TikTok通知美用户将暂停服务

当地时间1月18日，短视频社交媒体平台TikTok公司发布通知，由于美官方禁令19日起生效，TikTok平台将暂时对用户停止服务。

今天你练听力了吗？

🤔️小作业：

1. What did Noel Francisco argue about the timing of the TikTok ban?

A. The ban should be postponed due to its proximity to a presidential transition.

B. The ban violates existing U.S. legal precedents on tech regulation.

C. The ban is unlikely to impact TikTok’s operations in the short term.

D. The ban would unfairly target TikTok without sufficient evidence.

无注释原文：

TikTok ban: Here's what to expect if the app is banned in the U.S. on Sunday

From: Market Watch

TikTok looks close to getting banned in the U.S. on Sunday.

Analysts at Bernstein SG said in a note Monday that it's unlikely that the high court will save TikTok, and one betting market was giving the app a 72% chance of getting shut down nationwide by May at the latest.

It's possible that the U.S. version of TikTok, which has some 170 million users, could be sold so it can keep operating. But absent that, the social-media platform appears on the ropes.

Here's what to expect as Sunday nears.

Death comes through the app stores

While there has been chatter that TikTok still could work in the short term on Sunday for users that already have it installed, an attorney for TikTok, Noel Francisco, told the Supreme Court on Friday that he expects that if the law is upheld, the app would “go dark — essentially, the platform shuts down,” when the upcoming deadline hits.

One liberal Supreme Court justice, Sonia Sotomayor, said Friday that she's “a little concerned” by the suggestion “that a president-elect or anyone else should not enforce the law when a law is in effect and has prohibited certain action.” She also made the point that TikTok would have to get shut down on Sunday, regardless of what a new president might do after that day.

TikTok's attorney also emphasized the peculiar timing.

“On January 19th, we still have President Biden, and on January 19th, as I understand it, we shut down. It is possible that come January 20th, 21st, 22nd, we might be in a different world,” Francisco said. “Again, that’s one of the reasons why I think it makes perfect sense to issue a preliminary injunction here and simply buy everybody a little breathing space.”

Possible suitors

Last week, a group backed by entrepreneurs Frank McCourt and Kevin O'Leary said in a statement that it had made a proposal to ByteDance to acquire TikTok's U.S. assets. O'Leary said the group is willing to pay up to $20 billion.

Morgan Stanley analysts have said acquiring TikTok could make sense for Amazon.com Inc. given the e-commerce giant's “ambitions in social shopping.” They also said Microsoft Corp., a past TikTok suitor, might end up interested again, and there might be interest from Walmart Inc. or Oracle Corp., which at one point in 2020 had then-President Trump's OK to each acquire stakes in the video-sharing app.

A boost for Meta, Alphabet, Snap

The time spent by users — and money spent by advertisers — on the app “could well be up for grabs” if TikTok is shuttered, said the Bernstein SG analysts.

They said they expected Facebook and Instagram parent Meta Platforms Inc. to “benefit the most on an absolute basis,” while Snapchat parent Snap Inc. would benefit the most on a relative basis.

- ◆ -

注：完整题目见本文开头；中文文本为官方译文，仅供参考

含注释全文：

TikTok ban: Here's what to expect if the app is banned in the U.S. on Sunday

From: Market Watch

TikTok looks close to getting banned in the U.S. on Sunday.

TikTok看起来即将于周日在美国被禁。

Analysts at Bernstein SG said in a note Monday that it's unlikely that the high court will save TikTok, and one betting market was giving the app a 72% chance of getting shut down nationwide by May at the latest.

Bernstein新加坡分部的分析师周一在一份报告中表示，美国最高法院不太可能拯救TikTok。一个博彩市场的数据显示，TikTok最迟在5月份之前在全美范围内被封禁的可能性为72%。

the High Court /ˌhaɪ ˈkɔːt/ 同the Supreme Court /suːˌpriːm ˈkɔːt/，表示“（美国的）最高法院”，英文解释为“the most important law court in the US”

betting /ˈbet.ɪŋ/ 表示“打赌，赌博”，英文解释为“the habit of risking money on horse races, sports events, etc.”举个🌰：Betting can be as addictive as drinking or smoking. 赌博像酗酒和抽烟一样会上瘾。

It's possible that the U.S. version of TikTok, which has some 170 million users, could be sold so it can keep operating. But absent that, the social-media platform appears on the ropes.

TikTok美国版拥有约1.7亿用户，该业务有可能被出售，以便继续运营。但若剔除这个选项，TikTok看似已命悬一线。

absent /ˈæb.sənt/ 表示“缺乏；没有”，相当于“without”举个🌰：Absent a detailed plan, the project was doomed from the start. 由于缺乏详尽的规划，这项工程从一开始就注定要失败。

表示“处于困境；即将失败，即将完蛋；濒于失败”，英文解释为“doing badly and likely to fail”举个🌰：I think the business is finally on the ropes. 我觉得这家企业最终要垮掉了。

📍on the ropes这个短语来源于拳击运动。在拳击比赛中，如果一位拳击手受到对手的重击而退到拳击场边缘的绳索处，这通常意味着他正处于劣势或接近被击败的状态。因此，on the ropes原意是指拳击手被逼到了拳击场的绳索边缘，比喻处于困境、受压或接近失败的情形。随着时间的推移，这个短语被广泛引申到了体育之外的其他领域，用来形容一个人或组织处于困难或濒临失败的境地。

Here's what to expect as Sunday nears.

随着周日临近，以下是可能会发生的情况。

Death comes through the app stores 将从应用商店里消失

While there has been chatter that TikTok still could work in the short term on Sunday for users that already have it installed, an attorney for TikTok, Noel Francisco, told the Supreme Court on Friday that he expects that if the law is upheld, the app would “go dark — essentially, the platform shuts down,” when the upcoming deadline hits.

尽管有传言称，对于已经安装了TikTok的用户来说，在周日之后短期内仍可使用该应用程序，但TikTok的律师Noel Francisco上周五对最高法院表示，他预计，如果该法律得到实施，那么在即将到来的最后期限到来时，TikTok将“陷入黑暗，基本上就意味着平台关闭”。

chatter /ˈtʃæt.ər/ 1）表示“喋喋不休的谈话；唠叨”，英文解释为“conversation about things that are not important”举个🌰：I can't concentrate with her constant chatter. 她一直唠唠叨叨，我没法集中精力。

2）另一个含义表示“网上的交流”，英文解释为“communication between people over the internet”

install /ɪnˈstɔːl/ 1）表示“安装；安顿，安置；把…安装到计算机上，安装（软件）”，英文解释为“to put furniture, a machine, or a piece of equipment into position and make it ready to use”举个🌰：The plumber is coming tomorrow to install the new washing machine. 水管工明天来安装新的洗衣机。

2）还可以表示“正式任命，使正式就职”，英文解释为“to put someone in an important job or position”举个🌰：She has installed a couple of young academics as her advisers. 她任用几名年轻的大学教师作为顾问。

attorney /əˈtɜːnɪ/ 作名词，表示“律师”，英文解释为“In the United States, an attorney or attorney-at-law is a lawyer.”如：a prosecuting attorney 公诉律师。

deadline /ˈded.laɪn/ 表示“最后期限；截止日期”，英文解释为“a time or day by which something must be done”举个🌰：There's no way I can meet that deadline. 我根本无法在那个期限内完成。

One liberal Supreme Court justice, Sonia Sotomayor, said Friday that she's “a little concerned” by the suggestion “that a president-elect or anyone else should not enforce the law when a law is in effect and has prohibited certain action.” She also made the point that TikTok would have to get shut down on Sunday, regardless of what a new president might do after that day.

美国最高法院自由派大法官索尼娅·索托马约尔（Sonia Sotomayor）上周五表示，有人建议“当一项法律生效并禁止某些行为时，候任总统或任何其他人不应执行该法律”，她对此“有点担心”。她还指出，TikTok无论如何都必须在本周日被封禁，无论新总统在那之后可能会采取什么行动。

liberal /ˈlɪb.ər.əl/ 作形容词，表示“自由开放的，开放的，开明的”，英文解释为“respecting and allowing many different types of beliefs or behaviour”如：a liberal society/attitude 自由开放的社会/态度。

作名词，表示“自由主义者”，英文解释为“someone who respects many different types of beliefs or behaviour”举个🌰：He's a good old-fashioned liberal. 他是个老式的自由主义者。

📍Liberal 特指“（旧时）英国自由党成员；（英国以外国家的）自由党成员”，英文解释为“a member of the British Liberal Party in the past, or of a Liberal Party in another country”

TikTok's attorney also emphasized the peculiar timing.

TikTok的律师也强调了这一特殊的时机。

peculiar /pɪˈkjuː.li.ər/ 1）表示“奇怪的，古怪的”，英文解释为“unusual and strange, sometimes in an unpleasant way”举个🌰：What a peculiar smell! 多么奇怪的气味！

2）表示“独特的，特有的”，英文解释为“belonging to, relating to, or found in only particular people or things”举个🌰：He gets on with things in his own peculiar way/manner/fashion. 他处理事情有自己独特的方法/方式。

“On January 19th, we still have President Biden, and on January 19th, as I understand it, we shut down. It is possible that come January 20th, 21st, 22nd, we might be in a different world,” Francisco said. “Again, that's one of the reasons why I think it makes perfect sense to issue a preliminary injunction here and simply buy everybody a little breathing space.”

“1月19日，我们的总统还是拜登，而据我理解，1月19日我们将被封禁。到1月20日、21日、22日，我们可能就处在一个不同的世界了，” Francisco说。“再说一次，这就是我认为发布初步禁令并让每个人都有一点喘息空间是完全合理的理由之一。”

preliminary表示“预备性的；初步的；开始的”，英文解释为“happening before a more important action or event”如：preliminary results/findings/enquiries 初步结果/发现/调查，举个🌰：After a few preliminary remarks he announced the winners. 说了几句开场白之后，他即宣布优胜者名单。

injunction /ɪnˈdʒʌŋk.ʃən/ 表示“禁令”，英文解释为“an official order given by a law court, usually to stop someone from doing something”举个🌰：The court has issued an injunction to prevent the airline from increasing its prices. 法院颁布禁令不准航空公司提价。

breathing space /ˈbriː.ðɪŋ ˌspeɪs/ 表示“休整时期；考虑的时间”，英文解释为“a period of rest in order to increase strength or give you more time to think about what to do next”举个🌰：I wanted a little breathing space between jobs. 上一份工作结束后，我需要短暂休整一下再开始下一份工作。

Possible suitors 潜在收购者

Last week, a group backed by entrepreneurs Frank McCourt and Kevin O'Leary said in a statement that it had made a proposal to ByteDance to acquire TikTok's U.S. assets. O'Leary said the group is willing to pay up to $20 billion.

上周，一个由企业家弗兰克·麦考特（Frank McCourt）和凯文·奥利里（Kevin O'Leary）支持的财团在一份声明中表示，已向字节跳动提出收购TikTok美国资产的方案。奥利里说，该财团愿意支付高达200亿美元。

1）表示“（女性的）求婚者”，英文解释为“A woman's suitor is a man who wants to marry her.”举个🌰：My mother had a suitor who adored her. 我的母亲曾有一位爱慕她的求婚者。

2）表示“有收购意向者；求购公司”，英文解释为“A suitor is a company or organization that wants to buy another company.”举个🌰：The company was making little progress in trying to find a suitor. 该公司在寻找一家求购公司方面进展甚微。

acquire /əˈkwaɪər/ 作动词，表示“取得，获得；购得；学到；收购”，英文解释为“to get something”举个🌰：He acquired the firm in 2023. 他于2023年收购了这家公司。

Morgan Stanley analysts have said acquiring TikTok could make sense for Amazon.com Inc. given the e-commerce giant's “ambitions in social shopping.” They also said Microsoft Corp., a past TikTok suitor, might end up interested again, and there might be interest from Walmart Inc. or Oracle Corp., which at one point in 2020 had then-President Trump's OK to each acquire stakes in the video-sharing app.

摩根士丹利（Morgan Stanley）的分析师表示，考虑到亚马逊（Amazon.com Inc.）在“社交购物方面的雄心”，收购TikTok对这家电子商务巨头来说可能是合适的。他们还称，TikTok此前的追求者微软（Microsoft Corp.）最终可能会再次产生兴趣，沃尔玛（Walmart Inc.）或甲骨文（Oracle Corp.）也可能会有兴趣，这两家公司2020年曾得到时任总统特朗普的批准，可以分别收购这家视频分享应用的股份。

stake /steɪk/ 1）表示“股本，股份”，英文解释为“a share or a financial involvement in something such as a business”举个🌰：He holds (= owns) a 55 percent stake in/of the company. 他拥有公司55%的股份。

2）表示“赌注，赌金”，英文解释为“the amount of money that you risk on the result of something such as a game or competition”

3）stakes 复数，表示“（活动或比赛的）奖金，奖品，回报”，英文解释为“In an activity or competition, the stakes are the reward for the person who wins or succeeds in it.”举个🌰：The team is playing for enormous stakes - the chance to play in the final. 这支球队正在为无上的回报，即进入决赛，而拼命一搏。

补充：

📍have a stake in sth表示“对…有强烈的兴趣；与…有利害关系；重大利益”，英文解释为“If you have a stake in something, it is important to you because you have a personal interest or involvement in it.”举个🌰：Employers have a stake in the training of their staff. 雇主很重视员工培训。

A boost for Meta, Alphabet, Snap 利好Meta、Alphabet和Snap

The time spent by users — and money spent by advertisers — on the app “could well be up for grabs” if TikTok is shuttered, said the Bernstein SG analysts.

Bernstein SG的分析师表示，如果TikTok被封禁，用户在该应用上花的时间以及广告商花费的资金“很可能被瓜分”。

表示“人人都可以争取，供大家争取，提供给任何人”，英文解释为“available and ready to be won or taken”举个🌰：There are hundreds of prizes up for grabs. 有几百个奖品等着大家去拿。

1）shutter作名词，通常复数，原意表示“活动护窗；百叶窗”，英文解释为“one of a pair of wooden or metal covers that can be closed over the outside of a window to keep out light or protect the windows from damage”如：to open/close the shutters 打开/关上护窗。

2）作动词，可以指关上百叶窗，也有“（暂时或永久地）停业”的含义（to close down a business or activity）。

📍《经济学人》（The Economist）一篇讲述疫情影响的文章中提到：As covid-19 shutters businesses and leaves supermarket shelves bare, ...随着新冠肺炎导致众多企业关闭，超市货架空空如也，

They said they expected Facebook and Instagram parent Meta Platforms Inc. to “benefit the most on an absolute basis,” while Snapchat parent Snap Inc. would benefit the most on a relative basis.

他们表示，从绝对意义上看，预计Facebook和Instagram的母公司Meta Platforms Inc.将受益最大，而从相对意义上看，Snapchat的母公司Snap Inc.将受益最大。

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