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| 2010/07/28 13:58:26瀏覽369｜回應0｜推薦6 | |
最近電子書(Electronic book, 簡稱 E-book)又再度崛起, 在美國 Amazon 網路書店造成一股搶購風潮, 原因是因為革命性電子紙張與電子墨水的推出, 使銀幕漸漸近似真正的紙張所致(Revolutionary electronic-paper display provides a sharp, high-resolution screen that looks and reads like real paper.) , 另外, 這種閱讀器容易使用, 不需搭配電腦, 不用電纜, 資料亦不需同步(Simple to use: no computer, no cables, no syncing.), 像 Amazon 推出的 Kindle 2 閱讀器, 可以聯接無線網路, 在無線網路普及的地區, 無論你在計程車上, 機場, 甚至床上, 都可以聯接網路商店進行購物活動, 買本書甚至可以在一分鐘中內以無線網路自動下載完成, 不僅書汗牛充棟, 報章雜誌, 甚至部落格更是琳琅滿目, 應有盡有。(Wireless connectivity enables you to shop the Kindle Store directly from your Kindle—whether you’re in the back of a taxi, at the airport, or in bed. Buy a book and it is auto-delivered wirelessly in less than one minute. More than 360,000 books, newspapers, magazines, and blogs available) 其實在電腦問世之後, 已有不少討論紙本書是否會被取代的論述, 也許是無法摸觸, 也許因為電腦銀幕閱讀不舒服, 大部份人仍鍾愛紙本書, 而報紙則較沒如此幸運, 銷售量大減, 風光不再。但是 leafing through (翻閱) 的技術問題恐怕仍待解決, 因為仍有殘影(afterimage)的問題懸而未決, 使得每次翻頁均有黑色銀幕出現之缺陷。然而這個問題在電腦上或像Iphone 的電子書中都不會發生。像最近Apple 剛推出的 Ipad 便好多了, 完全不會有殘影的現象。科技產品最需創新者(innovator), 亦可稱trendsetter, innovation 與 invention 不同, innovation must be market- oriented, 也許我們可以說, E-books still have a few more inventions in the works. 指它有些技術仍在測試階段, 也就是該項技術很新穎, 且還在不斷改進中, The cutting- edge technology is constantly refining itself. Technology doesn’t stand still. 技術絕不會停滯不前。 關於選舉方面的英文表達法, 如對候選人都不甚滿意, 可以說 All the candidates are a sorry lot. 或說 There’s not even a decent one among them. 如你接受賄賂(bribery)讓心術不正者掌大權會釀成巨大災害, 可說 It would be a disaster for a crooked person to hold a position. 一般選舉中, 總是結果難測, 但是非成敗實乃政界常事, Legislator Mao is licking his wounds after a terrible defeat in last week’s election. 這句話指舔其傷口, 平復心情。但也可東山再起呀, Despite early setbacks, he’s still in the running for Legislator. Setbacks 是障礙(obstacles)之意, in the running 則指 in the race 仍在競選的行列中, She won the election in a landslide victory. 就是全面勝利之意, 也可以說 overwhelming success. 有時候選人以些微之差飲恨, 我們可以說成 He almost won the election, but he came up short. (= He lacked enough votes to be elected.) 當然選民的熱衷與否十分要緊, There was a bad showing at the polls. 就是參加者不踴躍, 如果聽政見聽眾很少, 可用 a small audience, 至於 polls 是投票所(place of election), 而 poll 則指民意測驗(survey)。 選舉中各種現象形形色色, 抹黑詆毀, 招式層出不窮, The politician was undeterred by any false allegations and continued to run for office in spite of the media connecting him to the mob. 媒體儘管宣染該政客與黑道掛鉤, 但他角逐蟬聯的決心屹立不搖。Mob 就是指 Mafia。在美國 Incumbent members of Congress are practically shoe-in for re-election. 現任的國會議員要角逐蟬聯是易如反掌(shoe-in 像穿鞋子般容易) 政治其實也很黑, If you help me get elected, I’ll reward you with profitable contracts. 也可以用 pork barrel politics 表達, 常聽到 Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. 權力讓人腐化, 集權更徹底腐化人心。因此, Power often goes to people’s head. (權力常沖昏人的頭) 雖然 In a democracy, representatives should be elected, not appointed. 但是, 買票行為仍是非常可怕的, 常無孔不入, Bribery will get you nowhere. 如果政績不好, 連任當然渺茫, The polls look grim, I don’t think you’ve got much of a shot at keeping the office.
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