新概念英语第三册 Lesson51(4)

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4. In 1975, a primitive machine called the Altair, was launched in the USA.
launch这里指推出一种新产品(a new product was developed)，如：
公司上周推出一种新牌子啤酒。（练习（4），汉译英）
5. It can properly be described as the first 'home computer' and it pointed the way to the future.
properly这里表示appropriately，适当地；properly还可表示satisfactorily，令人满意地。如：
The car is not working properly.
point the way to: show the way/direction to。如：
A line of restaurants pointed the way to the theatre.
Recent medical discoveries are already pointing the way to more efficient treatment.
6. In the early 1980s, the computer giant, IBM produced the world's first Personal Computer.
giant n. 巨人，伟人。如：
如果我看得更远只是因为我站在巨人的肩膀上。(牛顿名言)（练习（5），汉译英）
The takeover battle is between two of American's industrial giants. (industrial giants，工业巨人)
7. This ran on an 'operating system' called DOS, produced by a then small company named Microsoft.
by a then small company: by a small company at that time, but the company was no longer small. 再看一个例子：
I wanted to live in the city, but my then husband preferred the country. (He is no longer my husband now. )