昆虫在几亿年前就出现在地球上，它们经历了多次生物大灭绝而顽强地活下来，并且繁荣兴旺。它们能为人类的生存和发展提供一些启示。
Insects may offer hints for the future of humankind
by Amy Frearson
Architects and designers should look to the insect world to find solutions for the survival of our own species, says Japanese graphic designer Taku Satoh.
architect /ˈɑːkɪtekt/ n. 建筑师
insect /ˈɪnsekt/ n. 昆虫
survival /səˈvaɪv(ə)l/ n. 生存（由survive加后缀-al变成名词）
species /ˈspiːʃiːz/ n. 物种（单数和复数都是species）
graphic /ˈɡræfɪk/ adj. 绘图的、图形的（由graph加后缀-ic变成形容词）
Satoh directed the exhibition Insects: Models for Design in collaboration with scientist Takeshi Yoro. On show in Tokyo, the exhibition explores the role insects have played in the history of design.
direct /dɪˈrekt/ v. 指导
exhibition /ˌeksɪˈbɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 展览
collaboration /kəˌlæbəˈreɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 合作、协作（由collaborate加后缀-ion变成名词）
Tokyo /ˈtəʊkiəʊ/ n. 东京
explore /ɪkˈsplɔː(r)/ v. 探讨、探究
According to Satoh, humans can learn more from these tiny creatures than most other species on earth. "Insects do things that seem unbelievably high-tech by human standards," he said. "This is because their world is overwhelmingly large, and vast numbers of species exist, each evolved into great diversity. The kinds of inspirations they offer are infinite."
creature /ˈkriːtʃə(r)/ n. 生物
unbelievably /ˌʌnbɪˈliːvəbli/ adv. 难以置信地
standard /ˈstændəd/ n. 标准
overwhelmingly /ˌəʊvəˈwelmɪŋli/ adv. 压倒性地
vast /vɑːst/ adj. 巨大的
evolve /ɪˈvɒlv/ v. 进化
diversity /daɪˈvɜːsəti/ n. 多样性（由diverse加后缀-ity变成名词）
inspiration /ˌɪnspɪˈreɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 灵感（由inspire加后缀-ation变成名词）
infinite /ˈɪnfɪnət/ adj. 无穷无尽的
While humans have only been on the planet for around 200,000 years, many insects have been here for hundreds of millions of years. For this reason, Satoh believes humans should look to insects for clues about our future survival. "Their enormously long-term survival, I am sure, offers hints for the future of humankind too."
clue /kluː/ n. 线索、提示
enormously /ɪˈnɔːməsli/ adv. 非常、极其
long-term 长期的
hint /hɪnt/ n. 暗示、提示
humankind /ˌhjuːmənˈkaɪnd/ n. 人类（由human和kind组成）
The designer also believes insects could be useful in the development of new technologies for robotics（机器人学）, communications and materials. "For example, the means by which beetles fold and store their wings can be helpful in devising new systems to store satellite aerials（天线）, umbrellas or tents," he said.
communications /kəˌmjuːnɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)nz/ n. 通讯
material /məˈtɪəriəl/ n. 原材料
means /miːnz/ n. 方法
beetle /ˈbiːt(ə)l/ n. 甲壳虫、金龟子
fold /fəʊld/ v. 折叠
store /stɔː(r)/ v. 存放
devise /dɪˈvaɪz/ v. 发明
satellite /ˈsæt(ə)laɪt/ n. 人造卫星
"The study of insects' brilliant lustre（光泽） can lead to new paint technologies," he continued. "Another example is how insects escape predators by suddenly curling into spheres and tumbling out of range. This can be used in robotics."
brilliant /ˈbrɪljənt/ adj. 鲜艳的
lead to 导致、带来
predator /ˈpredətə(r)/ n. 捕食者
curl /kɜːl/ v. 卷曲、蜷缩
sphere /sfɪə(r)/ n. 球形
tumble /ˈtʌmb(ə)l/ v. 滚落
Satoh's own interest in insects began at an early age. As a child, he would spend humid summers collecting insects he found in the trees, forests and rice fields close to his suburban Tokyo home. Nostalgia for this led him to come up with the idea for the exhibition and to reach out to Takeshi Yoro – an anatomist（解剖学家） known for his love of insects – to get involved.
humid /ˈhjuːmɪd/ adj. 潮湿的、湿润的
rice field 稻田
suburban /səˈbɜːb(ə)n/ adj. 郊区的
nostalgia /nɒsˈtældʒə/ n. 怀旧
come up with 想出
reach out 主动联系别人
Exhibits include an "audio-visual theatre of insects" and a structural analysis of caddisfly（石蛾） nests. There's also a project called Insect Specimen Case of Tools, including a beetle-like bottle opener and ladybird-inspired sneakers.
exhibit /ɪɡˈzɪbɪt/ n. 展品
visual /ˈvɪʒuəl/ adj. 视觉的
structural /ˈstrʌktʃ(ə)r(ə)l/ adj. 结构的（由structure加后缀-al变成形容词）
analysis /əˈnæləsɪs/ n. 分析
nest /nest/ n. 巢
project /ˈprɒdʒekt/ n. 项目
specimen /ˈspesəmɪn/ n. 样本
bottle opener 开瓶器
ladybird /ˈleɪdibɜːd/ n. 瓢虫
inspire /ɪnˈspaɪə(r)/ v. 启发
sneaker /ˈsniːkə(r)/ n. 运动鞋
"The layout is not rational, nor designed according to logical principles," said Satoh. "Rather, exhibits are positioned to give the feel of encountering them unexpectedly, as if visitors had entered a forest full of insects."
layout /ˈleɪaʊt/ n. 布局
rational /ˈræʃ(ə)n(ə)l/ adj. 理性的
logical /ˈlɒdʒɪk(ə)l/ adj. 合乎逻辑的
principle /ˈprɪnsəp(ə)l/ n. 原理、原则
rather /ˈrɑːðə(r)/ adv. 更准确地说
position /pəˈzɪʃ(ə)n/ v. 放在某个位置
encounter /ɪnˈkaʊntə(r)/ v. 偶然碰到、不期而遇
unexpectedly /ˌʌnɪkˈspektɪdli/ adv. 出乎意料地（由unexpected加后缀-ly变成副词）
Satoh hopes the exhibition will encourage more people to take an interest in insects and potentially learn from them. "I very much want people to engage with insects," he added. "Too often we try to eliminate them, almost by reflex（本能反应）. I want to revive a curiosity that risks being forgotten."
potentially /pəˈtenʃ(ə)li/ adv. 潜在地、可能地（由potential加后缀-ly变成副词）
engage /ɪnˈɡeɪdʒ/ with 跟…打交道
eliminate /ɪˈlɪmɪneɪt/ v. 消除、消灭
revive /rɪˈvaɪv/ v. 复活、使复兴
curiosity /ˌkjʊəriˈɒsəti/ n. 好奇心
risk /rɪsk/ v. 有…危险
（如果您发现某些行的最后一个单词被分成两半了，请把您使用的浏览器升级到最新版本就能正常显示了。）
网友评论