加密货币到底是什么？｜ 六分钟英语

Hello. This is 6 Minute English, I'm Catherine.

大家好，这里是六分钟英语，我是凯瑟琳。

And I'm Sam.

我是萨姆。

Now, Sam, what can you tell us about cryptocurrencies?

萨姆，你能告诉我们关于加密货币的什么东西？

The word is a combination of crypto, from cryptography, which is to do with using clever software codes to protect computer information and systems, and currency, which is the money of a particular country.

这个词是由“cryptography”单词里的“crypto”与“currency”组合而成。“cryptography”指的是使用智能软件密码来保护计算机信息和系统，而“currency”指的是某个国家的货币。

So cryptocurrency, very simply, means code money.

所以加密货币，非常简单，指的就是密码货币。

We usually think of money as notes and coins which come from a country’s bank.

我们通常认为货币是纸币和硬币，它们来自一个国家的银行。

But a cryptocurrency doesn’t have physical money.

但加密货币不是实物货币。

It’s purely digital and is not controlled by banks or governments but by the people who have it and very complex computer codes.

它是纯数字的，不受银行或政府控制，而是由拥有它的人以及非常复杂的计算机密码控制。

Perhaps the most well-known is Bitcoin.

也许最众所周知的是比特币。

Well, you seem to know a fair bit about cryptocurrency actually…

好吧，你似乎实际上对加密货币有一定的了解……

anyway, now a new player is joining the digital money system as Facebook have announced they are launching their own digital currency.

无论如何，现在有一个新的加密货币加入了数字货币系统，Facebook宣布他们将推出自己的数字货币。

They are calling it 'Libra'.

他们叫它“Libra”。

And we’ll be finding a little bit more about this topic in the programme, but first, a question.

我们将在节目中发现更多关于这个话题的内容，但首先，有一个问题。

Now, Sam, you mentioned Bitcoin as being a well-known cryptocurrency.

萨姆，你提到比特币是一种众所周知的加密货币。

It was, in fact, the first cryptocurrency, but when was Bitcoin created?

事实上，它是第一种加密货币。但比特币是什么时候诞生的呢？

Was it: a) 2008, b) 2009, or c) 2010?

是a) 2008年，b) 2009年，还是c) 2010年？

I’m going to say 2010.

我会说的是2010年。

OK. Well, I'll reveal the answer later in the programme.

好的。好吧，稍后我将在节目中揭晓答案。

Now, Jemima Kelly is a financial journalist.

杰迈玛·凯利是一名金融记者。

She was talking on the BBC radio programme Money Box Live about the plans for Libra.

她在BBC广播节目Money Box Live上谈到了Libra的计划。

She says it's not really a cryptocurrency because it's actually backed up by a number of real currencies.

她说那并不是真正的加密货币，因为它实际上是由许多真实货币支持的。

So which currencies does she mention?

那么她提到了哪些货币？

A cryptocurrency is normally subject to the whims of crypto markets, which are notoriously volatile,

加密货币通常受加密市场的支配，加密市场因反复无常而众所周知，

whereas Libra is kept stable by being backed up by a basket of currencies, in this case, the dollar, the pound, the euro and the Swiss franc.

而Libra通过一系列货币的支持保持稳定，在这种情况下，那是指美元、英镑、欧元和瑞士法郎。

So which currencies did she say were backing up Libra, Sam?

所以她说哪种货币支持Libra，萨姆？

She said that the dollar, the pound, the euro and Swiss franc were the currencies that would be backing up Libra.

她说美元、英镑、欧元和瑞士法郎是支持Libra的货币。

And this is different from regular cryptocurrencies, isn’t it?

而这与常规加密货币不同，不是吗？

Yes, cryptocurrencies are completely independent of financial institutions and other currencies.

是的，加密货币完全独立于金融机构和其它货币。

And this can make them risky, can’t it?

这会让它们有风险，不是吗？

Yes, she says that cryptocurrency markets are notoriously volatile.

是的，她说加密货币市场因反复无常而众所周知。

Something that is volatile can change very quickly.

反复无常的东西变化得很快。

When it comes to currency, it means that its value can go up or down by a large amount over a very short period of time.

就货币而言，它指的是货币价值可以在很短的时间内大幅度上升或下降。

And it’s described as notoriously volatile because this has actually happened a few times in the past.

它被形容为因反复无常而众所周知，因为这实际上在过去发生过几次。

Something that is notorious is well known or famous but for a negative reason.

臭名昭著的事物就是众所周知的或著名的，但却是因为负面原因。

So the value of a currency going up and down in a volatile way – that's not positive.

所以货币价值上下浮动，反复无常，这不是积极的。

If you want to take the risk you could make a lot of money, but you could also lose a lot of money - more than you invested.

如果你想冒这个险，你可以赚很多钱，但你也可能损失很多钱——比你投资的还多。

So why are cryptocurrencies so volatile?

所以为什么加密货币如此反复无常呢？

Most currencies are reasonably stable.

大多数货币都相当稳定。

This is the opposite of volatile.

这是“反复无常”的反义词。

They don’t change a lot over a short period of time.

它们不会在短时间内发生太大变化。

There can be big changes but usually governments and banks control currencies to prevent it.

可能会有很大变化，但通常政府和银行会控制货币以防止这种情况。

Cryptocurrencies don’t have those controls.

加密货币没有那些控制。

What Jemima Kelly said was that they are subject to the whims of the crypto markets.

杰迈玛·凯利说的是它们受加密市场的支配。

A whim is an unpredictable or irrational decision or trend and if you are subject to the whims of something, or someone,

“突发的念头”是一种不可预测或非理性的决定或趋势，如果你受到某件事或某人的支配，

it means that metaphorically you are a passenger in a self-driving car which may decide just to drive off the edge of a cliff.

这意味着，打个比方来说，你是自动驾驶汽车上的一名乘客，汽车可能决定要从悬崖边上开过去。

So it might be an exciting ride, but it could end in disaster.

因此它可能是一次令人兴奋的旅程，但也可能以灾难告终。

Right, it’s time now to get the answer to the question I asked at the beginning of the programme.

好了，现在是时候回答我在节目开始时问的问题了。

Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency, but when was it created?

比特币是第一种加密货币，但它是什么时候诞生的呢？

Was it: a) 2008, b) 2009, c) 2010?

是a) 2008年，b) 2009年，c) 2010年？

I said 2010, but I’m not really sure.

我说的是2010年，但我不是很确定。

And you're absolutely wrong!

你完全错误！

The correct answer is 2009, so no luck for you this time, but congratulations to everyone who did get that right.

正确答案是2009年，所以这一次你运气不佳，但恭喜所有答对的人啊。

Well, anyway, let’s round off today with a review of today’s vocabulary.

好吧，不管怎样，让我们复习今天的词汇来结束今天的学习。

First off there is cryptography which is the use of special codes to keep computer systems and content safe.

首先是“密码学”，它使用特殊密码来保证计算机系统和内容的安全。

A currency is the money of a particular country,

“货币”是特定国家的钱，

for example in the UK we have the pound, in the US there’s the dollar and in many countries in Europe the currency is the euro.

例如在英国是英镑，在美国是美元，在欧洲的许多国家其货币是欧元。

Cryptocurrency is a combination of cryptography and currency,

加密货币是密码学和货币的结合，

and it’s used for a finance system that is based on secure digital coins that are not connected to banks or governments.

它被用于一个金融系统，该系统基于安全数字货币，和银行或政府无关。

We then had the expression subject to the whims of.

然后我们有了这个表达，“受……支配”。

Whims are unpredictable decisions,

突发的念头是无法预测的决定，

and if you are subject to them it means you can’t control them, you have no choice but to go in the direction those whims lead.

而且如果你受它们支配，那就意味着你无法控制它们，你别无选择，只能顺着突发念头的方向走。

This means that the value of cryptocurrencies are notoriously volatile.

这意味着加密货币的价值反复无常，众所周知。

They have a history of going up or down in value by large amounts and very quickly.

货币价值有快速大幅上升或下降的历史。

And that’s not good.

这并不好。

Well, it might be good if it goes up!

嗯，如果价值上升的话可能会很好！

True.

对。

But if you want less risk, if you want your currency to be the opposite of volatile,

但如果你想低一点风险，如果你想让你的货币与反复无常相反，

if you want it, in other words, to be stable, then maybe cryptocurrencies are not for you.

换句话说，如果你想让它稳定，那么加密货币可能不适合你。

Well, we are subject to the whims of the schedule which means our 6 minutes are up.

嗯，我们要受时间表支配，也就是说我们的六分钟英语要结束了。

We look forward to your company again soon.

我们期待你的下次参与。

Bye for now.

再见了。

Bye!

拜！

英文来源：BBC Learning English

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