We’ve come a long way with computers already. The interactive children’s toy called a Furby has ten times the processing power o

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问题     We’ve come a long way with computers already. The interactive children’s toy called a Furby has ten times the processing power of the Apollo command module, and there are now so many microchips in an automobile that Chrysler like to joke that they only bother to put wheels on their cars to stop the computers dragging along the highway.
    In simple terms, the eighties were shaped by cheap microprocessors and the nineties by cheap lasers; the symbol of the eighties was the IC, and the symbol of the nineties is the web. The next decade? Well, that’s going to be shaped by very low-cost, very high-performance sensors. We’re basically going to attach eyes, ears and sensory organs to our computers and ask them to observe and manipulate the physical world on our behalf.
    Processors and sensors are going to be everywhere: helping McDonald’s to keep your French fries consistent the whole world around by embedding networked sensors in their frying machines; telling Coca-Cola when a vending machine is broken or empty; and helping diabetics with subcutaneous microdelivery systems for insulin which deliver medication on a precise schedule.

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答案 我们在计算机技术方面已经取得了巨大进步。一种名为Furby的交互式儿童玩具的处理能力是当年阿波罗号宇宙飞船指令舱处理器的十倍。现在的汽车上都装有大量微型芯片,所以克莱斯勒公司的人喜欢开玩笑说,他们之所以要给自己出的汽车装上轮子,不过是免得让计算机自己在公路上拖着地走。 简而言之,左右八十年代的是廉价微处理器,左右九十年代的是廉价激光技术;八十年代的象征是集成电路,九十年代的象征是网络。下一个十年呢?左右下一个十年的将是造价极低、性能极高的传感器。简要地说,我们要给计算机装上眼睛、耳朵和感觉器官,让机器替我们观察和处理物质世界。 处理器和传感器会到处都是:给麦当劳店的油炸机装上联网的传感器,可以保证你在全世界任何麦当劳店都吃到炸得同样好的薯条;可口可乐公司的售货机要是坏了或空了,公司会自动得到通知;给糖尿病患者装上胰岛素皮下微输药系统,可以保证用药的时间和计量精确。

解析     这段材料选自美国加州硅谷未来研究所主任Paul Saffo的The Future of Electronics,本文探讨了电子技术的前景,是科技题材说明文体。本文涉及到电子领域的一些术语,翻译时应忠实原文,将语句组织通顺,在翻译不涉及科技术语的部分,可根据具体语境进行意译,本文翻译难点是科技词汇。
    come a long way即“取得巨大进步”。Furby是指一种电子动物玩具,外表既像猫又像狗,会说话,还能学会唱歌、跳舞和做其他事。Apollo即“阿波罗号宇宙飞船”。command module意为“(宇宙飞船的)指令舱”。Chrysler这里指克莱斯勒汽车公司的人。
    第二段首句中的shape意为“左右,决定性地影响”。microprocessors和lasers处于句尾的强调位置,译文如和原文一样采用被动结构,无法取得同样效果,因此这里变换句式。IC是integrated circuit(集成电路)的缩写。末句中的。basically的意思不是“基本上”,而是“简要地说”。them应译成“机器”。
    末段首句中的helping…consistent意为“帮助麦当劳店使你的炸薯条保持一致”就是“保证你在任何麦当劳店吃到炸得同样好的薯条”。helping…insulin意为“用胰岛素皮下微输药系统帮助糖尿病患者”,即“给糖尿病患者装上胰岛素皮下微输药系统”之意。
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