算法和網(wǎng)購(gòu)之間的聯(lián)系

網(wǎng)上購(gòu)物即方便又快捷，但在 “大數(shù)據(jù)殺熟” 的時(shí)代，你能確定是自己而不是算法在引導(dǎo)你的選擇嗎？算法有何利弊？它是否會(huì)影響消費(fèi)者看到的廣告？

詞匯: online shopping 網(wǎng)購(gòu)

• For many of us, online shopping has made the process 進(jìn)程 of purchasing 購(gòu)買 goods a far simpler and more?fluid 流暢?process. No longer 不再 do we have to?head?to?the shops to?browse?and?peruse 細(xì)度?various objects,?wandering round 徘徊?endless 無(wú)盡的?aisles 過(guò)道, before finally?settling for 安頓下來(lái)?the first thing we saw. These days, we find the item we want or need online,?click on?it, and check out its?description?and?user reviews. If it?fits the bill, we send it to our?basket?and pay. There seems to be?a?wealth of options?at our fingertips. But how do we know the options that?pop up?in front of us really are the best deals. And how might?algorithms?help or?hinder 阻礙?us?

  對(duì)我們?cè)S多人來(lái)說(shuō)，網(wǎng)上購(gòu)物使購(gòu)買商品的過(guò)程變得更加簡(jiǎn)單和靈活。我們?cè)僖膊挥萌ド痰隇g覽和細(xì)讀各種物品，在無(wú)盡的過(guò)道里徘徊，最后才找到我們看到的第一件東西?，F(xiàn)在，我們?cè)诰W(wǎng)上找到我們想要或需要的商品，點(diǎn)擊它，查看它的描述和用戶評(píng)論。如果它符合要求，我們就把它放在籃子里支付。似乎有很多選擇觸手可及。但是我們?cè)趺粗莱霈F(xiàn)在我們面前的選擇真的是最好的交易呢？以及算法如何幫助或阻礙我們？

  ??fluid 流暢的; head to 前往（某地）; browse 隨便看看、瀏覽; peruse [p??ru?z] vt. 詳細(xì)考察；精讀; wander round 逛來(lái)逛去; aisle [a?l]（商場(chǎng)、超市貨架間的）走道; settle for 無(wú)奈選擇，只好接受; click on 用鼠標(biāo)點(diǎn)擊; description （商品）描述; user review 用戶評(píng)價(jià); fit the bill 符合要求; basket （網(wǎng)購(gòu)結(jié)賬前商品所在的）購(gòu)物籃; a wealth of options 選擇眾多; at one’s fingertips 觸手可及; pop up 突然出現(xiàn); algorithm [??lɡ?r?e?m] 算法; hinder [?h?nd?(r)]阻礙;

• Algorithms, simply put 簡(jiǎn)單來(lái)說(shuō), are mathematical instructions which tell the computer how to solve problems. When shopping is involved, what is the problem they solve? Well, the algorithms instruct the computer which?adverts?to show and which products a user is most likely to?splash the cash?on. By analysing things we’ve previously bought or looked at, the algorithm can predict what?goods?we’re most likely to be?enticed 勾引?by.?For some people, the idea of something guessing your preferences could sound a bit intimidating 恐嚇. But first, let’s look at the positives.

  簡(jiǎn)單地說(shuō)，算法是告訴計(jì)算機(jī)如何解決問(wèn)題的數(shù)學(xué)指令。當(dāng)涉及到購(gòu)物時(shí)，他們解決的問(wèn)題是什么？算法會(huì)指示計(jì)算機(jī)顯示哪些廣告，以及用戶最有可能花錢購(gòu)買哪些產(chǎn)品。通過(guò)分析我們以前買過(guò)或看過(guò)的東西，該算法可以預(yù)測(cè)什么商品最容易吸引我們。對(duì)一些人來(lái)說(shuō)，猜測(cè)自己的喜好聽起來(lái)有點(diǎn)嚇人。但首先，讓我們看看積極的一面。

  ??advert 廣告; splash the cash 花大筆錢，揮霍; goods 商品; entice 引誘，吸引;

• Time is an important thing – something we don’t want to waste too much of. By telling the computer to show us adverts for things we are interested in, it can save us a lot of time?sifting through 篩選?things or services that don’t match our criteria 標(biāo)準(zhǔn). They can also help us find the best deals.

  時(shí)間是一個(gè)(件)重要的東西(事情)，我們不想浪費(fèi)太多的時(shí)間。通過(guò)告訴計(jì)算機(jī)向我們展示我們感興趣的東西的廣告，它可以節(jié)省我們很多時(shí)間篩選不符合我們的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的東西或服務(wù)。它們還可以幫助我們找到最好的交易。

  ??sift through 篩選; criteria [kra??t??ri?] n. （評(píng)判或做決定的）標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，準(zhǔn)則，尺度 （criterion 的復(fù)數(shù)）

• However, there are some people who have concerns about the impact of algorithms on our shopping experience. It is possible that algorithms may only select options from a limited number of?brands 品牌, or may favour products from certain companies. There are also concerns that we aren’t always shown the cheapest or best deal, even though that’s what we’re searching for. Finally, some algorithms generate ads which tell you there are only a limited number of items you’re interested in left. They might just be there to manipulate you.

  然而，有些人擔(dān)心算法對(duì)我們的購(gòu)物體驗(yàn)的影響。算法可能只從有限的品牌中選擇選項(xiàng)，或者可能偏愛某些公司的產(chǎn)品。還有人擔(dān)心，我們并不總是看到最便宜或最好的交易，即使這是我們正在尋找的。最后，一些算法會(huì)生成廣告，告訴你只剩下有限數(shù)量的你感興趣的商品。他們可能只是想操控你。

  ??brand 品牌;

• So, the takeaway from this is that algorithms are here to stay, and it’s wise to know they exist. Whenever you’re shopping, be it online or off, make sure to?shop around?for the best deals. The first thing you see might not always be the best for you.

  所以，從這里得出的結(jié)論是，算法是存在的，知道它們的存在是明智的。無(wú)論你什么時(shí)候購(gòu)物，無(wú)論是網(wǎng)上還是線下，一定要貨比三家，買到最劃算的東西。你看到的第一個(gè)東西可能并不總是最適合你的。

  ??shop around 貨比三家;

詞匯表

fluid 流暢的

head to 前往（某地）

browse 隨便看看、瀏覽

peruse 瀏覽

wander round 逛來(lái)逛去

aisle （商場(chǎng)、超市貨架間的）走道

settle for 無(wú)奈選擇，只好接受

click on 用鼠標(biāo)點(diǎn)擊

description （商品）描述

user review 用戶評(píng)價(jià)

fit the bill 符合要求

basket （網(wǎng)購(gòu)結(jié)賬前商品所在的）購(gòu)物籃

a wealth of options 選擇眾多

at one’s fingertips 觸手可及

pop up 突然出現(xiàn)

algorithm 算法

hinder 阻礙

advert 廣告

splash the cash 花大筆錢，揮霍

goods 商品

entice 引誘，吸引

sift through 篩選

brand 品牌

shop around 貨比三家

測(cè)驗(yàn)與練習(xí)

1.??閱讀課文并回答問(wèn)題。

1. In online shopping, where do we send our items before we pay?

2. What are algorithms?

3. How does an algorithm predict what you might buy?

4. How can algorithms help us save time?

5. What sort of algorithm-generated ads may try to manipulate you?

2.??選擇意思恰當(dāng)?shù)膯卧~或詞組來(lái)完成下列句子。

1. I don’t want to have to _______ endless receipts looking for the right one.

sift through? ? ? ? ? ? ? pop up? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?deal? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?basket

1. Are you trying to _______ me with that low price?

aisles? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?entice? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? hinder? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? click on

1. I don’t want to buy anything. I’m just _______.

entice? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? basket? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?browsing? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?pop up

1. You’re not helping at all. Are you trying to _______ me?

entice? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? description? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? sift through? ? ? ? ? ? ? hinder

1. I have been walking round these _______ looking for something for hours.

hinder? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?click on? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? description? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?aisles

答案

1.??閱讀課文并回答問(wèn)題。

1. In online shopping, where do we send our items before we pay?We send items to the basket before paying.

2. What are algorithms?Mathematical instructions?which tell a computer how to solve a problem.

3. How does an algorithm predict what you might buy?By analysing what you’ve previously looked at.

4. How can algorithms help us save time?By showing us the best deals.

5. What sort of algorithm-generated ads may try to manipulate you?The ones that show us there are limited numbers left.

2.??選擇意思恰當(dāng)?shù)膯卧~或詞組來(lái)完成下列句子。

1. I don’t want to have to?sift through?endless receipts looking for the right one.

2. Are you trying to?entice?me with that low price?

3. I don’t want to buy anything. I’m just?browsing.

4. You’re not helping at all. Are you trying to?hinder?me?

5. I have been walking round these?aisles?looking for something for hours.