I. Key sentences to understand. （录屏讲解）

II. Detailed understanding of the passage.

Para. 1     1) A transformation is occurring that should greatly boost living standards in the developing world. 2) Places that until recently were deaf and dumb are rapidly acquiring up-to-date telecommunications that will let them promote both internal and foreign investment. It may take a decade for many countries in Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe to improve transportation, power supplies, and other utilities. 3) But a single optical fiber with a diameter of less than half a millimeter can carry more information than a large cable made of copper wires. By installing optical fiber, digital switches, and the latest wireless transmission systems, a parade of urban centers and industrial zones from Beijing to Budapest are stepping directly into the Information Age. A spider's web of digital and wireless communication links is already reaching most of Asia and parts of Eastern Europe. switches, and the latest wireless transmission systems, a parade of urban centers and industrial zones from Beijing to Budapest are stepping directly into the Information Age. A spider's web of digital and wireless communication links is already reaching most of Asia and parts of Eastern Europe.

1. A transformation is occurring that should greatly boost living standards in the developing  

    world.

    1) Meaning – A changeis taking place that should greatly improving living standards 

         of the developing countries. 

    一个将会大大提高发展中国家生活水准的转变正方兴未艾。

    2)   Analysis – that 引导的定语从句先行词是transformation.

 

2. Places that until recently were deaf and dumb are rapidly acquiring up-to-date

    telecommunications that will let them promote both internal and foreign investment.

    1) Meaning – Those areas where until recently people were unable to communicate with 

        the outside world because of the lack of the telecommunications facilities are now 

        quickly getting advanced telecommunications and this will allow them to attract more 

        investment from both home  and abroad. 

    一些不久前还是信息闭塞的地方正在迅速获得最新的通信技术，这将促进他们吸

    纳国内外投资。

    2) Analysis – that until recently were deaf and dumb是places的定语从句，真正的谓语是

        are rapidly acquiring。而that will let them promote both internal and foreign 

        investment是修饰宾语telecommunications 的定语从句。

3. But a single optical fiber with a diameter of less than half a millimeter can carry more 

    information than a large cable made of copper wires. 

    1) Translation – 但一根直径小于半毫米的光线电缆就可以比由铜丝组成的粗电缆承

        载更多的信息。 

Para. 2      4) All these developing regions see advanced communications as a way to leap over whole stages of economic development. 5) Widespread access to information technologies, for example, promises to condense the time required to change from labor-intensive assembly work to industries that involve engineering, marketing, and design. 6) Modern communications "will give countries like China and Vietnam a huge advantage over countries stuck with old technology".

4. All these developing regions see advanced communications as a way to leap over whole 

    stages of economic development.

    1) Meaning – All these developing regions consider directly acquiring and making use of 

        up-to-date communicationsas a way to catch up with the advanced countries 

        economically. 

 所有这些发展中地区都把先进的通信技术看做是一种能跨越经济发展诸阶段的途径。

    2)   See…as, regard…as, consider…as 把……看做

5. Widespread access to information technologies, for example, promises to condense the 

    time required to change from labor-intensive assembly work to industries that involve 

    engineering, marketing, and design.

    1) Meaning – Providing the opportunity to many to use information technologies, for 

        example, will make it possible to shorten the time needed to change from labor-

        intensive assembly work to industries that involve engineering, marketing and design. 

    例如，信息技术的广泛应用有望缩短劳动密集型的组装工业向涉及工程营销、设

    计的那些产业所需的时间。

    2) Promise: vt. 预示，有望

        While it will be fun, the meeting also promises to be most instructive.

    这次会议将会很有趣，也一定会非常有启发性。

        The dark clouds promise rain.乌云密布预示有雨。

        His second voyage promised no better. 他的第二次航行前景不乐观。

 

6. Modern communications will give countries like China and Vietnam a huge advantage 

    over countries stuck with old technology.

    1) Meaning – Modern communications will give countries like China and Vietnam a 

        much better opportunity to succeed than countries that still must use old technologies. 

    现代通信技术将使像中国、越南这样的国家比那些固于旧技术的国家拥有巨大的

    优势。

Para. 3      How fast these nations should push ahead is a matter of debate. 7) Many experts think Vietnam is going too far by requiring that all mobile phones be expensive digital models, when it is desperate for any phones, period. 8) These countries lack experience in weighing costs and choosing between technologies, says one expert. 

7. Many experts think Vietnam is going too far by requiring that all mobile phones be 

    expensive digital models, when it is desperate for any phones, period.

    1) Meaning – Many experts think Vietnam is taking a risk by demanding that all mobile 

        phones be expensived igital models when it is badly in need of any phones. 

    许多专家认为，越南在目前急需电话的情况下，却要求所有的移动电话都必须是

    昂贵的数字型电话，这种做法太超前了。

    2) go too far: behave in an unacceptable or extreme way

        He’s often too rude, but this time he’s gone too far. 他经常无礼，但这次太过分了。

        This time you’ve gone too far! I will not listen to your rude remarks any longer – kindly 

        leave my house. 

    这次你太过分了！我再也不想听你这些无礼的话了。请你离开我的屋子。

1. 3) period: It can be used at the end of a statement to show that you believe you have

2. 
   

3.     said all that is to say on a subject and you are not going to discuss it any more.

4. 
   

5.     加于一段话后以强调完毕

          There will be no more shouting, period! 别再喊叫了，到此为止！

          We are all against the proposal, period. 我们都反对这个建议，我说完了。

 

8. These countries lack experience in weighing costs and choosing between technologies, 

    says one expert.

    1) weigh: v. carefully consider, especially by comparing costs and benefits in order to 

        make a decision 衡量；估量

        Only when we have weighed all the factors involved can we decide when would be the 

        best time to start. 只有权衡了所有相关的因素之后，我们才能决定何时开始最佳。

        Economic benefits must be carefully weighed against the possible negative effects. 

    必须仔细权衡经济利益与负面影响之间的厉害关系。

Para. 4      Still, there's little dispute that communications will be a key factor separating the winners from the losers. Consider Russia. Because of its strong educational system in mathematics and science, it should thrive in the Information Age. The problem is its national phone system is a rusting antique that dates from the l930s. 9) To lick this problem, Russia is starting to install optical fiber and has a strategic plan to pump $40 billion into various communications projects. But its economy is stuck in recession and it barely has the money to even scratch the surface of the problem. 

9. To lick this problem, Russia is starting to install optical fiber and has a strategic plan to 

    pump $40 billion into various communications projects.

    1) pump sth. in; pump sth. into sth./sb. – 将大量资金投入（某事物）；劝说或驱使某人

    学习某事

        The firm pumped money into the development of the new product. 

    这家企业投入大量资金以开发这种新产品。

        She tried to pump some facts into his head before the examination.

    在考试前她向他灌输一些知识。

Para. 5      Compare that with the mainland of China. Over the next decade, it plans to pour some $100 billion into telecommunications equipment. 10) In a way, China's backwardness is an advantage, because the expansion occurs just as new technologies are becoming cheaper than copper wire systems. By the end of 1995, each of China's provincial capitals except for Lhasa will have digital switches and high-capacity optical fiber links. This means that major cities are getting the basic infrastructure to become major parts of the information superhighway, allowing people to log on to the most advanced services available.

10. in a way – partly; to some degree

    In a way, it was one of our biggest mistakes. 从某种意义上说，……

    The work is well done in a way. 从某种程度上说，这活干得不错。

Para. 6      Telecommunications is also a key to Shanghai's dream of becoming a top financial center. 11) To offer peak performance in providing the electronic data and paperless trading global investors expect, Shanghai plans telecommunications networks as powerful as those in Manhattan. 

11. To offer peak performance in providing the electronic data and paperless trading global 

      investors expect, ...

      1) Translation – 为了能给国际投资者提供所期望的电子数据和物质化交易方面的出

          色服务，……

Para. 7      Meanwhile, Hungary also hopes to jump into the modern world. Currently, 700,000 Hungarians are waiting for phones. To partially overcome the problem of funds and to speed the import of Western technology, Hungary sold a 30% stake in its national phone company to two Western companies. To further reduce the waiting list for phones, Hungary has leased rights to a Dutch-Scandinavian group of companies to build and operate what it says will be one of the most advanced digital mobile phone systems in the world. 12) In fact, wireless is one of the most popular ways to get a phone system up fast in developing countries. It's cheaper to build radio towers than to string lines across mountain ridges, and 13) businesses eager for reliable service are willing to accept a significantly higher price tag for a wireless call — the fee is typically two to four times as much as for calls made over fixed lines.

12. In fact, wireless is one of the most popular ways to get a phone system up fast in 

      developing countries. 

      1) Translation – 事实上，无线方式是在发展中国家快速建设电话系统的最受欢迎的

          方式之一。

13. …businesses eager for reliable service are willing to accept a significantly higher price 

      tag for a wireless call — the fee is typically two to four times as much as for calls made 

      over fixed lines.

      1) Meaning – … and businesses anxious to have reliable service are willing to pay as 

          much higher price for a wireless call, though the fee is usually two to four times as 

          much as for calls made over fixed lines. 

     而且，急切盼望可靠服务的企业乐于花费可观的高价来换取无线电话 — 其资费

     通常是固定线路电话资费的二至四倍。

      2) 倍数+as+形容词+as+名词

          Our factory is twice as big as theirs.

          Water is eight hundred times as dense as air.

          The production of grain this year is 5 times as much as it was last year.

 

Para. 8      14) Wireless demand and usage have also exploded across the entire width and breadth of Latin America. For wireless phoneservice providers, nowhere is business better than in Latin America—having an operation there is like having an endless pile of money at your disposal. Bell South Corporation, with operations in four wireless markets, estimates its annual revenue per average customer at about $2,000 as compared to $860 in the United States. That's partly because Latin American customers talk two to four times as long on the phone as people in North America.

14. Wireless demand and usage have also exploded across the entire width and breadth of 

      Latin America.

      1) Meaning – There is a great increase in the popularity of mobile phones all over Latin 

          America. 整个拉丁美洲对无线通信的需求和使用已急速增长。

      2) The width and breadth of sth. – the entire extent of sth. 四面八方；所有

          Another phrase that is just as common is “the length and breadthof sth.”

          The heroes traveled the length and breadth of the land, righting wrongs and 

          helping people in need. 英雄闯遍天下，铲除不平，扶危救困。

          I have told you the length and breadth of what happened.我已告诉你发生的一切。

Para. 9      Thailand is also turning to wireless, as a way to allow Thais to make better use of all the time they spend stuck in traffic. And it isn't that easy to call or fax from the office: The waiting list for phone lines has from one to two million names on it. 15) So mobile phones have become the rage among business people who can remain in contact despite the traffic jams. 

15. So mobile phones have become the rage among business people who can remain 

      in contact despite the traffic jams.

1. 1) rage: fashion 流行，风行

          all the rage: 时尚；风行一时的事物

          While fur is all the rage on the catwalks in the fashion capitals, I advocate wearing the  

          very cool faux fur. 

     在时尚之都的走秀舞台上，皮草风头正劲，而我则赞成穿人造皮革，更有个性。

          Social and business networks are all the rage these days and one that promises 

          to connect the dispersed fashion industry certainly warrants a look. 

     在社会化网络与电子商务盛行的今日，可以把分散的时尚产业整合起来的，是件

     非常值得期待的事情。

Para. 10     Vietnam is making one of the boldest leaps. Despite a per person income of just $220 a year, all of the 300,000 lines Vietnam plans to add annually will be optical fiber with digital switching, rather than cheaper systems that send electrons over copper wires. 16) By going for next-generation technology now, Vietnamese telecommunications officials say they'll be able to keep pace with anyone in Asia for decades. 

16. By going for next-generation technology now, Vietnamese telecommunications officials 

      say they'll be able to keep pace with anyone in Asia for decades.

      1) go for – try to get or win sth.

          She always tends to go for brightly colored clothes. 

     她总是喜欢挑选颜色鲜艳的衣服。

          Jackson is going for his second gold medal here.