Cryptocurrencies
加密貨幣
Hello. This is 6 Minute English, I'm Catherine.
大家好，這裡是六分鐘英語，我是凱薩琳。
And I'm Sam.
我是薩姆。
Now, Sam, what can you tell us about cryptocurrencies?
薩姆，你能告訴我們關於加密貨幣的什麼東西？
The word is acombination of crypto, from cryptography, which is to do with using clever software codes to protect computer information and systems, and currency, which is the money of a particular country.
這個詞是由"cryptography"單詞裡的"crypto"與"currency"組合而成。"cryptography"指的是使用智能軟體密碼來保護計算機信息和系統，而"currency"指的是某個國家的貨幣。
So cryptocurrency, very simply, means code money.
所以加密貨幣，非常簡單，指的就是密碼貨幣。
We usually think of money as notes and coins which come from a country's bank.
我們通常認為貨幣是紙幣和硬幣，它們來自一個國家的銀行。
But acryptocurrency doesn't have physical money.
但加密貨幣不是實物貨幣。
It's purely digital and is not controlled by banks or governments but by the people who have it and very complex computer codes.
它是純數字的，不受銀行或政府控制，而是由擁有它的人以及非常複雜的計算機密碼控制。
Perhaps the most well-known is Bitcoin.
也許最眾所周知的是比特幣。
Well, you seem to know a fair bit about cryptocurrency actually… anyway, now a new player is joining the digital money system as Facebook have announced they are launching their own digital currency.
好吧，你似乎實際上對加密貨幣有一定的了解……無論如何，現在有一個新的加密貨幣加入了數字貨幣系統，Facebook宣布他們將推出自己的數字貨幣。
They are calling it 'Libra'.
他們叫它"Libra"。
And we'll be finding a little bit more about this topic in the programme, but first, a question.
我們將在節目中發現更多關於這個話題的內容，但首先，有一個問題。
Now, Sam, you mentioned Bitcoin as being a well-known cryptocurrency.
薩姆，你提到比特幣是一種眾所周知的加密貨幣。
It was, infact, the first cryptocurrency, but when was Bitcoin created?
事實上，它是第一種加密貨幣。但比特幣是什麼時候誕生的呢？
Was it: a)2008, b) 2009, or c) 2010?
是a) 2008年，b) 2009年，還是c) 2010年？
I'm going tosay 2010.
我會說的是2010年。
OK. Well, I'll reveal the answer later in the programme.
好的。好吧，稍後我將在節目中揭曉答案。
Now, Jemima Kelly is a financial journalist.
傑邁瑪·凱利是一名金融記者。
She was talking on the BBC radio programme Money Box Live about the plans for Libra.
她在BBC廣播節目Money Box Live上談到了Libra的計劃。
She says it's not really a cryptocurrency because it's actually backed up by a number of real currencies.
她說那並不是真正的加密貨幣，因為它實際上是由許多真實貨幣支持的。
So which currencies does she mention?
那麼她提到了哪些貨幣？
A cryptocurrency is normally subject to the whims of crypto markets, which are notoriously volatile, where as Libra is kept stable by being backed up by abasket of currencies, in this case, the dollar, the pound, the euro and the Swiss franc.
加密貨幣通常受加密市場的支配，加密市場因反覆無常而眾所周知，而Libra通過一系列貨幣的支持保持穩定，在這種情況下，那是指美元、英鎊、歐元和瑞士法郎。
So which currencies did she say were backing up Libra, Sam?
所以她說哪種貨幣支持Libra，薩姆？
She said that the dollar, the pound, the euro and Swiss franc were the currencies that would be backing up Libra.
她說美元、英鎊、歐元和瑞士法郎是支持Libra的貨幣。
And this is different from regular cryptocurrencies, isn't it?
而這與常規加密貨幣不同，不是嗎？
Yes, cryptocurrencies are completely independent of financial institutions and other currencies.
是的，加密貨幣完全獨立於金融機構和其它貨幣。
And this can make them risky, can't it?
這會讓它們有風險，不是嗎？
Yes, she says that cryptocurrency markets are notoriously volatile.
是的，她說加密貨幣市場因反覆無常而眾所周知。
Something thatis volatile can change very quickly.
反覆無常的東西變化得很快。
When it comes to currency, it means that its value can go up or down by a large amount over avery short period of time.
就貨幣而言，它指的是貨幣價值可以在很短的時間內大幅度上升或下降。
And it's described as notoriously volatile because this has actually happened a few times in the past.
它被形容為因反覆無常而眾所周知，因為這實際上在過去發生過幾次。
Something thatis notorious is well known or famous but for a negative reason.
臭名昭著的事物就是眾所周知的或著名的，但卻是因為負面原因。
So the value of a currency going up and down in a volatile way – that's not positive.
所以貨幣價值上下浮動，反覆無常，這不是積極的。
If you want to take the risk you could make a lot of money, but you could also lose a lot of money - more than you invested.
如果你想冒這個險，你可以賺很多錢，但你也可能損失很多錢——比你投資的還多。
So why are cryptocurrencies so volatile?
所以為什麼加密貨幣如此反覆無常呢？
Most currencies are reasonably stable.
大多數貨幣都相當穩定。
This is the opposite of volatile.
這是"反覆無常"的反義詞。
They don't change a lot over a short period of time.
它們不會在短時間內發生太大變化。
There can be big changes but usually governments and banks control currencies to prevent it.
可能會有很大變化，但通常政府和銀行會控制貨幣以防止這種情況。
Cryptocurrencies don't have those controls.
加密貨幣沒有那些控制。
What Jemima Kelly said was that they are subject to the whims of the crypto markets.
傑邁瑪·凱利說的是它們受加密市場的支配。
A whim is an unpredictable or irrational decision or trend and if you are subject to the whims of something, or someone, it means that metaphorically you are a passenger in a self-driving car which may decide just to drive off the edge ofa cliff.
"突發的念頭"是一種不可預測或非理性的決定或趨勢，如果你受到某件事或某人的支配，這意味著，打個比方來說，你是自動駕駛汽車上的一名乘客，汽車可能決定要從懸崖邊上開過去。
So it might bean exciting ride, but it could end in disaster.
因此它可能是一次令人興奮的旅程，但也可能以災難告終。
Right, it's time now to get the answer to the question I asked at the beginning of the programme.
好了，現在是時候回答我在節目開始時問的問題了。
Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency, but when was it created?
比特幣是第一種加密貨幣，但它是什麼時候誕生的呢？
Was it: a)2008, b) 2009, c) 2010?
是a) 2008年，b) 2009年，c) 2010年？
I said 2010, but I'm not really sure.
我說的是2010年，但我不是很確定。
And you're absolutely wrong!
你完全錯誤！
The correct answer is 2009, so no luck for you this time, but congratulations to everyone who did get that right.
正確答案是2009年，所以這一次你運氣不佳，但恭喜所有答對的人啊。
Well, anyway, let's round off today with a review of today's vocabulary.
好吧，不管怎樣，讓我們複習今天的詞彙來結束今天的學習。
First off there is cryptography which is the use of special codes to keep computer systems and content safe.
首先是"密碼學"，它使用特殊密碼來保證計算機系統和內容的安全。
A currency is the money of a particular country, for example in the UK we have the pound, in the US there's the dollar and in many countries in Europe the currency is the euro.
"貨幣"是特定國家的錢，例如在英國是英鎊，在美國是美元，在歐洲的許多國家其貨幣是歐元。
Cryptocurrencyis a combination of cryptography and currency, and it's used for a finance system that is based on secure digital coins that are not connected to banks or governments.
加密貨幣是密碼學和貨幣的結合，它被用於一個金融系統，該系統基於安全數字貨幣，和銀行或政府無關。
We then had the expression subject to the whims of.
然後我們有了這個表達，"受……支配"。
Whims are unpredictable decisions, and if you are subject to them it means you can't control them, you have no choice but to go in the direction those whims lead.
突發的念頭是無法預測的決定，而且如果你受它們支配，那就意味著你無法控制它們，你別無選擇，只能順著突發念頭的方向走。
This means that the value of cryptocurrencies are notoriously volatile.
這意味著加密貨幣的價值反覆無常，眾所周知。
They have ahistory of going up or down in value by large amounts and very quickly.
貨幣價值有快速大幅上升或下降的歷史。
And that's not good.
這並不好。
Well, it might be good if it goes up!
嗯，如果價值上升的話可能會很好！
True.
對。
But if you want less risk, if you want your currency to be the opposite of volatile, if you want it, in other words, to be stable, then maybe cryptocurrencies are not for you.
但如果你想低一點風險，如果你想讓你的貨幣與反覆無常相反，換句話說，如果你想讓它穩定，那麼加密貨幣可能不適合你。
Well, we are subject to the whims of the schedule which means our 6 minutes are up.
嗯，我們要受時間表支配，也就是說我們的六分鐘英語要結束了。
We look forward to your company again soon.
我們期待你的下次參與。
Bye for now.
再見了。
Bye!
拜！
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