2012年10月16日 星期二

A Phone with Smarts 智慧手機妙用多

 It is easy to find someone on the phone wherever you go. In fact, it is easy to find lots of people using their phones. Whether it is on the subway, in the park, or at home, we have become dependent on our phones. Thanks to smartphones, we are now able to do just about anything anywhere. They keep us entertained and connected. They can also help us with work and school, not to mention showing us the way to our destinations.
無論您走到哪兒,都很容易看到有人在講手機。事實上,要看到很多人用手機也挺簡單的。不管是在地鐵上、公園裡、或是在家中,我們已經變得很依賴我們的行動電話。多虧有了智慧型手機,我們現在幾乎能在任何地方做任何事情。它們也使我們得到娛樂,並能與外界聯繫。智慧型手機也能在工作和學業上幫助我們,更別提能指引我們方向、讓我們到達目的地了。
  Smartphones have really changed the way we live our lives. Whenever we need something, we usually reach for our phones first. For example, if we hear something interesting, we look up more information about it on the Internet. If we don't know what something is, we google it and find out. If we have no idea where a place is, we can get directions, photos, and sometimes even live video feeds in seconds. Because of all this, it can be said that smartphones are helping us learn. They amuse us as well. It is easy to watch movies, TV programs, and music videos when we are bored or commuting. Also, the countless games and apps that are available make it hard for people to be without their smartphones.
 智慧型手機的確改變了我們的生活方式。每當我們需要某些東西時,我們通常會先伸手拿手機。舉例來說,如果我們聽到一些有趣的事,我們就會上網找尋更多相關資訊。我們若遇到不懂的事情,就會用 Google 來搜尋答案。要是我們不知道某地點在哪裡,我們很快就能找到路線、照片、有時甚至還可取得現場的即時影像。由於上述的一切,智慧型手機號稱能助人學習。智慧型手機也能娛樂我們。我們感到無聊或在通勤時,可以輕易用它來觀看電影、電視節目、或是音樂錄影帶。此外,各種數也數不盡的遊戲和應用程式更使得人們幾乎離不開他們的智慧型手機。


@Words & Phrases
1. be on the phone  (某人)正在講電話
Mary was on the phone, so I waited until she finished to ask her my question.
瑪莉當時正在講電話,所以我等到她說完才問她問題。
2. be dependent on...  依賴……
dependent a. 依賴的,依靠的
Even though Matt is 40, he is still dependent on his family for many things.
雖然麥特已年屆四十,但他在很多事情上還是很依賴家庭。
3. entertain vt. 娛樂
The singer entertained the crowd with popular songs from the past decade.
那位歌手唱了許多過去十年來的暢銷金曲,藉此娛樂群眾。
4. not to mention...  更不用說……
The child can't even write his own name, not to mention a whole sentence.
那個孩子連自己的名字都不會寫,更別說是一個完整的句子了。
5. look up.../look...up  查……(單字、資料等)
You should look the word up in the dictionary if you don't know its meaning.
如果你不知道這個單字的意思,就應該去查字典。
6. amuse vt. 使開心;娛樂
Tommy amused himself with his toys while his mother was doing the laundry.
湯米在他媽媽洗衣服的時候,藉著玩玩具來娛樂自己。
7. as well  也,同樣
That rule is not only for Jason because you have to obey it as well.
那項規定不只是針對傑森,因為你也同樣要遵守。
8. commute vi. 通勤
commute between A and B  在 A 與 B 之間來回通勤
Peter commutes between Taipei and Taoyuan by train every weekday.
彼得每週一到週五都坐火車在台北與桃園之間來回通勤。
9. countless a. 無數的,數不盡的
The new medicine could save the lives of countless cancer patients.
這種新藥可以拯救無數癌症病患的生命。


@Extra Words
1. subway n. 地下鐵
2. video feed n. 即時影像
3. program n. 節目


@Tips In Use
品牌名稱轉化而成的日常用語  本文"...we google it and find out."中的 google 原為知名搜尋引擎的名稱,由於大眾經常使用,因此現已轉化作動詞使用,意指使用該網站『搜尋』某物。以下就為各位多舉幾個類似的用法:

● Jacuzzi [ "djJ`kUzI ] n.(代稱)按摩浴缸
● Kleenex [ `klinIks ] n.(代稱)衛生紙
● Tupperware [ `tVpKwEr ] n.(代稱)保鮮盒
● Post-it [ `postIt ] n.(代稱)便利貼
● Band-Aid [ `bAnded ] n.(代稱)OK 繃
● Xerox [ `zIraks ] vt.(代稱)影印(Xerox machine 則代稱『影印機』)

After a busy day, Cathy likes to soak in a Jacuzzi to relieve stress.
(經過忙碌的一天,凱西喜歡泡在按摩浴缸裡來抒壓。)
I need you to Xerox this document and give it to Nick.
(我要請你去影印這份文件,然後把它拿給尼克。)

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