Your computer has been playing music for years, one CD at a time. Now hundreds of songs can be stored in your Pc if they’re in the MP3 format (格式).
What is it
MP3 compresses (压缩) music into small computer files. You access MP3 music in several ways: Tunes can be downloaded from websites that have converted (转变) vast music libraries into MP3. Or you can prerecord CDs into your PC and convert songs in minutes into MP3. Once MP3 music is on your PC’s hard drive, you can play it through your computer’s speakers,
"burn" it onto blank CDs or swap (交换) MP3 files with friends using e-mail.
how much is it
Software needed to play and convert MP3 music is often free. It comes reinstalled (预装) on most new computers or can be downloaded from many websites, including MP3. com. Some MP3 sites are free. Just type "MP3 sites" into any search engine. Compact portable MP3 players start at around $ 50 and can hold hundreds of songs. A blank CD on which you can record music costs about a dollar.
What are the advantages
MP3 turns your home PC into a jukebox (自动唱机). Tiny MP3 players are the size of a deck (一副) of cards, it easy to take hundreds of songs with you.
What are the disadvantages
You may find that music at many sites is limited. And some only allow you to listen rather than download offerings. Others let you download music that they can’t be copied to MP3 players. And a growing number of new CDs make it impossible to copy songs to a computer.
(1) You can get MP3 (46) from websites which have n converted music libraries into MP3.
(2) You will pay (47) for a compact portable MP3 player.
(3) (48) is the closest meaning of the underlined word "burn".
(4) You can get software to play and convert MP3 by (49) and from (50)