ALEX: Can I help you?
SHERRY: Yes, I need to buy a computer for this semester.
I was told it is cheaper to buy computers here.
ALEX: Well, you heard right.
You can get an excellent deal on a new computer here.
We have great discounts for students.
SHERRY: I don't know much about computers.
But I know I want a desktop computer with a lot of memory. And I need a printer.
ALEX: Well, first let's consider your computer.
Here, for example, is a system I highly recommend--the Power Macintosh G3.
It comes with 64 megabytes of total memory.
SHERRY: Is that a lot? Sixty-four?
ALEX: Yes, it is. It should be enough for any student needs you might have.
What department are you in?
SHERRY: History.
ALEX: Well, so you will mostly be using word processing, for writing papers.
I recommend the Corel Word Perfect program for word processing.
We can talk about software later. Let's talk about your hardware first.
We have a special deal on right now.
I should tell you about it, as it only goes until next Tuesday.
If you buy one of these fifteen-inch color monitors with a Power Macintosh G3,
you can actually get 30 percent off the usual sale price.
SHERRY: Thirty percent?
ALEX: Yes.
SHERRY: Wow. That's really good.
And you think this is really a good system for a graduate student?
ALEX: Yes. It's an excellent system.
SHERRY: Hmm. Hey, wait. This has an Apple on it. Is this an Apple computer?
ALEX: Yes, it's a Macintosh. It's Apple. Macintosh and Apple are the same thing.
SHERRY: I don't want Macintosh. I want PC.
ALEX: I'm sorry, but our university computer center only sells Macintosh equipment.
SHERRY: What? Are you serious?
ALEX: Yes.
SHERRY: But nobody uses Macintosh!
ALEX: That's not true.
Most of the students and professors in the university here use Macintosh.
They find it is better for writing and word-processing,
and that is what students mostly do. May I ask where you're from?
SHERRY: Yes, I'm from Taiwan.
ALEX: Well, I know that in most Asian countries Apple is not very popular.
But here in America, especially in universities and publishing companies,
Apple is very commonly used.
SHERRY: But I need a computer that can handle writing in Chinese.
ALEX: There are several Chinese writing programs you can use with Macintosh.
Chinese is no problem for Apple.
SHERRY: Hmm.
I think I should ask some of my friends for advice before I make a decision.
I'm sorry.
ALEX: No, don't be sorry. It's reasonable to ask your friends.
But believe me, most of the students here in the university--
Asian students included--most of them use Apple.
SHERRY: Well, thanks for your advice. I will probably come back later.
ALEX: You're very welcome. Here is my card, if you need any help.
亞歷克斯:我可以幫你嗎?
雪莉:是的,這學(xué)期我需要買一臺(tái)電腦,
人家告訴我這里的電腦比較便宜。
亞歷克斯:的確,你聽(tīng)到的是對(duì)的。
在這買新電腦你可以拿到很不錯(cuò)的價(jià)格,
我們給學(xué)生很大的折扣。
雪莉:我對(duì)電腦了解不多,
但是我知道我要一臺(tái)有很大內(nèi)存的桌上電腦,而且我還要一臺(tái)打印機(jī)。
亞歷克斯:好的,我們先考慮你要的電腦。
我極力推薦這兒的一套系統(tǒng)-麥金塔 G3。
它的總內(nèi)存為六十四百萬(wàn)位元。
雪莉:那很多嗎?六十四?
亞歷克斯:是的,對(duì)任何學(xué)生的需求應(yīng)該是足夠了。
你是什么系的?
雪莉:歷史系。
亞歷克斯:好的,所以你會(huì)常用文字處理來(lái)寫(xiě)報(bào)告。
我推薦 Corel Word Perfect 程式來(lái)做文字處理。
我們待會(huì)再來(lái)談軟件,先談?dòng)布伞?br />
我們現(xiàn)在有特價(jià),
我應(yīng)該告訴你,因?yàn)橹怀掷m(xù)到星期二為止。
如果你購(gòu)買這套有麥金塔 G3 的 15 寸彩色主機(jī),
事實(shí)上就可以有平常售價(jià)的七折?!?br />
雪莉:七折?
亞歷克斯:是的。
雪莉:哇,太好了。
你覺(jué)得對(duì)一個(gè)研究生而言,這是一個(gè)很好的系統(tǒng)嗎?
亞歷克斯:是的,它是很棒的系統(tǒng)。
雪莉:嗯。嘿,等等,這上面有個(gè)蘋(píng)果記號(hào),這是蘋(píng)果電腦嗎?
亞歷克斯:是的,是麥金塔,也是蘋(píng)果機(jī)。麥金塔和蘋(píng)果機(jī)是一樣的。
雪莉:我不想要麥金塔,我要個(gè)人電腦。
亞歷克斯:很抱歉,但是大學(xué)的電腦中心只賣麥金塔設(shè)備。
雪莉:什么?說(shuō)真的嗎?
亞歷克斯:是的。
雪莉:可是沒(méi)有人用麥金塔。
亞歷克斯:不會(huì)啊,
這所大學(xué)大部分的學(xué)生和教授都用麥金塔。
他們發(fā)現(xiàn)這套系統(tǒng)對(duì)寫(xiě)作和文字處理比較好,
而且大多數(shù)學(xué)生都在使用它。我可以問(wèn)你從哪來(lái)的呢?
雪莉:我是臺(tái)灣來(lái)的。
亞歷克斯:我知道蘋(píng)果電腦在亞洲大多數(shù)的國(guó)家并不是很流行。
但在美國(guó)這里,尤其是大學(xué)和出版社里,
使用蘋(píng)果電腦是非常普遍的。
雪莉:但是我需要一臺(tái)可以處理中文寫(xiě)作的電腦?!?br />
亞歷克斯:有一些中文的寫(xiě)作程式可以在麥金塔上使用,
對(duì)蘋(píng)果電腦而言,中文不是問(wèn)題。
雪莉:嗯……
我想在做決定前請(qǐng)教我一些朋友的建議。
很抱歉。
亞歷克斯:不會(huì),不需要抱歉。問(wèn)你朋友是合理的,
但是相信我,這所大學(xué)大多數(shù)的學(xué)生─-
包括亞洲的學(xué)生,大部分都使用蘋(píng)果電腦。
雪莉:好的,謝謝你的建議,我可能之后會(huì)再回來(lái)。
亞歷克斯:非常歡迎。這是我的名片,如果你需要任何幫忙的話。