英语听力精选进阶版 6451

People who want you to part with your cash and property can steal your passwords and personal details, but what about your voice?

That's what some big companies asked themselves before turning their attention to voice biometrics in their war against fraudsters.

Emmanuelle Filsjean, head of marketing¹ for a company which advises retail² banks on security, says: "Voice is a dynamic form of biometrics, rather than static like a fingerprint³. It's harder to replicate⁴ and copy digitally."

Digital voiceprints contain over 100 identifiable elements. And, by using complex mathematical algorithms and the latest high-definition audio equipment, experts believe they can now identify people accurately⁵ more than 97% of the time.

Even identical twins can be told apart from their voiceprints, making the technology reliable enough to be used as evidence in courts of law.

Voice is crucial because call centres are still the main way we interact with companies, despite the rise of online banking⁶ and shopping.

Traditional authentication⁷ measures, involving personal identification numbers (PINs), passwords, and 'memorable⁸' answers to agreed questions, have proved fallible because we keep forgetting them. But voice is the most natural way of interaction.

While no biometrics security system is totally foolproof, fraudsters using high definition recordings¹⁰ of someone's telephone pass phrase should still be caught out, according to voice biometrics companies. They say even the highest-quality recordings use some form of compression that changes the highest and lowest frequencies.

Even a slight mismatch with the customer's voiceprint will trigger a 'live test' conversation that is almost impossible for fraudsters to spoof¹¹, particularly if they've only got a recording⁹ to use.

It's no surprise so many companies are keen to hear the latest word in security systems. Fraudsters are stealing at least ￡52bn from the UK economy each year, according to the National Fraud Authority (NFA).

Quiz 测验

1. Why is voiceprint more efficient than fingerprints¹² to prevent fraud?

Because it is changeable with time, unlike fingerprints.

2. How sure can you be someone is who they say they are when they speak?

Experts say you can be 97% sure.

3. Why are 'memorable' answers not the best way to identify people?

Because these are often forgotten.

4. What's the cost of fraud to the UK economy?

According to the NFA, 52bn pounds.

5. Which expression in the article means to be discovered doing something wrong?

To be caught out.

Glossary 词汇表

a password 密码

personal details 个人信息

biometrics 生物识别

a fraudster 诈骗者

fingerprint 指纹

voiceprint 声纹

a mathematical algorithm 数学演算

a court of law 法庭

a call centre 电话服务中心

authentication 身份验证

the personal identification number (PIN) 个人识别号码

fallible 易犯错误的

foolproof 不会错的，十分安全的

mismatch 不匹配，不协调

to spoof 蒙骗，哄骗

1 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。

2 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

3 fingerprint   

n.指纹；vt.取...的指纹

参考例句：

• The fingerprint expert was asked to testify at the trial.指纹专家应邀出庭作证。
• The court heard evidence from a fingerprint expert.法院听取了指纹专家的证词。

4 replicate   

v.折叠，复制，模写；n.同样的样品；adj.转折的

参考例句：

• The DNA of chromatin must replicate before cell division.染色质DNA在细胞分裂之前必须复制。
• It is also easy to replicate,as the next subsection explains.就像下一个小节详细说明的那样，它还可以被轻易的复制。

5 accurately   

adv.准确地，精确地

参考例句：

• It is hard to hit the ball accurately.准确地击中球很难。
• Now scientists can forecast the weather accurately.现在科学家们能准确地预报天气。

6 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

7 authentication   

鉴定，认证

参考例句：

• Computer security technology includes mainly:Authentication,Encryption,Access Control,Auditing and so on.计算机网络安全技术主要有: 认证授权、数据加密、访问控制、安全审计等。

8 memorable   

adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的

参考例句：

• This was indeed the most memorable day of my life.这的确是我一生中最值得怀念的日子。
• The veteran soldier has fought many memorable battles.这个老兵参加过许多难忘的战斗。

9 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

10 recordings   

n.记录( recording的名词复数 )；录音；录像；唱片

参考例句：

• a boxed set of original recordings 一套盒装原声录音带
• old jazz recordings reissued on CD 以激光唱片重新发行的老爵士乐

11 spoof   

n.诳骗，愚弄，戏弄

参考例句：

• The show was a spoof of college life.那戏是对大学生活的讽刺。
• That is Tim Robbins's spoof documentary about a presidential campaign.那是蒂姆·罗宾斯关于总统选举的讽刺纪录片。

12 fingerprints   

n.指纹( fingerprint的名词复数 )v.指纹( fingerprint的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Everyone's fingerprints are unique. 每个人的指纹都是独一无二的。
• They wore gloves so as not to leave any fingerprints behind (them). 他们戴着手套，以免留下指纹。 来自《简明英汉词典》