雅思阅读材料之世界上款宠物可视电话

Leaving a beloved pet behind for a holiday, or even for a long day at work, can be heart-wrenching.

主人外出度假或公司加班、不得不将心爱的宠物独自留在家中，这真是件让人揪心的事。

But now there is a device that lets owners video chat with their dog or cat from anywhere in the world and even reward them with a treat.

但是现在出现了一种设备，无论主人身在何处，都可以和自家的汪星人或喵星人视频聊天，还可以给它们好吃的作为奖励。

PetChatz claims to be the first-ever videophone of its kind and comes with a colour camera so that pets and owners can see each other.

宠物可视电话PetChatz的产品发言人称，这是世界上款宠物可视电话。它配备有彩色摄像头，宠物和主人通过这部电话可以看到对方。

The device, which is available to pre-order from the Minnesota-based firm, dispenses treats and discharges a soothing scent for animals that are home alone, while also recording the animal’s antics so that owners can share videos of their pet’s reactions.

通过这款宠物可视电话，主人可以给看家的宠物喂食，还可以释放一种舒缓神经的香气，同时还可以将宠物的表情录制下来，主人可以将宠物的表情视频在网上分享。 PetChatz的制造商本部在美国明尼苏达州，现在人们就可以预定这种可视电话。

However, what PetChatz describes as ‘a joyful sensory experience’ comes at a price - $349 (£213) - and the device is expected to ship in early 2014 to customers only in the U.S. and Canada.

然而，要得到这种PetChatz公司所谓的“愉悦的感觉体验”可不便宜——349美元（约2123元人民币）。而且要到2014年上旬才开始发货，目前仅供应美国和加拿大两个国家。

The company said: ‘[The pets] see you, hear you, and feel your love with the tasty treats and soothing scents you provide. Your day becomes a little easier; the time away feels a little shorter.’

这家公司的发言人说，“你的宠物可以看到你的面容，听到你的声音，电话里投放的美食和散发的香味可以让它感受到你的爱意。你的工作变得轻松了，你和宠物分别的时间似乎被缩短了。”

The PetChatz unit is mounted on a wall at the pet's line of sight and claims to be safe for animals and ‘chew resistant’ so it cannot be easily damaged.

这种可视电话应放置在宠物视线范围内的墙壁上。其材质是“耐咀嚼”材料、不易损坏、安全可靠。

The device is connected to a Wi-Fi network and owners log on to PetChatz.com on their computer or use a smartphone app to talk to their pet.

这部可视电话可以接收家中的无线网络，外出的主人通过电脑或智能手机应用登录PetChatz.com网站，就可以和宠物聊天。

A special ringtone tells the pet when its owner is calling, at which point the screen is activated and the video conversation is possible - providing the pet runs to the phone.

主人来电时，这部可视电话会发出特殊的铃声提醒宠物，同时电话上的显示器被激活，主人和宠物就可以对话了——如果宠物跑过来接电话的话。