【背景介绍】

黑莓手机(Blackberry)，是指由加拿大Reserach In Motion Ltd，简称RIM公司推出的一种无线手持邮件解决终端设备。一般俗称的黑莓机，指的却不单单只是一台手机，而是由加拿大RIM（Research in Motion Ltd）公司所推出，包含服务器（邮件设定）、软件（操作接口）以及终端（手机）大类别的Push Mail实时电子邮件服务。

【英文原文】

This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

BlackBerry service is facing limits or bans in some countries over the issue of government access to information on its network. Research in Motion, or RIM, based in Waterloo, Canada, makes BlackBerry communications devices. They run on the company’s network and secure software. BlackBerry has forty-six million users worldwide.

This week, the United Arab Emirates announced it would block BlackBerry e-mail, web browsing and instant messenger services on October eleventh. The UAE says the services are a threat to national security because government officials cannot access or monitor users’ information.

Then, Saudi Arabia said it would block BlackBerry service this week. The Saudi government told the country’s three mobile phone operators to stop BlackBerry service for businesses and individuals this Friday. The Saudi Communications and Information Technology Commission did not say what services would be blocked. These moves renew concern among some people about efforts by the UAE and Saudi Arabia to control the flow of information. Both countries have banned some forms of media seen as harming national security.

A BlackBerry smartphone
The ban in the UAE could affect half a million BlackBerry users while Saudi Arabia has about seven hundred thousand users. Kuwait and Lebanon are also said to be considering restrictions. But Middle Eastern countries are not the only ones seeking greater access to BlackBerry information. India and China are among other countries also doing so.

Governments, big corporations and individuals use BlackBerry devices because they are highly secure. Users’ communications are sent to servers overseas, mostly in Canada, using powerful security measures.

RIM says its system is set up in a way that no one, including RIM, can access user information. The company also says it does not matter where their servers are based. Communications are made secure the moment they leave the BlackBerry device through encryption.

On Thursday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the United States will hold talks with the UAE and other countries about possible bans on BlackBerry services. She said the United States knows there are reasonable security concerns about the service. But she added that there is also a right of free use and access.

And that’s the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario Ritter. I’m Steve Ember..

重点词汇

1.restriction n. 限制；约束；束缚

People on caloric restriction can eat three meals a day.
实行热量限制的人们可以吃一日三餐。

Do you have any other restriction or concrete policy regarding accepting loan?
关于接受贷款，你们有什么其他限制或具体政策？

2.encryption n. 加密；加密术

You have not chosen an encryption key.
您还没有选择一个加密密钥。

3.access n. 进入；使用权；通路

You have access to the top down mode secret.
你得到上下颠倒模式的秘密选项了。

4.monitor vt. 监控

You must monitor the old man's illness.
你一定要监察这位老人的病情。

5.reasonable adj. 合理的，公道的；通情达理的

I want a restaurant with reasonable prices.
我想去一家价钱合理的餐厅。