VOA标准英语2008年-$100 Laptop Comes to More Countries

By Bill Rodgers
Washington
22 May 2008
 

More of the so-called "$100 laptops" are being distributed to the world's poorest children. While the computer still costs more than originally advertised when the initiative was unveiled three years ago, some 300,000 children in developing countries are now using the distinctive¹ tiny green laptop. And the non-profit organization "One Laptop Per Child" hopes to double that number soon. VOA's Bill Rodgers has more in this Searching for Solutions report.

At the Apostol Santiago school in the highlands of Peru, children are enthralled² with the laptop. Yesenia Borquez, 8, says she is thrilled with her computer.  "I'm very happy because I learn everything on my computer," she says. 

Children at some 6,000 Peruvian schools will be getting the computers from One Laptop Per Child, a non-profit organization.

Founder³ Nicholas Negroponte unveiled the $100 laptop three years ago with great fanfare⁴. The aim: to make a computer that would cost as little as $100 and distribute millions of them to the world's poorest children.

Negroponte tells VOA the laptop is transforming education. "Teachers will tell you they've never had so much fun teaching. It's completely transformed teaching. The second thing you'll hear is about discipline problems, the love of learning, the engagement -- you walk into a classroom and the energy level is something you've never seen before. It's just unbelievable," he said.

The laptop runs on a conventional power source, but also can be charged with a hand crank or a solar panel, which makes it functional⁵ in even the most remote areas of the developing world.

However, the true cost of the laptop is higher than expected, about $187. Negroponte remains⁶ optimistic the $100 per laptop goal will eventually be met, as prices for components⁷ go down.

He also rejects criticism that money would be better spent on building schools and buying books, instead of on laptops.  "Training teachers, building schools, that's all very important. And not for a moment are we saying: 'Don't do that.' I am saying don't ship books, but I'm not saying don't do the other. But by doing something like this, in parallel or instead of, is leveraging⁸ the kids themselves," Negroponte said.

At the Apostol Santiago school in Peru, the 60 laptops are seen as toys by many of the children. They are much more than that, says school principal Guillermo Lazo. "They have a powerful tool in their hands, even though, incredibly, the children think they are toys. But they are really a powerful information tool," he says.

And educators say they hope these laptops will help children overcome the poverty and isolation⁹ that is so endemic in the developing world.

1 distinctive   

adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的

参考例句：

• She has a very distinctive way of walking.她走路的样子与别人很不相同。
• This bird has several distinctive features.这个鸟具有几种突出的特征。

2 enthralled   

迷住，吸引住( enthrall的过去式和过去分词 )； 使感到非常愉快

参考例句：

• The child watched, enthralled by the bright moving images. 这孩子看着那明亮的移动的影像，被迷住了。
• The children listened enthralled as the storyteller unfolded her tale. 讲故事的人一步步展开故事情节，孩子们都听得入迷了。

3 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

4 fanfare   

n.喇叭；号角之声；v.热闹地宣布

参考例句：

• The product was launched amid much fanfare worldwide.这个产品在世界各地隆重推出。
• A fanfare of trumpets heralded the arrival of the King.嘹亮的小号声宣告了国王驾到。

5 functional   

adj.为实用而设计的，具备功能的，起作用的

参考例句：

• The telephone was out of order,but is functional now.电话刚才坏了，但现在可以用了。
• The furniture is not fancy,just functional.这些家具不是摆着好看的，只是为了实用。

6 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

7 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

8 leveraging   

促使…改变( leverage的现在分词 )； [美国英语]杠杆式投机，（使）举债经营，（使）利用贷款进行投机

参考例句：

• De-leveraging is a painful process: it has barely begun. 去杠杆化是个痛苦的过程：它才刚刚开始。
• Archimedes said, saying: Give me a fulcrum, I can leveraging the Earth. 阿基米德说过一句话：给我一个支点，我可以撬动地球。

9 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。