Using English at Work：34 Having Computer Problems(6)

（单词翻译）

Spreadsheet programs often are used to calculate, or figure, out how much a company is making, for example.

The most popular program currently in the U.S. is Microsoft Excel; that's the most popular spreadsheet program.

The computer tech starts doing something to my computer, typing on the keys -the buttons on the keyboard that you push - a mile a minute for a long time.

The phrase "a mile a minute" means very quickly.

To say that the computer tech was typing a mile a minute means she was typing very quickly.

You could also have someone who speaks a mile a minute - when they speak very quickly.

After she types quickly for a long time, she says, "Okay, it's fixed¹," meaning she has taken something that was broken and made it so that it works again.

You can fix a radio, you could fix a broken car, you can fix any sort of machine; you can also fix a situation or a problem that you're having, for example, with a relationship.

The best way to fix a relationship with another person is to find a new person - that's the easiest!

The computer technician is fixing my computer, and when she's done she says, "it's fixed."

Then she says to me, "You shouldn't have any more problems now -as long as you don't abuse your computer."

"To abuse" (abuse) something or someone means to hurt something or someone by treating it very badly.

If I were angry, I might abuse my computer by taking my hand, making a fist - putting my fingers together - and punching the computer screen.

That would hurt my hand, but I would also feel better even though I was abusing or hurting my computer. I do this a lot!

Of course I never actually abuse my computer, at least not in the story, but it's no good talking to her, because she wouldn't believe me.

Now that my computer is fixed, at least I can begin working again.

I'm sure you can understand how frustrating² all these computer problems can be.

Now that we've talked a little bit about the vocabulary you may need to talk about your computer problems,

let's listen to the description of this part of my day again, this time at a normal rate of speech.