each type of food waste requires different temperatures and pressure levels," Sakai said.
The team have used different types of food waste to make the cement, including tea leaves, orange peels（n.果蔬皮）, coffee grounds(n.渣滓), and leftover lunch materials.(n.餐后剩余食物)
Since the cement can be eaten, Sakai and Machida have changed the flavors with different spices.They have enjoyed(v.喜爱)the different colors, smell, and even the taste of the cement.Sakai said that in order to eat it a person needs to break it apart (打碎)and boil it.
Machida, along with two friends have created a company called Fabula, Inc. They are working with other companies to use the material to make products for the home. Sakai said that the process of creating the cement could be used to make temporary housing（临时房屋） that can be eaten if a disaster happens.He said, "For example, if food cannot be delivered to evacuees（n被疏散的人）, they could eat makeshift beds (n.临时床)made out of food cement."
Word Bank
concrete n. 混凝土
adj.①具体的 concrete evidence
②实物的 ≈tangible
concrete/tangible object
反义 虚拟的：fictitious virtual suppositional
cement n. 水泥 ps:上海话的水泥（水门汀）即由此音译而来
bendable adj. 可弯曲的
≈flectional
landfill n. 垃圾填埋场
refuse disposal 垃圾处理
rot v. 腐烂（多指食物）go bad（食物）变质 n. 腐烂；腐烂物
decay v.腐化（多指尸体、植物等） tooth decay 蛀牙
particle n.微粒
atom n. 原子 atomic adj. 原子的
nucleus n. 原子核
compress v. 压缩、紧压
peel n. 果蔬皮 banana / orange / apple peel
husk n. 果壳 cocoanut / grains husk
ground n. 碎渣、渣滓 （熟词生义）
coffee grounds 咖啡渣 ground coffee 研磨好的咖啡粉
注意：前者一般需要用复数；后者的ground是grind(v.研磨)的过去分词，在此充当定语
enjoy v. 喜爱、欣赏（熟词生义）
evacuee n. 被疏散的人
evacuate v. 疏散
methane gas 沼气
move onto 前进到；进入...方面；移到
leftover lunch material 餐后剩余食物
leftover adj. / n. 吃剩的（食物、剩余物）
break apart 粉碎；使...分裂开
temporary housing 临时宿处
housing n. 住宅、房屋
makeshift bed 临时床位
makeshift / mobile cabin hospital 方舱医院
makeshift n. 权宜之计、临时方案（凑合着用）
