Talking About Computers
1--Do you know much about computers?
2--Not a great deal.
1--I've just been reading an article about them.
They are used for all sorts of things now.
2--For accounting systems and things you mean?
1--Yes, but they're used for other things too. Do
you remember when we went to buy our tickets for
the flight to Greece?
2--Yes.
1--The man asked where we wanted to go, then he
typed out the information on a form and waited
for a reply. A few moments later he gave us our
tickets.
2--Of course. His machine must have been connected
to a computer.
1--That's right.
===================================
注解:
1)computer:計算機
2)Not a great deal=not very much,
全句是I don't know a great deal about computers.
3)accounting systems:財會系統(tǒng)。
4)must have been connected to a computer:must+
完成體的不定式動詞用以表示說話人對以往事情的猜測
或推斷。
===================================
譯文:
1--你對計算機很在行嗎?
2--不算特別在行。
1--我剛讀了一篇關于計算機的文章。計算機可用于
各種事情了。
2--你是說財會之類的事兒?
1--是的,但也用來干別的事情。還記得我們去買飛往
希臘的機票嗎?
2--是呀。
1--那個人問我們要去哪兒,然后他把情況大在一張表
上,等待答復。過了一會兒,他就把機票給咱們了。
2--是的。他的機器一定是和一臺計算機連著的。
1--沒錯兒。