*閱讀全文請點擊此連結
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-17658264
*新聞標題
Facebook buys Instagram photo sharing network for $1bn
*標題解說
簡化來看:X buys Y for Z dollar 以多少錢買什麽?
臉書這家公司以十億($1 bn)美元買Instagram 照片分享網路公司(photo sharing network)
‧ Instagram 新造字:Instant + program = instagram
‧ gram:在字尾,有寫出來或畫出來的東西
*內文解析
■ Instagram在2010年10月才被推出 -最初只是iPhone的應用程式直到上週才有Android 系統的版本。
Instagram was only launched in October 2010 - initially just for the iPhone before being offered as an Android app last week.
‧ X was offered as an Android app last week.
‧ X was launched initially just for the iPhone.
‧ 看到 before 的用法:先有 iPhone 版,才有 Android 版
Before 之後講的反而是後來發生的,before 之前的事才是先發生的
‧ launch:開張(動詞)
‧ initially:最初地(副詞)
‧ app:application 的簡稱 (一般舊字典可能查不到這個意思)
http://google.about.com/od/a/g/apps_def.htm
在網路,電腦或手機或其他電子裝置的應有軟體
Definition: Apps is an abbreviation for application. An app is a piece of software. It can run on the Internet, on your computer, or on your phone or other electronic device.
■ BBC 商務編輯Business editor, Tim Weber 對臉書此擧收購的分析是:
照片是 Facebook 成功的核心;能輕鬆分享圖片讓它能在對抗早期的競爭對手時脫穎而出。
Pictures were at the heart of Facebook's success; the easy sharing of pictures made it stand out against early rivals.
‧ 兩句用分號(;)連接不需要用連接詞,如 and. 表示兩句表達的關係密切
X is at the heart of Y: X 是Y最重要的部分 (片語)
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/heart
[singular] heart (of something)
the most important part of something
the heart of the matter/problem
‧ stand out:脫穎而出(動詞片語)
stand out against early rivals 對抗早期的競爭對手能脫穎而出
‧ rival:競爭對手(名詞)
■ Facebook的執行長Mark Zuckerberg已承諾繼續開發Instagram 作為一個獨立的品牌,允許它張貼到競爭對手的社群網站。
Facebook's chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has pledged to continue to develop Instagram as a separate brand, allowing it to post to rival networks.
簡化來看:X has pledged to do something, allowing this to happen.
allowing(分詞構句)後面說明允許Instagram 張貼到競爭對手的社群網站
‧ pledge to do something:給予承諾要做某事(X)(動詞)
‧ post:張貼(動詞)post to X 張貼到某處(X)
‧ rival networks:競爭對手的社群網站(複數)
■ 這應用程式是免費的,可以讓用戶把17樣濾鏡特效應用於他們的照片上 - 改變色彩平衡以給予影像不同的感覺 – 然後才把照片上傳。
The app is free and allows users to apply 17 filters to the pictures they take - changing the colour balance to give the images a different feel - before they are uploaded.
簡化來看:The app is free and allows the users to do this before the photos are uploaded.
‧ apply:不是申請,在此是應用(動詞)
apply 17 filters to the photo: 把17樣濾鏡特效應用於照片上
‧ filter: 濾鏡(名詞)
‧ feel:在此不是動詞, 感覺,氣氛(名詞)
‧ give the images a different feel:給予影像不同的感覺
‧ they are uploaded:指 the photos are uploaded 照片上載
■ 結果發現這個軟體大受歡迎。該公司說,它擁有超過三千萬用戶,每天新上傳的圖片超過5百萬。
It has proven hugely popular. The firm says that it has more than 30 million users uploading more than 5 million new pictures every day.
‧ prove 除了證明之外,有第二個解釋:結果發現變成(動詞)
http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/prove
2 LINKING VERB
if something proves dangerous, expensive, etc. or if it proves to be dangerous, etc, you discover that it is dangerous, etc. over a period of time
turn out+ adjective The opposition proved too strong for him.
‧ Instagram has proven hugely popular.
結果發現Instagram這個軟體是大受歡迎
‧ hugely popular: 大受歡迎
BBC 另一篇報導說:
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-12733191
Instagram 瞄準要為手機攝影帶來樂趣
Instagram aims to bring fun to phone photography
這篇中文報導說明了:Instagram為何大受歡迎?用濾鏡看世界
http://wired.tw/2012/01/18/instagram/index.html
*字彙整理
收購Instagram, 讓我們學到談論手機照片特效軟體大行其道,手機隨手拍的用語:
應用軟體:app(名詞)
濾鏡:filter(名詞)
把17樣濾鏡特效應用於照片上:apply 17 filters to the photo
脫穎而出:stand out(動詞片語)
大受歡迎:hugely popular(常見用法)
感覺:feel(名詞)
給予影像不同的感覺:give the images a different feel
上載:upload(動詞)
競爭對手:rival(名詞)
競爭對手的社群網站:rival networks(複數)