英语听力精选进阶版 7113

Background: 在非洲东部和南部的互联网连接即将会得到明显的改善。新投资建设的海底光缆将把宽带服务带入非洲东南部地区，同时也将促进该地区的工业和经济发展。

It has been an ambitious project. Laying a 17,000 kilometre fibre optic cable under the sea linking Europe and Asia with East and Southern Africa. Seacom, a Mauritius-based company, is today officially launching the arrival of a fast broadband internet service in Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and South Africa. It should be commercially available in a few weeks’ time.

Three other fibre optic cables are due to become operational soon including one which is backed by the Kenyan government. In theory the region could be on the brink¹ of an internet revolution. But it all depends how well the service is rolled out across the region.

To the disappointment of many consumers, some internet providers are not planning to lower the cost of the internet but they will offer increased bandwidth.

Corporate² businesses will benefit - they have been paying around three thousand dollars per month for a megabyte via a satellite link but will now pay about six hundred dollars thanks to the fibre optic cables.

Faster internet when it comes should improve business efficiency and countries like Kenya or Uganda could become popular places for telephone call centres.

What is not clear is whether this internet revolution will reach the villages many of which are struggling to access a reliable electricity supply.

GLOSSARY³ 词汇表

fibre optic cable 光缆

launching 推出（新产品）

commercially available 市场上能买到的

operational 能进入操作阶段

backed 支持

on the brink 即将

rolled out 推出

internet providers 互联网服务公司

bandwidth 带宽

megabyte 百万字节

satellite link 卫星联接

telephone call centres 电话服务中心

reliable 稳定的

electricity supply 供电，电源

Questions and Answers

1. Were the cables laid above ground?

No, they were laid under the sea.

2. How many new cables are going to become operational soon?

Four, including the Seacom cable.

3. Will the cable mean cheaper internet access for everyone?

No, some internet providers will not be lowering their prices.

4. Why is it feared the new cable will not benefit everyone living in villages?

Because they do not all have a reliable electricity supply.

1 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

2 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

3 glossary   

n.注释词表；术语汇编

参考例句：

• The text is supplemented by an adequate glossary.正文附有一个详细的词汇表。
• For convenience,we have also provided a glossary in an appendix.为了方便，我们在附录中也提供了术语表。