閱讀暖身 美國波士頓一間玩具公司研發出一隻立體3D筆，只要插上電、按下按鈕，這隻筆就會噴出玉米製的有機塑膠，讓人輕易「憑空作畫」！畫畫不再侷限於紙張的平面空間。這項發明是繼Google Glass後，另一項科技結合設計的創舉！預計今年下半年正式開賣的這款3D筆，屆時勢將引起市場矚目。 我們一起讀這篇新聞，進入本文前，請先想想以下單字：

(A) 募資平台(網路)

(B) (研發)原型

(C) 熱賣、賣座

Imagine if you could wave a pen in the air and create a three-dimensional rendering: a toy, a sculpture, a crude architectural model. Soon you will! A Boston-based startup, WobbleWorks, has created what they are calling the world’s first 3-D printing pen. It’s called the 3Doodler, and (1) it’s been a sensation on Kickstarter, the (A) funding platform for creative projects, which debuted since February 2013.

想像一下這樣的畫面：你手中的畫筆讓你在空中畫出一幅3D作品，可能是個玩具、一件雕塑、或是建築模型。這樣的想像很快就可成真！因為美國波士頓一間玩具公司(WobbleWorks)已經研發出全世界第一支3D畫筆：3Doodler。從今年二月曝光開始，這隻新研發出的3D筆已經在Kickstarter (一個創意專案的募資平台) 製造了話題和矚目。

“We knew it was a great product. But we didn’t expect the response to be this fast,” said Daniel Cowen, a spokesman for the gadget, which it is still a (B) prototype. “The velocity of the response caught us (2) by surprise. It’s phenomenal.”

「我們很有把握這是個厲害的產品，但曝光後的反應比我們預期來得快。」產品發言人這樣表示。研發者也說明，這枝3D筆仍處於研發的原型階段，「我們對於曝光後的廣大反應非常驚喜，這枝3D筆的確不同凡響！」

The 3Doodler works sort of like a glue gun. As the pen draws, it oozes heated plastic, which quickly cools and solidifies, allowing its user to build an infinite variety of patterns and shapes. Its makers say that it works both on surface and in the air.

這3D筆運作的原理類似膠水噴槍。作畫的同時，筆頭會流出加熱過的有機塑膠，可迅速冷卻並定型，讓使用者能隨意畫出任何立體圖型。發明者表示，這枝筆可以作畫在物體表面和空中。

WobbleWorks sees the 3Doodler as a simple and affordable form of 3-D printing, an emerging form of manufacturing that uses computer models to help machines build plastic objects. The MakerBot Replicator 2, perhaps the (3) best-known 3-D printer for the home, costs $2,200. Cowen said they expect to sell the 3Doodler for $75, which includes a small bag of plastic strands.

研發出3D筆的玩具公司視這產品為3D立體印刷術的簡易平民版。3D立體印刷術在製造業界已漸成趨勢，運用電腦科技來幫助印刷機器製造塑膠模型。目前市面上評價最好的3D立體印表機 (MakerBot Replicator 2) 售價為2,200美金，而即將問市的3D立體筆定價僅75美金，還附贈一小袋塑膠繩顏料。

The gadget is shaping up to be a (C) hit for WobbleWorks, a small toy and robot company led by two computer engineers Peter Dilworth and Maxwell Bogue. If manufacturing goes according to schedule, the first buyer will receive their 3Doodlers in September, Cowen said. Buyers who order now won’t receive the 3-D pen until November, he said.

市場預期，3Doodler這全球首枝3D筆的熱賣，將讓WobbleWorks這間由兩位電腦工程師(Peter Dilworth, Maxwell Bogue)創業的玩具公司獲得更多矚目。 產品發言人表示，若製程進展如預期所排定，第一批買主可望於今年九月拿到這枝3D筆，而現在下單訂購，預計今年十一月才會收到。

口語詞彙

(1)It’s been…, since… 自從…起，已經… （現在完成式搭配過去式/過去時間的文法巨型）

e.g. It’s been like forever since I met you last time! 例句：距離我上次見到你已經隔了超久了！

(2)by surprise 出其不易、驚訝地 （副詞片語）

e.g. Seeing what just happened, he was rooted to the spot by surprise. 例句：對於眼前發生的事，他驚訝到一動也不動得呆站在原地。

(3)best-known 最有名的

e.g. This piece is one of his best-known works for all time. 例句：這幅作品一直以來都是他最廣為人知的作品之一。