ⅠOur social relationships are changing and technology is at the centre of this unfolding story. Take stock of your own world. You probably have a few family members and friends who mean the world to you. Then there are the many acquaintances, contacts, 「followers」 and 「consequential strangers」 who you only interact with occasionally but who serve useful purposes when you have questions, need to make decisions or require a helping hand. Your ties to all of them, especially those in the outer reaches of your network, are increasingly mediated through digital technology — from email to Facebook to Skype calls.
ⅡThis new social operating system has been emerging for several generations but has accelerated in growth thanks to the recent triple revolution: the widespread adoption of broadband, ubiquitous mobile connectivity and the move from bounded groups—largely closed circles of interlinked contacts to multiple social networks.
ⅢWe have dubbed the result networked individualism because loose-knit networks are overtaking more densely knit groups and traditional hierarchies as the dominant structure of social interaction. In the world of networked individuals, the individual is the focus, not the family, the work unit, the neighbourhood or the social group. Each person creates their own network tailored to their needs, maintaining it through their email address and address book, screen name, social and technological filters, and cellphone number.
ⅣThis revolution doesn't mean physical isolation, as some fear. People still value neighbours, because they remain important for everyday socialising and emergencies. Yet neighbours are only about 10 per cent of our significant ties. While people see co-workers and neighbours often, the most important contacts tend to be with people who live elsewhere in the city, region, nation and abroad. The new media are able to facilitate such contact, and, in effect, have become the neighbourhood. And it is heavily populated. Data from the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project suggests that more than two-thirds of American adults and three-quarters of teenagers have become online content creators through social media and rankings, ratings, commenting and remixing applications. In this world, people can easily locate and connect with others who share their tastes, lifestyles, politics or professional aspirations.
ⅤWith such a fundamental social shift linked to still-developing technology, how it unfolds needs to be considered. Evolving social norms will push both ways. Some will encourage openness as people want to connect; others will encourage limits as the hassled and hard-pressed withdraw occasionally. In short, the world will fragment, with some parts moving towards the brighter side of networked individualism and other parts moving towards gated communities and more tightly controlled information flows.
ⅥThe triple revolution has given rise to far-reaching consequences, though it is not yet clear what the outermost points of impact will be. What is evident is that networked individualism is tightly tied to technological changes on the horizon and that the time is ripe to contemplate the shape of things to come.
1.acquaintance [əˈkweɪntəns] n. 相識的人，熟人
2.consequential [ˌkɒnsɪˈkwenʃl] a. 重要的，有深遠影響的
3.occasionally [əˈkeɪʒnəli] ad. 偶爾，不時
4.broadband [ˈbrɔ:dbænd] n. 寬帶
5.individualism [ˌɪndɪˈvɪdʒuəlɪzəm] n. 個人主義
6.hierarchy [ˈhaɪərɑ:ki] n. 等級
7.isolation [ˌaɪsəˈleɪʃn] n. 隔離
8.facilitate [fəˈsɪlɪteɪt] v. 推動，促進
9.aspiration [ˌæspəˈreɪʃn] n. 抱負，願望
10.hard-pressed [ˌhɑ:dˈprest] a. 處於困境的
11.fragment [ˈfrægmənt] v. 分裂，破碎
12.*mediate [ˈmi:dieɪt] v. 影響……的發生，使……可能發生
13.*ubiquitous [ju:ˈbɪkwɪtəs] a. 無處不在的
14.*hassled [ˈhæsəld] a. 被煩擾的
（標*的為超綱詞）
Ⅰ①Our social relationships are changing and technology is at the centre of this unfolding story. ②Take stock of your own world. ③You probably have a few family members and friends who mean the world to you. ④Then there are the many acquaintances, contacts, 「followers」 and 「consequential strangers」 who you only interact with occasionally but who serve useful purposes when you have questions, need to make decisions or require a helping hand. ⑤Your ties to all of them, especially those in the outer reaches of your network, are increasingly mediated through digital technology — from email to Facebook to Skype calls.
翻譯：我們的社會關係正在發生變化，而科技處在這一正在發展的情況之核心。觀察一下你自己的世界。你大概有幾位親密的家人和朋友，對你而言他們就是整個世界。然後有許多相識者、聯繫人、「追隨者」以及「間接陌生人」，你只是偶爾與他們互動，但他們對你很有幫助，如當你有疑問時，當你需要做決定或需要援助之手時。你與所有這些人的關係，尤其是與你的關係網外圍那些人的關係，正日益以數位技術為媒介——從電子郵件到Facebook再到Skype通話。
點評：段Ⅰ提出現象——網絡正在改變人們的社會關係。首先指出，社會關係正在發生變化，科技處在這一變化的中心；然後具體說明人們的社會關係的模式；接著指出，這些關係正日益以數位技術為媒介。主要邏輯銜接是：①首句開門見山，點明social relationships和technology的關係；②第二至五句解釋說明首句；其中第二句承上啟下，第三、四句通過Then形成遞進，介紹了人們兩個層次的社會關係social relationships：為數不多的對你至關重要的親友（a few family members and friends）和許多平時聯繫不多，但卻能在你需要幫助時伸出援手的相識者（many acquaintances...）。第五句點明digital technology（即首句的technology）對社會關係的影響。該句的Your ties to all of them指代第三、四句提到的社會關係, those in the outer reaches of your network指many acquaintances
Ⅱ①This new social operating system has been emerging for several generations but has accelerated in growth thanks to the recent triple revolution: the widespread adoption of broadband, ubiquitous mobile connectivity and the move from bounded groups—largely closed circles of interlinked contacts to multiple social networks.
翻譯：這一新型社會運作體系在數代人之前就開始出現了，但得益於近年來的「三重革命」，它才加速發展起來。這三重革命是：寬帶的廣泛應用，無處不在的移動連接，以及從有限群體——主要是由若干彼此聯繫的聯絡人組成的封閉小圈子——到多重社交網絡的轉變。
點評：段Ⅱ說明社會關係發生變化的原因：信息技術的「三重革命」。作者提出，儘管這種社會關係運作系統露頭已久，但目前的加速發展得益於近年來的「三重革命」：寬帶的廣泛使用，普遍的移動連接，以及從封閉小圈子到多重社交網絡的轉變。主要邏輯銜接是：本段單句成段，通過冒號形成兩層；冒號之前but後的部分是作者強調內容，引出新社會關係運作系統加速發展的原因，冒號後具體解釋說明原因。句首This new social operating system回指上段所介紹的新型社會關係。
Ⅲ①We have dubbed the result networked individualism because loose-knit networks are overtaking more densely knit groups and traditional hierarchies as the dominant structure of social interaction. ②In the world of networked individuals, the individual is the focus, not the family, the work unit, the neighbourhood or the social group. ③Each person creates their own network tailored to their needs, maintaining it through their email address and address book, screen name, social and technological filters, and cellphone number.
翻譯：由於鬆散的關係網絡正在取代緊密關聯的群體及傳統的社會等級，成為社會交往的主導結構，我們將這一變革結果命名為「網絡個人主義」。在「網絡化個人」的世界中，個人是焦點，而非家庭、單位、鄰裡或社會團體。每個人根據自身需要創建他自己的關係網絡，並通過其郵件地址、地址簿、網名、社交及技術過濾器、手機號碼等維持這一網絡。
點評：段Ⅲ具體分析新型社會關係的特徵。首先將新型的社會關係命名為「網絡個人主義」，然後說明其特徵：以個人為焦點，而非家庭、單位、鄰裡、社會團體等；每個人根據自身需要創建其關係網絡，並通過各種信息技術手段維持這一網絡。主要邏輯銜接是：①首句承上啟下，提出本文中心議題networked individualism，句中the result指代上文科技變革的結果（即新型社會關係），social interaction和首段social relationships同義；②第二、三句解釋說明networked individualism，分別指出它的一個特徵；第二句通過否定與並列( the individual is the focus, not..., ..., ... or...)凸顯了individual的地位，並通過networked individuals與首句銜接；第三句通過creates...tailored to their needs進一步強調了individualism，並通過Each person（individual的同義復現）和network與上文銜接，句中提到的各種技術手段呼應首段的digital technology
Ⅳ①This revolution doesn't mean physical isolation, as some fear. ②People still value neighbours, because they remain important for everyday socialising and emergencies. ③Yet neighbours are only about 10 per cent of our significant ties. ④While people see co-workers and neighbours often, the most important contacts tend to be with people who live elsewhere in the city, region, nation and abroad. ⑤The new media are able to facilitate such contact, and, in effect, have become the neighbourhood. ⑥And it is heavily populated. ⑦Data from the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project suggests that more than two-thirds of American adults and three-quarters of teenagers have become online content creators through social media and rankings, ratings, commenting and remixing applications. ⑧In this world, people can easily locate and connect with others who share their tastes, lifestyles, politics or professional aspirations.
翻譯：這一變革並不像有些人所擔憂的那樣意味著人們的隔離。人們依然重視鄰居，因為他們對於日常社交和緊急情況而言依然重要。然而，鄰裡關係僅約佔人們重要關係的十分之一。儘管人們經常見到同事和鄰居，最重要的聯繫卻往往是與居住在同一城市、地區、國家的其他地方甚至國外的人進行的。新媒體能夠促進這種聯繫，而且實際上新媒體已經成為了（人們互動的）「社區」，並且人口眾多。皮尤研究中心的「網際網路與美國生活項目」的數據顯示，三分之二以上的美國成年人與四分之三以上的美國青少年通過社交媒體以及排名、評分、評論、重新合成等應用成為了在線內容創造者。在這個世界中，人們能夠輕而易舉地找到與自己有著共同喜好、生活方式、政見或職業理想的其他人，並與之聯繫。
點評：段Ⅳ分析「網絡個人主義」產生的影響。首先指出，社會關係的這一變革並不意味著人們的隔離(人們依然重視鄰居)；接著指出，鄰裡關係僅佔人們重要關係的十分之一，數字媒介帶給了我們更多的「重要關係」，使得不居住在一起的人們實際上形成了「社區」；然後證明該論斷。主要邏輯銜接是：①首句否定「這一變革會帶來人們的隔離（physical isolation）」的看法，This revolution回指上文所介紹的社會關係變化；第二句具體說明首句，指出數字時代人們依然重視鄰裡關係，still強調觀點）；②第三、四句轉折指出我們的主要聯繫遠不止（傳統的）鄰裡關係，我們最重要的聯繫還存在於與不住在同一地點甚至更遠的人之間的聯繫。第四句the most important contacts呼應第三句的significant ties；③第五至八句進一步指出新媒體催生了「新的鄰裡（非傳統意義上的鄰裡， 包括那些距離遙遠，但聯繫緊密的社會關係）」。其中，第五句承上啟下，既是對上文的概括，又是下文說明的對象。第六、七句通過數據與分析證明第五、六觀點，第八句的this world指代第七句所描述的普遍使用新媒體的世界。
Ⅴ①With such a fundamental social shift linked to still-developing technology, how it unfolds needs to be considered. ②Evolving social norms will push both ways. ③Some will encourage openness as people want to connect; others will encourage limits as the hassled and hard-pressed withdraw occasionally. ④In short, the world will fragment, with some parts moving towards the brighter side of networked individualism and other parts moving towards gated communities and more tightly controlled information flows.
翻譯：隨著這種與發展中的技術相關聯的根本性社會變遷的發生，情況會如何發展需要人們思考。演變的社會準則將同時向兩方面推進。由於人們想要溝通，一些準則會鼓勵開放性；由於不堪煩擾者和處於困境者不時退出，另一些準則會促進限制性。簡而言之，世界會分裂開來，一部分朝著「網絡個人主義」的光明面發展，另一部分則走向封閉社區以及更加嚴格控制的信息流。
點評：段Ⅴ指出在「網絡個人主義」影響下，社會準則有兩種發展趨勢。首先指出，我們需要考慮「社會關係變革將走向何方」；然後具體說明社會準則發展的兩極趨勢：一方面促進開放性，另一方面促進限制性。主要邏輯銜接是：①首句提出段落討論問題 「未來發展趨勢」，a fundamental social shift指代上文所述「社會關係的根本變化」。②第二至四句對首句的問題（how it unfolds）具體說明：第二句點明社會準則發展的兩極趨勢，第三句解釋這種趨勢，第四句對其進一步說明；第二句的both ways、第三句的some...others...、第四句的some parts...other parts...前後呼應，形成一個語義場；第三句的openness、limits分別照應第四句的brighter side of networked individualism、gated communities and more tightly controlled information flows；In short相銜接。
Ⅵ①The triple revolution has given rise to far-reaching consequences, though it is not yet clear what the outermost points of impact will be. ②What is evident is that networked individualism is tightly tied to technological changes on the horizon and that the time is ripe to contemplate the shape of things to come.
翻譯：「三重革命」已經造成了深遠的影響，儘管其最外圍的影響是什麼還不明確。顯而易見的是，「網絡個人主義」與即將來臨的技術變革緊密相關，思索未來發展情況的時機已經成熟了。
點評：段Ⅵ補充指出，信息技術「三重革命」的某些影響還未可知，「網絡個人主義」的影響值得深思。首先指出，信息技術「三重革命」已造成了深遠影響，儘管其最外圍的影響還不明確，但可以明確的是「網絡個人主義」與科技變革緊密相關；然後呼籲人們對未來的情形進行思考。主要邏輯銜接是：①首句總結上文，指出影響，句首的The triple revolution呼應第二段，far-reaching consequences呼應第三至五段；②第二句直接表達作者的觀點，通過主語從句和並列表語從句突出強調（What is evident is that...and that...），並通過networked individualism與上文銜接。