2006年VOA标准英语-Electronic Entertainment Expo Highlights G

By Mike O'Sullivan
Los Angeles
11 May 2006

Fifty thousand video game players, developers and marketing¹ executives are meeting in Los Angeles for the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo. Hundreds of software makers² and Big Three hardware rivals - Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft - are promoting their latest products.

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Carolyn Rauch 
  

Carolyn Rauch of the Entertainment Software Association says video games are an $11 billion business in the United States and more than double that worldwide. She says this annual meeting is the largest event in the industry, with 400 exhibitors.

"We have every kind of game and interactive³ entertainment software that's ever made here," said Carolyn Rauch. "So we have cell phone games, we have console games, we have PC games, we have online games, any kind of interactive entertainment, you'll be able to see here on our show floor."
 
 
Expo floor
  
The annual convention assaults the senses with sounds and colored graphics⁴ on overhead screens. Gamers are in heaven as they try the latest games and hardware.

"Unbelievable, really cool," said one.

Much of the interest here focuses on the three big console makers, including Microsoft, which launched its Xbox 360 console at this expo last year. Market leader Sony is introducing its Playstation 3 at this year's convention. Sony spokesman Alex Armour⁵ says the new platform will build on the success of Playstation 2, which has sold more than 100 million units. The new device will go on sale in November, with a new ultra-fast processor and Sony's Blu-ray high definition video system.
 
 
Alex Armour
  
"So what does this all mean for the consumer? It really gives them a more immersive game-play experience," said Alex Armour. "There's going to be better shading, better graphics, animations⁶, facial animations that we're going to put people right into the game and make it more realistic for them."

Playstation 3 and Nintendo's new game console, called Wii, both have motion sensors⁷, letting players determine the action by moving handheld controllers. In Nintendo's case, players can swing their arms to play virtual games of golf or tennis.

Game sales have slowed down as gamers await the new consoles, unveiled at this convention. But game software remains⁸ the heart of the industry, says Angela Emery of Buena Vista⁹ Games.
 
 
Angela Emery
  
"We're the interactive entertainment arm of the Walt Disney Company," said Angela Emery. "So therefore we can make games based on all of the Disney films, television shows from ABC, the Disney Channel, to publishing and all the ancillary¹⁰ businesses within the Walt Disney Company."

The company has games based on the films The Incredibles, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Pirates of the Caribbean.

It is also creating games with fresh characters and story lines, like one called Spectrobes, made for the Nintendo DS dual-screen portable console.

 
Staples¹¹ Center, site of the Electronic Entertainment Expo
  
"There are over 500 characters in the Spectrobes universe, and you uncover, unearth¹², excavate¹³ them, utilizing¹⁴ your stylus on the touch-pad, as well as awaken¹⁵ them by telling them their name and using your voice to command them to wake up," she said.

Most of those attending the game expo are young, but the average age of players is rising. Carolyn Rauch of the Entertainment Software Association says the typical gamer is now in his or her mid-30s.

"And both men and women play games," she said. "What we've found is that people who have grown up with games are bringing them with them into their adulthood¹⁶. As my generation, television was the most natural thing in the world, for them video games are the most natural thing in the world. They played as kids and they're playing as adults and they'll play their whole lives through."

She says despite the slowdown in sales in this year of transition to new game consoles, video gaming is still the fastest growing sector¹⁷ of the entertainment business.

1 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。

2 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 interactive   

adj.相互作用的，互相影响的，（电脑）交互的

参考例句：

• The psychotherapy is carried out in small interactive groups.这种心理治疗是在互动的小组之间进行的。
• This will make videogames more interactive than ever.这将使电子游戏的互动性更胜以往。

4 graphics   

n.制图法，制图学；图形显示

参考例句：

• You've leveraged your graphics experience into the video area.你们把图形设计业务的经验运用到录像业务中去。
• Improved graphics took computer games into a new era.经改进的制图技术将电脑游戏带进了一个新时代。

5 armour   

（=armor）n.盔甲；装甲部队

参考例句：

• His body was encased in shining armour.他全身披着明晃晃的甲胄。
• Bulletproof cars sheathed in armour.防弹车护有装甲。

6 animations   

n.生气( animation的名词复数 )；兴奋；动画片；（指电影、录像、电脑游戏的）动画制作

参考例句：

• You'll see your team cheerleaders and mascot performing new animations as well. 你会看到啦啦队队长跟吉祥物也都会有全新的动作。 来自互联网
• Ability to create simple movie and animations using graphic & multimedia software. 能够用平面和多媒体软件制作简单的电影及动画。 来自互联网

7 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

8 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

9 vista   

n.远景，深景，展望，回想

参考例句：

• From my bedroom window I looked out on a crowded vista of hills and rooftops.我从卧室窗口望去，远处尽是连绵的山峦和屋顶。
• These uprisings come from desperation and a vista of a future without hope.发生这些暴动是因为人们被逼上了绝路，未来看不到一点儿希望。

10 ancillary   

adj.附属的，从属的

参考例句：

• The transport corps is ancillary to the infantry.运输队是步兵的辅助部队。
• This is just an ancillary business.这仅仅是一项辅助业务。

11 staples   

n.（某国的）主要产品( staple的名词复数 )；钉书钉；U 形钉；主要部份v.用钉书钉钉住( staple的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The anvil onto which the staples are pressed was not assemble correctly. 订书机上的铁砧安装错位。 来自辞典例句
• I'm trying to make an analysis of the staples of his talk. 我在试行分析他的谈话的要旨。 来自辞典例句

12 unearth   

v.发掘，掘出，从洞中赶出

参考例句：

• Most of the unearth relics remain intact.大多数出土文物仍保持完整无损。
• More human remains have been unearthed in the north.北部又挖掘出了更多的人体遗骸。

13 excavate   

vt.挖掘，挖出

参考例句：

• They plan to excavate a large hole.他们计划挖个大洞。
• A new Danish expedition is again excavating the site in annual summer digs.一支新的丹麦探险队又在那个遗址上进行一年一度的夏季挖掘。

14 utilizing   

v.利用，使用( utilize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Utilizing an assembler to produce a machine-language program. 用汇编程序产生机器语言的过程。 来自辞典例句
• The study and use of devices utilizing properties of materials near absolute zero in temperature. 对材料在接近绝对零度时的特性进行研究和利用的学科。 来自辞典例句

15 awaken   

vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起

参考例句：

• Old people awaken early in the morning.老年人早晨醒得早。
• Please awaken me at six.请于六点叫醒我。

16 adulthood   

n.成年，成人期

参考例句：

• Some infantile actions survive into adulthood.某些婴儿期的行为一直保持到成年期。
• Few people nowadays are able to maintain friendships into adulthood.如今很少有人能将友谊维持到成年。

17 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。