1 . We are so used to the beauty of trees, plants and flowers that we may even take it for granted without realizing how much inspiration it has given us. For instance, an open flower might make us think how _______ it resembles an umbrella. It’s natural to think in this way, but actually it is the flower that inspires the umbrella.

Nature has inspired many of the most fascinating designs around us, those in architecture included. Today, architects continue to _______ ways to capture the beauty of natural forms, to mimic the way nature _______ or even to make natural organisms part of a building.

People whose interest is exploring the _______ between art and science will enjoy Singapore’s ArtScience Museum. It is _______to resemble a lotus flower whose floor collects rainwater and then recycles it through the plumbing system. Visitors are often _______ to find themselves in an urban building that so _______ captures the beauty of natural form.

Watching a nature documentary in which termites were constructing their nests inspired Zimbabwean architect Mick Pearce to create the Eastgate Centre. The design _______ the need for traditional air conditioning and heating systems, so the building uses less energy and costs _______to run.

The world’s first algae-powered building is in Hamburg, Germany. The ________ of the apartment building is covered in panels containing algae, which capture ________ from the sun and change it into energy that powers the building. Therefore, the building not only ________ its environment and uses less energy, but also reduces ________ to the environment.

Creating buildings such as these enables us to live ________ our environment. To meet the needs of today while protecting the world of tomorrow may be a challenge, but even the ________organisms can help teach us how to achieve this.

2 . New York City is home to some of the tallest buildings on Earth. Recently, a new skyscraper joined them. This time it’s the thinnest in the world.

After years of development, Steinway Tower is now complete. The height of the building is 435 meters. But it’s just 18 meters wide. The width-to-height ratio is 1:24. That makes the building look very thin, like a chopstick sticking up from the ground. For context (供参考), CITIC Tower, known as China Zun Tower in Beijing, stands at 528 meters, but is 84 meters wide.

You don’t need to worry that the building may break in half during a storm. According to SHoP Architects, the designer of the building, it was made with the world’s strongest concrete . However, the building may still move in strong winds. That would cause loud noises, and people inside may feel dizzy (晕眩的).

Many modern tall buildings have a secret tool inside to help them stand still. It’s called a damper (风阻尼器), usually a huge steel ball that weighs hundreds of tons. For example, the Steinway Tower has a damper of 800 tons. It swings back and forth inside the building to balance the force of the wind.

There are many people living and working in New York City. Land there is very expensive. Skyscrapers are a great choice for saving land. Meanwhile, designers wanted to make the Steinway Tower a landmark. Part of the building is the 96-year-old historic site of Steinway Hall. It was famous for concerts in the 20th century. The special design of the skyscraper may help people remember the past glory (辉煌) of Steinway Hall.