精美英文欣赏:因特网的魅力何在?(上)

What Makes the Internet Attractive?

因特网的魅力何在？

Cyberspace¹ communications, including email discussion groups, chatrooms, bulletin boards and blogs, offer people an opportunity to experience a form of social contact, with no real social presence.

网络通信，包括电子邮件讨论组、聊天室、布告栏和博客，让人们有机会体验社交的一种形式，没有真实的相见。

Some people find it so attractive that they do not know when to stop.

有人觉得这样很有吸引力，但是不知道什么时候结束。

Others might think the Net a cold place, and yet it need not be.

有些人可能认为网络是个冷酷的地方，没有必要。

In the cold isolation² of our large cities, where people often live separated from kin³ or lonely in the crowds, the Net can become a surrogate social-life—a vital source of interpersonal contact.

大城市人与人之间是冷漠的，人们和亲人们分开，孤独地在人群中，网络给社交生活建立了平台——人际交往的重要资源。

An on-line communication is an easy way to meet new people.

在线交流是认识新朋友的简单方法。

Certainly it is very low-risk due to the essential informality of on-line conversation.

当然由于在线交流关键的非正式性，风险非常小。

Rather than being required to keep a single conversation with one or more people, relationships usually form out of numerous, often short exchanges.

与保持和一个人或者多个人对话相反的是，人际关系的形式多样，通常是简短的交流。

In a way, it reminds us of commuters who take the bus.

从某种程度上说，它像是每天乘坐公交车往返上班的人之间的关系。

They see each other frequently but each meet is fairly short.

他们经常看到对方，但是每次见面都相当地短暂。

In situations like this the pressure is minimal⁴. If you'd rather read the paper than chat then you just do it and don't worry about it.

在这种情况下压力是最小的。如果你更想看报纸而不是聊天的话，你就可以这么做，不用担心什么。

But, over time, many people form lasting⁵ relationships this way.

但是，随着时间的推移，很多人凭借这种方式建立了长久的关系。

In the on-line environment, just like any other social situation, the basic element is human attention.

如同其他社会环境一样，在网络环境中，基本元素是人类的关注。

In the public forums⁶, you communicate with groups that may have as many as several hundred people involved—even if they don't all make comments.

在公共论坛，你会在多达几百人参与的小组中与人交流——即使不是每个人都会发表评论。

1 cyberspace   

n.虚拟信息空间，网络空间，计算机化世界

参考例句：

• She travels in cyberspace by sending messages to friends around the world.她利用电子空间给世界各地的朋友们发送信件。
• The teens spend more time in cyberspace than in the real world of friends and family.青少年花费在电脑上的时间比他们和真正的朋友及家人在一起的时间要多。

2 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

3 kin   

n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的

参考例句：

• He comes of good kin.他出身好。
• She has gone to live with her husband's kin.她住到丈夫的亲戚家里去了。

4 minimal   

adj.尽可能少的，最小的

参考例句：

• They referred to this kind of art as minimal art.他们把这种艺术叫微型艺术。
• I stayed with friends, so my expenses were minimal.我住在朋友家，所以我的花费很小。

5 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

6 forums   

讨论会； 座谈会； 广播专题讲话节目； 集会的公共场所( forum的名词复数 )； 论坛，讨论会，专题讨论节目； 法庭

参考例句：

• A few of the forums were being closely monitored by the administrators. 有些论坛被管理员严密监控。
• It can cast a dark cloud over these forums. 它将是的论坛上空布满乌云。