Nobel in Chemistry Goes to Makers of “World’s Smallest Machines”

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Materials Daily News

Intermediate

Exercise 1

Vocabulary

tiny

Adjective

ˈtaɪniː

very small in size or amount

The puppy is tiny now, but he will get much bigger.

Can you see that tiny bird over there?

The food at the restaurant was delicious, but the servings were tiny.

Even a tiny mistake undermines your credibility as a communicator and casts a shadow over every other element of your message.

Tiny mistakes can become bigger problems if you don't correct them immediately.

molecular

Adjective

moʊˈlɛkjəlær

connected with molecules (= small units of matter consisting of a group of atoms, into which a substance can be divided without a change in its chemical nature)

He is analyzing the molecular structure of the molecule.

The doctors examined the disease on a molecular level to find a treatment.

energy

Noun

ˈɛnərdʒiː

a source of power, such as fuel, used for driving machines, providing heat, etc.

Solar energy can help save money.

People who exercise often have a lot of energy.

unimaginably

Adverb

ˌʌnɪˈmædʒɪnəbli

in a way that is impossible to imagine

That night was unimaginably terrifying.

importance

Noun

ɪmˈpɔːrtns

the quality of being important

I make notes for myself for anything of importance.

I think physical fitness is of great importance.

I want to stress the importance of this project.

Our company believes in the importance of training.

medal

Noun

ˈmɛdl

a flat piece of metal, usually shaped like a coin, that is given to the winner of a competition or to somebody who has been brave, for example in war

Their goal is to win a gold medal.

The U.S. swimming team won 31 medals in total.

diploma

Noun

dɪˈploʊmə

a document showing that you have completed or achieved something

Will I get a diploma when I finish this course?

Exercise 2

Article

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Nobel in Chemistry Goes to Makers of “World’s Smallest Machines”

Three scientists have won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work in developing tiny machines. The three men are Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Sir James Fraser Stoddart and Bernard Feringa.

They designed extremely thin molecular machines. The machines are said to be 1,000 times thinner than a single piece of hair and have parts that move when energy is added.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said the scientists’ work could lead to developments in new materials and energy storage systems.

The science of making things unimaginably small is called nanotechnology. Nanotechnology gets its name from a measure of distance. A nanometer, or nano, is one-thousand-millionths of a meter.

Sara Snogerup Linse explained the importance of their work to reporters in Stockholm.

“… It’s been a dream of scientists for over half a century to take this development …”

Sauvage, Stoddart and Feringa will share a $930,000 prize for their work. They will also receive a medal and diploma at an award ceremony on December 10.