英倫聚焦
The Rise of the Podcast Podcast的崛起
撰文及考題設計 British Council 英協教育中心 Nicholas Gray 中譯 陳怡君 （中央社編譯）
1 Podcasts are a relatively recent phenomenon. In 2000, the first system that enabled people to download and store episodic content such as podcasts, for computers and portable players was created, and in the early 2000s broadband internet and the release of the iPod meant that podcasts started to become popular. The word ‘podcast’ was first used in 2004, and by 2005 Google had over 100 million hits for the word. Also in 2005, The Ricky Gervais Show -- a comedy podcast that introduced the world to the weird and wonderful mind of Karl Pilkington -- was the first podcast to have over a million downloads. Podcast（或稱播客）是股新興現象。讓使用者以 電腦或攜帶裝置下載儲存不連貫、章節形式資訊 ─如Podcast的系統始於2000年，2000年代初期， 隨寬頻網路與iPod相繼問世，Podcast類型的傳播 方式也開始流行。「Podcast」一詞於2004年首次出 現後至2005年，谷歌（Google）的搜尋紀錄超過1 億筆。此外，介紹怪咖卡爾皮金頓奇妙思維的喜劇
2 2000年代初期隨寬頻網路與iPod（後）相繼問世，Podcast也開始流 行。（美聯社）
《瑞吉賈維斯秀》，也在2005年成為第一個被下載
true crime murder mystery story called Serial.
超過百萬次的Podcast。
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Hosted by investigative journalist Sarah Koenig,
The popularity of podcasts then decreased
Serial followed the story of the murder of a young
for a while, but in 2014 along came a 12-episode
Korean student in the USA, and the subsequent
全球中央雜誌 2017.06
本文由BRITISH COUNCIL–全球最值得信賴的英語 教學機構–提供，網址：www.britishcouncil.org.tw
conviction and imprisonment of her ex-boyfriend.
Hour is another popular podcast which organises
With an episode released for free each week, much
excerpts of TED talks and interviews by theme.
excitement stemmed from the ‘did he or didn’t
The current number one spot in the comedy list on
he do it?’ mystery and the excellent storytelling,
iTunes is occupied by the Joe Rogan Experience.
interviews and gathering of evidence. The internet
Rogan, a martial artist and comedian, hosts the
was abuzz with discussion, and Serial broke records
3-hour conversational podcast, and has a range of
by being the first ever podcast to reach 5 million
fascinating guests and covers a variety of topics
downloads.
from comedy to politics to health to bow hunting.
Podcast風光一時卻好似悄然褪色，然而在2014 年，由調查記者莎拉凱尼格主持、以12集長度探
The podcast was generating 30 million downloads per month in 2016, according to Rogan.
討真實凶殺懸案的節目《Serial》開播，講述一位
根據維基百科，目前網路上以體育、喜劇或者犯
年輕韓國女學生在美遇害，與她的前男友被定罪
罪為主題的Podcast，約有11萬5,000部，有些節目
入獄的經過。《Serial》每週更新，鋪陳蒐證審訊
受歡迎程度超出預期；多項評比都名列前茅的科
敘事技巧卓越又是免費下載，成功在網路上掀起
普節目《Radiolab》在iTunes穩坐第一，一小時內容
熱議，並引發「嫌犯究竟有沒有謀殺被害人」的討
談自然科學、哲學與人文小品，主持討喜且製作水
論；《Serial》也以逾500萬下載次數打破紀錄。
準極佳。《TED Radio Hour》節錄美國網站及菁英
3
會議（TED Talks）的專訪與精彩內容；《Joe Rogan
According to Wikipedia, there are currently
Experience》則在喜劇類奪冠，主持人羅根是前綜
115,000 podcasts available, with topics ranging from
合格鬥家也是喜劇演員，三小時談話節目裡，他與
sport to comedy to crime, and some of them have
迷人的來賓們大聊喜劇、政治、健康保健，主題範
taken the medium to unforeseen levels of popularity. Radiolab is currently the number one science podcast on iTunes, and appears on ma ny top 10 l ist s. Its hour-long shows combine science, philosophy and human stories with excellent production values and personable ho s t s. T E D R a d io
目前線上各類Podcast節目約有11萬5,000部。（取自蘋果公司官網）
CNA NEWSWORLD
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英倫聚焦
圍之廣甚至還有持弓打獵等話題。羅根說，他的節
for intermediate level learners. Another popular
目去年每月被下載達3,000萬次。
podcast website is Elllo. It has over 1,000 short
4
episodes, mostly at intermediate level and including
So what makes podcasts so popular? Firstly,
transcripts and vocabular y activities. Longer
the long-for m for mat which allows in-depth
podcasts are available from Luke’s English Podcast.
discussion of topics and creates a sense of intimacy
Luke is a stand-up comedian who covers topics
definitely helps. Also, as content isn’t determined by
from the past continuous, to superheroes, to tea. All
advertisers and corporations, podcasters are free to
podcasts mentioned here are free, so why not give
talk about whatever topics they want, and thereby
one a try?
appeal to people’s various interests. Another element
若想提升英語能力，從Podcast下手是好方法。
is that the quality has improved markedly over the
儘管不如他類節目受歡迎，線上仍有數種出色的
years, as experienced people from the world of radio
語言學習Podcast：英國廣播公司（BBC）的每週短
have gotten involved. Finally, podcasts are usually
篇《The English We Speak》，介紹英文片語與諺
free, and given that most people have smartphones
語；雖不盡然算是Podcast，每週提供不同主題專
with podcast apps, they are easy to access and
文及有用字彙的《6 Minute English》同樣值得一
download.
提；兩個節目都適用於英語中級程度者。熱門網
Podcast究竟為何如此流行？首先，長篇報導模
站「Elllo」，單字與文章也多屬中級程度，收錄逾
式能深度討論主題，節目營造的親切感更是加分。
1,000部短篇節目；《Luke's English Podcast》節目
再者，因為內容不受贊助商或大公司左右，主持
時間較長，單人脫口秀藝人魯克教大家過去進行
人能針對主題暢所欲言，符合眾多聽眾需求。另
式，也討論茶道和超級英雄。以上列舉的Podcast
外，有電台經驗的主持群陸續加入，使Podcast品
通通免費，您何不聽聽看呢？
質大幅提升；加上智慧型手機使用者會利用各種 Podcast App，下載免費節目來聽也很方便。
5 Podcasts for language learners haven’t quite taken off in the same way, but there are several good ones out there, and listening in this way is an excellent method for improving your English. The BBC’s The English we Speak is a short podcast released weekly with each episode looking at an English phrase or idiom. Also from the BBC, not technically a podcast but worthy of mention, is the excellent 6 Minute English. Again, the hosts discuss a topic of interest each week and provide useful vocabulary and transcripts. Both of the BBC podcasts are
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全球中央雜誌 2017.06
前綜合格鬥家羅根（左）主持的節目《Joe Rogan Experience》在 iTunes喜劇類排名第一。圖為2015年終極格鬥冠軍賽後，羅根以前 輩身分訪問愛爾蘭拳王康納（右）。（美聯社）
本文由BRITISH COUNCIL–全球最值得信賴的英語 教學機構–提供，網址：www.britishcouncil.org.tw
Key Words podcast 播客 – a digital audio file available to
to break a record 破紀錄 – to perform better than
download from the internet, usually available as
anyone or anything else or to achieve something
a series.
no other person or thing has achieved.
phenomenon 現象 – a fact or event in nature or
unforeseen 非預期的 – not expected.
society, especially one that is surprising or not
personable 儀表討人喜歡的 – having a pleasant
fully understood.
manner or appearance
episodic 章節式的 – consisting of a series of separate parts or events.
excerpt 節錄 – a short piece taken from a book, film, presentation, or piece of music.
conviction 定罪 – the action of finding somebody guilty of a crime in a court of law.
idiom 諺語 – an expression that that has a separate meaning of its own and cannot be
impr isonment 坐牢 – the action of put ting
understood from the meanings of its individual
someone in prison.
words.
evidence 證據 – the facts, signs etc. that make
transcript 抄本 – a written or printed copy of what
you believe something is true.
somebody has said.
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雅思考試模擬試題 IELTS questions
Match the headings (I – vi) to the paragraphs 1 - 5. There is one extra heading. i) A wealth of quality choices ii) Learn by listening iii) Crime story breaks records iv) Comedy podcasts v) Why we like them vi) A brief history
1. Paragraph 1 ______ 2. Paragraph 2 ______ 3. Paragraph 3 ______ 4. Paragraph 4 ______ 5. Paragraph 5 ______
Say whether the following statements are True (T), False (F) or Not Given (NG) 6. Podcasts have been around for a long time. 7. The Ricky Gervais Show was popular in many countries. 8. Between 2005 and 2014, podcasts became more popular. 9. In the Serial podcast, the victim’s boyfriend was guilty. 10. The Joe Rogan Experience is the top comedy podcast on iTunes. Answers:1. vi CNA NEWSWORLD
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2. iii
3. i
4. v
5. ii
6. F
7. NG
8. F
9. NG
10. T