VOA慢速英语2010年-iPads, E-Readers, Notebook Computers T

A report by the Consumer Electronics¹ Association² says electronics are among the most popular gifts being bought this holiday season. It also predicts that spending on these devices³ will set new records.

The CEA says consumers will spend an average of about two hundred thirty dollars on electronics. This is five percent more than last year and the highest level since the organization began keeping records of holiday spending.

Jim Barry is a spokesman⁴ for the Consumer Electronics Association. He says the CEA study found that electronics represent three of the top five things on its "holiday gift wish list" this year.

JIM BARRY: "Notebook computers are at the top, followed by iPads and then e-readers. IPad is a touch-screen tablet⁵ computer and that's really the big player in that category."

The computer company Apple began selling its small, touch-screen computers in April. The company reported that it had sold more than three million iPads by the end of July. Its latest earnings⁶ report shows sales of more than four million iPads during the last three months of this year.

Apple iPads are a hot item this Christmas

People use the touch-screen computers to surf the Web, write e-mails, watch movies and read books. Since the iPad's release⁷ earlier this year, several other companies have come out with their own tablet computers just in time for Christmas.

A report from the e-Marketer research group predicts that worldwide, tablet sales will reach more than eighty-one million in two thousand twelve. Still, Jim Barry says these devices are facing tough competition this year from another Christmas favorite.

JIM BARRY: "Another hot category right behind that are the e-readers. So you can read on an iPad or a touch-screen tablet, but the e-book readers are less expensive. The Kindle⁸ is the market leader there, from Amazon. But you also have the Nook from Barnes and Noble and the e-reader from Sony. And you have more and more of those e-readers coming into the market as well."

Jim Barry says modern technology is changing the way people relate and increasing their expectations for their electronic devices.

JIM BARRY: "The buzz⁹ phrase in the industry is 'content anywhere.' And it's really the ability to take your information and entertainment with you just about anywhere to stay connected to your work and your family. And that's what all of these devices do."

The Consumer Electronics Association report found that iPod music players are also in high demand this holiday season. So are video game systems and digital cameras.

But not all of the things on the holiday gift wish list involved electronics. Clothes, cars and motorcycles also made the list. So did family togetherness and good health. And the one thing that people wanted most?

JIM BARRY: "At the top of the list was peace and happiness."

That is also our wish for you this holiday season. And that's the VOA Special English Technology Report, written by June Simms. I'm Steve Ember.

1 electronics   

n.电子器件，电子学，电子技术

参考例句：

• About 45000 people worked in electronics in Scotland.苏格兰约有4.5万人在电子行业工作。
• He wants to brush up his knowledge of electronics.他想温习他的电子学知识。

2 association   

n.联盟，协会，社团；交往，联合；联想

参考例句：

• Our long association with your company has brought great benefits.我方和贵公司的长期合作带来了巨大的利益。
• I broke away from the association ten years ago.我10年前就脱离了那个团体。

3 devices   

n.设备；装置( device的名词复数 )；花招；（为实现某种目的的）计划；手段

参考例句：

• electrical labour-saving devices around the home 节省劳力的各种家用电器
• modern labour-saving devices such as washing machines and dishwashers 诸如洗衣机和洗碗机之类的现代化省力设备

4 spokesman   

n.发言人，代言人

参考例句：

• The government spokesman gave a quick briefing to the reporters.政府发言人向记者们作了情况简介。
• They drew lots to decide who should be their spokesman.他们抽签决定谁是他们的发言人。

5 tablet   

n.平板，门牌，笔记簿，碑，匾

参考例句：

• Take a tablet and your headache will go.吃一片药你的头就不疼了。
• Fill a glass with water and dissolve this tablet in it.倒杯水把药片放进去溶解了。

6 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

7 release   

vt.发布，发表，发行；释放，放开

参考例句：

• After my examination I had a feeling of release.考完试后我有如释重负之感。
• This medicine will give you release from pain.这药吃后会解除你的疼痛。

8 kindle   

v.点燃，着火

参考例句：

• This wood is too wet to kindle.这木柴太湿点不着。
• A small spark was enough to kindle Lily's imagination.一星光花足以点燃莉丽的全部想象力。

9 buzz   

v.充满了激动或活动的声音，发出低沉的声音

参考例句：

• My brain was in buzz.我的脑袋嗡嗡响。
• A buzz went through the crowded courtroom.拥挤的法庭里响起了一片乱哄哄的说话声。