Polystyrene is a plastic that can be light and foamy, or hard and clear.

Polystyrene is a plastic that can be light and foamy, or hard and clearpolystyrene是一種塑膠，可以是輕盈的泡沫狀，也可以是堅硬透明的。

The foamy kind is used for takeaway boxes, packing chips, and cheap coolers, because the air inside it slows heat and cold from moving through. The hard kind was used for things like old CD cases.

The foamy kind is used for takeaway boxes, packing chips, and cheap coolers泡沫狀的那種會用來做外帶餐盒、填充用的保麗龍粒，和便宜的保冷箱, because the air inside it slows heat and cold from moving through因為裡面的空氣能減緩熱和冷穿透的速度。The hard kind was used for things like old CD cases堅硬的那種以前會用在像舊式CD盒之類的東西上。

In English shops the foam is often called Styrofoam, though that name belongs to one company; the material itself is polystyrene.

In English shops the foam is often called Styrofoam在英文的商店裡，泡沫材質常被稱作Styrofoam, though that name belongs to one company不過那個名字其實是某家公司的品牌；the material itself is polystyrene材質本身叫polystyrene。

Chemists write PS on recycling marks. It is light, cheap, and breaks easily, and it is hard to recycle well.

Chemists write PS on recycling marks化學家在回收標誌上會標PS。It is light, cheap, and breaks easily它輕、便宜，而且容易破, and it is hard to recycle well而且不容易好好回收。

Though actually, the white foam and the clear hard plastic are the same family of material, just made in different ways — students are often surprised by that.

Though actually, the white foam and the clear hard plastic are the same family of material不過其實，白色泡沫和透明硬塑膠是同一個材質家族, just made in different ways只是做法不同——students are often surprised by that學生常常對這點感到驚訝。