The script of this programme 本节目台词
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. 互联网时代什么都快，通过邮局递送的信件包裹竟被称为“蜗牛邮件”，意思就是太慢了。看到这个词儿你可别以为邮件里面会爬出蜗牛来！
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《地道英语》里我们要学习的短语之一。
- 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. 这个我知道。人们在社交媒体上发表意见或评论时，就叫发个“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，纸张明明是软性可以折叠的，可是却被现代人称为“硬拷贝”。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.
