乔布斯传 第454期:iMac发布会(1)

 　　The Launch, May 6, 1998 iMac发布会：1998年5月6日

　　With the launch of the original Macintosh in 1984, Jobs had created a new kind of theater: 在1984年的Mac电脑发布会上，乔布斯就创造了一套新的舞台效果：

　　the product debut¹ as an epochal event, climaxed² by a let-there-be-light moment in which the skies part, a light shines down, 产品发布就像一场划时代的盛会，整场盛会以“要有光”的神圣时刻为高潮：天地分开、一束光射下来、

　　the angels sing, and a chorus of the chosen faithful sings "Hallelujah." 天使歌唱、唱诗班合唱《哈利路亚》。

　　For the grand unveiling of the product that he hoped would save Apple and again transform personal computing³, 而对此次产品发布盛会，乔布斯有两个希望，一是使苹果公司起死回生，二是再次颠覆个人计算机的形象，

　　Jobs symbolically⁴ chose the Flint Auditorium⁵ of De Anza Community College in Cupertino, the same venue⁶ he had used in 1984. 因此，乔布斯特意为这次发布会选择了库比蒂诺市迪安扎社区大学的燧石礼堂，这也是举办1984年发布会的地点。

　　He would be pulling out all the stops in order to dispel⁷ doubts, rally the troops, 他愿意全力以赴，是为了消除疑虑、重整旗鼓、

　　enlist⁸ support in the developers' community, and jump-start the marketing⁹ of the new machine. 在开发者社区获得支持，并快速启动iMac营销。

　　But he was also doing it because he enjoyed playing impresario¹⁰. 不过，他这么做的另外一个原因就是他很喜欢做“发布会总指挥”。

　　Putting on a great show piqued¹¹ his passions in the same way as putting out a great product. 和酝酿新产品一样，准备一场盛会也能大大激发他的热情。

　　Displaying his sentimental¹² side, he began with a graceful¹³ shout-out to three people he had invited to be up front in the audience. 他还不忘显示自己多愁善感的一面，作为开场白，他首先对着第一排观众席上的三位嘉宾礼貌地“喊话”。

　　He had become estranged¹⁴ from all of them, but now he wanted them rejoined. 他曾经和这三个人渐行渐远，但是现在，他需要他们重新加入他的团队。

　　"I started the company with Steve Wozniak in my parents' garage, and Steve is here today," “我曾经和史蒂夫·沃兹尼亚克在我父母家的车库里成立了苹果公司，现在，他就在这里。”

　　he said, pointing him out and prompting applause. 他说着，用手指向沃兹，观众爆发出一阵掌声。

　　"We were joined by Mike Markkula and soon after that our first president, Mike Scott," he continued. “后来，迈克·马库拉加入了我们。不久之后，我们还迎来了我们的第一任总裁，迈克·斯科特。”他接着说，

　　"Both of those folks are in the audience today. And none of us would be here without these three guys." “他们今天都来到了现场。如果没有他们三个人，今天我们谁也不会来到这里。”

　　His eyes misted for a moment as the applause again built. 掌声又响了起来，他的眼眶湿润了。

　　Also in the audience were Andy Hertzfeld and most of the original Mac team. 观众席中还有安迪·赫茨菲尔德以及当年Mac团队昀大部分成员。

　　Jobs gave them a smile. He believed he was about to do them proud. 乔布斯向他们微笑示意。他相信，接下来自己会让他们感到自豪。

1 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

2 climaxed   

vt.& vi.达到顶点（climax的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The demonstration climaxed two weeks of strikes. 游行示威将持续了两周的罢工推向了高潮。 来自辞典例句
• His election to the presidency climaxed his political career. 他的当选为总统使他的政治生涯达到最高峰。 来自辞典例句

3 computing   

n.计算

参考例句：

• to work in computing 从事信息处理
• Back in the dark ages of computing, in about 1980, they started a software company. 早在计算机尚未普及的时代（约1980年），他们就创办了软件公司。

4 symbolically   

ad.象征地，象征性地

参考例句：

• By wearing the ring on the third finger of the left hand, a married couple symbolically declares their eternal love for each other. 将婚戒戴在左手的第三只手指上，意味着夫妻双方象征性地宣告他们的爱情天长地久，他们定能白头偕老。
• Symbolically, he coughed to clear his throat. 周经理象征地咳一声无谓的嗽，清清嗓子。

5 auditorium   

n.观众席，听众席；会堂，礼堂

参考例句：

• The teacher gathered all the pupils in the auditorium.老师把全体同学集合在礼堂内。
• The stage is thrust forward into the auditorium.舞台向前突出，伸入观众席。

6 venue   

n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点

参考例句：

• The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。
• The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。

7 dispel   

vt.驱走，驱散，消除

参考例句：

• I tried in vain to dispel her misgivings.我试图消除她的疑虑，但没有成功。
• We hope the programme will dispel certain misconceptions about the disease.我们希望这个节目能消除对这种疾病的一些误解。

8 enlist   

vt.谋取(支持等)，赢得；征募；vi.入伍

参考例句：

• They come here to enlist men for the army.他们来这儿是为了召兵。
• The conference will make further efforts to enlist the support of the international community for their just struggle. 会议必将进一步动员国际社会，支持他们的正义斗争。

9 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

10 impresario   

n.歌剧团的经理人；乐团指挥

参考例句：

• The impresario will present an expanded series of concerts next season.下个季节将举办一次大型的系列音乐会。
• The impresario had buttoned his astrakhan coat.乐团经理扣好了羔皮外套。

11 piqued   

v.伤害…的自尊心( pique的过去式和过去分词 )；激起（好奇心）

参考例句：

• Their curiosity piqued, they stopped writing. 他们的好奇心被挑起，停下了手中的笔。 来自辞典例句
• This phenomenon piqued Dr Morris' interest. 这一现象激起了莫里斯医生的兴趣。 来自辞典例句

12 sentimental   

adj.多愁善感的，感伤的

参考例句：

• She's a sentimental woman who believes marriage comes by destiny.她是多愁善感的人，她相信姻缘命中注定。
• We were deeply touched by the sentimental movie.我们深深被那感伤的电影所感动。

13 graceful   

adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的

参考例句：

• His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
• The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。

14 estranged   

adj.疏远的，分离的

参考例句：

• He became estranged from his family after the argument.那场争吵后他便与家人疏远了。
• The argument estranged him from his brother.争吵使他同他的兄弟之间的关系疏远了。