MP3 vs. MP4　MP3 對決 MP4
Taking a look at what you're listening to　
看看你聽的是什麼
1) vs. (prep.) 對比，對上，是 versus 的縮寫

1.This is for the 2)audio geeks out there. When you 3)download music or streaming video on the Internet, what are you doing? Well, simply put, you're 4)accessing MP3 5)files.
各位音響迷注意了。你從網路下載音樂或串流影像時是在做什麼？簡單講，你是在接收MP3檔案。

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2) audio (n.) 音響
There's a problem with the audio in this movie.
3) download (v.) 下載
Some people download movies to watch at home.
4) access (v.) 接收，開電腦檔案
You can access your email from this computer.
5) file (n.) 檔案
I saved the file on this disk.

2.MP3 is short for MPEG-1 Audio Layer III, which was developed by the Moving Picture Experts?Group (MPEG). It is a system 6)whereby music and video files are made smaller so that they are easier to listen to and watch 7)online.
MP3是MPEG-1 Audio Layer III的縮寫，由影像標準制訂協會（MPEG）研發出來。這套系統可以壓縮影音檔，比較容易在網路上收聽收看。

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6) whereby (conj.) 憑這個，以此
Research and experimentation were the means whereby we achieved our goal.
7) online (adv.) 在線上，在網路上
This is a game that you can play online.

3.The bad thing about the system is that, in order to 8)compress the 9)original file, something has to go. In the case of MP3, some sound 10)frequencies that the normal human ear doesn't hear very well are removed. The idea is that, even without these sounds, you can still get near CD quality sound. However, not everyone has been 11)impressed with the results.
這個系統的缺點：為了壓縮原來的檔案，有些東西必須捨棄。以MP3來說，有些音頻是常人耳朵聽不太到的，就會去除。道理在於，即使沒有這些聲音，你還是可以獲得接近CD的音質。然而，不是每個人都對這個結果感到滿意。
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8) compress (v.) 壓縮
After you read this book, you should compress the important facts into a summary（摘要）.
9) original (a.) 原來的
We lost the original book, but we still have this copy.
10) frequency (n.) 頻率
Dogs’ears can hear very high-frequency sounds.
11) impress (v.) 令人印象深刻
This story will impress you.

4.In recent years, new and improved versions of MP3 have been created. One is MPEG-4 AAC (Advanced Audio Coding), also known as MP4, which can give the same quality of sound or better in a file half the size of an MP3. The way sound is removed in MP4 is different and some say less 12)noticeable. The files can be used with surround sound, and the list of 13)improvements goes on.
近年來，新的改良版MP3已經出現。有一種叫作MPEG-4 AAC（進階音訊編碼），又稱MP4，只要MP3檔案的一半大小就可以提供同樣甚至更好的音質。MP4去除聲音的方式不同，有人說比較聽不出來。這種檔案可以用在環繞音效，另外還有許許多多的改良。
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12) noticeable (a.) 注意得到
There are no noticeable differences between the two twins（雙胞胎）.
13) improvement (n.) 改良
We'll make some improvements to our new car design.

5.So keep your ears out as more and more of your Internet 14)entertainment 15)catches on to this sound of the future.
所以請豎起耳朵，越來越多的線上娛樂將搭上這班未來之聲的列車。
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14) entertainment (n.) 娛樂
What is your favorite kind of entertainment?
15) catch on to (v.) 跟上流行
Many kids are quickly catching on to this new trend.


- posted by star blog @ Tuesday, November 16, 2004