英语听力精选进阶版 6415

If you hear the sound of a handset beeping in a bag or pocket, you could be forgiven for thinking that someone has received a text message. But nowadays there are so many different ways of messaging someone that it could spell the death of the traditional text as we know it.

Text messaging, or texting, is the art of sending a short, electronic message between two mobile phones or tablets. Text bundles formed an integral¹ part of mobile phone monthly plans, with users paying a certain amount to send messages via SMS - short message service. But in the last few years, messaging in this manner has been on the decline².

The rise of smartphones and tablets has seen an increase in the use of instant messaging apps, which offer a cheap alternative to conventional texts. Using wireless³ internet connections or mobile data networks, people can send limitless numbers of IMs to their friends for very little cost. Unlike traditional mobile texts, the user usually only has to pay to download the app once, after which each message they send is free.

Web developers soon got the message. Instant messaging apps have become popular all over the world. WhatsApp in America and Europe, WeChat in China and KakaoTalk in South Korea are but a few which have attracted hundreds of millions of people, who use the apps to chat to their friends in real time. These apps allow people to send picture messages for free – something which previously⁴ was quite costly⁵. Many of these apps also allow users to access a huge range of colourful emoticons and stickers, which are fun ways to help people express their emotions.

Research firm Informa said that almost 19 billion messages were sent per day using chat apps in 2012, compared with 17.6 billion SMS texts. And it expects the chat app market to grow to 50 billion per day by 2014. So does this really mean the end for communication by text?

Pamela Clark-Dickson from Informa doesn't think so. She says that there are a considerable number of people who use normal mobile phones, particularly in developing countries, who prefer the SMS messaging tool: "They don't have mobile data plans, so there is an awfully⁶ big base of mobile phone users who are still going to find that SMS is the best messaging experience for them for a while."

Quiz 测验

1. What type of messaging has been on the decline?

SMS messaging.

2. Which word means 'unlimited'?

Limitless.

3. Is this statement true or false? Instant messaging is only popular in Asia.

False. Instant messaging is popular all over the world.

4. How many instant messages will be sent per day in 2014?

50 million.

5. Where are SMS text messages still popular?

In developing countries.

Glossary 词汇表

handset 手机

text message 短信

tablets 平板电脑

bundles （短信）套餐

monthly plans 包月套餐

SMS 短信服务

smartphones 智能手机

instant messaging 即时通信

apps （计算机、手机）应用程序

wireless 无线的

mobile data technology 手机数据技术

IM 即时消息

to download 下载

got the message 明白，领会含义

to chat 聊天

in real time 及时、实时

picture messages 图片彩信

emoticons 表情符

communication 交流

mobile data plans 手机流量套餐

1 integral   

adj.必不可少的，构成整体所必需的

参考例句：

• She is our best player,who is integral to our team.她是我们最好的球员，我们队离不开她。
• That's an integral part of the country.那是构成国家所必需的一部分。

2 decline   

n.衰微，跌落，下降；vt.使降低，婉谢；vi.下降，衰落，偏斜

参考例句：

• I must decline to show favour to any of the candidates.我必须拒绝偏袒任何一位候选人。
• The birthrate is on the decline.出生率在下降。

3 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。

4 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

5 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

6 awfully   

adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地

参考例句：

• Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
• I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。