【英语趣味课堂】电脑-Computers

Computers are an amazing thing, you know they have really improved people's lives over the past 15 or 20 years. You know you can do word processing. You can access libraries of information. You can communicate with your friends 24 hours a day across the globe. You can do art. You can watch movies. You can play music. All sorts of interesting and cool stuff, that makes life more pleasurable, or makes life easier, you know, it's really an amenity¹ that's been a big part of most people's lives for a long time now, and they always seem to be improving and getting bigger and better. Well, actually, they're getting smaller and better, but why is it that over this time, that computers never seem to run smoothly² all the time. There's always little glitches⁴ and problems. You know, computers are getting better but so are viruses. Programs are getting easier and better, but they're also getting more expensive and you always have to upgrade⁵ because what you want to get doesn't work necessarily with what you have on your computer, you know.

 

 

Internet connections are always speeding up, but there's always a slow internet connection, at least 20 or 25 percent of the time. You know, if you want to run something you always need to download this or download this. This program is incompatible⁶ with this program. When you are on the internet, there is always strange pop-up ads and things like that. E-mail! Ah, your e-mail box is full, too much memory, yeah, printers, printers are the worst of all. You know after all this time, why is it that printers always break down when you need to print something on time. Hey, there's my little ramble⁷ about computers, but all in all, they're good, cause without computers there wouldn't be such a wonderful site lke ELLLO.

 

学习内容：

 

across the globe

 

With computers, you can communicate with your friends 24 hours a day across the globe. 

 

'Across the globe' is another way to say the 'other side of the world.' Notice the following:

 

It's crazy that I'm talking to you across the globe, and it sounds like you're in the next room.

Weren't you scared to travel across the globe?

amenity

 

Computers are really an amenity that's been a big part of most people's lives. 

 

An 'amenity' is something that provides comfort or convenience.  Notice the following:

 

Wireless⁸ internet and a business center are a couple of the amenities⁹ we offer here.

We are looking for an apartment with a few more amenities than this one.

glitches

 

Computers never seem to run smoothly all the time, and there's always little glitches. 

 

A 'glitch³' is a small problem that prevents things from happening or functioning exactly how they should. Notice the following:

 

The party was fantastic, and there were only a few small glitches.

When you own a computer for a long time, you will figure out all its little glitches.

upgrade

 

Programs are getting easier and better, and you always have to upgrade. 

 

When you 'upgrade' a program or an item, you get a newer or better version.  Notice the following:

 

I think it's time that you upgrade your wardrobe a little bit.

Would you like to upgrade your cell phone today?

ramble

 

Hey, there's my little ramble about computers, but all in all, they're good. 

 

When you 'ramble' on about something, you talk about it without having any real sense of direction in your speech.  Notice the following:

 

I have been just rambling¹⁰ for about 5 minutes here.

Don't get him started. He can ramble on forever about politics.

1 amenity   

n.pl.生活福利设施，文娱康乐场所；（不可数）愉快，适意

参考例句：

• The amenity of his manners won him many friends.他和悦的态度替他赢得很多朋友。
• Teachers' good amenity and culture have important educational value.教师良好的礼仪修养具有重要的教育价值。

2 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

3 glitch   

n.干扰；误操作，小故障

参考例句：

• There is a glitch in the computer program somewhere.这个计算机程序中的某个部分有点小问题。
• It could just be a random glitch that can be solved by restarting the machine.可能只是一个小故障，重新启动主机就能解决了。

4 glitches   

n.小过失，差错( glitch的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Manufacturing glitches have limited the factory's output. 生产中的故障影响了该厂的产量。 来自辞典例句
• Another kind of period variation,\"Glitches,\" are seen in several pulsars. 在几个脉冲星中还看到了周期的另一种变化，即“自转突快”现象。 来自辞典例句

5 upgrade   

vt.提高，加强，改善；n.提高，改善

参考例句：

• We need to upgrade the status of teachers.我们需要提升老师的地位。
• To upgrade a clerk to manager.将办事员提升为经理。

6 incompatible   

adj.不相容的，不协调的，不相配的

参考例句：

• His plan is incompatible with my intent.他的计划与我的意图不相符。
• Speed and safety are not necessarily incompatible.速度和安全未必不相容。

7 ramble   

v.漫步，漫谈，漫游；n.漫步，闲谈，蔓延

参考例句：

• This is the best season for a ramble in the suburbs.这是去郊区漫游的最好季节。
• I like to ramble about the street after work.我下班后在街上漫步。

8 wireless   

adj.无线的；n.无线电

参考例句：

• There are a lot of wireless links in a radio.收音机里有许多无线电线路。
• Wireless messages tell us that the ship was sinking.无线电报告知我们那艘船正在下沉。

9 amenities   

n.令人愉快的事物；礼仪；礼节；便利设施；礼仪( amenity的名词复数 )；便利设施；（环境等的）舒适；（性情等的）愉快

参考例句：

• The campsite is close to all local amenities. 营地紧靠当地所有的便利设施。
• Parks and a theatre are just some of the town's local amenities. 公园和戏院只是市镇娱乐设施的一部分。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 rambling   

adj.[建]凌乱的，杂乱的

参考例句：

• We spent the summer rambling in Ireland. 我们花了一个夏天漫游爱尔兰。
• It was easy to get lost in the rambling house. 在布局凌乱的大房子里容易迷路。