The script of this programme 本節(jié)目臺詞
How long would it take to deliver a letter?
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Rob: Hello, Li.
Li: Hello, Rob.
Rob: On the internet again?
Li: Yes. It seems we can't survive without spending hours on the computer every day.
Rob: Hey, have you noticed how many new words and phrases have been created or have changed their meaning thanks to the development of the internet?
Li: One thing I'm sure about is that if someone tells you they're sending you something via 'snail mail', don't expect to open an envelope and find lots of snails coming out of it. 互聯(lián)網時代什么都快，通過郵局遞送的信件包裹竟被稱為“蝸牛郵件”，意思就是太慢了?？吹竭@個詞兒你可別以為郵件里面會爬出蝸牛來！
Rob: 'Snail mail' is the traditional letter delivering service in which you have a postman and a post box. It's different from email - or electronic mail - when the message sent on the computer travels quickly to its destination.
Li: Snail mail 是本期《地道英語》里我們要學習的短語之一。
- I'm sending my auntie Marge this lovely birthday card via snail mail. She lives in Japan.
- I much prefer using email these days. All I get by snail mail are these marketing leaflets!
Rob: Well, the verb 'to post' and the noun 'post' have also gained new meanings in the internet age.
Li: I know this one. 這個我知道。人們在社交媒體上發(fā)表意見或評論時，就叫發(fā)個“帖子 a post”。
Rob: Before, you had to go to the post office to... post your letters. Here are some more examples of this new meaning of 'post'.
- This website's all about how trendy it is to wear fur. I don't like it at all. I think I'll post a comment!
- Mary has a blog about food and she publishes new posts every day.
Rob: So, there are no snails in your snail mail and... your 'hard copy' is... guess what?
Li: Not hard at all!
Rob: 'Hard copy' is what we call the paper version of a document you write on your computer or of a digital picture you take.
Li: 是啊，紙張明明是軟性可以折疊的，可是卻被現(xiàn)代人稱為“硬拷貝”。Paper is flexible, but the paper document is called 'hard copy'. Let's hear some examples here in Authentic Real English.
- I'll give you a hard copy of my report, Mary. You can read it on the bus, on your way home.
- I have a digital copy of my wedding picture as a screensaver at work but I much prefer my hard copy in a frame. It's much nicer.
Rob: There you go. 'Hard copy', 'to post' or 'a post', and 'snail mail', all came about because of computers and the internet! New words and phrases are appearing every day and we have to keep up.
Li: Yes we must. That's it from us for today. Bye.
Rob: Bye.
