BBC随身英语: The podcast boom 播客又火了

　　蓬勃发展的播客行业现已成为一门赚钱的大买卖。当然，它也是一种收听精彩音频内容的流行方式。如今的播客不仅仅是由著名的广播公司制作的——任何有话要说的人，花很少的钱，买些设备，就可以参与进播客行业了。“随身英语” 探讨是什么让播客又火了。

　　Vocabulary: media 词汇：媒介

　　Do you prefer to watch TV or listen to the radio? There was a time when some people thought moving pictures beamed live into our houses would spell the end of tuning in to the radio for entertainment and information. But radio survived and flourished. And now, despite the growth in sophisticated smartphones offering high-definition pictures, the popularity of podcasts is booming.

　　Perhaps the growth in podcasting is not surprising – it offers a digital audio file that can be downloaded and stored for listening at any time. It can also be streamed from the internet and played on a computer or MP3 player. And it’s not just broadcasters, like the BBC, who are producing podcasts: now commercial broadcasters, individuals and companies with no connection to broadcasting are making them. In fact, anyone with something to say, and a few pounds to spend on the equipment, can get involved.

　　But where did this trend for making portable audio programmes begin? Journalist Ben Hammersley told the BBC that “two changes transformed the market – one cultural and one technical.” Apple launched the iPhone podcast app, recording and editing equipment became cheaper, and 4G mobile phone connections and Wi-Fi became widespread.

　　Technological development has driven many changes in our media consumption habits. But however good the tech may be, there still needs to be something worth watching or listening to. The BBC’s Jamie Robertson writes that for podcasts, Serial - a piece of non-fiction investigative journalism – captured people’s imagination. It was a piece of high-quality audio with a gripping story. To date, the first and second seasons of the show have had more than 340 million downloads. Advertisers soon realised the money-making potential of this and other successful podcasts.

　　Now there are podcasts about anything and everything - even the educational content that BBC Learning English offers! And these aural treats are available on a wide range of platforms. Audiences are very specific, which can help advertisers target what they want to promote. And if there isn’t a podcast to suit your interests, you can now easily make and distribute them - and become your very own broadcaster.

　　词汇表

　　beam 播送

　　tune in 收听，收看

　　high-definition 高清晰度

　　podcast 播客

　　podcasting 播客技术

　　digital 数字的

　　audio file 音频文件

　　download （动词）下载

　　stream 在线收听（收看）

　　broadcaster 广播公司

　　portable 便携的

　　technical 技术的

　　recording and editing equipment 录音和剪辑设备

　　technological development 科技发展

　　consumption 使用

　　capture one’s imagination 激发某人的想象力

　　high-quality 高质量的

　　download （名词）下载次数、下载量

　　advertiser 广告商

　　aural 听觉的

　　platform 平台

　　audience 听众

　　distribute 分送，传送

　　测验与练习

　　1.  阅读课文并回答问题。

　　1. According to the article, what can be done with a digital audio file?

　　2. Why is it easy for almost anyone to make a podcast?

　　3. True or false? Improved technology is only part of the reason why podcasts have become popular.

　　4. Who has been keen to promote and fund podcasts because of the money they can generate?

　　5. Which word used in the article means ‘existing in many places’?

　　2. 请在不参考课文的情况下完成下列练习。选择一个意思恰当的单词填入句子中的空格处。

　　1. Your story will need _______ as it’s a bit too long and the middle part is a bit boring!

　　recording       podcasting          editing           broadcasting

　　2. The football match was _______ live across the world on social media, so everyone got to share the excitement of the final at the same time.

　　streamed       downloaded         consumption       podcasting

　　3. My new car is saving me loads of money because of its lower fuel _______.

　　consuming      consumption        consumptions      consumptioning

　　4. My job is to _______ the money fairly to all the charities that need it.

　　advertise        portable            podcast           distribute

　　5. Her fashion designs have really _______ and now everyone is trying to copy them.

　　capturing people’s imagination        captured people’s imagination

　　captured people imagination          captured people’s imagining

　　答案

　　1.  阅读课文并回答问题。  

　　1. According to the article, what can be done with a digital audio file?

　　A digital audio file can be downloaded and stored for listening at any time.

　　2. Why is it easy for almost anyone to make a podcast?

　　Recording and editing equipment became cheaper meaning anyone can get involved.

　　3. True or false? Improved technology is only part of the reason why podcasts have become popular.

　　True. Technology has helped in the growth of podcasting, but there still needs to be something worth watching or listening to if the technology is to thrive.

　　4. Who has been keen to promote and fund podcasts because of the money they can generate?

　　Advertisers have realised the money-making potential of podcasting.

　　5. Which word used in the article means ‘existing in many places’?

　　Widespread. (“Apple launched the iPhone podcast app, recording and editing equipment became cheaper and 4G mobile phone connections and Wi-Fi became widespread.”)

　　2. 请在不参考课文的情况下完成下列练习。选择一个意思恰当的单词填入句子中的空格处。 

　　1. Your story will need editing as it’s a bit too long and the middle part is a bit boring!

　　2. The football match was streamed live across the world on social media, so everyone got to share the excitement of the final at the same time.

　　3. My new car is saving me loads of money because of its lower fuel consumption.

　　4. My job is to distribute the money fairly to all the charities that need it.

　　5. Her fashion designs have really captured people’s imagination and now everyone is trying to copy them.

　　实习编辑：姚依明

　　责任编辑：潘程