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人工智能拉开科技竞赛序幕(上)
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微软将人工智能加入搜索引擎，拉开科技竞赛序幕。最近几个月科技行业过得很艰难。
双语精读
A Tech Race Begins as Microsoft Adds A.I. to Its Search Engine
微软将人工智能加入搜索引擎，拉开科技竞赛序幕
It's been a rough few months for the tech industry.
最近几个月科技行业过得很艰难。
There have been tens of thousands of layoffs, hundreds of billions in value lost on Wall Street and a high-profile scandal at a crypto company that has shaken faith in that young market.
数万人被裁员，华尔街股市损失了数千亿美元的市值，加密货币公司发生了引人注目的丑闻，动摇了人们对这个新兴市场的信心。
But in a conference center on Microsoft's sprawling campus, Tuesday was a moment for swagger.
但在庞大的微软园区的会议中心，周二是一个洋洋得意的时刻。
Executives and engineers from Microsoft and a small research lab partner called OpenAI unveiled a new internet search engine and web browser that use the next iteration of artificial intelligence technology that many in the industry believe could be a key to its future.
来自微软和一家名为OpenAI的小型研究实验室合作伙伴的高管和工程师，发布了新型互联网搜索引擎和网络浏览器，该引擎使用了新一代人工智能技术，许多业内人士认为，这种人工智能可能是科技行业未来发展的关键。
This new artificial intelligence became a fascination for millions of people two months ago when OpenAI released a chatbot called ChatGPT.
两个月前，OpenAI发布了一款名为ChatGPT的聊天机器人，这种新型人工智能立即让数百万人为之着迷。
Capable of answering questions, writing poetry and riffing on almost any topic tossed its way, ChatGPT provided the tech industry with a jolt of excitement in the middle of its biggest job contraction in at least 15 years.
ChatGPT能回答问题、写诗，还能对抛给它的几乎任何话题进行即兴发挥。在科技行业面临至少15年来最大规模的就业收缩之际，ChatGPT让科技行业的精神为之一振。
The enthusiasm around OpenAI's technology--as well as the work of several competitors expected to hit the market soon--reminds tech veterans of other moments that have turned Silicon Valley on its head, from the arrival of the first iPhone and the Google search engine to the introduction of the Netscape web browser that set the stage for the commercialization of the internet.
人们对OpenAI技术----以及其他几家竞争对手预计将很快投放市场的成果----的热情，让科技行业老手们想起了曾经让硅谷翻天覆地的其他时刻，从第一代iPhone手机和谷歌搜索引擎，到为互联网商业化奠定基础的网景浏览器。
Microsoft played catch-up on browsers and badly missed the shift to mobile computing that came with the iPhone; its Bing search engine is a distant second in popularity to Google.
微软在浏览器领域迎头赶上，却错过了iPhone带来的向移动互联网的转变，其必应搜索引擎的受欢迎程度也远远落后于谷歌。
But it could be the first big company to tech's next big thing if the chatbots and the technology behind them, called generative A.I., live up to their billing.
如果这个聊天机器人和它背后的生成式AI技术能不负众望，那么微软可能会成为投身于科技行业下一个大事件的第一家大公司。
"This technology will reshape pretty much every software category that we know," said Satya Nadella, Microsoft's chief executive. He added that "a race starts today in terms of what you can expect."
微软首席执行官萨蒂亚·纳德拉表示："这项技术将重塑我们所知的几乎所有软件类别。"他补充说："目前可以说的是，比赛从今天起就开始了。"
词汇预习
executive [高考]
美[ɪɡˈzekjətɪv] | 英[ɪɡˈzekjətɪv]
adj. 行政的；决策的；经营的；[计算机]执行指令 n. 行政主管；行政部门；决策者
enthusiasm [高考]
美[ɪnˈθuːziæzəm] | 英[ɪnˈθjuːziæzəm]
n. 热情；热心；热衷的事物
shift [高考]
美[ʃɪft] | 英[ʃɪft]
v. 移动；改变；换挡；字型转换 n. 轮班；变化；移动；计谋；轮班职工
poetry [高考]
美[ˈpoʊətri] | 英[ˈpəʊətri]
n. 诗歌；诗意；诗集
fascination [高考]
美[ˌfæsɪˈneɪʃn] | 英[ˌfæsɪˈneɪʃn]
n. 魅力；迷惑力；入迷
contraction [高考]
美[kənˈtrækʃən] | 英[kənˈtrækʃn]
n. 收缩；痉挛；缩写式
reshape [高考]
美[riˈʃep] | 英[ˌri:ˈʃeɪp]
v. 重新塑造；使成新的形状；改造；打开新局面
arrival [高考]
美[əˈraɪvl] | 英[əˈraɪvl]
n. 到达；达到；到达者；新生儿
intelligence [高考]
美[ɪnˈtelɪdʒəns] | 英[ɪnˈtelɪdʒəns]
n. 智力；智慧；才智；（尤指关于敌国的）情报
artificial [高考]
美[ˌɑːrtɪˈfɪʃl] | 英[ˌɑːtɪˈfɪʃl]
adj. 人造的；虚伪的；武断的
faith [高考]
美[feɪθ] | 英[feɪθ]
n. 信仰；信念；信任
chief [高考]
美[tʃiːf] | 英[tʃiːf]
adj. 主要的；首要的 n. 首领
software [高考]
美[ˈsɔːftwer] | 英[ˈsɒftweə(r)]
n. 软件
distant [高考]
美[ˈdɪstənt] | 英[ˈdɪstənt]
adj. 疏远的；遥远的；远房的；陌生的；远行的
in terms of [高考]
美[ɪn tɜːrmz əv] | 英[ɪn tɜːmz əv]
就 ... 而言；在 ... 方面
live up to [高考]
美[lɪv ʌp tu] | 英[lɪv ʌp tu]
不辜负，做到，实践
profile [高考]
美[ˈproʊfaɪl] | 英[ˈprəʊfaɪl]
n. 侧面；轮廓；形象；简介 v. 描绘 ... 轮廓；评论人物
mobile [高考]
美[ˈmoʊbl] | 英[ˈməʊbaɪl]
adj. 移动的；易变的；活动的 n. [美]汽车；可动雕塑；悬挂饰物；活动物体
scandal [四级]
美[ˈskændl] | 英[ˈskændl]
n. 丑闻；反感；耻辱；中伤
tech [四级]
美[tek] | 英[tek]
n. 技术学校；技术；技术人员
up to [四级]
美[ʌp tu] | 英[ʌp tu]
胜任；直到；多达；该由 ... 决定
in that [四级]
美[ɪn ðæt] | 英[in ðæt]
因为，由于，既然
center on [四级]
美[ˈsɛntɚ ɑn] | 英[ˈsentə ɔn]
集中在； 着重在
browser [四级]
美[ˈbraʊzɚ] | 英[ˈbraʊzə(r)]
n. [计算机]浏览器；浏览(书本等)的人；食草动物
faith in [六级]
美[feθ ɪn] | 英[feiθ in]
对 ... 的信心
provided [专四]
美[prəˈvaɪdɪd] | 英[prəˈvaɪdɪd]
conj. 假如；若是 adj. 预备好的；提供的
swagger [专八]
美[ˈswæɡɚ] | 英[ˈswægə(r)]
v. 大摇大摆地走；吹嘘 n. 大摇大摆；吹牛
jolt [专八]
美[dʒoʊlt] | 英[dʒəʊlt]
n. 震摇；摇动；震惊；少量 vt. 颠簸；敲击；动摇；震动 vi. 颠簸而行
generative [雅思]
美[ˈdʒenərətɪv] | 英[ˈdʒenərətɪv]
adj. 生殖的；生产的；有生殖力的
terms [雅思]
美[tɜːrmz] | 英[tɜːmz]
n. 条件；条款；关系；措辞
重点讲解
A Tech**** Race**** Begins**** as**** Microsoft Adds**** A.I.**** to**** Its Search**** Engine****
微软将人工智能加入搜索引擎，拉开科技竞赛序幕
It****'s been**** a rough few months**** for the tech**** industry****.****
最近几个月科技行业过得很艰难。
There have been tens of thousands of layoffs, hundreds of billions in value lost on Wall Street and a high-profile scandal at a crypto company that has shaken faith in that young market.
数万人被裁员，华尔街股市损失了数千亿美元的市值，加密货币公司发生了引人注目的丑闻，动摇了人们对这个新兴市场的信心。
shake faith/confidence in sth 动摇对某事的信心
（英文释义：to make a belief or an idea less certain）
【例】The incident had shaken her faith in him.
这件事动摇了她对他的信心。
But in a conference center on Microsoft's sprawling campus, Tuesday was a moment for swagger.
但在庞大的微软园区的会议中心，周二是一个洋洋得意的时刻。
swagger v. & n.
1. 作动词：神气十足地走；大摇大摆地走
【例】He swaggered down the street after winning the fight.
打架打赢之后他沿街趾高气扬地走去。
2. 作名词：神气十足；大摇大摆
【例】walk with swagger 大摇大摆地走
Executives and engineers from Microsoft and a small research lab partner called OpenAI unveiled a new internet search engine and web browser that use the next iteration of artificial intelligence technology that many in the industry believe could be a key to its future.
来自微软和一家名为OpenAI的小型研究实验室合作伙伴的高管和工程师，发布了新型互联网搜索引擎和网络浏览器，该引擎使用了新一代人工智能技术，许多业内人士认为，这种人工智能可能是科技行业未来发展的关键。
unveil v. 揭开面纱；介绍；推出；展示
【例】They will be unveiling their new models at the Motor Show.
他们将在汽车大展上首次推出自己的新型汽车。
【拓展】unfold 展开；展现 uncover 发现；揭露 unlock 解锁 undo 消除；取消
iteration n. 迭代算法；计算机软件新版本
【例】the latest iteration of the operating system 最新一代的操作系统
This new artificial intelligence became a fascination for millions of people two months ago when OpenAI released a chatbot called ChatGPT.
两个月前，OpenAI发布了一款名为ChatGPT的聊天机器人，这种新型人工智能立即让数百万人为之着迷。
riff on sth 即兴演讲
（英文释义：to speak for a long time on a particular subject, especially in a humorous way）
【例】He strutted and riffed on topics from global warming to parenthood.
他昂首走上台，从全球变暖一直滔滔不绝地讲到为人父母的问题。
contraction n. 收缩；缩小
【例】The sudden contraction of the markets left them with a lot of unwanted stock.
股票市场骤然收缩，让他们剩下了许多无人要的股票。
【反义词】expansion n. 扩张；膨胀
【拓展】contract v. 收缩；缩小；签订合同
Capable of answering questions, writing poetry and riffing on almost any topic tossed its way, ChatGPT provided the tech industry with a jolt of excitement in the middle of its biggest job contraction in at least 15 years.
ChatGPT能回答问题、写诗，还能对抛给它的几乎任何话题进行即兴发挥。在科技行业面临至少15年来最大规模的就业收缩之际，ChatGPT让科技行业的精神为之一振。
riff on sth 即兴演讲
（英文释义：to speak for a long time on a particular subject, especially in a humorous way）
【例】He strutted and riffed on topics from global warming to parenthood.
他昂首走上台，从全球变暖一直滔滔不绝地讲到为人父母的问题。
contraction n. 收缩；缩小
【例】The sudden contraction of the markets left them with a lot of unwanted stock.
股票市场骤然收缩，让他们剩下了许多无人要的股票。
【反义词】expansion n. 扩张；膨胀
【拓展】contract v. 收缩；缩小；签订合同
The enthusiasm around OpenAI's technology--as well as the work of several competitors expected to hit the market soon--reminds tech veterans of other moments that have turned Silicon Valley on its head, from the arrival of the first iPhone and the Google search engine to the introduction of the Netscape web browser that set the stage for the commercialization of the internet.
人们对OpenAI技术----以及其他几家竞争对手预计将很快投放市场的成果----的热情，让科技行业老手们想起了曾经让硅谷翻天覆地的其他时刻，从第一代iPhone手机和谷歌搜索引擎，到为互联网商业化奠定基础的网景浏览器。
hit the market 投放市场；上市
【例】Although the toys are only just now hitting the market, a huge advertising campaign has been in place for several months.
虽然玩具才刚刚上市，但已经大肆宣传了好几个月了。
【拓展】与hit相关的一些短语：
hit the streets 大量上市
【例】The new magazine hits the streets tomorrow.
新的杂志明天发行。
hit the road 出发；上路
【例】I'd love to stay longer but I must be hitting the road.
我很想再待一段时间，但我必须得上路了。
turn sth on its head 使人完全改变思路
（英文释义：to make people think about sth in a completely different way）
【例】These new findings turn the accepted theories on their head.
这些新发现颠覆了之前为人所接受的理论。
set the stage for 使某事成为可能；为某事铺平道路
【例】The new evidence sets the stage for a long and interesting trial.
新证据为进行一次长时间、颇有意思的审判提供了基础。
Microsoft played catch-up on browsers and badly missed the shift to mobile computing that came with the iPhone; its Bing search engine is a distant second in popularity to Google.
微软在浏览器领域迎头赶上，却错过了iPhone带来的向移动互联网的转变，其必应搜索引擎的受欢迎程度也远远落后于谷歌。
catch-up n.
1. （向别人水平的）追赶
【例】I'm playing catch-up because of the weeks of training I have missed.
我在努力追上别人，因为我错过了好几周的训练。
2. 叙旧
【例】We must get together for a catch-up.
我们得聚在一起叙叙旧。
But it could be the first big company to tech's next big thing if the chatbots and the technology behind them, called generative A.I., live up to their billing.
如果这个聊天机器人和它背后的生成式AI技术能不负众望，那么微软可能会成为投身于科技行业下一个大事件的第一家大公司。
live up to the billing 不负期望；符合预期
【例】The concert was brilliant—it lived up to the billing.
演唱会很精彩——确实达到了预期。
【同义词】live up to the expectation 符合预期
"This technology will reshape pretty much every software category that we know," said Satya Nadella, Microsoft's chief executive. He added that "a race starts today in terms of what you can expect."
微软首席执行官萨蒂亚·纳德拉表示："这项技术将重塑我们所知的几乎所有软件类别。"他补充说："目前可以说的是，比赛从今天起就开始了。"
live up to the billing 不负期望；符合预期
【例】The concert was brilliant—it lived up to the billing.
演唱会很精彩——确实达到了预期。
【同义词】live up to the expectation 符合预期
课后练习
What can be learned about Microsoft?
A. It has announced large-scale layoffs to cut costs.
B. Its market value has decreased due to a scandal.
C. It has established a research lab called OpenAI.
D. It has integrated new technology into its products.
Which of the following is true about ChatGPT?
A. It can create a wide range of visual contents.
B. It stores a huge amount of information.
C. It has caused a large number of job losses.
D. It has amazed people by its powerful functions.
The enthusiasm around ChatGPT shows that ____.
A. the competition in the tech industry is fierce
B. the new A.I. technology may transform the industry
C. Google search engine could be defeated by Microsoft
D. Silicon Valley is the center of technological innovation
The remarks of Satya Nadella imply that ____.
A. Microsoft will take the lead in mobile computing
B. ambition is key to success in the tech industry
C. generative A.I. is a game changer for the tech industry
D. collaboration is needed to fully exploit ChatGPT