VOA慢速英语2015 因特网速度更快、占用空间更小

AS IT IS 2015-07-07 Report: Faster Speeds, Less Space on Internet 因特网速度更快、占用空间更小

A new report says Internet speeds around the world are getting much faster. The report comes from Akamai, a business that provides cloud computing¹ services. But it warns that the sharp increase in the number of devices connected to the World Wide Web could cause problems. The company says this increase might use up all of the remaining space that is currently² available on the Internet.

The report is called "State of the Internet." It examines use of the World Wide Web, Internet and mobile device data speeds, and overall strength of the web.

Akamai releases a new version of the report every three months, at the end of each financial quarter. David Belson is the company's senior director of industry and data intelligence.

"The changes this quarter were overwhelmingly³ positive," he said. "[G]iven that this report tracks the same trends we've been seeing for a while, I think that's a very positive sign."

The report says Internet connectivity continues to grow in every part of the world. The total number of Internet users has reached nearly 3.2 billion. There are almost two connected devices for every person on the planet. The report predicts that number will increase to three devices per person by 2019.

The report says that worldwide, average connection speeds rose by 10 percent over last year. The international average is now almost five megabits per second.

South Korea set a new record with an average speed of 23.6 megabits. Ireland, Hong Kong, Sweden and the Netherlands were among the top five areas with the fastest connections. However, less than five percent of the world's population has access, or use, of Internet speeds of 25 megabits or higher.

The United States still leads the world in the number of unique, or different, Internet addresses.

The report says the growth in the number of connected devices is adding to a new problem: the need for more addresses.

Most of the World Wide Web uses Internet Protocol⁴ version 4 to govern data traffic. IPv4 has a total of 4.29 billion unique addresses for computers, computer tablets and other electronic devices to connect and direct traffic.

But billions of addresses are already being used. Experts use the term "Internet of Things" for all the physical objects that are able to connect to the Internet. Researchers are warning that as the "Internet of Things" grows, IPv4 will not have enough room in the near future.

"The IPv4 exhaustion⁵ issue has been around for many years," Mr. Belson told VOA. "Now it's really becoming more and more imminent⁶."

There is a new version of the web, called IPv6. It has been available for more than 10 years. The problem, Mr. Belson said, is that Internet service providers do not see IPv4 exhaustion as an immediate⁷ threat. If they did, they would change to the new system.

Words in This Story

cloud computing – n. the use of the Internet instead of a physical computer to store, manage and process electronic data

quarter – n. a period of three months in a row, such as April through June

overall -– adv. as a whole

megabit – n. one million bits of electronic data

exhaustion – n. the act of using all of something

imminent – adj. happening very soon

1 computing   

n.计算

参考例句：

• to work in computing 从事信息处理
• Back in the dark ages of computing, in about 1980, they started a software company. 早在计算机尚未普及的时代（约1980年），他们就创办了软件公司。

2 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。

3 overwhelmingly   

adv.压倒性地；不可抵抗地

参考例句：

• They voted overwhelmingly against the proposal. 他们以压倒多数票否决了该提案。
• The local economy is overwhelmingly dependent on oil and gas extraction. 当地经济过于依赖石油和天然气的开采。

4 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

5 exhaustion   

n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述

参考例句：

• She slept the sleep of exhaustion.她因疲劳而酣睡。
• His exhaustion was obvious when he fell asleep standing.他站着睡着了，显然是太累了。

6 imminent   

adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的

参考例句：

• The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。
• The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。

7 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。