“优质的异性资源、0门槛的诱人广告、言之凿凿的成功案例。”今年的“3·15”晚会曝光了珍爱网、世纪佳缘等多家婚恋平台收割消费者的乱象，引发热议。 借（cèng）此（gè）机（rè）会（diǎn），我们就来看看关于约会App的介绍吧。 🤔️小作业： 1. How has investment in the dating and social networking sector in China changed from 2019 to last year? A) Investment decreased from $5.3 billion to $300 million. B) Investment remained constant at $300 million. C) Investment increased from $300 million to more than $5.3 billion. D) There was no investment in the sector in 2019. 2. According to an October survey, what is the primary reason most respondents use dating apps in China? A) To find a lifelong partner. B) To participate in online games with other users. C) To expand their social circles. D) To engage in casual hookups. 无注释原文： Dating Apps Thrive in China, but Not Just for Romance From: The New York Times, Sept. 27, 2022 The number of dating apps in China with over 1,000 downloads soared to 275 this year from 81 in 2017, according to data.ai, an analytics firm. Downloads of the apps have increased, as have in-app purchases. Investors have also poured more than $5.3 billion into dating and social networking companies in the country last year, up from $300 million in 2019, according to PitchBook. And China’s largest tech companies, such as ByteDance and Tencent, are testing, acquiring and investing in new apps that promise to bring strangers together. For many people, the apps have become virtual sanctuaries — a 21st-century twist on what urbanists called the “third place,” a community between work and the home — to explore hobbies, discuss popular topics and meet new friends. Zhang Lu, the founder of Soul, a dating app backed by Tencent, has said that “loneliness is the core problem we want to solve.” When internet dating arrived in China in the early 2000s, the power to form relationships — once disproportionately in the hands of village matchmakers, parents and factory bosses — increasingly fell onto the individual. Many were eager for the shift, gravitating to features on WeChat, the popular messaging app, which enabled chatting with strangers. The trend accelerated in the 2010s with the arrival of dating apps like Momo and Tantan, which emulated Tinder. Alongside Soul, they became China’s three most popular dating apps, amassing over 150 million monthly active users in total. The apps themselves have changed. Tantan and Momo had long matched users based on their physical appearance, leading to accusations that the platforms cultivated a hookup culture. More recently, these apps have started using people’s interests, hobbies and personalities as the basis for new social encounters. Douyin, which is owned by ByteDance and is China’s version of TikTok, and Little Red Book, an app with similarities to Instagram, have built “social discovery” features that use their knowledge of people’s preferences to match them. Soul has become especially popular in the past few years for its avatar profiles and its practice of linking users based on personality tests. Last year, the app surpassed Tantan and Momo as the most downloaded dating app on the Chinese iOS store. Many users of these dating apps appear less interested in romance than in meeting friends. In an October survey conducted by a Chinese research institute, 89 percent of respondents said they had used a dating app before, with a majority saying they wanted primarily to expand their social circles, not find a partner. - ◆ - 注：完整题目见本文开头；中文文本为纽约时报官方译文，仅供参考 含注释全文： Dating Apps Thrive in China, but Not Just for Romance From: The New York Times, Sept. 27, 2022 The number of dating apps in China with over 1,000 downloadssoaredto 275 this year from 81 in 2017, according to data.ai, an analytics firm. Downloads of the apps have increased, as have in-app purchases. 据分析公司data.ai，中国下载量千次以上的约会应用程序数量，已从2017年的81个飙升至今年的275个。除下载量外，这些软件的应用内购买也有所增长。 soar 1）表示“急剧增加”，英文解释为“If the amount, value, level, or volume of something soars, it quickly increases by a great deal.”举个🌰：Shares soared on the New York stock exchange. 纽约证券交易所股票暴涨。 2）表示“高飞，翱翔”，英文解释为“If something such as a bird soars into the air, it goes quickly up into the air.”举个🌰：If you're lucky, a splendid golden eagle may soar into view. 幸运的话，一只金色雄鹰会跃入视线。 3）作动词，表示“升空；升腾”，英文解释为“to rise quickly and smoothly up into the air”举个🌰：The rocket soared (up) into the air. 火箭升空。 📍《经济学人》（The Economist）一篇分析受疫情影响的旅游业的文章中提到：Soaring incomes in China explain part of the increase. 这一增长的部分原因是中国人收入猛增。 Investors have also poured more than $5.3 billion into dating and social networking companies in the country last year, up from $300 million in 2019, according to PitchBook. And China’s largest tech companies, such as ByteDance and Tencent, are testing,acquiringand investing in new apps that promise to bring strangers together. 据PitchBook的数据，投资者去年向中国的约会应用和社交网络公司投入了超过相当于53亿美元的资金，高于2019年的3亿美元。字节跳动和腾讯等中国最大的技术企业正在测试、收购和投资许诺让陌生人相识的新应用。 acquire acquire /əˈkwaɪər/ 作动词，表示“取得，获得；购得；学到；收购”，英文解释为“to get something”举个🌰：He acquired the firm in 2023. 他于2023年收购了这家公司。 For many people, the apps have become virtualsanctuaries— a 21st-centurytwiston whaturbanistscalled the “third place,” a community between work and the home — to explore hobbies, discuss popular topics and meet new friends. 对许多用户来说，这些软件已成为虚拟的庇护所，可以说是城市学家所谓的“第三场所”（介于工作和家庭之间的社区）的21世纪变种，让人们可以探索兴趣爱好、讨论热门话题、结识新朋友。 sanctuary sanctuary /ˈsæŋk.tʃu.er.i/ 1）表示“庇护，保护；避难所，庇护所”，英文解释为“protection or a safe place, especially for someone or something being chased or hunted” 2）表示“禁猎区，鸟兽保护区”，英文解释为“a place where birds or animals can live and be protected, especially from being hunted or dangerous conditions”如：a wildlife/bird sanctuary 野生动物/鸟类保护区。 twist twist /twɪst/ 1）表示“扭动，转动”，英文解释为“an act of twisting something”举个🌰：She gave the cap another twist to make sure it was tight. 她又拧了一下盖子，以确保盖紧了。 2）表示“（故事或情况的）转折，转变，突然变化”，英文解释为“an unexpected change or development in a story or situation”举个🌰：The story has taken another twist. 故事情节再一次变化。 urbanist urbanist /ˈɜː.bən.ɪst/ 表示“城市规划专家”，英文解释为“someone whose job is to study and plan towns and cities” Zhang Lu, the founder of Soul, a dating app backed by Tencent, has said that “loneliness is the core problem we want to solve.” 腾讯投资的交友软件Soul的创始人张璐表示，“孤独感就是我们核心要解决的问题。” When internet dating arrived in China in the early 2000s, the power to form relationships — oncedisproportionatelyin the hands of villagematchmakers, parents and factory bosses — increasingly fell onto the individual. Many were eager for the shift,gravitatingto features on WeChat, the popular messaging app, which enabled chatting with strangers. 在中国，乡下的媒人、父母，以及工厂老板曾经掌握大量建立亲密关系的权力，自网上交友平台在21世纪初进入中国后，这种控制权更多地落到了个人手中。许多人渴望这种变化，他们聚集在流行的即时通讯应用微信平台上，使用平台让他们与陌生人聊天的功能。 disproportionately disproportionately /ˌdɪs.prəˈpɔː.ʃən.ət.li/ 表示“不成比例地；不相称地；太大（或太小）地”，英文解释为“too large or too small when compared with sth else”举个🌰：The lower-paid spend a disproportionately large amount of their earnings on food. 低工资者将收入花在食物上的比例很大。 matchmaker matchmaker /ˈmætʃˌmeɪ.kər/ 表示“媒人，红娘”，英文解释为“a person who tries to arrange marriages or romantic relationships between people” gravitate gravitate /ˈɡræv.ɪ.teɪt/ towards/to sth/sb表示“吸引到；受吸引而转到”，英文解释为“to be attracted by or to move in the direction of something or someone”举个🌰：She always gravitates towards the older children in her playgroup. 她在幼儿游戏组里总是爱跟比她大的孩子玩。 The trend accelerated in the 2010s with the arrival of dating apps like Momo and Tantan, whichemulatedTinder. Alongside Soul, they became China’s three most popular dating apps,amassingover 150 million monthly active users in total. 2010年代，随着陌陌、探探等模仿Tinder的约会应用出现，这个趋势加快了。陌陌、探探和Soul一起成了中国最受欢迎的三款约会应用，三者加起来的月活跃用户数已超过了1.5亿。 emulate emulate /ˈem.jə.leɪt/ 表示“效仿，模仿;同…竞争，努力赶上”，英文解释为“to copy something achieved by someone else and try to do it as well as they have”举个🌰：They hope to emulate the success of other software companies. 他们希望能够效仿其他软件公司的成功先例。 amass amass /əˈmæs/ 表示“（尤指大量）积累，积聚；集聚，积累，大量收集（尤指钱或信息）”，英文解释为“to collect sth, especially in large quantities”举个🌰：He amassed a fortune from delivering newspapers. 他靠送报纸积累了一笔财富。 近义词： 📍accumulate：to gradually get more and more of sth over a period of time 积累；积聚； 📍rack up表示“大量获得（利润）；严重遭受（损失）；（体育中）多次赢得（比赛）”（If a business racks up profits, losses, or sales, it makes a lot of them. If a sportsman, sportswoman, or team racks up wins, they win a lot of games or races.） The apps themselves have changed. Tantan and Momo had long matched users based on their physical appearance, leading toaccusationsthat the platforms cultivated ahookup culture. More recently, these apps have started using people’s interests, hobbies and personalities as the basis for new social encounters. 约会应用本身也发生了变化。探探和陌陌曾在以前很长一段时间里根据用户的外表来匹配他们，导致了人们批评这两个平台培植一种勾搭文化。最近，这些软件开始以人们的兴趣、爱好和性格作为建立新社交的基础。 accusation accusation /ˌæk.jəˈzeɪ.ʃən/ 1）表示“指责”，英文解释为“If you make an accusation against someone, you criticize them or express the belief that they have done something wrong.”举个🌰：He rejects accusations that country music is over-sentimental. 他反驳了那些说乡村音乐过于伤感的指责。 2）表示“指控”，英文解释为“An accusation is a statement or claim by a witness or someone in authority that a particular person has committed a crime, although this has not yet been proved.”如：people who have made public accusations of rape 对强奸进行了公开指控的人们。 hookup culture 国内有译作“勾搭文化”，“Hookup culture”指的是一种文化现象，主要体现在接受和鼓励短期的性关系，而不是追求长期的浪漫关系或者传统的约会关系。据维基百科：A hookup culture is one that accepts and encourages casual sex encounters, including one-night stands and other related activity, without necessarily including emotional intimacy, bonding or a committed relationship. Douyin, which is owned by ByteDance and is China’s version of TikTok, and Little Red Book, an app with similarities to Instagram, have built “social discovery” features that use their knowledge of people’s preferences to match them. Soul has become especially popular in the past few years for itsavatar profilesand its practice of linking users based on personality tests. Last year, the appsurpassedTantan and Momo as the most downloaded dating app on the Chinese iOS store. 字节跳动旗下的抖音以及与Instagram类似的应用小红书都带有“社交发现”功能，这个功能通过平台对用户嗜好的了解来匹配他们。Soul已在过去几年里变得特别受欢迎，因为它有带头像的用户简介、以及基于性格测试结果匹配用户的功能。去年，Soul已成为中国的苹果手机应用商店下载量最高超的约会应用，超过了探探和陌陌。 avatar avatar /ˈævəˌtɑː/ 表示“（某些网上聊天室或网上游戏中代表个人的）头像，虚拟替身，图标；虚拟化身”，英文解释为“a picture of a person or animal that represents you on a computer screen, for example in some chat room s or when you are playing games over the Internet”，还可以指“神的化身”，英文解释：a person or animal who is really a god in human or animal form literary. 📍《阿凡达》的英文名即为：Avatar. 那么，微信头像就叫WeChat Avatar吗？我们看看微信官方怎么说的吧，把你的微信语言设置成英文，你就可以看到，微信英文版中把头像处理成：Profile Photo，上面的“My Profile”对应的中文则是“个人信息”。 profile profile一词经常出现，1）表示“（有关某人的）简介，概况”，英文解释为“A profile of someone is a short article or programme in which their life and character are described.”举个🌰：A newspaper published comparative profiles of the candidates' wives. 一份报纸刊登了候选人妻子们的对比简介。 2）表示“关注度”，英文解释为“If someone has a high profile, people notice them and what they do. If you keep a low profile, you avoid doing things that will make people notice you.”常用：a high profile 惹人注目/关注；高姿态，a low profile 不惹人注目，低姿态；如：a move that would give Egypt a much higher profile in the upcoming peace talks 会给埃及在即将到来的和平谈判中高关注度的一个行动。 📍如果你把微信语言设置成英文，你就会发现微信官方把头像处理成：Profile Photo，上面的“My Profile”对应的中文则是“个人信息”。 surpass surpass /səˈpɑːs/ 表示“超过，优于，胜过”，英文解释为“to do or be better than”举个🌰：His time for the 100 metres surpassed the previous world record by one hundredth of a second. 他以0.01秒的优势打破了100米短跑的前世界纪录。 Many users of these dating apps appear less interested in romance than in meeting friends. In an October survey conducted by a Chinese research institute, 89 percent ofrespondentssaid they had used a dating app before, with a majority saying they wanted primarily to expand their social circles, not find a partner. 这些约会应用的许多用户似乎对结识朋友更感兴趣，而不是爱情。在中国一家研究机构去年10月做的调查中，89%的受访者说他们使用过约会应用，其中大多数人表示，他们主要是想扩大社交圈子，而不是寻找伴侣。 respondent respondent /rɪˈspɒn.dənt/ 表示“回答者；答复者；应答者”，英文解释为“a person who answers a request for information”举个🌰：In a recent opinion poll, a majority of respondents were against nuclear weapons. 在最近的一次民意调查中，大多数调查对象表示反对发展核武器。 - 词汇盘点 - soar、 acquire、 sanctuary、 twist、 urbanist、 disproportionately、 matchmaker、 gravitate、 emulate、 amass、 accusation、 hookup culture、 avatar、 profile、 surpass、 respondent - 词汇助记 By ChatGPT - An urbanist's profile soars as they acquire a sanctuary in the city, a twist that disproportionately surprises. As a matchmaker for spaces, people gravitate towards them, emulating their success and amassing acclaim. Despite accusations of promoting a hookup culture through their projects, they surpass respondents’ expectations, crafting avatars of communal living. - 推荐阅读 - 写在九周年的话 为了这个合集，准备了38个月 「LearnAndRecord」2023年度盘点 有人听写吗？推荐练听力小程序 - END - LearnAndRecord 2015年2月8日 2024年3月16日 第3325天 每天持续行动学外语
