On April 3, 1973, Martin Cooper’s voice echoedthrough the streets of New York City. This marked the birth of a new era in communicationwith the first-ever cellphone call. Cooper held a device the size of a brick. He called his rival, Bell Labs’ Joel Engel, to declare that his Motorola team had built a functional, portablephone. Before the first call, Motorola and Bell Labs were racing to build a cellphone. The intenserivalryfueled mobile communication advancements.
After the first cellphone call, it still took another decade for personal cellphones to reach consumers’hands. Production challenges and government regulationsdelayed the devices’ arrival to the public market. The first cellphones tohit the marketallowed for conversations of 30 minutes but required a 10-hour rechargeperiod. They cost US$3,900, measured about a foot long, and weighed around two to three pounds. The bulkinessand expense of these early phones kept them from widespreaduse. However, as technology progressed, mobile phones became lighter and more affordable. These days, cellphones have become an essential part of many people’s lives.
Cooper, who is now 95 years old, knew back in the 1970s that cellphones would affect just about everyone. He said in an interview that he and his team used to joke that someday, phone numbers would be assignedat birthand missed calls would come with deadly consequences. Their predictionshinted athow important their invention would become. The first cellphone call usheredin a new age of communication, one that would connect us in ways we never imagined.
What Did You Learn ?
What was the purpose behind Martin Cooper’s historic call?
What slowed down the process of bringing the first cellphone to the public?
單字片語整理
Words in Use
●
echo
[ˋɛko]
vt. 重複
n. 回音
=
repeat
=
reiterate
I heard vague echoes of someone’s footsteps.
我隱約聽見某人腳步聲的回音。
Our teacher echoed what the report stated.
我們老師把報告上寫的東西重述一遍。
高中 Level 3
●
communication
[kə͵mjunəˋkeʃən]
n. 聯絡，通訊；傳播，傳播學（恆用複數）
Native Americans used smoke signals as means of communication.
美國原住民過去用煙幕訊號作為聯絡的方式。
My sister studied communications at university.
我姊姊念大學時曾修傳播學。
高中 Level 4
●
functional
[ˋfʌŋkʃən!]
a. 功用的；實用的
The two machines look alike but have many functional differences.
這兩臺機器看起來很像，但是有許多功用上的不同點。
The design of the chair is beautiful, but it is not very functional.
這張椅子的設計很漂亮，但是卻不很實用。
高中 Level 4
●
portable
[ˋportəb!]
a. 可攜帶的，手提的
=
potable
=
potable water
Portable stereos used to be quite expensive back in the 1970s.
1970 年代手提音響相當昂貴。
多益金色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
consequence
[ˋkɑnsə͵kwɛns]
n. 結果；重要性（= importance）
In consequence of your continual tardiness, I will dock your pay.
因為你常遲到，所以我要扣你薪水。
As a consequence of your continual tardiness, I will dock your pay. 因為你常遲到，所以我要扣你薪水。
Don’t worry about the matter. It’s of no consequence to you.
別擔心這件事，它對你不重要。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
prediction
[prɪˋdɪkʃən]
n. 預測
So far it’s still very difficult for scientists to makeaccurate predictions about earthquakes.
到目前為止，科學家要對地震做出準確的預測仍然很困難。
高中 Level 4
●
intense
[ɪnˋtɛns]
a. 強烈的
=
strong
=
powerful
Mary’s anger towards her husband was too intense for her to forgive him.
瑪莉對她丈夫的恨意強烈到她無法原諒他。
I can’t stand the intense heat waves during the summer.
我無法忍受夏日強烈的熱浪。
多益金色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
fuel
[ˋfjʊəl]
vt. 激起（憤怒等）
n. 燃料
vi. & vt. 填加燃料
Your criticism will only add fuel to the fire.
你的批評只會火上加油而已。
We’re running out of gas, so we have to fuel up at the next gas station.
我們汽油快用完了，因此我們得在下個加油站加油了。
Stop talking! Your remarks will only fuel Paul’s anger.
別再說了！你的話只會激起保羅的憤怒。
多益綠色
英檢中級
高中 Level 3
●
consumer
[kənˋsjumɚ]
n. 消費者
Finding out what the consumer really needs is the first step in marketing.
行銷的第一步就是要發現消費者真正的需求。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
regulation
[͵rɛgjəˋleʃən]
n. 規定，法規
=
rule
All staff must obey the new regulations.
所有同仁都要遵守新規定。
多益藍色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
affordable
[əˋfɔrdəb!]
a. 負擔得起的
The store emphasized that they sell quality
products at affordable prices.
該商店強調他們以負擔得起的價格販售高品質的商品。
多益金色
英檢中級
高中 Level 3
●
assign
[əˋsaɪn]
vt. 分配，分派
You’ll be assigned a parking space at no extra charge.
你將分得一個停車位，無需額外付費。
多益金色
英檢中級
高中 Level 4
●
hint
[hɪnt]
vt. & n. & vi. 暗示
=
suggest
Tammy hoped Steven would take the hint and stop bothering her.
塔米希望史蒂芬識相點，別再煩她。
Emily glanced at her watch, hinting that she had to leave.
艾蜜莉看了一下錶，暗示她得走了。
Emily glanced at her watch, suggesting that she had to leave.
艾蜜莉看了一下錶，暗示她得走了。
Tom hinted that he might buy Jane a diamond ring for their anniversary.
湯姆暗示他可能會買一只鑽戒送給珍當作結婚週年紀念禮物。
Our general manager hinted at the possibility of opening a new branch next summer.
總經理暗示了來年夏天開設新分公司的可能性。
高中 Level 3
●
era
[ˋɪrə]
n. 年代，時代
=
epoch
It is correct to say that we are in an era of computers.
說我們目前處於電腦時代並沒有錯。
高中 Level 4
●
rival
[ˋraɪv!]
a. 競爭的
n. 競爭者，對手
vt. 與......匹敵
=
match
=
equal
When it comes to negotiation skills, Robert has no rival.
說到談判技巧，沒人比得上羅伯特。
When it comes to negotiation skills, Robert has no match.
說到談判技巧，沒人比得上羅伯特。
When it comes to negotiation skills, Robert has no equal.
說到談判技巧，沒人比得上羅伯特。
For Roy, no other sports can rival basketball for excitement.
對羅伊來說，沒有其他運動能比籃球更刺激。
多益金色
英檢中級
高中 Level 5
●
rivalry
[ˋraɪv!rɪ]
n. 競爭
=
competition
There has always been fierce rivalrybetween the two companies for larger market shares.
這兩家公司之間對於誰能有較大的市場占有率競爭總是很激烈。
多益金色
英檢中高
高中 Level 6
●
recharge
[riˋtʃɑrdʒ]
n. 充電
●
bulkiness
[ˋbʌlkɪnɪs]
n. 厚重
英檢中高
●
widespread
[ˋwaɪd͵sprɛd]
a. 普遍的；廣泛的
=
general
=
universal
The widespread use of computers has made it more convenient to communicate.
電腦的廣泛使用讓溝通更加方便了。
The new policy has received widespread support.
新的政策受到廣泛支持。
多益金色
英檢中級
高中 Level 5
●
usher
[ˋʌʃɚ]
n. . 帶路的人，引座員
vt. 帶路
The usher helped me find my seat. 引座員幫我找到了座位。
The servant ushered me into the guest room.
那佣人為我引路至客房。
The invention of the copy machine ushered in a
revolution in the printing industry.
影印機的發明帶來了印刷業的革新。
高中 Level 6
Practical Phrases
●
hit the market
上市
The brand announced that its new product would hit the market in May.
該品牌宣布新產品將於五月上市。
●
allow for
使⋯⋯發生／成為可能
The design of the system allows for secure transactions.
那個系統的設計使得交易能夠安全地進行。
●
at birth
出生時
My sister’s son weighed 3,000 grams at birth.
我妹妹的兒子出生時重達 3 千公克。
●
hint at...
暗示／示意著⋯⋯
The general manager hinted at the possibility of opening a new branch next summer.
總經理暗示來年夏天開設新分公司的可能性。
●
usher in...
帶來了（革命、新時代等）
The invention of the copy machine ushered in a
revolution in the printing industry.
影印機的發明帶來了印刷業的革新。
