乔布斯传 第456期:iMac发布会(3)

 　　Once again Jobs had produced an iconic new product, this one a harbinger of a new millennium¹. 乔布斯又一次推出了标志性的新产品，也是一个新纪元的开端。

　　It fulfilled the promise of "Think Different." 它履行了“非同凡想”的承诺。

　　Instead of beige boxes and monitors with a welter of cables and a bulky setup manual, 计算机不再是米色的方形主机和显示器、缠得一团糟的电线和厚厚的安装手册；

　　here was a friendly and spunky appliance, smooth to the touch and as pleasing to the eye as a robin's egg. 在你面前的是一部友好的、生气蓬勃的装置，手感顺滑、赏心悦目，就像一只知更鸟的蛋。

　　You could grab its cute little handle and lift it out of the elegant white box and plug it right into a wall socket². 你可以拎着那可爱的小提手把它从典雅的白色盒子里面提出来，然后插上电源。

　　People who had been afraid of computers now wanted one, 那些以前害怕碰计算机的人现在也想拥有一台，

　　and they wanted to put it in a room where others could admire and perhaps covet³ it. 而且他们还想把它摆在房间中最显眼的地方，好让人羡慕甚至是嫉妒。

　　"A piece of hardware that blends sci-fi shimmer⁴ with the kitsch whimsy⁵ of a cocktail⁶ umbrella," Steven Levy⁷ wrote in Newsweek, “这是一台结合了科幻之光和奇思妙想的机器，”《新闻周刊》的记者史蒂文·列维这样写道，

　　"it is not only the coolest- looking computer introduced in years, “这不仅是近几年来推出的外观最酷的计算机，

　　but a chest-thumping statement that Silicon⁸ Valley's original dream company is no longer somnambulant." 同时也是一个强有力的宣告：硅谷这家最初的‘梦想’公司终于不再‘梦游’了！”

　　Forbes called it "an industry-altering success," and John Sculley later came out of exile to gush⁹, 《福布斯》将iMac称为“一个产业的华丽转身”。已被驱逐的约翰·斯卡利也表示：

　　"He has implemented¹⁰ the same simple strategy that made Apple so successful 15 years ago: “他采用的是和15年前一样的简单策略，这个策略让当时的苹果公司大获成功：

　　make hit products and promote them with terrific marketing¹¹." 制造大受欢迎的产品，发动无比强大的营销攻势。”

1 millennium   

n.一千年，千禧年；太平盛世

参考例句：

• The whole world was counting down to the new millennium.全世界都在倒计时迎接新千年的到来。
• We waited as the clock ticked away the last few seconds of the old millennium.我们静候着时钟滴答走过千年的最后几秒钟。

2 socket   

n.窝，穴，孔，插座，插口

参考例句：

• He put the electric plug into the socket.他把电插头插入插座。
• The battery charger plugs into any mains socket.这个电池充电器可以插入任何类型的电源插座。

3 covet   

vt.垂涎；贪图(尤指属于他人的东西)

参考例句：

• We do not covet anything from any nation.我们不觊觎任何国家的任何东西。
• Many large companies covet these low-cost acquisition of troubled small companies.许多大公司都觊觎低价收购这些陷入困境的小公司。

4 shimmer   

v./n.发微光，发闪光；微光

参考例句：

• The room was dark,but there was a shimmer of moonlight at the window.屋子里很黑，但靠近窗户的地方有点微光。
• Nor is there anything more virginal than the shimmer of young foliage.没有什么比新叶的微光更纯洁无瑕了。

5 whimsy   

n.古怪，异想天开

参考例句：

• They are like oracular messages,but witty-jaunty at times-and sometimes trembling on the edge of whimsy.它们都像神谕，但很机智，有时极其轻快，有时又濒于怪诞。
• He had a whimsy about flying to the moon.他有个想飞上月球的怪念头。

6 cocktail   

n.鸡尾酒；餐前开胃小吃；混合物

参考例句：

• We invited some foreign friends for a cocktail party.我们邀请了一些外国朋友参加鸡尾酒会。
• At a cocktail party in Hollywood,I was introduced to Charlie Chaplin.在好莱坞的一次鸡尾酒会上，人家把我介绍给查理·卓别林。

7 levy   

n.征收税或其他款项，征收额

参考例句：

• They levy a tax on him.他们向他征税。
• A direct food levy was imposed by the local government.地方政府征收了食品税。

8 silicon   

n.硅(旧名矽)

参考例句：

• This company pioneered the use of silicon chip.这家公司开创了使用硅片的方法。
• A chip is a piece of silicon about the size of a postage stamp.芯片就是一枚邮票大小的硅片。

9 gush   

v.喷，涌；滔滔不绝(说话)；n.喷，涌流；迸发

参考例句：

• There was a gush of blood from the wound.血从伤口流出。
• There was a gush of blood as the arrow was pulled out from the arm.当从手臂上拔出箭来时，一股鲜血涌了出来。

10 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

11 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。