语音识别技术

现在的手机几乎都有语音识别功能，比如iPhone的Siri。本文主要讲了语音识别技术。

ANY sufficiently advanced（足够先进的）technology, noted Arthur C. Clarke, a British science-fiction writer, is indistinguishable（adj. 难区分的; 不易察觉的）from magic.（用一个人引出文章的观点，意思是任何足够先进的技术，跟魔术都是没有差别的）The fast-emerging technology of voice computing proves his point（快速兴起的语音技术证明了他的观点）. Using it is just like casting a spell（念个咒语）:say a few words into the air, and a nearby device cangrant your wish（满足你的愿望）.

The Amazon Echo,a voice-driven cylindrical computer一台声控的圆柱形电脑/that sits on a table top and answers to the name Alexa同位语），can call upmusictracks（歌曲）and radio stations,tell jokes,answer trivia questions and controlsmart appliances; even before Christmas it was already resident（居民；定居）in about 4% of American households. Voice assistants are proliferating（增生等越来越多，意思是蔓延，不受控制）in smartphones, too: Apple's Siri handles over 2bn commands a week, and 20% of Google searches on Android-powered handsets in America are input by voice. Dictating e-mails and text messages now works reliably enough to be useful. Why type when you can talk?

This is a huge shift.Simple though it may seem（原句是Though it may seem simple,让步之后，必有转折。意思是尽管它看起来简单）, voice has the power to（谁有能力做某事）transform computing, by providing a natural means of interaction. Windows, icons and menus, and then touchscreens, were welcomed as more intuitive ways to deal with computers than entering complex keyboard commands. But being able to talk to computers abolishes the need for（去除了对...的需求）the abstraction of a “user interface” at all.Just as（后面为举例子）mobile phones were more than existing phones without wires, and cars were more than carriages without horses, so computers without screens and keyboards have the potential to be more useful, powerful andubiquitous（无处不在）than people can imagine today.

Voice will not wholly replace other forms of input and output（语音不会完全替代其他形式的输入和输出）. Sometimes it will remain more convenient to converse with a machine by typing rather than talking（通过打字而不是说话与一台机器交流）(Amazon is said to be working on an Echo device with a built-in screen内置屏幕).Butvoice is destined to（命中注定要做...，doomed也指注定了，但是一般指不好的）account for a growing share（主干）of people's interactions with the technology around them,fromwashing machines that tell you how much of the cycle they have lefttovirtual assistants in corporate call centres.However, to reach its full potential, the technology requires further breakthroughs-and a resolution of the tricky questions it raises around the trade-off between convenience and privacy（但是，为了达到它最大的潜能，这个技术需要更大的突破，还有一个问题需要解决，就是权衡便利和隐私）.

Alexa（前文类似Siri的存在）, what is deep learning（深度学习）?

Computer-dictation systems have been around for years. But they were unreliable and required lengthy training to learn a specific user's voice.Computers' new ability/to recognise almost anyone's speech dependably without training is the latestmanifestation of the power of “deep learning”, an artificial-intelligence technique/inwhich a software system is trained using millions of examples, usuallyculled from the internet（从互联网上挑选）.Thanks to deep learning, machines now nearly equal humans in transcription accuracy, computerized translation systems are improving rapidly and text- to-speech systems are becoming less robotic and more natural-sounding.Computers are, in short, getting much better at handling natural language in all its forms（简而言之，电脑正在更好地处理所有形式的自然语言）.

Although（让步）deep learning means that machines can recognise speech more reliably and talk in a less stilted manner（以一种更少的不自然的方式交流）, they still don't understand the meaning of language.That（指代前文的understand the meaning of language）isthe most difficult aspect of the problem and, if voice-driven computing is truly to flourish, one that must be overcome.Computers must be able to understand context in order to maintain a coherent conversation about something, rather than just responding to simple,one-off（一次性的）voice commands, as they mostly do today (“Hey, Siri, set a timer for ten minutes”)（要进行连贯的对话，电脑必须能够理解上下文，而不是对一次性的简单的指令有反应）.Researchers in universities and at companieslarge and smallare working on this very problem,building “bots”（伴随状语，建机器人）that can hold moreelaborate（具体的）conversations about more complex tasks, from retrieving information to advising onmortgages to making travel arrangements. (Amazon is offering a $1m prize for a bot that can converse “coherently and engagingly” for 20 minutes.)

When spells replace spelling（当咒语代替拼写的时候，即当说话代替写字）

Consumers and regulators also have a role to play in determining how voice computing develops. Evenin its current（=at this moment）, relativelyprimitiveform, the technologyposes a dilemma（在这个相对基础的阶段，就已经造成一个进退两难的境地）:voice-driven systems are most useful when they are personalised（个人化）, and are granted wide access to sources of data such as calendars, e-mails and other sensitive information. That raises privacy and security concerns.

Consumers and regulators also have a role to play in determining how voice computing develops. Even in its current, relatively primitive form, the technology poses a dilemma: voice-driven systems are most useful when they are personalised, and are granted wide access to sources of data such as calendars, e-mails and other sensitive information. That raises privacy and security concerns.

To further complicate matters, many voice-driven devices are always listening, waiting to be activated. Some people are already concerned about the implications of internet-connected micro-phones listening in every room and from every smartphone.Not all audio is sent to the cloud-deviceswaitfor a trigger phrase (“Alexa”, “OK, Google”, “Hey, Cortana”, or “Hey, Siri”)/before they（指代cloud-devices）start relaying the user's voice to theservers/that actually handle the requests-but when it comes to storing audio, it is unclear who keeps what and when.（并非所有的声音都被传到了云端,在开始将用户的语音传到真正处理用户指令的服务器之前，在云端等待触发指令）

Police investigating a murder in Arkansas, which may have been overheard by an Amazon Echo, have asked the company for access to any audio that might have been captured. Amazon has refused to co-operate, arguing (with the backing of privacy advocates) that the legal status of such requests is unclear. The situation is analogous to（与...类似）Apple's refusal in 2016 to help FBI investigators unlock a terrorist's iPhone(解锁恐怖分子的iPhone）; both cases highlight the need for rules that specify when and what intrusions into personalprivacy are justified in the interests of security./完善法律问题管控信息

Consumers will adopt voice computing even if such issues remain unresolved. In many situations voice is far more convenient and natural than any other means of communication（任何其他形式的交流）. Uniquely, it can also be used while doing something else (driving, working out or walking down the street). It can extend the power of computing to people unable,for one reason or another（出于某种原因）, to use screens and key-boards. And it could have a dramatic impact not just on computing, but on the use of language itself Computerised simultaneous translation could render the need to speak a foreign language irrelevant for many people; and in a world where machines can talk, minor languages may be more likely to survive.The arrival of the touchscreen was the last big shift in the way humans interact with computers. The leap to speech matters more（触摸屏的到来是人类与电脑互动的最后一个过去的大转变，向语音的跨越要更为重要）.

单词:

•daunting [dɔ:ntɪŋ]adj. 令人畏惧的; 使人气馁的; 令人怯步的v. 威吓(daunt的现在分词); 使气馁; 使害怕; 使失去信心

•accessible [ækˈsɛsəbəl] adj. 易接近的; 可理解的; 易相处的; 易感的;

•sufficiently [səˈfɪʃəntlɪ]adv. 足够地，充分地; 十分，相当;

•Indistinguishable [ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃəbəl]adj. 不能分辨的; 不易察觉的; 无特征的;

•grant [grænt] vt. 授予; 承认; 准许;n. 拨款; 补助金; 授给物（如财产、授地、专有权、补助、拨款等）;vi. 同意;

•cylindrical [səˈlɪndrɪkəl] adj. 圆筒形; 圆柱形的，圆筒状的，气缸（或滚筒）的;

•track [træk] n. 小路，小道; 痕迹，踪迹; 轨道，音轨; 方针，路线;vt. 跟踪; 追踪; 监看，监测;vi. 沿着轨道前进;

•resident [ˈrɛzɪdənt, -ˌdɛnt]adj. 定居的，常驻的;n. 居民; （旅馆的） 住宿者; 住院医师;

•proliferate [prəˈlɪfəˌret]vi. 扩散; 激增; 增生，增殖;vt. 使激增; 使扩散;

•reliably [rɪˈlaɪəblɪ]adv. 可靠地，确实地;

•Intuitive [ɪnˈtu:ɪtɪv] adj. 直观的; 直觉的; 凭直觉获知的;

•abolish [əˈbɑ:lɪʃ]vt. 消灭; 撤销; 废除，废止; 取消，革除;

•carriage [ˈkærɪdʒ]n. 运费; 运输，输送;

•ubiquitous  [juˈbɪkwɪtəs]adj. 无所不在的; 普遍存在的;

•convenient  [kənˈvinjənt]adj. 方便的; [废语] 适当的;

•destined  [ˈdɛstɪn]vt. 注定; 预定; 命定; 指定;

•account  [əˈkaʊnt] n. 账目; 存款; 报告; 理由;vi. 解释; 导致; 报账;vt. 认为; 把…视作;

•Breakthrough [ˈbrekˌθru]n. 突破; 穿透; 重要技术成就; 炉衬烧穿;

•tricky  [ˈtrɪki]adj. 狡猾的; 微妙的;

•trade-off [ˈtredˌɔf, -ˌɑf] n. 权衡; 交易;

•dictation  [dɪkˈteʃən]n. 命令; 口授，听写; 听写测验;

•recognise  ['rekəgnaɪz]vt. 认可; 认出，

•manifestation  [ˌmænəfɛˈsteʃən]n. 表示，显示; 示威;

•culle [kʌl] vt. 精选; 挑选，剔除; 采，摘（花）;n. 剔除; 拣出的东西;

•transcription  [trænˈskrɪpʃən] n. 抄写; 抄本; 录音; 翻译;

•robotic  [roʊˈbɑ:tɪk]adj. 机器人的; 自动的; 像机器人似的; 呆板的;

•stilted  [ˈstɪltɪd]adj. （动作或言语） 生硬的，不自然的;

•flourish [ˈflɜ:rɪʃ]vi. 挥舞; 茂盛，繁荣; 活跃，蓬勃;vt. 挥动，挥舞;n. 挥舞，挥动; 花样，

•coherent  [koʊˈhɪrənt]adj. 连贯的; 一致的; 条理分明的; 清楚明白的;

•elaborate  [ɪˈlæbəret]vi. 详尽说明; 变得复杂;vt. 详细制定; 详尽阐述;

adj. 精心制作的; 精巧的;

•retrieve [rɪˈtriv]vt. 取回; 恢复; [计] 检索; ;vi. 找回猎物;n. 取回; 恢复，挽回; [计] 检索;

•mortgage [ˈmɔ:rgɪdʒ]n. 抵押; 抵押单据，抵押证明; 抵押权，债权;vt. 抵押;

•engagingly [ɪn'ɡeɪdʒɪŋlɪ]adv. 有吸引力地; 动人地，吸引人地;

•regulator [ˈrɛɡjəˌletɚ]n. 校准者，[机]调整器，校准器，调节器

•primitive  [ˈprɪmɪtɪv]adj. 原始的; 发展水平低的; 落后的;n. 原始人; 早期的艺术家

•calendar [ˈkæləndɚ]n. 日历; 历法; 日程表;vt. 把…记入日程表中; 把…列入表中;

•trigger  [ˈtrɪɡɚ]n. （枪） 扳机; 起动装置，扳柄;vt. 引发，触发; 扣•overheard  [ˌoʊvərˈhɜ:rd] v. 偶然听到(overhear的过去式和过去分词);

•capture [ˈkæptʃɚ]vt. 俘获; 夺取; 夺得; 引起（注意、想像、兴趣）;n. 捕获; 占领; 捕获物; [计算机] 捕捉;

•analogous [əˈnæləɡəs]adj. 相似的，可比拟的;

•refusal  [rɪˈfjuzəl]n. 拒绝; 优先取舍权;

•specify  [ˈspɛsəˌfaɪ]vt. 指定; 详述; 提出…的条件; 使具有特性;vi. 明确提出，详细说明;

•Intrusion [ɪnˈtruʒən]n. 闯入; 打扰; （对某事的） 干扰; 干涉;

•security [səˈkjʊrəti]n. 安全; 保证，担保; 保护，防护; 有价证券;adj. 安全的，保密的;

•uniquely [jʊ'ni:klɪ]adv. 独特地，唯一地，珍奇地;

•dramatic  [drəˈmætɪk] adj. 引人注目的; 戏剧的，戏剧性的; 激动人心的;

•Irrelevant [ɪˈrɛləvənt] adj. 不相干的; 不恰当; 缺乏时代性的

•minor [ˈmaɪnɚ]adj. 较小的，少数的，小…; 未成年的;n. 未成年人; 副修科目; 小公司;

vi. [主美国英语] 副修，选修，兼修;

•advocates [ˈædvəˌket]vt. 提倡; 鼓吹;为…辩护;n. 提倡者; （辩护） 律师; 支持者;

•justified [ˈdʒʌstəˌfaɪd]adj. 有正当理由的，合理的; 事出有因的;v. 调整; 证明…有道理

•adopt [əˈdɑ:pt]vt. 收养; 采用，采取，采纳; 正式接受，接受; 批准;

•extend [ɪkˈstɛnd]vt. 延伸; 扩大; 推广;vt. 延长; 伸展; 给予; 发出（邀请、欢迎等）;

vi. 延伸; 伸出; 增加;

•dramatic [drəˈmætɪk] adj. 引人注目的; 戏剧的，戏剧性的; 激动人心的;

•leap [lip] vi. 跳; 冲动的行动;vt. 跳过，跃过; 使跳跃;n. 跳跃，飞跃; 跳跃的距离;

长难句：

The Amazon Echo, a voice-driven cylindrical computer that sits on a table top and answers to the name Alexa, can call up music tracks and radio stations, tell jokes, answer trivia questions and control smart appliances; even before Christmas it was already resident in about 4% of American households.

主语是The Amazon Echo，逗号后面是同位语a voice-driven cylindrical computer，that sits on a table top and answers to the name Alexa 定语从句修饰a voice-driven cylindrical computer搁在桌子上，名字叫Alexa，类似苹果的语音助手叫 siri，微软的聊天机器人小冰。分号后面是另外一个分句，说的是超过4%的美国家庭已经开始使用。

Windows, icons and menus, and then touchscreens, were welcomed as more intuitive ways to deal with computers than entering complex keyboard commands. But being able to talk to computers abolishes the need for the abstraction of a “user interface” at all.

第一句中出现了复杂比较结构，把Windows, icons and menus, and then touchscreens,

和entering complex keyboard commands进行比较，觉得前者是more intuitive ways to deal with computers。But转折之后的句子简单。指出在于计算机交流的方式上，先是视窗，icons（图标）、菜单，之后是触摸屏，都因为比输入复杂的键盘命令更直观而备受欢迎，而语音说话彻底的消除了对“用户界面”这一抽象概念的需要。

Just as mobile phones were more than existing phones without wires, and cars were more than carriages without horses, so computers without screens and keyboards have the potential to be more useful, powerful and ubiquitous than people can imagine today.

这个句式就是Just as···so，just as后面其实是在举例，这句话就是就像手机远不止是没有线的电话，汽车远不止是没有马的车，接着so后面给出观点，指出没有了显示屏和键盘的电脑有潜力变得比人们今天所想象的更有用，更强大且无处不在。

Computers' new ability/to recognise almost anyone's speech dependably without training/is the latest manifestation/of the power of “deep learning”,/an artificial-intelligence technique/in which a software system is trained using millions of examples, usually culled from the Internet.

Computers’ new ability是名词放在句首作主语，后面的不定式结构to recognize是后置定语，Computers' new ability is the latest manifestation，manifestation后面的介词短语是修饰语。逗号后面就是deep learning的同位语，进一步修饰AI technique,是一个定语从句，注意后面就是一层一层的修饰关系。逗号之后就是在解释deep learning，逗号之前的部分。Computers' new ability to recognise almost anyone's speech dependably without training is the latest manifestation of the power of “deep learning”，这半句其实就说计算机的新能力是深度学习力量的最新体现，计算机无需训练即能识别几乎任何人的语言。后半句，an artificial-intelligence technique in which a software system is trained using millions of examples, usually culled from the internet.深度思考是一种人工智能技术（同位语处理掉），这一技术（定语从句的关联体现）用通常来自互联网的数百万个范例来训练某一系统