Take-Away English
2017-04-07一沁供稿
一沁供稿
Take-Away English
一沁供稿
电台节目“英语文化随身带”文章短小精悍,内容包罗万象。将英语文化装进口袋里,利用闲散的时间随身翻阅,英语学习者可以在潜移默化中了解当代英语世界的生活和文化。哈哈,iPhone7终于出来啦,是不是特别开心呀!而与此同时你也会发现,咦咦咦,怎么这次iPhone木有插入耳机的接口咧?
★ 听力练习(本文为英式发音):
本文会读两遍。
STEP 1: 合上杂志先听一遍,理解文章大意。
STEP 2: 听第二遍,在画线部分填上所缺的单词或词组。
STEP 3: 归纳文章重点,再用英语表达自己的看法。
Apple is 1._for technological innovation. They came up with the iPod, the iPad and the iPhone—all of which were game changers. But their 2._offering has had many tech journalists scratching their heads.
Why? Their new smartphone has been released without the humble headphone jack. That’s right, customers who buy an iPhone 7 will not be able to plug traditional headphones 3._into their device.
Instead, they’ll be encouraged to use “AirPod” headphones, which connect wirelessly to the iPhone. These look much the same as the old earbuds, with one crucial difference: they’re cordless. And whilst we’re all 4._with the frustration of tangled wires, the thought of two expensive bits of kit dangling precariously from our ears 5._a simple question: what if they fall out?
重点词汇
humble ['hʌmbl] adj. 普通的
headphone jack 耳机接口
plug [plʌg] v. 塞住
wirelessly ['waɪəlɪslɪ] adv. 无线地
earbud [ɪəbʌd] n. 耳塞
cordless ['kɔːdlɪs] adj. 无线的
whilst [waɪlst] conj. 同时
tangled ['tæŋgld] adj. 紊乱的,缠结的
precariously [prɪ'kεərɪəslɪ] adv. 不安全地,不牢靠地
deride [dɪ'raɪd] v. 嘲笑,嘲弄
obsolete ['ɒbsəliːt] adj. 过时的,被淘汰的
demise [dɪ'maɪz] n. 终止
transistor radio 晶体管收音机
switchboard ['swɪtʃ,bɔːd] n. 电话总机
share price 股价
AirPods have also been derided on social media for their appearance, with people 6.__ they look like mini-hairdryers, like electric toothbrushes, and even like cartoon dog Snoopy. Others claim the change is about proft, as old headphones are now obsolete without an adapter.
Apple themselves admit the move has taken “courage,” and insist the new approach 7.__vital space inside the phone, as well as making devices more water- and dust-re_sistant. AirPods also double as microphones and can be used to control the iPhone with just your 8.__.
So, could this mark the demise of one of the longest-standing technologies? The simple 3.5mm headphone jack was frst used in transistor radios as _far back as the 1950s, and earlier versions go even further to the telephone switchboards of the 9__.1800s.
Regardless, with a falling share price and strong, innovative comp_etition, Apple needed to do something bold. Time will tell if their headphone strategy will help cut 10.__the noise.