STUDENT’S COPY 2026 LENG102 IN-CLASS STUDY MATERIAL
Read the texts below and choose the best answer for each question.
Between upgrades and breakdowns to cellphones, tablets, laptops, and appliances, so many electronics are getting tossed in the trash that they've taken on a name of their own: e-waste.
According to a 2024 report issued by the United Nations, the amount of e-waste worldwide has almost doubled in the past 12 years, from 34 billion to 62 billion kilograms -- the equivalent of 1.55 million shipping trucks -- and it's estimated to hit 82 billion kilograms by 2030. Just 13.8 billion kilograms -- about 20 percent of the total -- is expected to be recycled, a number projected to remain flat.
Put simply, we're throwing away more and more electronics, and recycling isn't keeping up. But a new study in Advanced Materials by two Virginia Tech research teams offers a potential solution to the e-waste problem: a recyclable material that could make electronics easier to break down and reuse.
Chemistry and engineering have an answer
Michael Bartlett, associate professor of mechanical engineering, and Josh Worch, assistant professor of chemistry, come from different fields, but together they created a new class of circuit materials. With significant work from their team of postdoctoral and graduate student researchers, including Dong Hae Ho, Meng Jiang, and Ravi Tutika, the new circuits are recyclable, electrically conductive, reconfigurable, and self-healing after damage. Yet they retain the strength and durability of conventional circuit board plastics -- features rarely found together in a single material.
The new material starts with a vitrimer, a dynamic polymer that can be reshaped and recycled. This versatile material is combined with droplets of liquid metal that do the work of carrying the electric current, the way rigid metals do in a traditional circuit.
This is a fundamentally different approach from other recyclable or flexible electronics. By combining the high-performance, adaptable polymers with electrically conductive liquid metals, the new circuit holds up under a host of challenges.
"Our material is unlike conventional electronic composites," said Bartlett. "The circuit boards are remarkably resilient and functional. Even under mechanical deformation or damage, they still work."
A second life
Recycling traditional circuit boards involves several energy-intensive deconstruction steps and still yields large amounts of waste. Billions of dollars of valuable metal components are lost in the process.
Recycling the team's circuit board is straightforward and can be accomplished in multiple ways.
"Traditional circuit boards are made from permanent thermosets that are incredibly difficult to recycle," said Worch. "Here, our dynamic composite material can be healed or reshaped if damaged by applying heat, and the electrical performance will not suffer. Modern circuit boards simply cannot do this."
The vitrimer circuit boards also can be deconstructed at their end of life using alkaline hydrolysis, enabling recovery of key components such as the liquid metal and LEDs. Fully reusing all components of the conductive composites in a closed-loop process remains a goal for future research.
While it may not be possible to curb the amount of electronics that are discarded by the world's consumers, this work represents a key step toward keeping more electronics out of landfills.
This research was supported by Virginia Tech through the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science and Bartlett's National Science Foundation Early Faculty Career Development (CAREER) award.
1. What is the primary reason the amount of e-waste is increasing, according to the article?
A. Electronics are becoming more affordable and widely available.
B. People frequently upgrade or dispose of broken electronic devices.
C. Recycling programs are not promoted by major manufacturers.
D. Governments lack effective policies to reduce electronic consumption.
2. What does the vitrimer in the new material allow the circuit boards to do?
A. Convert electrical signals into reusable energy.
B. Recover valuable metals lost during recycling.
C. Be reshaped and recycled without losing strength.
D. Improve signal quality in high-performance systems.
3. Why is the new material considered innovative compared to traditional circuit boards?
A. It is made entirely from natural and biodegradable materials.
B. It combines electrical conductivity with self-repair properties.
C. It replaces the need for metal parts in all electronic devices.
D. It reduces the size of circuit boards for portable electronics.
4. What makes the new circuit boards more environmentally friendly than traditional ones?
A. They can be chemically broken down to recover components.
B. They avoid the use of any plastic or synthetic polymers.
C. They are made using less water and fewer raw materials.
D. They use solar energy instead of electrical currents.
5. According to Professor Bartlett, what is especially notable about the material's performance?
A. It can conduct electricity more efficiently than copper.
B. It resists corrosion and oxidation in extreme conditions.
C. It can be used in both large-scale and nano-scale circuits.
D. It continues to function even when physically damaged.
6. What challenge do conventional circuit boards present in terms of recycling?
A. They are incompatible with current renewable technologies.
B. They cannot store energy after a certain number of cycles.
C. They are made of materials that are fixed and hard to reuse.
D. They contain rare elements that are illegal to export.
7. How does alkaline hydrolysis contribute to the recycling process of the new boards?
A. It strengthens the liquid metal so it can be reused again.
B. It separates electrical signals into reusable forms of power.
C. It improves the flexibility of circuits during heating.
D. It breaks down the board material to recover key parts.
8. What is the long-term goal of the Virginia Tech research team regarding this new material?
A. To create a closed-loop system where all parts are fully reused.
B. To eliminate the need for rare earth elements in electronics.
C. To produce consumer-ready devices using entirely organic circuits.
D. To reduce electricity consumption in modern appliances.
VOCABULARY EXERCISES
Exercise 1 – Match the words from the text with the correct definitions.
Vocabulary Definition
1. conductive a. able to be changed or adjusted
2. resilient b. producing a lot of energy consumption
3. deconstruction c. capable of carrying electricity
4. adaptable d. able to recover quickly from damage
5. energy-intensive e. the process of taking something apart
6. discarded f. thrown away
7. straightforward g. easy and uncomplicated8. durability
h. the ability to last for a long time
Exercise 2 – Use the words below to complete the sentences.
Words: conductive – hydrolysis – deformation – recyclable – conventional – components – recovery – reshaped
1.Copper is highly __________, making it suitable for electrical wiring.
2.Engineers are trying to design fully __________ materials to reduce industrial waste.
3.Mechanical stress can cause __________ in soft materials.
4.Unlike __________ plastics, dynamic polymers can be reused.
5.The damaged material can be heated and __________ into a new form.
6.Water treatment plants often use chemical __________ processes.
7.The electronic __________ include LEDs, processors, and sensors.
8.The __________ of valuable metals is essential for sustainable manufacturing.
Exercise 3 – Choose the best synonym for the highlighted word.
1.The material is durable.
a) weak b) long-lasting c) temporary d) flexible
2.The circuits are reconfigurable.
a) adjustable b) fragile c) expensive d) limited
3.The researchers developed a versatile material.
a) rigid b) multifunctional c) unstable d) dangerous
4.The process is straightforward.
a) complex b) risky c) simple d) experimental
5.The electronics were discarded.
a) repaired b) upgraded c) recycled d) thrown away
Exercise 4 – Complete the engineering collocations from the text.
1.electrically __________
2.liquid __________
3.mechanical __________
4.conductive __________
5.closed-loop __________
6.traditional __________ boards
7.dynamic __________
8.valuable __________ components
Exercise 5 – Complete the paragraph using the words below.
Words: polymer – waste – resilient – conductive – landfill – recycled – flexible – components
The new circuit material combines a dynamic __________ with liquid metal to create highly __________ electronics. Unlike traditional rigid boards, the new material is both durable and __________ under stress. Researchers believe this technology could reduce electronic __________ because the circuits can be easily repaired and __________. At the end of their life cycle, valuable __________ can be recovered instead of being sent to a __________.
Exercise 6 – Reading Comprehension Vocabulary
Answer the questions using vocabulary from the text.
1.What term is used to describe discarded electronic devices?
2.Which material allows the circuit boards to be reshaped and recycled?
3.What property enables the material to continue working after damage?
4.What chemical process is used to deconstruct the circuit boards?
5.What is the environmental advantage of a closed-loop process?
Exercise 7 – Each sentence contains one vocabulary mistake. Correct it.
1.The material is highly destructive and can carry electricity efficiently.
2.Traditional circuit boards are difficult to recycle because they are made from dynamic thermosets.
3.The researchers designed a very fragile material that survives deformation.
4.Valuable electronic compounds are often lost during recycling.
5.The polymer can be reshaped without affecting its electrical performer.
TEXT 2
Washi is a traditional Japanese paper known for its beauty and strength. It has been used in bookbinding, art, furniture, and architecture for hundreds of years. However, its use has declined as people prefer more western-style housing designs. To revive interest in this craft, researchers from Tohoku University have created a new, environmentally friendly material from washi. This new material is stronger and biodegradable.
People want more bio-based and biodegradable materials as we move away from fossil-based plastics to build a more sustainable society. Green composites mix plastics with natural fibers, making materials that are stronger, biodegradable, and better for the environment.
"We made a green composite from washi, which comes from plant fibers. We improved its properties while keeping its traditional beauty," said Hiroki Kurita, a co-author of the paper and an associate professor at Tohoku University's Graduate School of Environmental Studies. To make the material, Kurita and his team layered and hot-pressed sheets of washi with polybutylene succinate (PBS). They got the washi from a Miyagi-based artisan. The new material’s tensile strength, or how much stress it can withstand, was 59.85 MPa, which is over 60% stronger than before.
Washi has a lot of space between its fibers. When combined with PBS, the plastic fills these spaces, locking the fibers in place and stopping them from moving. PBS is also biodegradable, so the new material breaks down much faster than pure plastic. After 35 days, the material had biodegraded by 82%. This was measured by the amount of CO2 released when the material was buried in compost. Researchers also measured weight loss and loss of strength during degradation.
The team was not only successful in making a new material, but they also improved biodegradation testing methods. "We used both standard and non-standard methods to measure biodegradability. This will help compare biodegradability between different materials in future research," Kurita said.
1. What is the primary characteristic that defines traditional Japanese washi paper?
a) Its beautiful appearance and strong composition. b) Its widespread use in modern construction.
c) Its inexpensive cost and simple production. d) Its unique texture and dark coloration.
2. What kind of materials are people increasingly seeking in today's society?
a) Cost-effective and widely available synthetic materials.
b) Fossil-based and highly durable plastic alternatives.
c) Bio-based and environmentally friendly substances.
d) Chemically enhanced and water-resistant compounds.
3. What is a "green composite" described as in the text?
a) A mixture of natural fibers and certain plastics. b) A type of paint made from plant extracts.
c) A new method for recycling old newspapers. d) A specific kind of biodegradable fertilizer.
4. What did Hiroki Kurita and his team use to enhance the properties of washi?
a) They blended it with various types of metallic fibers.
b) They soaked it in a solution of natural dyes and oils.
c) They exposed it to high levels of heat and intense pressure.
d) They layered and hot-pressed it with biodegradable plastic.
5. What does the term "tensile strength" refer to in the context of the new material?
a) The overall weight the material can effortlessly support.
b) The amount of stress the material can cope with.
c) The flexibility and elasticity of the material's surface.
d) The resistance of the material to changes in temperature.
6. How much stronger was the new washi-based material compared to its original form?
a) It was approximately 30% more robust than before.
b) It showed an improvement of nearly 59.85% in strength.
c) It demonstrated an increase of over 60% in strength.
d) It was exactly 82% more durable than previously.
7. How did the researchers measure the biodegradability of the new material?
a) By monitoring its change in color over an extended period.
b) By measuring the amount of CO2 released when composted.
c) By observing its physical appearance after exposure to water.
d) By analyzing its chemical composition in a laboratory setting.
8. Besides creating a new material, what other significant achievement did the team make?
a) They discovered a new source for traditional washi paper.
b) They established a new company to produce washi composites.
c) They patented a novel process for recycling plastic waste.
d) They developed improved methods for biodegradation testing.
