乔布斯传 第248期:NeXT发布会(2)

 　　The unveiling of the black perfect cube would occur on a starkly¹ minimalist stage setting with a black background,

　　一个极简主义的舞台，背景是黑色的，完美的黑色立方体将在这种布置中掲晓

　　a table covered by a black cloth, a black veil draped over the computer, and a simple vase of flowers.

　　桌子上罩着一块黑布，黑色遮布披在电脑上，旁边摆着一瓶简单的花。

　　Because neither the hardware nor the operating system was actually ready, Jobs was urged to do a simulation.

　　由于硬件和操作系统都没有真正完成，有人提议用模拟展示。

　　But he refused. Knowing it would be like walking a tightrope² without a net, he decided³ to do the demonstration⁴ live.

　　但乔布斯拒绝了。他决定现场示范，尽管他知道，这会像走钢丝而没有安全网一样。

　　More than three thousand people showed up at the event, lining⁵ up two hours before curtain time.

　　3000多人来到了现场，他们在发布会开始前两小时排队进入交响乐堂。

　　They were not disappointed, at least by the show.

　　他们没有失望，至少这次展示表演没有令他们失望。

　　双语有声读物 乔布斯传

　　Jobs was onstage for three hours, and he again proved to be, in the words of Andrew Pollack of the New York Times,

　　乔布斯在台上待了3个小时，他再一次成为《纽约时报》记者安德鲁·波拉克口中的

　　"the Andrew Lloyd Webber of product introductions, a master of stage flair⁶ and special effects."

　　“产品发布界的安德鲁·劳埃德·韦伯舞台凤格和特效大师”。

　　Wes Smith of the Chicago Tribune said the launch was "to product demonstrations⁷ what Vatican II was to church meetings."

　　《芝加哥论坛报》的韦斯·史密斯称，NeXT的发布会“之于产品演示，就像梵蒂第二届大公会之于教会聚会一样。”

　　Jobs had the audience cheering from his opening line: "It's great to be back."

　　“很髙兴能回来。”乔布斯以他一贯的开场白引发了观众的欢呼。

　　He began by recounting the history of personal computer architecture,

　　他开始述说个人电脑架构的历史，

　　and he promised that they would now witness an event "that occurs only once or twice in a decade

　　并向现场观众承诺，他们即将见证一个“10年中才会发生一次或两次的历史性事件

　　a time when a new architecture is rolled out that is going to change the face of computing⁸."

　　一个新的架构即将推出，并将改变计算机的面貌”。

1 starkly   

adj. 变硬了的,完全的 adv. 完全,实在,简直

参考例句：

• The city of Befast remains starkly divided between Catholics and Protestants. 贝尔法斯特市完全被处在天主教徒和新教徒的纷争之中。
• The black rocks stood out starkly against the sky. 那些黑色的岩石在天空衬托下十分显眼。

2 tightrope   

n.绷紧的绳索或钢丝

参考例句：

• The audience held their breath as the acrobat walked along the tightrope.杂技演员走钢丝时，观众都屏住了呼吸。
• The tightrope walker kept her balance by holding up an umbrella.走钢丝的演员举着一把伞，保持身体的均衡。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

5 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

6 flair   

n.天赋，本领，才华；洞察力

参考例句：

• His business skill complements her flair for design.他的经营技巧和她的设计才能相辅相成。
• He had a natural flair for business.他有做生意的天分。

7 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

8 computing   

n.计算

参考例句：

• to work in computing 从事信息处理
• Back in the dark ages of computing, in about 1980, they started a software company. 早在计算机尚未普及的时代（约1980年），他们就创办了软件公司。