Fortune Telling and Soda Selling
無所不能,無所不賣的日本販賣機
by Matthew Brown
Japan has been ahead of the rest of the world in vending machine technology for years.
"They are so convenient, I wish I had one in my room," says an 18-year-old in Tokyo. _(1)_ Vending machines are hugely popular in Japan, with about one for every 50 people and 2.5 million units for drinks alone. _(2)_
With so many variations, companies really have to be imaginative to make their vending machines stand out. Showing that they care, Coca-Cola made some that give out free drinks in case of an earthquake. _(3)_ The newest development in vending machine technology comes from a machine at a train station in Tokyo. It has a camera and software that figures out a shopper's age and sex. _(4)_ For example, one shopper reported that the vending machine offered her three different choices, with one being her favorite. She also said that it would come in handy when she couldn't make a decision. According to the company that operates the machine, consumers' pictures are deleted immediately, but general information about who is buying from the machine is gathered and used by the company. _(5)_ With this kind of technology, it seems anything is possible with vending machines.
(A) That figure doesn't even include the ones that sell other products like cigarettes, toys, flowers, cold bananas, cooked meals, and just about anything else you can think of.
(B) With that information, the machine guesses what the shopper wants to buy almost as though it were trying to read his or her mind.
(C) Then there is an unusual model with a microphone inside to help scientists record the sounds of rare birds in a small remote village.
(D) However, this doesn't seem to bother customers because they are so excited about the strange new machine.
(E) She's talking about vending machines, and she's not the only one.
原來如此
1. 第一題空格應選 (E)
理由:
a. 空格前一句提到,東京一名 18 歲(an 18-year-old)的少女說:『它們(They)這麼方便,我真希望自己房裡也有一台。』
b. 選項 (E) 的句子提到,她(She)說的是販賣機(vending machines),而且有這種想法的不只她一人,這裡的 She 和 vending machines 就是指上一句的 an 18-year-old 和 They,且前後語意連貫,故選之。 大補丸: vending machine n. 自動販賣機
2. 第二題空格應選 (A)
理由:
a. 空格前一句中提到,日本光是專賣飲料的販賣機就有 250 萬台(2.5 million units)。
b. 選項 (A) 的句子提到,這個數據(The figure)甚至不包括販售其他像是香菸、玩具、鮮花……物品的販賣機,其中 The figure 指的就是上一句的 2.5 million units,且前後語意連貫,故選之。
大 補丸:
a. figure
n. 數字 b. include vt. 包括 例: A diet that includes a variety of foods is the healthiest one to have. (包含各種食物的飲食是最健康的。)
3. 第三題空格應選 (C)
理由:
a. 空格前兩句提到,販賣機公司得發揮想像力,才能讓自家的機器脫穎而出。而可口可樂公司為了表示關心大眾,特別推出一些販賣機,會在發生地震時免費供應飲料。 b. (C) 選項的句子則接著說,另外還有一款內建麥克風的特別機種,幫助科學家在一座偏遠村落裡錄下稀有鳥類的叫聲,是販賣機公司發揮想像力的另一個實例,延續上一句,繼續舉例別出心裁的販賣機,故選之。
大補丸: a. model n. 型號,樣式 b. microphone n. 麥克風 c. rare a. 罕見的 d. remote a. 偏僻的
4. 第四題空格應選 (B)
理由:
a. 空格前兩句提到,東京有一台最新科技的販賣機配備有攝影機和軟體,能辨別消費者的年齡和性別(a shopper's age and sex)。
b. 選項 (B) 的句子接著說,利用這些資訊(that information),機器能猜出消費者(the shopper)想買什麼東西,就彿能猜出他們心裡在想什麼似的,其中 that information 指的就是上一句的 age and sex,且皆有關鍵字 shopper,兩句語意連貫,故選之。
大補丸: read one's mind 看出∕看透某人的心思 例: You have to tell me when something is wrong because I can't read your mind. (有事不對勁時你得告訴我,因為我沒辦法看出你的心思。)
5. 第五題空格應選 (D)
理由:
a. 空格前一句說,經營該販賣機的公司表示,消費者的照片會被立即刪除,但是一般性的資料則會被收集起來,供該公司使用。
b. (D) 選項的句子則接著說,然而消費者對這一點(this)似乎不以為意,因為他們覺得這台新奇的機器非常有意思。選項中的 this 乃指前一句中所提到的,他們的資料被該公司收集、使用這件事,前後語意連貫,故選之。
大補丸:
a. bother vt. 困擾,煩擾 例: What bothers me most about the manager is that he loses his temper over the smallest matters. (我最受不了我們經理的地方是他會因為很小的瑣事而發脾氣。)
b. be excited about... 對……感到興奮 例: My brother and I were excited about getting a new puppy. (我和我弟弟因為收到新的小狗而興奮不已。)
精解字詞片語
1. imaginative a. 富於想像力的 imaginary a. 想像中的 imaginable a. 想像得到的(常與最高級並用)例: Dean Koontz is an imaginative writer of horror stories. (狄恩‧昆斯是個富有想像力的恐怖小說作家。)例: Luke's imaginary friend Bob disappeared when he grew up. (路克長大後,他幻想出來的朋友鮑伯就消失了。)例: For me, the most terrifying creatures imaginable are crying babies. (對我來說,最可怕的生物莫過於哭個不停的嬰兒。)
2. stand out 脫穎而出,引人注目例: The red dress you're wearing will definitely stand out at the party. (妳身上穿的紅色洋裝絕對會在派對上引人注目。)
3. give out... 分發…… 例: Sarah helps by giving out food to people at the homeless shelter. (莎拉去遊民之家幫忙分發食物給他們。)
4. in case of... 萬一∕以防∕倘若…… 例: In case of a fire, calmly walk to the emergency exits. (萬一發生火災,要冷靜地往緊急逃生門移動。)
5. figure out... 弄清楚…… 例: The scientists are trying to figure out how the mysterious disease spreads. (科學家們正試著找出這怪病的傳染途徑。)
6. come in handy 隨時會用得到∕派上用場例: You should always carry an umbrella in your purse; it may come in handy one day. (你應該隨身在包包裡放把傘,因為有一天可能派上用場。)
7. delete vt. 刪除例: I accidentally deleted an important document from my laptop. (我不小心刪掉筆電裡一份重要的文件。)
單字小舖
1. fortune telling n. 算命
2. variation n. 變化
3. operate vt. 操作
中文翻譯
無所不能,無所不賣的日本販賣機
多年來,日本製造販賣機的科技早已領先群倫。
東京一名 18 歲少女說:『它們這麼方便,我真希望自己房裡也有一台。』她說的是販賣機,而且有這種想法的不只她一人。販賣機在日本非常普及,約每 50 人可以分配到一台,而且光是專賣飲料的販賣機就有 250 萬台。這個數據甚至不包括販售其他像是香菸、玩具、鮮花、冷凍香蕉、熟食,以及任何你想得到的物品的販賣機。
有這麼多販賣機種類,販賣機公司勢必得發揮想像力,才能讓自家的機器脫穎而出。可口可樂公司為了表示關心大眾,特別推出一些販賣機,會在發生地震時免費供應飲料。另外還有一款內建麥克風的特別機種,幫助科學家在一座偏遠村落裡錄下稀有鳥類的叫聲。
目前擁有最新科技的一款販賣機則位於東京火車站內。這台販賣機配備有攝影機和軟體,能辨別消費者的年齡和性別。利用這些資訊,機器能猜出消費者想買什麼東西,就彷彿能看出他們心裡在想什麼似的。舉例來說,一位消費者說這台販賣機提供她 3 個選購建議,其中一個恰好是她最喜歡的。她還說當自己無法決定要買什麼時,這項服務就非常好用。根據經營該販賣機的公司表示,消費者的照片會被立即刪除,但是關於是誰在這台販賣機買東西的一般性資料則會被收集起來,供該公司使用。然而,消費者對這點似乎不以為意,因為他們覺得這台新奇的機器非常有意思。有了這種科技,販賣機簡直無所不能。
題目解答
答案: 1. (E) 2. (A) 3. (C) 4. (B) 5. (D)
引用自:長春藤英語 http://www.ivy.com.tw/
留言列表