Computer sales dips for first time since 2009

     BEIJING, April 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Computer sales declined in the first three months of this year for the first time since 2009 worldwide.

    PC sales fell 1.1 percent in the first quarter to 84.3 million worldwide, according to tech research firm Gartner Wednesday, well short of its forecast for 3 percent growth.

    The dip was the first since the second quarter of 2009, when most of the world was still in the grip of economic turmoil¹.

    "Although the first quarter is traditionally a slow one for PC sales, these shipment results indicate（表明） potential sluggishness², not just a normal seasonal³ slowdown," said Gartner, in a statement.

    Weak demand for consumer PCs was the biggest drag on the market, according to Gartner principal analyst⁴ Mikako Kitagawa.

    "Low prices for consumer PCs, which had long stimulated⁵ growth, no longer attracted buyers," Kitagawa said.

    "Instead, consumers turned their attention to media tablets and other consumer electronics."After Apple's second-generation iPad was released in February, many consumers either switched allegiances or simply held back from buying PCs, according to the analyst.

    Japan was a particularly weak spot, with PC sales falling 13 percent in the quarter, as people focused on getting back to normal after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami⁶ rather than spending money on new technology.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

2 sluggishness   

不振，萧条，呆滞；惰性；滞性；惯性

参考例句：

• Such estimate of viscosities do give us some concept of the sluggishness of debris flows. 这种对泥石流粘度的估计确实给我们提供了一些泥石流惰性方面的概念。 来自辞典例句
• The general appearance of sluggishness alarmed his friends. 那种呆滞的样子吓坏了他的朋友们。 来自互联网

3 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

4 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

5 stimulated   

a.刺激的

参考例句：

• The exhibition has stimulated interest in her work. 展览增进了人们对她作品的兴趣。
• The award has stimulated her into working still harder. 奖金促使她更加努力地工作。

6 tsunami   

n.海啸

参考例句：

• Powerful quake sparks tsunami warning in Japan.大地震触发了日本的海啸预警。
• Coastlines all around the Indian Ocean inundated by a huge tsunami.大海啸把印度洋沿岸地区都淹没了。