三言两语杂货社-外刊逐句精读｜《卫报》：如何让弱势群体跨越「数字鸿沟」？

基于@imsebastianevans 的笔记修改，仅作为个人学习使用

The Guardian view on digital exclusion: online must not be the only option

卫报关于数字排斥的观点：线上不能成为唯一的选择

The interests (of a significant minority) are being neglected as everyday tasks are conducted (via smartphones and tablets)

随着日常任务通过智能手机和平板电脑完成，少数人的利益被忽视

• tablet n. 平板电脑

(On the eve of this week’s rail strikes), it was reported that industry bosses are planning to phase out paper train tickets and shut almost 1,000 station ticket offices (in England).

据报道，在本周铁路工人罢工前夕，行业老板正计划逐步废除纸质火车票，并关闭英格兰近1000个车站售票处。

• strike n. 罢工

rail/coal/postal strike

铁路/煤矿/邮政工人罢工

• phase out 逐步废除

phase in 逐步引入

• ticket office n. 售票处

The government says nothing has been decided. But the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, has made no secret of his desire (to see savings (delivered in this way); some stations, Mr Shapps likes to point out, sell only a handful of tickets (each week) and the vast majority of transactions have moved online.

政府表示一切待定。但交通大臣格兰特·沙普斯毫不掩饰他希望通过这种方式节省开支的愿望。 沙普斯先生指出，有些车站每周只售出几张票，而且绝大多数交易已经转移到网上。

• transport secretary n. 交通大臣

=Secretary of State for Transport

• make no secret of sth. 对某事不加隐瞒

Jack made no secret of his dislike for John.

杰克毫不掩饰自己对约翰的厌恶。

• a handful of sb./sth. 一把，少数人（或物）

Irrespective of the outcome (of the current standoff (with the RMT union), the direction of travel is clear.

不管目前与RMT工会对峙的结果如何，未来发展的方向是明确的。

• irrespective of sth. 不考虑某事

= regardless of sth.

• standoff n. 僵局 （with）

= deadlock

= stalemate

= impasse

• RMT union

=National Union of Rail Maritime and Transport Works

铁路、海事和运输工人全国联盟

(In the name of modernisation and cost-cutting), station ticket offices are likely to follow many high street bank branches and rural post offices into the vaults of sepia-tinted memory.

以现代化和削减成本的名义，车站售票处很可能会像许多大众银行分行和乡村邮局一样变成陈旧泛黄的记忆。

主句是主系表结构的简单句，系动词为be likely to do sth. ，表语部分为into the vaults of sepia-tinted memory。系表部分有一个常用搭配follow A and B into C的结构，意为“跟随A和B到了C”。

• In the name of sth. 以某事的名义
• high street a. 高街的，大众的

high street fashion 大众款式

• vaults n. 金库；墓穴
• sepia n. 深褐色

sepia photograph 泛黄的照片

• tint vt. 给....染色

rose-tinted glasses n. 玫瑰色眼镜

(For those of us) who have grown used to the advantages of organising travel (via a smartphone), there will be little to mourn.

对于我们这些已经习惯了通过智能手机组织旅行的好处的人来说，没有什么可悲哀的。

mourn vt. 为....哀悼、忧伤

But (for people without online access or skills) – who tend to be older, poorer and more vulnerable – another small social barrier will have been erected.

但对于没有条件使用线上服务的人（即那些往往年纪更大、更穷、更脆弱的人），将会出现另一个小的社会障碍。

• erect vt. 建立；树立；创立

(From GP appointments to payment apps for parking), more and more key services are now delivered digitally.

从全科医生预约到停车付款软件，越来越多的关键服务现在以数字方式提供。(from...to...)

• GP n. 全科医生

= general practitioner

Local councils, cash-strapped and in search of efficiency savings, are moving inexorably online (in the way they do business). BT plans to phase out traditional landlines (by 2025) .

财政困难并寻求提高效率的地方议会的各种服务正势不可挡地转移至线上。英国电信集团计划到 2025 年逐步淘汰传统固定电话。

• cash-strapped a. 财政困难的

strapped a. 手头紧的

• efficiency saving 增效节约
• inexorably ad. 不可阻挡地

inexorable a. 不可阻挡的

exorable 可说服的；可用恳求打动的

• BT n. 英国电信集团 British Telecom
• landline n. 有线电话

As this revolution takes place, unjustified assumptions are being made (about the ability (of some users (to cope).

随着这场革命的发生，人们对一些用户的应对能力做出了不合理的假设。

句首是as引导的状语从句，做句子的伴随状语。括号里的黑色部分是修饰assumptions后置定语，为避免头重脚轻而挪到了谓语动词后面。

(In the case of health and social care), it will often be those (most in need of assistance) who are least able to navigate a digital route (to accessing it).

就健康和社会护理而言，最需要帮助的人往往是那些最无法通过数字途径获得帮助的人。

本句的主干部分是一个it will be sb. who....的强调句，结合句意是用来强调“越需要帮助的人越接触不到获得帮助的途径”。

• social care n. 社会福利工作

= social work

health care 医疗保健

elderly care 老年护理

• navigate vt. 导航、航行

navigate a way/course 找到一条路线

A recent Ofcom report estimated that around 6% of households – 1.5m homes – have no internet access.

英国通讯管理局最近的一份报告估计，大约 6% 的家庭（150 万户）没有互联网接入。

• Ofcom 英国通讯管理局

= Office of Communications

Millions more of us remain irregular and unconfident users of the internet.

数以百万计的我们依然是不常使用和不熟练使用的互联网的用户。

• irregular a. 不定时的

Funeral directors often work long, irregular hours.

殡仪业人员的工作时间经常很长，而且不定时。

As digital technology becomes the gatekeeper (to swathes of everyday life) – a process accelerated by the pandemic – a significant minority risks exclusion and isolation.

随着电子科技成为日常生活的看门人，而疫情加速了这一过程，数量相当大的少数群体面临着被排斥和孤立的风险。

句首是as引导的状语从句做句子状语，灰色部分是句子插入语，也是句子状语的概括性同位语。

• gatekeeper n. 看门人
• swathe n. 一长条、一大片（土地）
• significant n. 数量相当大的

a significant number/amount of

相当大量的

The inexorable shift online is inevitable, but its fallout needs to be managed with more care.

势不可挡的线上转变是不可避免的，但需要更加谨慎地管理其后果。

• inexorable a. 不可阻挡的，无法改变的
• inevitable a. 不可避免的

Technology should not be allowed to drive people (to the side of their own lives), as anecdotal evidence suggests is increasingly the case.

科技不应该使人们的生活边缘化，传闻性证据表明现实越来越趋向于这种情况。

• side n. 边缘

kerbside/curbside n. 路缘

• anecdotal a. 传闻的

anecdote n. 传闻、轶事

anecdotal evidence 传闻性证据

hard fact 确凿的事实

Ros Altmann, the former pensions minister and Conservative peer, recently wrote of being contacted by an elderly woman who no longer drives to her local park, because she cannot download the car parking app required.

前就业和养老金部大臣兼保守党贵族罗斯·阿尔特曼最近写道，一位不再开车去本地公园的老妇人联系了她，因为她不会下载所需的停车软件。

• pensions n. 养老金

pension scheme 养老金计划

pensions minister

Department for Work and pensions（DWP）

就业和养老金部

补充：英国内阁各官员的职务层级（由高到低）：

Secretary of State n. 大臣

Minister of State n. 国务大臣

Parliamentary Undersecretary n. 政务次长

• peer n. （英国）贵族

peeress n. 女贵族

As the sheer range and complexity of digital requirements expands, the desperate recruitment (of middle-aged sons and daughters (as unpaid consultants) has become a phenomenon of our times.

随着数字化需求的范围和复杂性不断增加，拼命招募中年儿女作为无偿顾问已成为我们时代的一种现象。

• sheer a. 强调数目之大、多等

the sheer weight/size of

Meanwhile, the growing rarity of person-to-person interactions (while making transactions) – or just seeking advice and information – can exacerbate a sense of isolation (among the lonely).

与此同时，在进行交易或只是寻求建议和信息时，面对面互动越来越少见，这可能会导致孤独者之间的孤立感进一步加剧。

• rarity n. 稀有、罕见

rare a. 稀有的

• person-to-person a. 面对面的，人与人之间的
• exacerbate vt. 加剧、恶化
• a sense of sth. XX感

a sense of responsibility 责任感

a sense of security 安全感

The debate (over ticket offices) offers an opportunity (to reflect more broadly (on the increasing role of technology (in our social landscape).

关于售票处的讨论提供了一个机会，可以更广泛地反思科技在我们的社会形势中日益重要的作用。

• landscape n. 形势，局势

Clearly, much more needs to be invested (in helping marginalised groups gain easy online access). But a diversity of provision also needs to be protected.

显然，需要投入更多资金帮助边缘化群体更方便地上网。但也需要保护多样化的供给。

• marginalised a. 被边缘化的

marginalise vt. 使....被边缘化

the marginalised 边缘群体

• provision n. 供给

housing provision n. 住房供给

Some people will never become comfortable using smartphones or tablets (to get vital tasks done).

有些人永远不会习惯使用智能手机或平板电脑来完成重要任务。

Alternative and viable offline options must be maintained (for important services).

必须为重要服务保留可选择的和可行的线下选项。

• viable a. 可行的

= feasible

Contactable telephone numbers and staffed public access points should always be available.

应始终确保提供可联系的电话号码和配备人员的公共接入点。

• staff vt. 为....配备职员

staffed a. 有职员的

• access point n. 接入点

This will cost more. But that is the price of being fair (to those who find themselves on the wrong side of the digital divide) .

这将花费更多。但对那些发现自己处于数字鸿沟错误的一边的人来说，这就是公平的代价。

• digital divide 数字鸿沟

数字鸿沟相关：

digital divide/exclusion

people without online access or skills

have no internet access

navigate a digital route to accessing services

gain easy online access

maintain alternative and viable offline options for important services

数字化转型相关：

phase out paper train tickets/landlines

shut station ticket offices

modernisation/cost-cutting

organise travel via smartphones and tablets

deliver services digitally

digital technology becomes the gatekeeper to a swathes of everyday life

transactions have moved online