2016年12月英语四级翻译考试预测练习四

　　电脑

　　请将下面这段话翻译成英文：

　　但与其他渗透性技术如电力、电视和汽车不同的是，电脑行为总体上更不可靠、更不可预测。这是因为它们是处于分离状态的数学电子装置，容易引起总体的、灾难性崩溃。电脑系统一旦发生故障，就会全面瘫痪。它们与电动机械装置不同，电动机械装置有可能只发生局部故障，剩下的部分仍可使用。

　　参考翻译

　　But unlike such other pervasive technologies as electricity, television and the motor car, computers are on the whole less reliable and less predictable in their behavior. This is because they are discrete state digital electronic devices that are prone to total and catastrophic failure. Computer systems, when they are “down,” are completely down, unlike electromechanical devices, which may be only partially down and are thus partially usable.