Apple’s headphone headache? 令人頭疼的新款蘋果耳機

蘋果公司在最新發佈的手機中去除瞭耳機接口的決定引起瞭許多技術專傢的強烈反對。做出該決定背後的原因可能有哪些？人們把新款無線耳機比成瞭哪些意想不到的事物？《隨身英語》為你介紹。

課文內容

詞匯: 科技

Apple is known for technological innovation. They came up with the iPod, the iPad and the iPhone – all of which were game changers. But their latest offering has had many tech journalists scratching their heads.

Why? Their new smartphone has been released without the humble headphone jack. That’s right, customers who buy an iPhone 7 will not be able to plug traditional headphones straight in to their device.

Instead, they’ll be encouraged to use ‘AirPod’ headphones, which connect wirelessly to the iPhone. These look much the same as the old earbuds, with one crucial difference: they’re cordless. And whilst we’re all familiar with the frustration of tangled wires, the thought of two expensive bits of kit dangling precariously from our ears raises a simple question: what if they fall out?

AirPods have also been derided on social media for their appearance, with people saying they look like mini-hairdryers, like electric toothbrushes, and even like cartoon dog Snoopy. Others claim the change is about profit, as old headphones are now obsolete without an adapter.

Apple themselves admit the move has taken “courage”, and insist the new approach saves vital space inside the phone, as well as making devices more water- and dust-resistant. AirPods also double as microphones and can be used to control the iPhone with just your voice.

So, could this mark the demise of one of the longest-standing technologies? The simple 3.5mm headphone jack was first used in transistor radios as far back as the 1950s, and earlier versions go even further to the telephone switchboards of the late 1800s.

Regardless, with a falling share price and strong, innovative competition, Apple needed to do something bold. Time will tell if their headphone strategy will help cut through the noise.

詞匯表

up with 想出（點子或計劃）
game changers 對特定商業領域有很大影響的產品
scratch one’s head 冥思苦想
jack 插孔
plug 插入（插頭）
wirelessly 無線地
earbuds 一副耳塞
cordless 無繩的
tangle 纏成一團的
precariously 不穩定地
deride 被嘲笑
obsolete 被淘汰的，廢棄的
adapter 適配器
dust-resistant 抗塵的
double as 還可以被當作
transistor radio 晶體管收音機
switchboard（電話）交換臺
share price 股價
cut through the noise 迅速應對質疑

測驗與練習

1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。

1. Why are some technology journalists confused?
2. How long have standard headphone jacks been around?
3. Why have some people mocked Apple’s new headphones?
4. Which word means ‘hanging’?
5. True or false: Old headphones can still be used with an iPhone 7.

2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. Old headphones won’t _________ in to an iPhone 7.

join adapt plug jack

2. Technology now means we can transmit information _________.

wirelessly cordlessly jacklessly precariously

3. The invention of the CD was a _________. Suddenly you could hear good quality music, cheaply.

head-scratcher game-changer sea-changer hairdryer

4. You need to __________ something new. This isn’t good enough.

come up to came up with come up come up with

5. My new camera is _________. It’s fine to use it in the rain.

water-resistant dust-resistant noise-resistant irresistable

答案

1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。

1. Why are some technology journalists confused?
They are “scratching their heads” because they are not fully convinced by Apple’s decision to remove the headphone jack.

2. How long have standard headphone jacks been around?
The 3.5mm jack has been used since the 1950s, and previous versions of this were first used in the late 1800s.

3. Why have some people mocked Apple’s new headphones?
They think they look funny – some say they look like mini-hairdryers, others say they look like electric toothbrushes, and they’ve also been compared to the cartoon dog Snoopy.

4.Which word means ‘hanging dangerously’?
Dangling.

5. True or false: Old headphones can still be used with an iPhone 7.
Yes, but only using an adapter.

2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. Old headphones won’t plug in to an iPhone 7.

2. Technology now means we can transmit information wirelessly.

3. The invention of the CD was a game-changer. Suddenly you could hear good quality music, cheaply.

4. You need to come up with something new. This isn’t good enough.

5. My new camera is water-resistant. It’s fine to use it in the rain.