A
Teens who are changing the world
Teenagers are, in fact, solving the problems of today with groundbreaking inventions.
KeianaCavé, U.S.A.
The largest oil slick (浮油) caused by the oil overflow occurring in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 led to baby dolphins dying at six times the usual rate.
Watching the news on TV, Cavé felt that there must be some hidden environmental damage. Aged just 15, she began studying what happens to oil when it's left on the ocean’s surface. The teenager discovered that when it’s hit by UV rays from the sun, oil reacts to form chemicals which cause cancer.
Cavé has turned her work into two patents for methods of detecting(发现)the dangerous chemicals.
Wang Sunming and Li Jingpeng, China
Realizing the extent to which bacteria spread on public door handles, Wang and Li sought a material—titanium oxide (钛白粉) —that could adequately kill bacteria. However, the chemical isn’t very effective unless exposed to UV rays. Since most door handles are inside buildings—beyond the reach of UV rays from the sun, Wang and Li turned to LED lights and created a LED door handle. When a person touches the handle, the UV light switches on, activating (使活跃) the titanium oxide on it and instantly killing 99.8 percent of the bacteria that might otherwise have been spread.
Julian Rios Cantu, Mexico
This inventor was just 13 years old when his mother was diagnosed (诊断) with breast cancer. He watched in horror as the tumor (肿瘤) grew from the size of a green bean to the size of a golf ball.
After his mother recovered, Cantu set out to protect others from the disease. He developed a wearable device that may be able to detect the early signs of breast cancer. If the project succeeds, it can save millions of lives.
21. Why did Cavé begin studying oil left on the ocean’s surface?
A. To test her unique prediction.
B. To prevent the oil overflowing.
C. To apply for a patent on her invention.
D. To find the cause of baby dolphins’ deaths.
22. What is special about the bacteria-killing door handle?
A. The titanium oxide is an active chemical.
B. LED lights are used to provide power at night.
C. The UV light causes titanium oxide to kill bacteria.
D. The design has made it an affordable choice for most.
23. What can we learn from the teenagers mentioned in the text?
A. The problems of today are all solved by teenagers.
B. They are highly educated and truly creative.
C. A good beginning makes a good ending.
D. Necessity is the mother of invention.
