VOA慢速：新冠追踪APP在美国使用率不高
燕山大学 刘立军 供稿
【TRANSCRIPT】
Six months ago, Apple and Google released a new tool for smartphone users. The program, or app, informs users of their possible exposure to someone infected with COVID-19.
However, an Associated Press examination shows that few people in the United States are using the app. The smartphone program is not widely available in most U.S. states and territories.
Information from 16 states, Guam and the District of Columbia shows that 8.1 million people had used the technology as of late November. Around 110 million people live in those areas.
Computer apps could help public health workers with contact tracing, a difficult job in pandemic control. Contact tracers search for individuals who may have come in contact with an infected person.
The contact tracing tool is free and can be found in Apple's app store and the Google Play store for Android devices. Some state health-department websites also offer the program for downloading.
Experts and users say there are several reasons behind the low level of use in the U.S.
"There's a lot of things working against it," said Jessica Vitak, a professor at the University of Maryland's College of Information Studies.
"Unfortunately, in the U.S., COVID has been politicized far more than in any other country. I think that's affecting people's willingness to use tools to track it," she said.
Politicize is a term that means to make something a political issue.
Apple and Google created the main technology behind such contact tracing apps. These apps use Bluetooth wireless signals to anonymously detect when two phones have spent time in a close area. If an app user tests positive for the virus, that person's phone can alert other people that they have spent time near. The apps do not give names, locations, or any other identifying information.
In states such as Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland and Washington, iPhone users do not have to download an app. Apple asks users to start the system by changing their phone settings. In these states, app usage levels are higher. But even in the most successful state, Connecticut, only about a fifth of people have agreed to this tracking.
- International views on tracing apps
Tracing apps are more commonly used in some other countries.
Irish app developer NearForm says more than 25 percent of Ireland's population uses its COVID-19 app.
In Ireland, "all sides of the political divide came together with a consistent message on this is what we need to do," said Larry Breen, NearForm's chief commercial officer.
In other places in Europe, app use has been mixed. Germany and Britain have usage levels close to Ireland's. In Finland, the number is about 45 percent, according to data from the MIT Technology Review.
In France, however, less than four percent of the population is using the official COVID app. That program runs a data collection system that is less sensitive to privacy concerns than the Apple-Google system.
I'm John Russell.
Adapted from http://www.kekenet.com/broadcast/202012/622270.shtml
【VOCABULARY】
1. territory n. land that is under the control of a particular country or ruler 领土；版图；领地。例如：enemy/disputed/foreign territory 敌方/有争议的/外国领土
2. in contact with 与……在接触中
3. politicize v. to make sth. a political issue 使政治化；使带有政治色彩。例如：the highly politicized issue of unemployment 高度政治化的失业问题
【QUESTIONS】
Read the statements. Then listen to the news and decide whether the statements are true (T) or false (F).
1. Unfortunately, in the U.S., COVID has been politicized far more than in any other country.
2. Politicize is a term that means to make something a political issue.
3. If an app user tests positive for the virus, that person's phone can alert other people that they have spent time near. The apps released by Apple and Google give names, locations, or any other identifying information.
4. In Connecticut, only about 25% of people have agreed to this tracking.
5. Irish app developer NearForm says more than 20% of Ireland's population uses its COVID-19 app.
6. In other places in Europe, app use has been mixed. Germany and Britain have usage levels close to Finland's. In Ireland, the number is about 45%, according to data from the MIT Technology Review.
7. In France, less than 4% of the population is using the official COVID app.
【KEY】
Read the statements. Then listen to the news and decide whether the statements are true or false (F).
(T) 1. Unfortunately, in the U.S., COVID has been politicized far more than in any other country.
(T) 2. Politicize is a term that means to make something a political issue.
(F) 3. If an app user tests positive for the virus, that person's phone can alert other people that they have spent time near. The apps released by Apple and Google give names, locations, or any other identifying information.
（正确表达）If an app user tests positive for the virus, that person's phone can alert other people that they have spent time near. The apps released by Apple and Google do not give names, locations, or any other identifying information.
(F) 4. But in Connecticut, only about 25% of people have agreed to this tracking.
（正确表达）But in Connecticut, only about 20% of people have agreed to this tracking.
(F) 5. Irish app developer NearForm says more than 20% of Ireland's population uses its COVID-19 app.
（正确表达）Irish app developer NearForm says more than 25% of Ireland's population uses its COVID-19 app.
(F) 6. In other places in Europe, app use has been mixed. Germany and Britain have usage levels close to Finland's. In Ireland, the number is about 45%, according to data from the MIT Technology Review.
（正确表达）In other places in Europe, app use has been mixed. Germany and Britain have usage levels close to Ireland's. In Finland, the number is about 45%, according to data from the MIT Technology Review.
(T) 7. In France, less than 4% of the population is using the official COVID app.
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