Pigeon vs. web

Pigeon vs. web
NB: This is not an accurate (精确的)word-for-word transcript 1
Dima: Hello and welcome to this edition of 6 Minute English with me, Dima
Kostenko
Kate: and me, Kate Colin.
Dima: Kate is here not simply to keep me company but also to give us some language
guidance.
Kate: I'll do my best!
Dima: OK, and to begin with, could you explain what a metaphor 2 （隐喻）is?
Kate: O-oh, good question. And to give you a simple answer, I'll need to talk a little
bit about another figure of speech, a simile 3. A simile is when you directly
compare two things, often using the words 'like' or 'as'. For example, 'He slept
like a log', a commonly used simile meaning he slept really well, completely
undisturbed. Now that's a simile. A metaphor is when you imply, or state a
comparison between things that are not similar. For example, 'The house is so
neglected and dirty that all the cleaning she's done this week is just a drop in
the ocean'. Now of course, her cleaning work does not and cannot look like a
drop of water in the sea, and yet this is a common way of saying that the
amount of something - here, her work - is too little compared to how much is
still needed.
Dima: Now I have a different kind of question for you. This time, it's not about
language this time, it's about you. Are you a competitive（竞争力） person?
Kate: Responds + short dialogue to introduce unusual competitions
Dima: And if you think these competitions are unusual, then stay with us for the next
few minutes as we're listening to a report from South Africa about a
competition that brings a whole new meaning to the word 'unusual'. But first,
do you mind taking us through some of today's key vocabulary Kate?
Kate: Responds. First of all, the term 'broadband internet system', which means a
system that makes it possible for many messages or large amounts of
information to be sent all at the same time and very quickly. Another term
we're going to hear is 'gigabyte', meaning a unit of computer information,
consisting of 1,024 megabytes. And, importantly, 'pigeon' which is a large,
usually grey bird, often seen in towns, which can be trained to carry messages.
Also, as you're listening, notice how our correspondent uses sport metaphors 4 to
bring some colour to his report, making it sound more interesting. The words
to listen out for are 'race', 'lane one', 'lane two', 'the course' and 'sprint 5'.
Dima: That's 'broadband internet system', 'gigabyte', 'pigeon' and a few sport
metaphors. OK, here's our reporter in Johannesburg Andrew Harding:
Clip 1 0'18"
It was a strange sort of race. In lane one - South Africa's giant（巨人） Telkom company, using the
country's broadband internet system. In lane two - an eleven-month-old pigeon named
Winston, carrying a four gigabyte memory stick strapped 6 to his leg. The course - a simple
sixty-mile sprint between an office in the town of Howick and another in the coastal 7 city of
Durban.
Kate: So the aim of the competition was simple: to discover which would be the
fastest to deliver a large amount of data from one office to another one, 60
miles or nearly 100 kilometres away: a supposedly fast broadband system - or a
carrier pigeon.
Dima: And here comes this week's question for you Kate. Which do you think won
the unusual race?
a) Was it the humble 8 pigeon?
b) Was it the highly sophisticated internet? Or
c) Did they both perform equally well?
What do you think Kate?
Kate: Guesses.
Dima: OK, but I'm not telling you the answer because I thought you might prefer to
get it first-hand, directly from Andrew Harding, by listening to the next part of
his report.
Kate: Good idea. And here is some more key vocabulary to listen out for. 'To win
comfortably', meaning to win easily, leaving the other contestants 9 far behind.
'Encrypted', which means electronically changed into a secret code. And the
phrasal verb 'to get through', meaning to reach, to get delivered.
Dima: OK, that's 'to win comfortably', 'encrypted' and 'to get through'. Let's listen:
Clip
The result does say something about the state of broadband in South Africa and the continent
as a whole. Winston, you won't be surprised to discover, won the race comfortably. He
reportedly delivered his cargo 10 in just over an hour. The data - encrypted, in case he'd got lost
on the way - was then downloaded in another hour or so. By which time only 4% of the data
sent by internet had got through.
Kate: So Winston the pigeon comfortably won the race over broadband. By the time
the download of the data delivered by Winston was completed, only 4% of the
information sent via the internet had got through. Which means I was
right/wrong with my earlier guess!
Dima: Responds. OK, let's have a quick re-cap of some of today's key vocabulary.
Kate: 'broadband internet system'
'pigeon'
'to win comfortably'
'encrypted'
'to get through', meaning to reach
And of course we pointed 11 out that using metaphors can make a story sound
more interesting and vivid.
Dima: Thanks Kate. Until next week.
Both: Goodbye!(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)




点击收听单词发音  






1
transcript

  
 


n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书


参考例句：





A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。












2
metaphor

  
 


n.隐喻，暗喻


参考例句：





Using metaphor,we say that computers have senses and a memory.打个比方，我们可以说计算机有感觉和记忆力。
In poetry the rose is often a metaphor for love.玫瑰在诗中通常作为爱的象征。












3
simile

  
 


n.直喻，明喻


参考例句：





I believe this simile largely speaks the truth.我相信这种比拟在很大程度上道出了真实。
It is a trite simile to compare her teeth to pearls.把她的牙齿比做珍珠是陈腐的比喻。












4
metaphors

  
 


隐喻( metaphor的名词复数 )


参考例句：





I can only represent it to you by metaphors. 我只能用隐喻来向你描述它。
Thus, She's an angel and He's a lion in battle are metaphors. 因此她是天使，他是雄狮都是比喻说法。












5
sprint

  
 


n.短距离赛跑；vi. 奋力而跑，冲刺；vt.全速跑过


参考例句：





He put on a sprint to catch the bus.他全速奔跑以赶上公共汽车。
The runner seemed to be rallied for a final sprint.这名赛跑者似乎在振作精神作最后的冲刺。












6
strapped

  
 


adj.用皮带捆住的，用皮带装饰的；身无分文的；缺钱；手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词)；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带


参考例句：





Make sure that the child is strapped tightly into the buggy. 一定要把孩子牢牢地拴在婴儿车上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
The soldiers' great coats were strapped on their packs. 战士们的厚大衣扎捆在背包上。 来自《简明英汉词典》












7
coastal

  
 


adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的


参考例句：





The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。












8
humble

  
 


adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低


参考例句：





In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。












9
contestants

  
 


n.竞争者，参赛者( contestant的名词复数 )


参考例句：





The competition attracted over 500 contestants representing 8 different countries. 这次比赛吸引了代表8个不同国家的500多名参赛者。
Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency. 两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。 来自《简明英汉词典》












10
cargo

  
 


n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物


参考例句：





The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。












11
pointed

  
 


adj.尖的，直截了当的


参考例句：





He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。