时间:2019-01-20 作者:英语课 分类:VOA标准英语2008年(八月)


英语课
Recently, the New York Times ran an obituary 1, but not about a person. The paper said good-bye to an old friend: the audio cassette tape.
 






The audio cassette's problematic and delicate tape easily tangles 2. And its analog 3 format 4 makes it less crisp and clear than its digital successors



If you're into music, cassettes were dead and gone years ago. Compact discs, which are sturdier, have higher fidelity 5, are stackable, and slip easily into CD players, took their place. New automobiles 6 don't even have a slot in which to play cassettes any more.
 






Most new cars' dashboards don't even have a slot for cassettes any longer




The Times delayed notice of the death of audio cassettes, it said, because they retained some favor as a medium for audio books, and for quick and easy family recordings 8.

But new and tiny handheld audio devices that can hold hours of music and several books at a time have become the coup 9 de grace for cassettes.

That's no surprise to those who have kept up with audio technology. But this line in the New York Times story jumped off the page: None of Billboard 10 [magazine's] Top 10 [music] albums last week were issued on cassette, though half were released on vinyl, which has been resurging.
 






Who would have predicted that vinyl phonograph records would come back into fashion? Some people love their sound, even over pure digital recordings




Cassettes are dying, but flat, cumbersome 11, vinyl phonograph records are surging back to popularity? How is that possible? The fact is that more than 1 million vinyl albums were sold in the United States last year because people have re-discovered the tactile 12 pleasure of handling old-fashioned discs. Others swear the sound is richer than a CD, and many recording 7 artists are releasing new vinyl albums.

But there's no great pleasure in shoving a cheap plastic cassette into a machine or untangling its flimsy tape when it gets wound around a spindle. The sound is hissy, not rich. No one that we know of is putting out new music albums on cassette. And with all those digital audio players showing up in readers' hands, it seems the idea of releasing audio books on cassette can now rest in peace as well.



n.讣告,死亡公告;adj.死亡的
  • The obituary records the whole life of the deceased.讣文记述了这位死者的生平。
  • Five days after the letter came,he found Andersen s obituary in the morning paper.收到那封信五天后,他在早报上发现了安德森的讣告。
(使)缠结, (使)乱作一团( tangle的第三人称单数 )
  • Long hair tangles easily. 长头发容易打结。
  • Tangles like this still interrupted their intercourse. 像这类纠缠不清的误会仍然妨碍着他们的交情。
n.类似物,模拟
  • The analog signal contains high-frequency video information,which helps make up the picture.模拟信号包括有助于构成图像的高频视频信息。
  • The analog computer measures continuously,without proceeding step by step.模拟计算机不是一步一步地进行,而是连续地进行量度。
n.设计,版式;[计算机]格式,DOS命令:格式化(磁盘),用于空盘或使用过的磁盘建立新空盘来存储数据;v.使格式化,设计,安排
  • Please format this floppy disc.请将这张软盘格式化。
  • The format of the figure is very tasteful.该图表的格式很雅致。
n.忠诚,忠实;精确
  • There is nothing like a dog's fidelity.没有什么能比得上狗的忠诚。
  • His fidelity and industry brought him speedy promotion.他的尽职及勤奋使他很快地得到晋升。
n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 )
  • When automobiles become popular,the use of the horse and buggy passed away. 汽车普及后,就不再使用马和马车了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Automobiles speed in an endless stream along the boulevard. 宽阔的林荫道上,汽车川流不息。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
n.录音,记录
  • 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。
n.记录( recording的名词复数 );录音;录像;唱片
  • 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
n.政变;突然而成功的行动
  • The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
  • That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。
n.布告板,揭示栏,广告牌
  • He ploughed his energies into his father's billboard business.他把精力投入到父亲的广告牌业务中。
  • Billboard spreads will be simpler and more eye-catching.广告牌广告会比较简单且更引人注目。
adj.笨重的,不便携带的
  • Although the machine looks cumbersome,it is actually easy to use.尽管这台机器看上去很笨重,操作起来却很容易。
  • The furniture is too cumbersome to move.家具太笨,搬起来很不方便。
adj.触觉的,有触觉的,能触知的
  • Norris is an expert in the tactile and the tangible.诺里斯创作最精到之处便是,他描绘的人物使人看得见摸得着。
  • Tactile communication uses touch rather than sight or hearing.触觉交流,是用触摸感觉,而不是用看或听来感觉。
学英语单词
A J Balfour
accident free
ajuga lanosa sun.
album-oriented
alkali hose
Almohad
analysator
antigen antibody complex
batubulan
boom mainsail
caphanic acid
cetorhinidaes
chain-drive mechanism
chalupa
channel performance
chase a rainbow
coessentiality
cold-water flats
composite verb
consumer developing country
cranial index
cypraea arabica
decentralized decision
deck curb
diaphragmatic herni
Dibranchia
dicranum majus
Diervilla versicolor
differential pulley purchase
driving seats
elastoplastic analysis
engine-skylight
ependymitis
equipment evaluation
experimental biology
ferritin granule
final proof
firemasters
flapcake
flying height
four - wire circuit
Gadaba
gadolinium oxychloride
galley proofs
gametokinetic hormone
gaveled
hemi-elytrum
histogenic nutrition
housemates
hydraulic power control
ice-mountain
indeterminate type
isna (esna)
kir-
laonome albicingillum
Las Bonitas
Law Committee
low-volume vehicle
lower mordent
Loxocalyx quinquenervius
lumped elements
lymphagog
medium frequency propagation
mercurius praecipitatum albus
metagenesis
morula borealis
n-value logic
natro-
nephrotoxic serum nephritis
nicky nacky noo
normal initialing
old painting
overpopulating
painterliness
percentage reinforcement
phenomena of volcanism
physicalisms
polyprenols
porosity of soil
prodigial
rated pressure
relational definition
release hole
renewal of track skeleton
rent service
reticulum multipotential cell
saggy trousers
self-maintaining
ship stopping data
size principle
skeptics
stammen
starwave
stop character
synchron motor type
TD-PCR
three-thousandths
Tridestrin
turn something to good account
unsubstantial
weak ligand field
well-proved