(单词翻译:单击)
听力文本
US Mail Goes Digital, Seeks to Make Junk Mail Fun
The United States Postal Service is offering a way for people interested in seeing tomorrow's mail today.
The postal service will send customers images of all their letters, magazines and other mail before they arrive.
The new service is called Informed Delivery. It is an attempt by the U.S. government agency to remain competitive in an ever-changing world.
Postal service officials say the increased use of email, digital messaging services and social media have made it difficult to stay relevant.
David Rupert is a media relations specialist with the postal service who spoke about all the competition the agency now faces.
"Whether you turn on a television, or your computer, or people come to your door with different products and services, all of those are competing for the consumer's time and energy," he said.
Interested users are first required to sign up for Informed Delivery. The service is not available in all areas. Once registered, the consumer receives a daily email with virtual images of letters and other things to be delivered.
The U.S. Postal Service says giving people the chance to see their mail before it arrives can be useful for planning purposes. It can especially help those who have a mailbox at their local post office so they know when to go and get their mail.
Jocelyn Coatney of Los Angeles thinks Informed Delivery is a good idea.
"I think I would like that a lot, especially with checks and things coming in, and things coming in from grandkids. That would be a nice service," she said.
Another postal offering is a service that seeks to make advertising-related mail – often called junk mail - more fun. The service uses virtual and augmented reality to let consumers interact with their junk mail.
Many companies put special coding on their advertising. These images can be scanned with a mobile device to give users an interactive experience. Some companies even put virtual reality eyeglasses in the mail to make their ads come to life.
Consumers have mixed reactions to the virtual and augmented reality advertising. Postal service user Victor Teah said he does not consider all ads junk mail.
"You can find some good things within junk mail. It's a good idea. We'll see how it works out," he said.
But Jocelyn Coatney does not think it would change her mind about junk mail. "For some, that might be fun. But for me, I wouldn't have any use for it," she said.
I'm Bryan Lynn.
重点解析
1.Postal service 邮政服务
Britain still boasts the cheapest postal service.
英国仍拥有最便宜的邮政服务系统。
2.junk mail 垃圾邮件
On the Internet, we receive lots of junk mail every day.
在网际网路上，我们每天收到许多垃圾邮件。
3.augmented reality 增强现实
The intelligence punctures system based on the augmented reality technique is introduced.
本文介绍了基于增强现实技术的智能针灸系统。
4.turn on 打开
She asked them why they hadn't turned the lights on.
她问他们为什么不开灯。
5.Some companies even put virtual reality eyeglasses in the mail to make their ads come to life.
come to life 苏醒；生动
The drowned man can not come to life.
溺死之人无法复活了。
I wanted to make the character come to life.
我要让这个人物显得栩栩如生。
6.We'll see how it works out," he said.
works out 解决；实现
Washing powder works out cheaper if you buy the jumbo size.
如果你买大袋洗衣粉，价钱会更便宜。
He works out the problem by using a computer.
他通过使用计算机来解决这问题。
参考译文
美国邮政局“以变应变”站稳市场
美国邮政管理局提供了一种方式，让好奇快件运送途中的顾客一饱眼福。
邮政管理局将在快递送达前向顾客发送信件、杂志等快件的照片。
这一新服务名为“快递随知”。此举是美国邮政管理局为在瞬息万变的世界中保持竞争力而进行的一种尝试。
邮政服务的工作人员表示，由于电子邮件、数字通讯服务、社交媒体的使用越来越频繁，导致邮政快递难以站稳脚跟。
大卫·鲁珀特（David Rupert）是邮政服务的媒体关系专家，他谈到邮政管理局如今面临的竞争。
不管是打开电视、电脑还是上门推销不同的产品和服务，这都是在为消费者的时间和精力而竞争，他说道。
有兴趣的用户首先需要注册“递送随知”。该服务并非全国各地适用。注册完成后，用户可以每天收到一封邮件，其中有信件的虚拟图片及其他配送物品。
邮政管理局称，用户有机会在快件送达前一览快件动态，这有利于他们的未来规划。这一服务尤其便利了在当地邮政局有邮筒的用户，他们能够获悉何时取件。
洛杉矶市民乔斯林·寇特妮（Jocelyn Coatney）认为该服务富有创意。
我很喜欢这一创意，尤其是支票以及孙辈儿们的新事物不断涌入。她表示，这将会是一项不错的服务。
另一项邮政服务能够让通常被称为“垃圾邮件”的广告类邮件——更加有趣。该服务通过虚拟现实和增强现实技术实现用户与垃圾邮件的互动。
很多公司会在广告中添加特殊编码。这些编码的图像能够被一种移动装置扫描出来，从而使用户实现交互体验。一些公司为了让广告更加生动，甚至将虚拟现实眼镜放进快件里。
用户对虚拟现实和增强现实广告的看法出现两极分化。邮政服务用户维克多·迪亚（Victor Teah）表示，他认为，并非所有广告都是垃圾邮件。
垃圾邮件也包含有价值的信息。不过，这一创意不错。我们会继续关注这项服务成果，他说道。
而乔斯林·寇特妮（Jocelyn Coatney）则认为，她不会因这项服务改变对垃圾邮件的成见。或许对于一些人来说，这项服务变得有趣。但是在我看来，不过“鸡肋”而已。
布莱恩·林恩为您播报。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
