(Typing sounds)

W:What’s that gadget you are playing with Diarmuid?

Diarmuid: It’s my latest toy – a netbook.

W: A netbook?

Diarmuid: Yes a netbook. N.E.T.B.O.O.K. It’s like a laptop computer only even smaller.

W: What a cute little computer!I like your netbook, but I have a question about the name. Why is a computer called a book?

Diarmuid: That’s a very good question. I suppose it’s because there are lots of names for different types of computers.

W: And those names can be different between Britain and America, can’t they?Diarmuid: To an extent, yes. For example, in British English we use the word laptop. But in American English they call the same thing a notebook. So I think that the name netbook is a mix of two words – internet and notebook.

Example

A: Did you buy anything in the January sales?

B: Yes, I bought a little netbook computer. It’s really handy.

W: So a netbook then is a small computer that is used mostly for surfing the internet.

Diarmuid: I use it mostly for surfing the web and checking emails - things like that.

W: It’s incredible how small computers are these days, isn’t it?

Diarmuid: It certainly is and it looks like we will soon see more tablet computers too.

netbook: 上网本

gadget: 小装置，小器具

Tablet computers 平板电脑