学习任务清单：描述图片

             Watches: Regular Watch? Smart Watch? Or none?

Check your understanding!

1. Question 1 of 3

   1. 

   “Brief, glorious period in which our wrists were free.” If something is “brief”, it means that …

•  it lasts for a long time.

•  it lasts for a short time.

•  it didn't happen.

Transcript

• Regular Watches… Smart Watches

• Brief, glorious period in which our wrists were free

Vocabulary

• Smart adj. /smɑːt/ It usually means: intelligent or clever. But if you talk about a machine, a phone (you have probably heard of “Smartphones”) it means that it uses advanced computer systems.

• Smart watches refer to a new type of watches. The idea is to have have the possibility to use similar functions to the ones you have on a smartphone. 

• Brief adj. /briːf/ If something is brief, it lasts only for a short time. It’s short.

• Glorious adj. /ˈɡlɔːriəs/ something that is beautiful or wonderful, that deserves praise and respect. (Glory n. /ˈɡlɔːri/ praise and respect you get from people for doing something important)

• Period n. /ˈpɪəriəd/ a length of time.

• Wrist n. /rɪst/ the part of your body between your hand and your arm  (Note that the “w” is not pronounced: /rɪst/)

Context

• This comic is making fun of new trends related to the use of watches. Here as some important facts that will help you understand it:

• Until a few years ago, most people would wear (regular) watches to keep track of the time.

• Now that more and more people carry their phone with them all the time, they simply use their phone to look at the time and do not bother to wear a watch anymore.

• Several phone companies who create smartphones (Samsung, Apple, etc.) are developing Smartwatches, to have the functionalities of your smartphone on your watch.

• The use of the adjective “Glorious” is very interesting here. Because the author qualifies this short period of time when most people don’t wear a watch as something very positive which makes us more free, it implies that wearing a watch takes away some of our freedom. It makes fun of the fact that our habits are dictated/controlled by new technology.

     学习任务清单：描述图片

            Internal Monologue on Body language at Social Events

These questions indicate that the person does not know what body language is appropriate in this situation “Am I smiling enough? Should I be leaning on something? Where should my hands go?“

 True

 False

 Uncertain

“I hope he doesn’t ask me what his name is.“
This statement indicates that …

 people are often embarrassed when they forget the name of someone they met before.

 people do not want to learn other people’s names.

 people do not want to learn other people’s names.

 people go to social events to make new friends.

This comic strip …

 suggests that when someone speaks for too long, the person who listens doesn’t know how to react.

 makes fun of the fact that people’s stories are not funny.

 makes fun of the fact that it can be difficult to know how to react when listening to someone telling a sad story.

 suggests that it’s easier to speak English when you drink alcohol.

“Am I smiling enough? Should I be leaning on something? Where should my hands go? I hope he doesn’t ask me what his name is. I’ve said “Yeah” too much; what are some other agreeing words? Oh crap, his story just go sad, stop smiling, stop smiling …”

• lean (v.) /liːn/ to move the top part of your body in a particular direction

• crap (n.) /kræp/ a very impolite word for something that you think is wrong or bad

学习任务清单；描述图片

                  Computers Are Good At Their Cores… And Have Good Hearts

Transcript

For the last ten years or so, we have been hearing about “dual-core” or “multi-core” processors.

-I have two cores!

-Amateur

So, what’s the point of having multi-core processors?

Let’s ask some mainstream consumer electronic retailer.