Ch.7 Summary
Detective Chen returns to the police station and gets an update from Lin about the ECHO, who has been placed at the murder scenes of the CEO and artist. The CEO was involved with a secretive Taiwanese tech company researching neural interfaces and human consciousness. The ECHO will be destroyed for further analysis, but only after
Chen finishes his interrogation.
摘要
陳警探回到警局，林警官正要向他更新有關 ECHO 的案情。 這台機器人被發現出現在 CEO 和藝術家兩起命案現場。 調查發現，該 CEO 與一家神秘的台灣科技公司有所關聯，這家公司正在研究神經介面和人類意識，聽起來簡直是科幻小說的情節。 ECHO 將被拆解以便進行更深入的分析，不過在它「光榮退役」之前，陳警探需要完成最後的訊問。
zhāiyào
Chén jǐng tàn huí dào jǐng jú, lín jǐngguān zhèng yào xiàng tā gēngxīn yǒuguān ECHO de ànqíng. Zhè tái jīqìrén pī fà xiàn chū xiànzài CEO hé yìshùjiā liǎng qǐ mìng’àn xiànchǎng. Diàochá fāxiàn, gāi CEO yǔ yījiā shénmì de táiwān kējì gōngsī yǒu suǒ guānlián, zhè jiā gōngsī zhèngzài yánjiū shénjīng jièmiàn hé rénlèi yìshí, tīng qǐlái jiǎnzhí shì kēhuàn xiǎoshuō de qíngjié. ECHO jiāng bèi chāi jiě yǐbiàn jìnxíng gēng shēnrù de fēnxī, bùguò zài tā `guāngróng tuìyì’zhīqián, chén jǐng tàn xūyào wánchéng zuìhòu de xùnwèn.
Prereading Vocabulary
SLL Learning Sequence:
- read summary
- preview vocabulary
- read the text
- listen to the video narration
- review vocabulary and study extra vocabulary and grammar
Prereading Vocab & practice
1. 這台電腦真是___。
– A. 熒光燈 (fluorescent light)
– B. 爛 (rotten, crappy)
– C. 機器人 (robot)
– D. 推開 (pushed open)
2. ___，我忘記帶文件了！
– A. 該死 (damn it)
– B. 風波 (disturbance)
– C. 科幻 (science fiction)
– D. 不信任 (distrust)
3. ___，怎麼又下雨了？
– A. 他媽的 (damn)
– B. 靠北 (shit, damn it)
– C. 爛 (rotten, crappy)
– D. 該死 (damn it)
4. 他對新來的同事感到___。
– A. 石頭 (stone, rock)
– B. 不信任 (distrust)
– C. 引起 (cause)
– D. 翻譯員 (translator)
5. 他___門進入了房間。
– A. 推開 (pushed open)
– B. 埋頭 (to bury one’s head)
– C. 散落 (scattered)
– D. 微笑 (smile)
6. ___在辦公室裡閃爍。
– A. 熒光燈 (fluorescent light)
– B. 神秘 (mysterious)
– C. 消息 (news, information)
– D. 胡扯 (nonsense)
7. ___可以在工廠中自動完成作業。
– A. 引起 (cause)
– B. 石頭 (stone, rock)
– C. 機器人 (robot)
– D. 風波 (disturbance)
8. 他的言論___了公眾的激烈反應。
– A. 引起 (cause)
– B. 實話 (truth)
– C. 消息 (news, information)
– D. 翻譯員 (translator)
9. 這件事情___之後，他決定辭職。
– A. 風波 (disturbance)
– B. 調查 (investigate)
– C. 胡扯 (nonsense)
– D. 科幻 (science fiction)
10. 他最喜歡看___小說。
– A. 胡扯 (nonsense)
– B. 科幻 (science fiction)
– C. 神秘 (mysterious)
– D. 消息 (news, information)
Answers
1. B, 2. A, 3. B, 4. B, 5. A, 6. A, 7. C, 8. A, 9. A, 10. B
Story
Whispering circuit 007: Diagnostics and distrust
Detective Chen pushed open the heavy door of the police station, the cool air inside a stark contrast to the humid night outside. The fluorescent lights hummed overhead as he made his way through the bustling station towards Lin’s office.
He walked into her office. Lin was hunched over her desk, but then looked up. “I thought I could smell the aroma of stinky tofu”, she said with a slight smile on her face.
“Just for you, boss. And some oyster omelet.” He put the food amid the papers scattered over her desk.
She didn’t waste a moment, “Sit down. Got some updates on that ECHO bot and the USB shitstorm.”
Chen sat on the edge of the chair.
Lin continued, “The diagnostics on ECHO? Clean. The robot’s telling the truth, the whole fucking truth. She can’t remember shit.”
Chen was curious, “Anything else?”
“Like the artist’s partner confirmed, the ECHO was a maid. And you know what? – you won’t believe this – the synth was also the goddamn translator for Stone.”
“Who was Stone meeting here in Taipei?” Chen asked.
Lin looked for some notes on her desk. “We contacted his company and did some research. Looks like that motherfucker was knee-deep in some serious clandestine crap. His vice president doesn’t even know much. But it looks like he’s been in contact with a mysterious Taiwanese company, one that’s messing around with neural interfaces and human consciousness. Some next-level sci-fi bullshit.”
“Geez, that’s outlawed tech,” Chen said.
“Fucking right. Rumor has it that Stone was a dick and wanted a hostile takeover.”
Chen thought about this. “How about Madame Kong? She must be involved somehow.”
“Must be”, Lin said. “But we couldn’t find anything.”
“And the USB?” he asked.
“It was corrupted,” Lin growled.
Lin savored a bite of stinky tofu and leaned back, her chair creaking under the strain. “No clear motive yet, but you can bet your ass it’s nothing wholesome. We are going to take apart that synth piece of shit later tonight, to get deeper into the diagnostics. There’s more there, I can feel it in my damn bones.”
Chen thought about this and then said, “Let me talk to the ECHO first. I still have some questions. And give me the USB … maybe the ECHO can help with that.”
“Ok,” Lin said. “Interrogate her one more time before we send it to its fucking grave. ECHO’s connected, deeper than we think. Just find the truth.”
[410 words]
竊竊私語的電路，第七章：診斷與不信任
陳警探用力推開警局的大門，裡面的冷氣與外面的濕熱夜晚形成強烈對比。 頭頂上的螢光燈嗡嗡作響，他穿過熙熙攘攘的警局，朝林的辦公室走去。
他走到她的辦公室門口，林正埋頭辦公桌前，然後抬頭看了看。 「我以為我聞到了臭豆腐的味道。」她臉上帶著一絲微笑。
「特地給你買的，老闆。還有蚵仔煎。」他把食物放在她桌上散落的文件中間。
她一刻也沒耽擱，「坐下。關於那個 ECHO 機器人和 USB 引起的風波有一些的最新消息。」
陳坐在了椅子邊緣。
林接著說，「對 ECHO 的診斷？沒問題。機器人說實話，他媽的全說實話。它什麼都記不得。」
陳很想知道，「還有別的嗎？」
「就像藝術家伴侶證實的那樣，ECHO 是個女傭。而且你知道嗎？ – 你他媽不會相信的 – 合成人竟然是石頭的翻譯員。」
「史東在台北跟誰見面？」陳問。
林在桌上找了一些筆記。 「我們聯繫了他的公司並做了一些研究。看起來石頭機器人公司陷入了嚴重麻煩。他們一直在盯著一家神秘的台灣公司，那家公司正在研究神經界面和人類意識。一些科幻小說層面的 胡扯。
「天哪，那是違法的科技。」陳說。
「靠北 沒錯。據傳言，史東想要進行惡意收購。」
陳思考了一下。 「孔夫人呢？她肯定以某種方式參與其中。」
「肯定是。」林說，「但我們什麼都找不到。」
「那 USB 呢？」陳問。
「那爛東西壞了。」林咆哮道。
林津津有味地吃了一口臭豆腐，向後靠去，椅子在她重下嘎吱作響。 「目前尚不清楚動機，但是你打賭吧，肯定不是什麼好事。我們今晚晚些時候要把那個合成人拆開，以便更深入地進行診斷。那裡面肯定還有東西，我骨子裡能感覺到 。」
陳想了想，然後說：「讓我先跟 ECHO 談談。我還有一些問題。把 USB 給我……也許 ECHO 可以幫忙。」
「好。」林說。 「在把它送進….墳墓之前再審問一次吧。ECHO 已經連接起來了，比我們想像的更深。只要找到真相就好。」
[740]
Qiè qiè sī yǔ de diànlù, dì qī zhāng: Zhěnduàn yǔ bù xìnrèn
Chén jǐngtàn yònglì tuī kāi jǐngjú de dàmén, lǐmiàn de
lěngqì yǔ wàimiàn de shī rè yèwǎn xíngchéng qiángliè duìbǐ. Tóudǐng shàng de
yíngguāngdēng wēng wēng zuò xiǎng, tā chuānguò xīxīrǎngrǎng de jǐngjú, cháo Lín
de bàngōngshì zǒu qù.
Tā zǒu dào tā de bàngōngshì ménkǒu, Lín zhèng máitóu
bàngōngzhuō qián, ránhòu tái tóu kànle kàn. “Wǒ yǐwéi wǒ wén dàole
chòudòufu de wèidao.” Tā liǎn shàng dài zhe yì sī wēixiào.
“Tèdì gěi nǐ mǎi de, lǎobǎn. Hái yǒu kē zǎi jiān.”
Tā bǎ shíwù fàng zài tā zhuō shàng sànluò de wénjiàn zhōngjiān.
Tā yīkè yě méi dān gē, “Zuò xià. Guānyú nàgè ECHO
jīqìrén hé USB yǐnqǐ de fēngbō yǒu yīxiē de zuìxīn xiāoxī.”
Chén zuò zàile yǐzi biānyuán.
Lín jiēzhe shuō, “Duì ECHO de zhěnduàn? Méi wèntí.
Jīqìrén shuō shíhuà, tā mā de quán shuō shíhuà. Tā shénme dōu jì bù dé.”
Chén hěn xiǎng zhīdào, “Hái yǒu bié de ma?”
“Jiù xiàng yìshùjiā bànlǚ zhèngshí de nàyàng, ECHO shì
gè nǚyōng. Érqiě nǐ zhīdào ma? – Nǐ tā mā bù huì xiāngxìn de – Héchéng rén
jìngrán shì shítou de fānyìyuán.”
“Shǐ dōng zài Táiběi gēn shéi jiànmiàn?” Chén wèn.
Lín zài zhuō shàng zhǎole yīxiē bǐjì. “Wǒmen liánxìle
tā de gōngsī bìng zuòle yīxiē yánjiū. Kàn qǐlái shítou jīqìrén gōngsī xiàn rùle
yánzhòng máfan. Tāmen yīzhí zài dīngzhe yī jiā shénmì de Táiwān gōngsī, nà jiā
gōngsī zhèngzài yánjiū shénjīng jièmiàn hé rénlèi yìshí. Yīxiē kēhuàn xiǎoshuō
céngmiàn de húchě.
“Tiānna, nà shì wéifǎ de kējì.” Chén shuō.
“Kàoběi méi cuò. Jù chuányán, Shǐ dōng xiǎng yào
jìnxíng èyì shōugòu.”
Chén sīkǎole yīxià. “Kǒng fūrén ne? Tā kěndìng yǐ
mǒuzhǒng fāngshì cānyù qízhōng.”
“Kěndìng shì.” Lín shuō, “Dàn wǒmen shénme
dōu zhǎo bù dào.”
“Nà USB ne?” Chén wèn.
“Nà làn dōngxi huài le.” Lín páoxiào dào.
Lín jīnjīn yǒuwèi de chīle yī kǒu chòudòufu, xiàng hòu kào
qù, yǐzi zài tā zhòng xià gā jī zuò xiǎng. “Mùqián shàng bù qīngchǔ
dòngjī, dàn shì nǐ dǎ bǔ ba, kěndìng bù shì shénme hǎoshì. Wǒmen jīn wǎn wǎn
xiē shíhòu yào bǎ nàgè héchéng rén chāikāi, yǐ biàn gèng shēnrù de jìnxíng
zhěnduàn. Nà lǐmiàn kěndìng hái yǒu dōngxī, wǒ gǔzi lǐ néng gǎn dào.”
Chén xiǎng le xiǎng, ránhòu shuō: “Ràng wǒ xiān gēn
ECHO tán tán. Wǒ hái yǒu yīxiē wèntí. Bǎ USB gěi wǒ… yěxǔ ECHO kěyǐ bāng
máng.”
“Hǎo.” Lín shuō.
“Zài bǎ tā sòng jìn… fénmù zhīqián zài shěnwèn yīcì ba. ECHO yǐjīng
liánjiē qǐláile, bǐ wǒmen xiǎngxiàng de gèng shēn. Zhǐyào zhǎodào zhēnxiàng jiù
hǎo.”
Chinese Comprehension Questions
1. 陳探員為什麼要去林的辦公室？
– A. 談論天氣 (discuss the weather)
– B. 吃晚餐 (have dinner)
– C. 更新案件進展 (update on case progress)
– D. 修理電腦 (repair a computer)
2. 林提到ECHO機器人有什麼問題？
– A. 它失去了記憶 (it lost its memory)
– B. 它變得很暴力 (it became violent)
– C. 它感染了病毒 (it was infected by a virus)
– D. 它被偷走了 (it was stolen)
3. 史東機器人公司面臨什麼困境？
– A. 法律訴訟 (legal actions)
– B. 經濟危機 (economic crisis)
– C. 嚴重麻煩 (serious trouble)
– D. 新競爭對手 (new competitors)
4. 林對哪家公司進行了調查？
– A. 一家食品公司 (a food company)
– B. 一家科技公司 (a technology company)
– C. 一家建築公司 (a construction company)
– D. 一家神秘的台灣公司 (a mysterious Taiwanese company)
5. 陳探員要做什麼之前想先和ECHO談談？
– A. 休假 (take a vacation)
– B. 調查 (conduct an investigation)
– C. 審問 (interrogate)
– D. 發表報告 (publish a report)
Answers in one row:
1. C, 2. A, 3. C, 4. D, 5. C
Grammar notes
把字句用來強調動作的對象，通常把對象放在動詞前，後面跟著位置或狀態。The 把 construction emphasizes the object of an action, placing the object before the verb, followed by a location or state.
他把食物放在她桌上散落的文件中間。He placed the food among the scattered documents on her desk.
2. 對…有… (duì… yǒu…) regarding…, have…
用來表達對某物或某人具有特定屬性或情感。Used to express having a specific attribute or feeling about a particular object or person.
對 ECHO 的診斷？沒問題。Diagnosis of ECHO? No problem.
3. 一邊…一邊… (yībiān… yībiān…) while… at the same time…
用於描述同時進行兩個動作，適用於多任務處理或同時發生的動作。This pattern is used to describe doing two actions simultaneously, applicable for multitasking or concurrent actions.
他一邊吃飯一邊看電視。 He eats while watching TV.
4. …接著說，「…」 (… jiēzhe shuō, ‘…’) …then said, ‘…’
用於描述人物繼續談話的情況，常用於敘述對話中的連續性。Used to describe a character continuing a conversation, often used to maintain continuity in dialogue.
林接著說，「對 ECHO 的診斷？沒問題。」Lin then said, “The diagnosis for ECHO? No problem.”
5. …想了想，然後說：「…」 (… xiǎng le xiǎng, ránhòu shuō: ‘…’) …thought for a moment, then said: ‘…’
用於表達人物思考後作出回應的過程，顯示深思熟慮之後的發言。 Used to express the process of a character responding after thinking, indicating a statement made after careful thought.
陳想了想，然後說：「讓我先跟 ECHO 談談。」Chen thought for a moment, then said, “Let me talk to ECHO first.”
Extra Flashcards
Cursing, swearing, & foul language
Extra vocabulary
- 髒話 (zāng huà) – Dirty/foul language; – 學校裡禁止說XX。 (Xuéxiào lǐ jìnzhǐ shuō XX.) – Dirty language is prohibited in school.
- 罵人 (mà rén) swear at someone; – 他經常在街上XX。(Tā jīngcháng zài jiē shàng XX.) – He often swears at people on the street.
- 說髒話 (shuō zāng huà) swear, curse; – 在公共場合不應該XX。(Zài gōnggòng chǎnghé bù yīnggāi XX.) – One should not use foul language in public places.
- 罵髒話 (mà zāng huà) swear, curse; – 當他生氣的時候，他會XX。(Dāng tā shēngqì de shíhòu, tā huì XX.) – When he gets angry, he starts swearing.
- 三字經 (sān zì jīng) – Dirty language, swearing (slang); – 他一生氣就開始說XX。 (Tā yī shēngqì jiù kāishǐ shuō XX.) – When he gets angry, he starts spouting dirty language.[Traditionally, “三字經” refers to a classic Chinese text used for children’s education, consisting of three-character verses. However, in modern colloquial use, particularly in Taiwan, it can humorously refer to swearing or using foul language, implying that such language is as simple and ubiquitous as the classic children’s primer.]
- 𨳒你娘 (gán lín niâ; Taiwanese) – Fuck your mother (extremely vulgar); – 在街上聽到有人大聲XX，讓人感到非常不舒服。 (Zài jiē shàng tīngdào yǒurén dàshēng XX, ràng rén gǎndào fēicháng bù shūfú.) – Hearing someone loudly say “Fuck your mother” on the street makes people very uncomfortable.
- 他媽的 (tā mā de) – Damn it or literally “his mother’s”; XX，這又怎麼了！(XX, zhè yòu zěnme le!) – Damn it, what happened now!
- 王八蛋 (wáng bā dàn) – Son of a bitch; 你這個XX！(Nǐ zhège XX!) – You son of a bitch!
- 操你媽 (cāo nǐ mā) – Fuck your mother (extremely vulgar); 當他聽到對方大聲XX時，他非常生氣。 (Dāng tā tīngdào duìfāng dàshēng XX shí, tā fēicháng shēngqì.) – He became very angry when he heard the other person loudly say “Fuck your mother.”
- 幹 (gàn) – Fuck; 你真是XX！(Nǐ zhēn shì XX!) – You really are a fucker!
- 機車 (jīchē) – lit. Motorcycle, figuratively, jerk, dick (replace homonym for cock, ji); 他很XX。(Tā hěn XX.) – He’s a real dick.
- 雞巴 (jībā) – Cock (slang for penis, vulgar); 別說那些XX的話。(Bié shuō nàxiē XX de huà.) – Don’t talk about that cock.
- 屄 (bī) – Cunt (extremely vulgar); 你這個XX！(Nǐ zhège XX!) – You cunt!
- 屁眼 (pì yǎn) – Asshole; 他真是個XX。(Tā zhēn shì gè XX.) – He really is an asshole.
- 三八 (sān bā) – Often used pejoratively to refer to a woman as silly, gossipy, or foolish;
- 別做個XX。(Bié zuò gè XX.) – Don’t be such a silly woman.
- 死鬼 (sǐ guǐ) – Damn ghost (a curse); 你這個XX，又來晚了。(Nǐ zhège XX, yòu lái wǎn le.) – You damn ghost, late again.
- 白癡 (bái chī) – Idiot; 你是個大XX。(Nǐ shì gè dà XX.) – You are a big idiot.
- 婊子 (biǎo zi) – Bitch; 她真是個XX。(Tā zhēn shì gè XX.) – She really is a bitch.
- 混蛋 (hún dàn) – Bastard; 他是個真正的XX。(Tā shì gè zhēnzhèng de XX.) – He is a real bastard.
- 笨蛋 (bèn dàn) – Fool; 別表現得像個XX。(Bié biǎoxiàn de xiàng gè XX.) – Don’t act like a fool.
- 糊塗蛋 (hú tú dàn) – Clueless fool; 你怎麼這麼XX。(Nǐ zěnme zhème XX.) – How can you be such a clueless fool?
- 垃圾 (lā jī) – Trash; 這東西真是XX。(Zhè dōngxi zhēn shì XX.) – This thing is really trash.
- 變態 (biàn tài) – Pervert; 他行為像個XX。(Tā xíngwéi xiàng gè XX.) – His behavior is like a pervert.
- 賤人 (jiàn rén) – Cheap person (used derogatorily); 我討厭那個XX。(Wǒ tǎoyàn nàgè XX.) – I hate that cheap person.
- 滾蛋 (gǔn dàn) – Scram or get lost; 快點XX！(Kuài diǎn XX!) – Scram!
- 爛 (làn) – rotten; 這個X果已經爛掉了。(Zhè ge píngguǒ yǐjīng làn diào le.) – This apple has gone rotten.
- 該死 (gāisǐ) – damn it; – XX，我又忘記帶鑰匙了！ (Gāisǐ, wǒ yòu wàngjì dài yàoshi le!) – Damn it, I forgot my keys again!
- 靠北 (Kào běi) – shit, damn it; – XX，我錯過了末班車！(Kào běi, wǒ cuòguò le mòbān chē!) – Shit, I missed the last bus!
