热缩片

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.

热缩片是1973年推出的，能帮助孩子们创作艺术品。这种艺术品是在一种有弹性的塑料片上创作的。然后你把它们放进烤箱，它们会神奇地缩小，会缩小到原来大小的三分之一左右。你可以拿你做的东西来玩，但娱乐价值全在彩色图案上，上面有你最喜欢的卡通角色。然后你看着它们在烤箱里卷曲起来，接着又神秘地摊平开来。

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

但這种玩具的奇特特性背后并没有魔法。热缩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.

它们被加热，卷起来了，然后冷却了。这个过程迫使它们伸平，变得更加整齐。 “魔法”这个词很管用，尤其是事关销售的时候。

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.

热缩片正在超越它们作为儿童玩具的地位。科学家们正在探寻这种有趣的塑料片的实际用途。根据美国西北大学的一项研究，它们正被用于纳米技术领域，可以被用来制造太阳能电池等。

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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.

我完成了我的第一个热缩片项目。真的！这是如此迅速和简单。我用一支普通的铅笔画出了向日葵图案，然后用彩色铅笔给向日葵上色。

然后我用剪刀剪下图案，用打孔机打了个洞。

热缩片缩小没什么问题。我用了一个烤箱，可以透过烤箱玻璃观看“魔术”。

我对完成的作品没有特别的想法。我真的只是想试试热缩片看看它是怎么玩的。

在看到完成的向日葵的魅力，我决定把它变成一个书签。

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：

*确保在收缩之前，所有的孔都打好了。

*由于塑料片的不同形状，在烘烤过程中需要仔细观察。准备好木柄勺或木尺，如果它们在收缩过程中翻滚，可以轻轻把它们翻转过来。不要惊慌，大多数情况下它们应该会像你想的那样卷曲，然后展开和摊平。

*可以用丝带或细绳把它们串起来。