英语每日一听 | 每天少于5分钟

• 第2863期:The rise of machine 2

  We're returning to the topic of automation. Now last podcast we talked about how jobs were affected more in the manufacturing area, wasn't it Richard? Yes, we were talking about the production line and machines doing repetitive jobs in factories, weren't we?我们回到自动化这个话题。上期播客我们讨论了自动化对制造业的影响，对吧，Richard？是的，我们当时谈的是生产线，以及机器在工厂里如何执行重复性工作，对吗？Yes, and now we want to have a little look at the future and how businesses and jobs are going to be affected. The big change, in the past, machines did jobs in the manufacturing sector.没错，而现在我们想看看未来商业和工作将如何受到影响。最大的变化是：过去机器主要替代的是制造业的工作。It looks now as if the future, it will be the service sector jobs that are going to be lost. Can you give an example? Well, driverless taxi cabs. They're going to have taxis with no drivers going around the cities and this is actually happening now.而现在看来，未来将失去的将是服务业的工作。你能举例吗？比如无人驾驶出租车。未来城市里会有没有司机的出租车四处行驶，而这件事现在已经在发生。For instance, in Australia, we've got huge mines and they have the robots doing all the drilling. They've got driverless trucks and driverless trains. So there's hardly anyone in the mine at all.例如在澳大利亚，他们的大型矿区已经用机器人进行所有钻探工作。他们有无人驾驶卡车和无人驾驶火车。因此矿区几乎看不到人。So in the near future, more regular driving jobs could be lost. Yes, but also more interestingly is that even today, 30% of time spent in the workplace in the United States is spent collecting and processing data. And so therefore, a lot of jobs in the insurance industry, the finance industry, they could be in jeopardy.所以在不久的将来，更多传统驾驶类工作可能会消失。是的，但更有趣的是，即使在今天，美国职场中有 30% 的时间都花在数据收集和处理上。因此，保险业、金融业的许多岗位都可能面临风险。OK, I can understand that because they receive lots of data. I mean, not unlike playing chess or something. And then they have to decide what's the best thing to do.好的，我能理解，因为他们处理大量数据。这有点像下棋，需要分析，再决定最佳行动。But robots can do that. Exactly. The computers can do the number crunching and come out with the answers.但机器人可以做到这一点。没错，电脑可以进行大量计算，并给出答案。Right. Yes, so that means that we have computers now in insurance industries calculating credit scores and even managing stock portfolios. So when we have the situation of blue-collar jobs disappearing, we've now got, you know, the future is almost that white-collar jobs are disappearing.是的，这意味着如今保险行业已经有电脑在计算信用评分，甚至管理股票投资组合。所以，过去是蓝领工作在消失，而未来几乎是白领工作也开始消失。It's often a lot of the highly-paid jobs are just as much at risk as the low-paid jobs. Can you give an example, though, Richard, of jobs that won't be affected by automation? Yes.很多高薪工作面临的风险并不比低薪工作小。那么你能举例说明哪些工作不会被自动化取代吗，Richard？可以。The things that machines can't do very well require a high degree of flexibility and physical adaptability and human interaction. And creativity. Exactly.那些机器不擅长的工作需要高度灵活性、身体适应性，以及人与人之间的互动。还有创造力。没错。So the jobs that shouldn't be at risk are in health care, dentists, doctors, surgeons.因此不会太受影响的工作包括医疗领域：牙医、医生、外科医生。Teachers. And also in the education industry, teachers, social workers, psychologists, those sorts of things.教师。还有教育行业中的教师、社会工作者、心理学家等等。Right. OK. Oh, good news for us then. Yes.好的。那么这对我们来说是个好消息。是的。Yes. So the nature of work is changing, isn't it? A lot of jobs are disappearing. So it's very important for people, therefore, possibly to be retrained.没错。工作的性质正在改变，不是吗？许多岗位正在消失。因此，人们可能需要重新培训，这非常重要。So what about you, the listener? Are you worried about losing your job because of automation? Are you thinking aboutretraining? Or perhaps even you're doing a job caused by automation. We'd love to hear from you.那么你呢，听众朋友？你会担心因为自动化而失去工作吗？你是否考虑过重新培训？或者你现在的工作就是因自动化而产生的？我们很想听听你的想法。

  --------  

  3:14

  --------

  3:14
• 第2862期:Ransomware

  Now, we've already had a podcast about computer hacking，we're talking about a different kind of cybercrime, ransomware. Richard, what is ransomware? Well, it's a specific type of malware that blocks access to a computer and then demands money to release that computer. Oh, you mean like a ransom? It is a ransom, yes.我们之前做过一期关于电脑黑客的播客，但今天我们要讨论另一种网络犯罪——勒索软件。Richard，什么是勒索软件？嗯，它是一种特定的恶意软件，会阻止你访问电脑，然后要求付钱才能解锁。哦，就像是勒索？没错，就是勒索。And it's in the news at the moment because? A lot of big companies have been hit with a latest piece of software. And basically they can't work unless they pay money. Yes, unless you've got a backup, of course.那它最近为什么上新闻呢？因为很多大公司都被最新的这款软件攻击了。基本上，他们付钱之前什么也做不了。是的，除非你有备份。Right, okay. How does it work, Richard? How does ransomware work? Well, to get it on your computer, you have to open often an email that has an infected Word document or PDF. And then once you've opened that document, it's on your computer, and then it can spread to other computers on your network.好，那它是怎么运作的呢，Richard？勒索软件到底如何运行？通常，你需要打开一封包含受感染 Word 文档或 PDF 的邮件。一旦你打开了那个文档，它就进入你的电脑，然后可以扩散到你网络中的其他电脑。If you're in a big company, it can go through the network very quickly. So you get it on your computer, right? Then what happens? Well, once it's on your computer, it encrypts all the files on that computer. Which means you can't access them? You can't.如果你是在一家大公司，它会非常迅速地在网络中传播。所以感染进入你的电脑后，会发生什么？它会加密你电脑上的所有文件。也就是说，你无法访问了？完全无法。And a message pops up asking for payment to decrypt your computer and instructions on how to pay. And it threatens to destroy all the data on your computer if you don't pay, often within a time limit. And so what kind of amounts are they asking for? Not huge amounts per computer.然后屏幕上会弹出一个消息，要求你付钱才能解密你的电脑，并告诉你如何付款。如果你不付钱，它会威胁要销毁你电脑中的所有数据，通常还会设定时间限制。他们一般索要多少钱？对每台电脑来说不算很高。This latest attack was $300. Right. And it's always, the problem is, of course, the payment is by Bitcoin.最近一次攻击的金额是 300 美元。对。而麻烦的是，他们总是要求用比特币支付。Oh, no. Okay, we did another podcast all about Bitcoins. So that's the cyber currency.哦，不会吧。我们之前还做过一期关于比特币的播客。那是一种网络货币。Yes. So presumably difficult to trace. Well, because I was going to ask you, Richard, who's behind it? Well, exactly.对。所以 presumably 就很难追踪。其实我正想问你，Richard，到底是谁在背后操控这些？没错，这正是问题所在。No one knows. If anyone does pay up, they are instructed to pay with Bitcoin, which is notoriously difficult to trace. However, because this latest attack was so widespread, there are a lot of people working on it to trace these guys.没人知道。如果有人付钱，他们会被要求用比特币付款，而比特币出了名地难以追踪。不过，由于最近这次攻击范围很广，已经有很多专业人员在试图追查幕后黑手。Okay. So what can people do about this? Is there some kind of defense? Very, very simple. Keep your computer up to date with the latest software.那人们能做些什么？有没有防御方法？非常简单：保持你的电脑软件是最新版本。Oh, really? Yes. Okay. So in Britain, right, the NHS, a huge institution, was affected by this ransomware.哦，真的吗？是的。好，那英国的 NHS（国家医疗体系）这么大的机构也受到了攻击？Are you telling me they just simply weren't keeping up to date with the latest software? Yes. This particular piece of malware uses a vulnerability in Windows computers, which has been known about since April. Microsoft issued a patch, but not everyone patched their software, including the NHS, Telefonica in Spain, and a number of other big companies.你是说他们只是没有更新软件？没错。这款恶意软件利用了 Windows 的一个漏洞，这个漏洞从四月起就已经被公开了。微软也发布了补丁，但不是每个人都更新了，包括 NHS、西班牙的 Telefónica，以及许多其他大公司。So basic just human error, really, people too busy or not realizing the importance? Well, some of these corporate systems are enormous, so it's very difficult to keep them all up to date.所以基本就是人为疏忽，人太忙或不了解其重要性？嗯，其中一些大型机构的系统庞大得惊人，要全部保持最新确实非常困难。Well, ransomware is the big thing in the news at the moment, Richard, but as far as business is concerned, it's not a one-off, is it? It certainly isn't. In a recent survey by a computer security firm, they found that 50% of businesses in the UK have been targeted by ransomware in the last year alone.现在勒索软件正是新闻热点，Richard，但对于企业而言，这并不是偶发事件，对吧？当然不是。某家计算机安全公司最近的调查显示，仅过去一年，英国有 50% 的企业都曾成为勒索软件攻击的目标。But are you really saying that all people need to do is to keep up to date with their software? Yes, it's as simple as that. These vulnerabilities in computer software are found all the time, and then the manufacturers release a patch, make sure you have your software completely up to date at all times, and then you'll be safe.但你真的是在说，人们所需要做的只是保持软件更新吗？是的，就这么简单。电脑软件中的漏洞一直在被发现，而厂商也会不断发布补丁。确保你的软件始终保持最新，你就能安全。

  --------  

  3:46

  --------

  3:46
• 第2861期:Pets at work

  It's becoming more and more popular to take a pet to work. We're looking at the advantages and disadvantages of pets at work. Now, you say pets, it's mainly dogs though, isn't it? Yes, yes.带宠物上班变得越来越流行。我们今天来看一下宠物在工作场所的利与弊。你说宠物，其实主要是指狗，对吧？是的，是的。Now, Nestlé's corporate headquarters in Gatwick, Richard, they've allowed dogs to come to work for a couple of years now, okay? The dogs aren't working, though. No, the dogs aren't working. And they claim three key benefits.现在，说到雀巢在盖特威克的公司总部，Richard，他们允许员工带狗上班已经有好几年了。狗当然不是来“上班”的。对，狗并不会工作。他们认为这带来了三个主要好处。Oh, right. Can you guess what those could be? Well, I think with dogs, the overall feeling in the office is maybe more relaxed, it relaxes the workforce. Yep, yep.哦，好的。你能猜到是什么吗？嗯，我觉得有狗在办公室，整体气氛会更轻松，有助于让员工放松。嗯，对。They say people are seen to be friendlier. Hmm, I can see that. Yeah, and more approachable if there's a dog present in the office.他们说，有狗在办公室时，人们看起来会更友善。嗯，我能理解。是的，而且也更容易接近。Hmm. Okay, something else? Friendlier but also maybe calms people down, they give the animals a stroke, something like that. So it lowers the heart rate.嗯。好，还有别的吗？更友好之外，可能还能让人冷静下来，比如摸摸狗之类的行为，会降低心率。Yeah, it does. Well done, Richard. They say the dogs lower stress.对，确实如此。说得好，Richard。他们说狗能减轻压力。Lower stress, exactly. That's what I was thinking. So yeah, lower heart rate and lower blood pressure.减轻压力，对，就是这个。我刚刚也在想。所以，心率更低，血压也更低。And also those who work on their own feel less lonely. Okay, yep, that's true. They say what happens is that someone will go up to someone who's got a dog ride, and they'll say, you know, can I take your dog for a walk? So they have these kind of brief positive exchanges with people they would not normally speak to.此外，那些独自工作的人会觉得没那么孤单。好的，是的，这是真的。他们说经常会有人走到养狗的同事身边，问能不能带狗出去散步？于是就会有一些简短但积极的互动，而这些人平时可能根本不会交谈。Right, yes, yes, I can see that. Now that's all well and good, Jackie, but also I can see a few negative things in the background. For a start, well, two things, the dogs not getting on with each other.好，是的，我能理解。但这些都是优点，Jackie。不过我也能想到一些潜在的缺点。首先，有两点，比如狗之间可能相处不好。Yes, okay, that's one thing that they've taken into consideration. They say that there's a three-month probationary period. Okay, so the dogs have to kind of pass the test.是的，他们确实考虑到了这一点。他们设定了三个月的试用期。也就是说狗必须通过这个“测试”。So if they don't get on with the other dogs, after a while, they're not allowed to come. And productivity. I know I've been in an office where people smoke, and people go out for a cigarette for five minutes, and they're gone for half an hour.如果一段时间后它和别的狗相处不好，那就不能再来了。还有生产力问题。我以前在某个办公室，人们说出去抽五分钟烟，结果半小时才回来。With dogs, maybe people have to take them out to do their business, and maybe they've gone for a walk for half an hour or even longer.带狗上班的话，人们可能要带它们出去“方便”，结果可能也是半小时甚至更久。Yeah, but I think they'll be at lunchtime, Richard. But also, you see, linked to that, people are doing more exercise because they're taking the dog for a walk.是的，但我想这些通常会在午餐时间进行，Richard。而且你看，从另一个角度讲，人们因为带狗散步反而运动更多了。Yes, I suppose so. And also, what about the smell or people who are allergic to dogs?嗯，我想也是。不过，那味道怎么办？还有对狗过敏的人呢？Very good point. They have considered all of these things, Richard, and there are areas where the dogs are not allowed to go.提得很好。他们也考虑到了这些问题，Richard，所以办公室里有一些区域是禁止狗进入的。There are specific no-go areas. But they're loose in other places? Yeah, loose in certain areas, yeah. But they're under control, Richard.有专门的禁入区域。那在其他地方就自由活动？是的，在一些区域可以自由活动。但仍然在控制范围内，Richard。They wouldn't be our dogs then, that's for sure. Oh, come on. You see, all she would do is sleep all day underneath the chair, which is where she is right now.那就绝对不是我们的狗了。哎呀，别这样。你知道她一整天都会在椅子底下睡觉，就像现在一样。Right, okay, I suppose so, yes. And Betty wouldn't pass, so she wouldn't be able to go.好吧，我想也是。而 Betty 肯定通不过试用期，所以她不能来。Yes, well, you've almost sold me on that, but I have to say I'm still a little bit... I'm not so sure.是的，你差不多说服我了，但我还是有点……不太肯定。I'd like to experience it first. Well, you're right, Richard. There were certainly plenty of reservations before they started to do this, right? How long have they been going now? For a couple of years now.我想先亲身体验一下。你说得没错，Richard。他们刚开始实施的时候也确实顾虑重重。那他们实行多久了？已经好几年了。But now when they ask staff how they feel about it, they are overwhelmingly positive about the experience and the staff are very happy, including people who said that they were allergic to dogs themselves.但现在，当他们询问员工的感受时，大家的反馈几乎全是正面的，员工都非常满意，包括那些自称对狗过敏的人。Well, that's fantastic. Well, we certainly allow dogs in our office and we shall continue to do that as well.太好了。那我们办公室当然也要继续允许带狗上班.

  --------  

  3:43

  --------

  3:43
• 第2861a期:The rise of machine

  We have the first of two podcasts on automation. Now automation, it's got a kind of a scary sound to it, Richard, but it's been going on for some time, hasn't it?我们今天有两期关于自动化的播客，这是第一期。自动化这个词听起来有点吓人，Richard，但它其实已经存在很久了，对吧？Yes, robots replacing humans. It really started with the first industrial revolution in the 1700s.是的，机器人取代人类。这实际上始于18世纪的第一次工业革命。OK. Which was when people started using steam to replace basically the muscles of people. OK, can you give an example? We're talking about manufacturing.没错，那时候人们开始用蒸汽动力来取代人的体力。你能举个例子吗？我们说的是制造业方面。Yes, the inventions of things called the spinning jenny and the flying shuttle. So we're talking about the cloth and the cotton mills, Richard. Exactly, yes.当然，比如“珍妮纺纱机”和“飞梭”等发明。所以我们说的是布料和棉纺工厂，Richard。没错，就是这些。And following on from that, we come to the second industrial revolution, which was all about using electrical power for mass production. And we often think of in the early 20th century, the production of the Model T Ford motorcar, for instance, the assembly line.接着就是第二次工业革命，它主要是利用电力进行大规模生产。我们常会想到20世纪初的例子，比如福特T型车的生产，也就是装配线。Now then we come to the third industrial revolution, and that's more modern using electronics and information technology to automate production.之后就是第三次工业革命，更现代一些，利用电子技术和信息技术实现生产自动化。OK, can you just give an example of that? Well, it's getting machines to do the repetitive jobs like involved in packing and again in manufacturing.你能举个例子吗？就是让机器来完成重复性工作，比如包装，或者制造业中的重复工序。OK, so again, you could take the car industry, lots of those robots with those hands coming out, putting all the...比如汽车行业，那些带着机械手臂的机器人在操作，把所有的——The rivets and screws in, yes. And painting the cars as well.铆钉和螺丝装上去，对，还有给汽车喷漆。All those things. OK, so where are we now then, Richard? Well, we're continuing with that. And actually, we talk about a lot of jobs being lost to these automated processes.所有这些工作都是机器人在做。那么现在我们处于哪个阶段呢，Richard？我们还在延续这种趋势。实际上，我们常常讨论许多工作正在被自动化流程取代。But they think in the near future and now, 90% of jobs in the garment and footwear industries in Cambodia and Vietnam are at risk of an automated assembly line, so-called so-bots.但他们认为，在不久的将来，甚至现在，柬埔寨和越南的服装和鞋类行业中有90%的工作，都可能被自动化流水线取代，也就是所谓的“缝纫机器人（sew-bots）”。OK. What on earth is a so-bot? Well, a robot that does the sewing.什么是“缝纫机器人”？就是能够进行缝纫的机器人。So they're making the shoes. Oh, the robots can make shoes? They can make shoes from start to finish now. And in fact, those jobs were outsourced to Southeast Asia.所以它们能够制作鞋子。哦，机器人能做鞋？它们现在能从头到尾做完整双鞋。而且这些工作过去是外包到东南亚的。Now they're coming back. Adidas is building a factory right now that will make shoes. And this factory, there's only going to be 160 people working in it.现在这些生产工作又回来了。阿迪达斯正在建造一座鞋类工厂，而这家工厂只需要160名工人。Wow. I suppose all of this has got a double-edged sword, Richard, because obviously a lot of goods are going to be cheaper, aren't they? But then jobs are at risk. Yes.哇。我想这些事情都是双刃剑，Richard，因为商品肯定会变得更便宜，对吧？但与此同时，工作岗位会面临风险。是的。The big advantage is automation means cheaper goods because you're not paying for people to make these things. But that means the people are out of work.最大的优势是，自动化意味着商品更便宜，因为你不需要支付人工成本。但这也意味着工人失业。And you can see that, can't you, already in places like the US? Yes.你已经能在一些地方看到这种情况了，比如美国，对吗？没错。A good example is what they call the Rust Belt in the Midwest of America. They used to make lots of things in their factories, but now machines are doing it or these jobs are being outsourced to other countries.一个典型例子就是美国中西部的“铁锈地带（Rust Belt）”。那里过去有大量工厂生产各种东西，但现在要么由机器完成，要么这些工作被外包到其他国家。So it's not from lack of funds that these factories are just laying there and rusting, literally. It's because machines are doing the work. Better and cheaper.所以这些工厂并不是因为缺钱而闲置、生锈。真正原因是机器能把工作做得更好更便宜。Hmm. So that sounds like worrying times then. It is worrying times. But in the future, it's not just going to be manufacturing jobs that are going to be lost.嗯，所以听起来是令人担忧的时代。确实很令人担忧。但未来不仅仅是制造业的工作会消失。The service industry is next. OK. So for the next podcast, we'll be looking at the future.接下来受影响的是服务业。好的，我们将在下一期播客中讨论未来的发展。

  --------  

  3:47

  --------

  3:47
• 第2860期:'Lost' spider found after 40 years

  The two tiny arachnids, measuring just three millimetres long, were found by scientists surveying the Newtown National Nature Reserve using a type of handheld vacuum device. It sucks up material on the ground and safely deposits it inside a container.这两只小蜘蛛只有三毫米长，科学家在使用手持真空吸入设备调查纽敦国家自然保护区时发现了它们。这种设备能够吸起地面上的物体，然后将其安全地存放在一个容器中。The scientists searching the remote part of the Isle of Wight had almost given up hope of finding the animal, also called the white-knuckled wolf spider. But minutes before they had to board a boat to leave, they found one tiny creature followed by a second. The species had last been seen in Britain in 1985. The British Arachnological Society has welcomed the rediscovery of what it called one of the country's epic lost species.在怀特岛上这个偏远地区进行搜寻的科学家曾一度放弃了找到这种动物的希望，这种动物也被称为 “白关节狼蛛”。但就在他们需要登船离开的几分钟前，他们接连找到了两只小蜘蛛。该物种最后一次在英国被看到是 1985 年。英国蜘蛛学学会对重新发现该物种表示庆祝，并称其为英国最赫赫有名的失踪物种之一。

  --------  

  0:42

  --------

  0:42

More Education podcasts

Trending Education podcasts

About 英语每日一听 | 每天少于5分钟