Having Knowledge In The Plan Of Your Hand

Name: Daniel & Hank
ID#: 94153206 & 94153216
Date: 10/11/2006
Topic: Having Knowledge In The Plan Of Your Hand


Daniel: So THIS is what you call “being productive “? Now I know what you’re up to when you hide out in this cubicle.

Hank: I’m just ordering some books that’ve just been marked down.

Daniel: I didn’t take for a book worm, Dylan. Where do you find the time to read? You practically live at office.

Hank: Well I never was much of a reader untl this new e-book option came along. Amazon has an entire search engine for books that buyers can download onto their PCs, notebooks, and/or cell phones. It’s a great way to kill time during my commute.

Daniel: I agree. Wait a minute…did you just say cell phones? Who in their right mind would want to read a novel on their mobile?

Hank: It’s one of the hottest fads in Japan right now. Several mobile Web sites offer tons of books, from classics to best sellers, and some works are written after the authors get positive feedback from readers.

Daniel: I don’t think I’ve got the patience to pore over even a short column, let alone a full-length novel, on a screen that about the size of a credit card.

Hank: It’s takes some getting used to, but thanks to the improvements in the quality of LCDs and feature such as automatic page-flipping and scrolling, it can be quite enjoyable.

Daniel: I guess I shouldn’t act bewildered considering how people are routinely using their mobile devices to send data, digital photos, and video clips---not to mention music.

Hank: And like all files that can be shared via email and the Internet, these books come with regulations.

Daniel: They definitely should. I’m sure most publishers, do not allow e-books to be printed.

Hank: Here, I’ll show you. Take this e-book for example…when you scroll to the bottom, it’ll show you the process for downloading the material. It is not hard at all.

Daniel: Gosh. It’d be nice if they had school books available so I wouldn’t have to lug them around in my book bag.

Hank: Ah! You spoke too soon. One of the big guys, Random house, recently got together with VOCEL, who provides products like the Scholastic Aptitude Test preparation programs on cellular phones.


The article is from 地球村中級英檢教材2006年9月號