字幕列表 影片播放 列印英文字幕 Feifei: Hello and welcome to The English We Speak with me, Feifei… Neil: …and me, Neil. Feifei: Er… Neil, can you stop playing around on that computer and concentrate? In this programme, we have a new word connected to the worlds of technology and work. It's used to describe a kind of worker who provides an essential service for the smooth-running of all things web-based. A microworker. Neil: A microworker? Isn’t that someone who makes microwave ovens? Feifei: No, Neil, though it does have the same prefix – ‘micro’. Neil: Ah yes – and the word 'micro' used as a prefix, indicates that something is small. Feifei: But we're not talking about small workers, we're talking about small digital tasks that computers can't do on their own. Neil, stop typing! Neil: Sorry… These might be things like drawing around a digital image of a face to help train artificial intelligence systems to recognise people. Feifei: That's right – microworkers perform simple, repetitive, digital tasks that help improve algorithms. Neil: Let's hear some examples. Since the recession, lots of people who lost their jobs have earned cash as microworkers. Some of the biggest tech giants have use microworkers to help develop their systems. Some complain it's badly paid, but others like the flexibility of microwork. Feifei: You're listening to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English. In this programme, we're looking at the word 'microworker'. It describes people who earn money from performing simple, repetitive digital tasks that help develop computer systems. Neil: As we've heard, microwork isn't a full-time job. It's something people can do as much or little as they want, when they want. Feifei: On the other side, it's not very well paid or secure. Neil: Right, are we done? Feifei: Yes. What are you doing that's so important? Neil: Oh you know, just earning a little bit of extra cash as a microworker. Both: Bye!