2021年英语四级听力美文第96篇:Computers: Are They...思维导图

Here'smysimpletestforaproductoftoday'stechnology:Igotothebookstoreandchecktheshelvesforremedialbooks.

Themorebooksthereare,themoremysuspicionsareraised.

Ifcomputersandcomputerprogramsaregettingeasiertouse,whyaresomanycompaniesstillmakinganicelivingpublishingbooksonhowtousethem?

Computersmanipulateinformation,butinformationisinvisible.

There'snothingtoseeortouch.

Theprogrammerdecideswhatyouseeonthescreen.

Computersdon'thaveknobslikeoldradios.

Theydon'thavebuttons,notrealbuttons.

Instead,moreandmoreprogramsdisplaypicturesofbuttons,movingevenfurtherintoabstractionandarbitrariness.

Ilikecomputers,butIhopetheywilldisappear,thattheywillseemasstrangertoourdescendantsasthetechnologiesofourgrandparentsappeartous.

Today'scomputersareindeedgettingeasiertous,butlookwheretheystarted:sodifficultthatalmostanyimprovementwaswelcome.

Computershavethepowertoallowpeoplewithinacompany,acrossanationorevenaroundtheworldtoworktogether.

Butthispowerwillbewastediftomorrow'scomputersaren'tdesignedaroundtheneedsandcapabilitiesofthehumanbeingswhomustusethem—apeople-centeredphilosophy,inotherwords.

Thismeansretoolingcomputerstocopewithhumanstrengths,observing,communicatingandinnovatinginsteadofaskingpeopletoconformtotheunnaturalbehaviorcomputersdemand.

Thatjustleadstoerror.

Manyoftoday'smachinestrytodotoomuch.

Whenacomplicatedworkprocessorattemptstodoubleasadesktoppulsingprogramorakitchenappliancecomewithhalfadozenattachments,theproductisboundtobeawkwardandburdensome.

Myfavoriteexampleofatechnologicalproductonjusttherightscaleisanelectronicdictionary.

Itcanbemadesmaller,lighterandfareasiertousethanaprintversion,notonlygivingmeaningsbutevenpronouncingthewords.

Today'selectronicdictionaries,withtheirtinykeysandbarelylegibledisplays,areprimitivebuttheyareontherighttrack.