熱縮片

景一

Shrinky Dinks were introduced in 1973. They help kids create artwork. The art is on flexible sheets of plastic. You then put them into the oven. They will magically shrink1. They shrink down to about one third their original size. You can then play with what you made. But the entertainment value is all in coloring pictures. They are of your favourite cartoon characters. Then you watch them crinkle2 up in the oven. And then they mysteriously lay down flat again.

熱縮片是1973年推出的，能幫助孩子們創作藝術品。這種藝術品是在一種有彈性的塑料片上創作的。然后你把它們放進烤箱，它們會神奇地縮小，會縮小到原來大小的三分之一左右。你可以拿你做的東西來玩，但娛樂價值全在彩色圖案上，上面有你最喜歡的卡通角色。然后你看著它們在烤箱里卷曲起來，接著又神秘地攤平開來。

But magic isnt behind the toys odd properties3. The sheets of plastic you get in a Shrinky Dinks kit is polystyrene4.

但這種玩具的奇特特性背后并沒有魔法。熱縮片材料包里的塑料片是聚苯乙烯。

They are heated. They are rolled. They are cooled. This process forces them to straighten out. They get into a more orderly shape. The term “magic” works pretty well. That is when it comes to marketing purposes.

它們被加熱，卷起來了，然后冷卻了。這個過程迫使它們伸平，變得更加整齊。 “魔法”這個詞很管用，尤其是事關銷售的時候。

Shrinky Dinks are moving beyond their status5 as a kids toy. Scientists are finding practical applications6 for the fun sheets of plastic. Thats according to a study. Its from Northwestern University. They are being used in the world of nanotechnology7. It can be used to make solar cells and so on.

熱縮片正在超越它們作為兒童玩具的地位?？茖W家們正在探尋這種有趣的塑料片的實際用途。根據美國西北大學的一項研究，它們正被用于納米技術領域，可以被用來制造太陽能電池等。

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I completed my first Shrinky Dink project. Wow！It was so quick and easy. I drew a sunflower pattern using a regular pencil. Then I colored the sunflower with colored pencils.

I then cut out the design with scissors and made a hole with a hole punch.

I had no trouble with the shrinking. I used a toaster oven and was able to watch the “magic” through the window.

I didnt have a particular idea for a completed project. I really just wanted to try out the shrink plastic and see how it worked.

After seeing the finished sunflower charm， I decided to turn it into a bookmark.

我完成了我的第一個熱縮片項目。真的！這是如此迅速和簡單。我用一支普通的鉛筆畫出了向日葵圖案，然后用彩色鉛筆給向日葵上色。

然后我用剪刀剪下圖案，用打孔機打了個洞。

熱縮片縮小沒什么問題。我用了一個烤箱，可以透過烤箱玻璃觀看“魔術”。

我對完成的作品沒有特別的想法。我真的只是想試試熱縮片看看它是怎么玩的。

在看到完成的向日葵的魅力，我決定把它變成一個書簽。

TIPS：

*Be sure that all holes have been punched before shrinking.

*Due to the shape of the pieces， you need to watch them carefully during baking. Be prepared with a wooden spoon handle， or wooden ruler to gently flip them over if they roll during shrinking. Dont panic. Most of the time， they will curl and then uncurl and flatten just as they are supposed to do.

*Ribbon8 or string may be used to join pieces.

提示：

*確保在收縮之前，所有的孔都打好了。

*由于塑料片的不同形狀，在烘烤過程中需要仔細觀察。準備好木柄勺或木尺，如果它們在收縮過程中翻滾，可以輕輕把它們翻轉過來。……