赖世雄高级美国英语 lesson 15

Lesson 15
　　Webcams： Electronics tool or the end of privacy？
　　网络摄影机：电子工具还是隐私终结者？
　　What are webcams？ The word webcam is a compound word formed from two abbreviations， "web" from the World Wide Web and "cam" from camera. Webcams are cameras which are situated¹ at various places and linked to the World Wide Web. They allow 24-hour viewing of a wide array of places and activities around the world. They can be as educational as they are fascnating， entertaining as they are eye-epening. Not everyone raves² about this new technology， however. Some cite sinister³ implications in a technology which can unobtrusively spy on our goings-on without our permission. Others note that with rapid increases in telephotography and the science of acoustics⁴， the days of privacy are numbered. Anyone can mount a webcam with a telephoto lens and microphone， aim it at his neighbors’ living room or bedroom， and then broadcast one’s "private" life to the whole world. A script for the next sci-fi film， or a current reality？ Are these doomsayers overreacting， or is their charge legitimate⁵？
　　On one side of the debate are those who point out that webcams offer more real advantages than supposed disadvantages. They cite numerous websites on which people can observe the world around them for educational or aesthetic⁶ purposes. Today one can watch urban scenes like city streets and squares or even haunted houses！ Nature lovers can revel⁷ in the undetectable webcasting of bats， sharks， and penguins⁸ at various sites around the world. A huge collection of webcams can be found at www.earthcam.com. Another great collection can viewed at www.discovery.com. Most educators， parents， and politicians would agree that these websites allow for a better understanding of both the human and natural environments in the world we all live in. Certainly， they would say， webcams provide an invaluable⁹ service and should not be restricted.
　　Others are not so sure. every technology cuts both ways. Even fire can cook food as it can burn our flesh. Railroads gave us faster and more convenient transportation as they simultaneously¹⁰ signaled the death knell¹¹ of many species of migratory¹² animals as well as served up noise and air pollution. Nuclear energy gives millions heat， light， and power just as it creates unwanted radioactive side effects. Seemingly harmless technologies such as telecommunications also have their dark side.
　　Opponents of webcams note that the sleazy， commercial instinct of some people is unleashed¹³ with the offering of for-pay viewing of certain starlets or other celebrities’ home lives， which most people prefer to think of as their "private" life. Perhaps not much longer. In some controversial cases， webcams have been mounted in public installations such as washrooms so that voyeurs¹⁴ may watch the intimate goings-on of anonymous¹⁵ people. Even more sinister in the capacity for the new technology to be used in both economic espionage¹⁶ and "good old" state-to-state spying. Webcams mounted surredptitiously in business offices or factories can reveal on-screen "secrets" from those unaware¹⁷ that they are being bugged¹⁸. With microelectronics technology reducing the size of telecommunications devices， this is no paranoid fantasy any longer.
　　The human mind is as devious¹⁹ as the many progressive devices it produces. No matter what technology mankind develops in the future， we must move forward and allow these new technologies. Only by practicing them——for good or bad——can we realize our human potential. On balance， too， despite the horrific deadly or sinister potential in technology， the world offers a more productive， comfortable， and progressive environment today than in our previous low-tech centuries. At the end of the day， it is not our technology that we must learn to control so much as ourselves.

1 situated   

adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的

参考例句：

• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
• She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。

2 raves   

n.狂欢晚会( rave的名词复数 )v.胡言乱语( rave的第三人称单数 )；愤怒地说；咆哮；痴心地说

参考例句：

• She raves about that singer. 她醉心地谈论那位歌手。 来自辞典例句
• His new play received raves in the paper. 他的新剧本在报纸上受到赞扬。 来自辞典例句

3 sinister   

adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的

参考例句：

• There is something sinister at the back of that series of crimes.在这一系列罪行背后有险恶的阴谋。
• Their proposals are all worthless and designed out of sinister motives.他们的建议不仅一钱不值，而且包藏祸心。

4 acoustics   

n.声学，(复)音响效果，音响装置

参考例句：

• The acoustics of the new concert hall are excellent.这座新音乐厅的音响效果极好。
• The auditorium has comfortable seating and modern acoustics.礼堂里有舒适的座椅和现代化的音响设备。

5 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

6 aesthetic   

adj.美学的，审美的，有美感

参考例句：

• My aesthetic standards are quite different from his.我的审美标准与他的大不相同。
• The professor advanced a new aesthetic theory.那位教授提出了新的美学理论。

7 revel   

vi.狂欢作乐，陶醉；n.作乐，狂欢

参考例句：

• She seems to revel in annoying her parents.她似乎以惹父母生气为乐。
• The children revel in country life.孩子们特别喜欢乡村生活。

8 penguins   

n.企鹅( penguin的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Why can penguins live in cold environment? 为什么企鹅能生活在寒冷的环境中？ 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Whales, seals, penguins, and turtles have flippers. 鲸、海豹，企鹅和海龟均有鳍形肢。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

9 invaluable   

adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的

参考例句：

• A computer would have been invaluable for this job.一台计算机对这个工作的作用会是无法估计的。
• This information was invaluable to him.这个消息对他来说是非常宝贵的。

10 simultaneously   

adv.同时发生地，同时进行地

参考例句：

• The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。
• The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。

11 knell   

n.丧钟声；v.敲丧钟

参考例句：

• That is the death knell of the British Empire.这是不列颠帝国的丧钟。
• At first he thought it was a death knell.起初，他以为是死亡的丧钟敲响了。

12 migratory   

n.候鸟，迁移

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• This does not negate the idea of migratory aptitude.这并没有否定迁移能力这一概念。

13 unleashed   

v.把（感情、力量等）释放出来，发泄( unleash的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The government's proposals unleashed a storm of protest in the press. 政府的提案引发了新闻界的抗议浪潮。
• The full force of his rage was unleashed against me. 他把所有的怒气都发泄在我身上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 voyeurs   

n.窥淫癖者（喜欢窥视他人性行为）( voyeur的名词复数 )；刺探隐秘者（喜欢刺探他人的问题或私生活）

参考例句：

• Voyeurs are scary, but they are usually harmless. 偷窥狂很可怕，但是他们通常不会伤害人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He also did much to turn Britons into a nation of voyeurs. 他的所作所为很大程度上激起了英国人的偷窥欲。 来自互联网

15 anonymous   

adj.无名的；匿名的；无特色的

参考例句：

• Sending anonymous letters is a cowardly act.寄匿名信是懦夫的行为。
• The author wishes to remain anonymous.作者希望姓名不公开。

16 espionage   

n.间谍行为，谍报活动

参考例句：

• The authorities have arrested several people suspected of espionage.官方已经逮捕了几个涉嫌从事间谍活动的人。
• Neither was there any hint of espionage in Hanley's early life.汉利的早期生活也毫无进行间谍活动的迹象。

17 unaware   

a.不知道的，未意识到的

参考例句：

• They were unaware that war was near. 他们不知道战争即将爆发。
• I was unaware of the man's presence. 我没有察觉到那人在场。

18 bugged   

vt.在…装窃听器（bug的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The police have bugged his office. 警察在他的办公室装了窃听器。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had bugged off before I had a chance to get a word in. 我还没来得及讲话，他已经走了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

19 devious   

adj.不坦率的，狡猾的；迂回的，曲折的

参考例句：

• Susan is a devious person and we can't depend on her.苏姗是个狡猾的人，我们不能依赖她。
• He is a man who achieves success by devious means.他这个人通过不正当手段获取成功。