点击蓝字 关注大厨

○本篇外刊英文原文约411词，精读全文字数约5338字

○本文共分为01原文及翻译、02阅读练习题、03单词及词组讲解、04句型讲解、05思维导图以及06阅读练习题答案及解析六部分

概要

短剧才火了没几年，就要被异军突起的AI动画微短剧替代了？本文指出，AI微短剧正字凭借极低的制作成本和独特的形式迅速崛起。然而监管也在逐渐收紧，加之竞争不断加剧，AI微短剧会是昙花一现吗？来看看本期《经济学人》怎么说。

相关的阅读与写作热门话题：文化，社会现象，短视频

01 原文及翻译

AI micro-dramas are shaking up Chinese entertainment

AI微短剧正在撼动中国娱乐产业

英文文章选自经济学人 20260409期 China板块

图源：经济学人官网

IN THE ANIMATED series "Orange Cat Taoist Priest: Fighting the Zombie King", a tabby in a flowing robe uses magical amulets and laser lassos to battle a pack of vicious, undead kittens. These feline adventures come in dozens of two-minute episodes, or micro-dramas—a form of entertainment that mashes traditional TV shows with scrollable social-media posts. AI-animated soap operas featuring talking cats may sound niche but have become all the rage in China. The Taoist master cat has attracted half a million views.

动画连续剧《橘猫道士大战僵尸王》（Orange Cat Taoist Priest: Fighting the Zombie King）中，一只身穿飘逸道袍的虎斑猫手持符咒和激光套索，和一群凶狠的丧尸幼猫对战。这些围绕猫咪展开的冒险故事一共推出了几十集，每集仅两分钟，属于微短剧范畴。这种新兴娱乐形式融合了传统剧集的内容特点和可划动刷看的社交媒体内容的呈现形式。会说话的猫咪做主角的AI动画短剧听起来十分小众，如今却在中国风靡全网，这只道士猫的相关内容播放量已经突破50万。

China's entertainment industry has been shaken by micro-form. Total time spent watching longer dramas fell by 15% year on year in January while viewing time on Red Fruit, a micro-drama app owned by ByteDance, the Chinese firm behind TikTok, more than doubled.

微短剧已然撼动了中国文娱行业的现有格局。今年1月，国内用户观看长剧的总时长同比下降15%。字节跳动（ByteDance）是开发出TikTok的中国企业，其旗下的微短剧应用红果（Red Fruit）的用户观看时长反倒翻了一倍有余。

The business model is based on aggressively cutting costs. The live-action versions use amateurs and bare-bones sets, but they are being undercut by new AI-animation tools. The proliferation of these in the past year has enabled production costs to be cut by up to 90%, reckon analysts at HSBC, a bank. Industry insiders say the volume of live-action micro-drama filmed in some regions has shrunk by 80% while actors' already meagre pay has been cut by half. One producer says that in early April he knew of only a few non-AI-animated micro-dramas being shot in China.

这类微短剧的商业核心就在于全力压缩成本。此前的真人版作品多用业余演员，布景一切从简，可如今还是竞争不过新兴的AI动画制作工具。汇丰银行（HSBC）的分析师测算，过去一年这类AI工具大范围普及，制作成本最高可压缩九成。业内人士透露，部分地区的真人微短剧开机量已经缩水八成，演员原本就微薄的片酬更是砍了一半。有制片人表示，今年四月初他了解到，国内正在拍摄的非AI动画类微短剧仅寥寥数部。

But the AI type faces headwinds. Since April 1st regulators have required that all animated micro-series not already approved for streaming be removed from online platforms. New series, they say, must file for approval before being released online.

不过AI类动画微短剧如今发展遇阻。监管部门自4月1日起要求所有尚未取得上线播放许可的动画微短剧，都要从网络平台下架。监管部门还明确，新剧集上线前必须先报审，获得批准后方可播出。

The model's other problems are also becoming clearer. One is excessive competition. China has produced so many AI micro-dramas that, despite their shoestring budgets, fewer and fewer get sufficient views to make money. Another problem is the very nature of this entertainment. It is hard for people to form sentimental attachments to micro-drama characters; as viewers, they are less loyal.

这一模式的其他弊端也日渐凸显。首先是过度竞争。中国国内AI微短剧产量极高，哪怕制作成本极低，能获得足够播放量实现盈利的作品也越来越少。另一大问题源于这类娱乐形式的固有属性。观众很难对微短剧里的角色产生情感联结，对内容的忠诚度自然不高。

China's tech giants are trying to adapt. One of them, Alibaba, has launched a new season of a long-form animated series called "The Demon Hunter". It has more than 10m followers. In the epic battle for eyeballs, longer dramas may still stand a chance.

中国的科技巨头正纷纷调整策略，以适应市场变化。其中，阿里巴巴推出了长篇动画系列《沧元图》（The Demon Hunter）的新一季，目前该作品的粉丝量已突破千万。在白热化的流量争夺战中，长剧集仍有不小的突围机会。

02 阅读理解练习题

According to the passage, which of the following best characterizes the fundamental transformation in China's entertainment industry brought about by AI micro-dramas?

(A) The complete displacement of traditional long-form dramas by AI-animated content across all viewer demographics

(B) A significant shift in viewer behavior patterns accompanied by a dramatic reduction in production costs through AI technology

(C) The emergence of a regulatory framework that exclusively favors AI-generated content over live-action productions

(D) A temporary trend driven primarily by novelty value, with no lasting impact on the industry's business models

03 重点单词&词组

3.1 重点单词

1. niche /niːʃ/ adj. 小众的；专营的

英文释义: Relating to or aimed at a small, specialized segment of the population.

考纲: GRE/IELTS/专八

文中用法: AI-animated soap operas featuring talking cats may sound niche but have become all the rage in China.

例句:

1. The company found success by targeting a niche market for organic pet food. 这家公司通过瞄准有机宠物食品的小众市场获得了成功。
2. She carved out a niche for herself as a specialist in Renaissance art. 她在文艺复兴艺术领域为自己开辟了一片天地。

2. proliferation /prəˌlɪfəˈreɪʃn/ n. 激增；扩散

英文释义: Rapid increase in the number or amount of something.

考纲: GRE/IELTS/专八

文中用法: The proliferation of these in the past year has enabled production costs to be cut by up to 90%.

例句:

1. The proliferation of social media has transformed how people communicate. 社交媒体的激增改变了人们的交流方式。
2. There has been a concerning proliferation of nuclear weapons in the region. 该地区核武器的扩散令人担忧。

3. undercut /ˌʌndəˈkʌt/ v. 削价竞争；削弱

英文释义: To sell goods or services at a lower price than competitors; to weaken or undermine something.

考纲: GRE/IELTS/专八

文中用法: The live-action versions use amateurs and bare-bones sets, but they are being undercut by new AI-animation tools.

例句:

1. Large retailers often undercut small businesses by offering lower prices. 大型零售商通常通过提供更低的价格来挤压小企业的生存空间。
2. His credibility was undercut by the contradictory evidence. 相互矛盾的证据削弱了他的可信度。

4. meagre /ˈmiːɡə/ adj. 微薄的；贫乏的

英文释义: Lacking in quantity or quality; small in amount.

考纲: GRE/IELTS/专八

文中用法: Industry insiders say the volume of live-action micro-drama filmed in some regions has shrunk by 80% while actors' already meagre pay has been cut by half.

例句:

1. The family survived on a meagre income of less than D#500 a month. 这一家人靠着每月不到500美元的微薄收入维持生计。
2. The report offers only meagre evidence to support its conclusions. 这份报告提供的证据不足以支持其结论。

5. headwinds /ˈhedwɪndz/ n. 逆风；阻力

英文释义: Winds blowing directly against the direction of travel; figuratively, forces that oppose progress or development.

考纲: GRE/IELTS/专八

文中用法: But the AI type faces headwinds.

例句:

1. The company faces significant headwinds from rising material costs and labor shortages. 公司面临原材料成本上涨和劳动力短缺的双重阻力。
2. Economic headwinds have made it difficult for small businesses to expand. 经济逆风使得小企业难以扩张。

6. shoestring /ˈʃuːstrɪŋ/ adj. 小额的；微薄的（预算）

英文释义: Operating with very little money; on a very small budget.

考纲: GRE/专八

文中用法: China has produced so many AI micro-dramas that, despite their shoestring budgets, fewer and fewer get sufficient views to make money.

例句:

1. The startup was launched on a shoestring budget of just D#10,000. 这家初创公司仅以1万美元的微薄预算启动。
2. They traveled across Europe on a shoestring, staying in hostels and cooking their own meals. 他们以极低的预算游历欧洲，住青年旅社，自己做饭。

7. sentimental /ˌsentɪˈmentl/ adj. 情感的；多愁善感的

英文释义: Relating to or involving feelings of tenderness, sadness, or nostalgia.

考纲: GRE/IELTS/专八

文中用法: It is hard for people to form sentimental attachments to micro-drama characters.

例句:

1. She kept the old photograph for sentimental reasons. 她出于情感原因保留了这张旧照片。
2. The film's sentimental ending moved many audience members to tears. 这部电影感伤的结局让许多观众落泪。

8. epic /ˈepɪk/ adj. 史诗般的；宏大的

英文释义: Grand in scale or character; heroic or impressive in quality.

考纲: GRE/IELTS/专八/考研英语/六级

文中用法: In the epic battle for eyeballs, longer dramas may still stand a chance.

例句:

1. The company is engaged in an epic struggle for market dominance. 这家公司正在进行一场争夺市场主导权的史诗级战役。
2. The film tells an epic story of love and war spanning three generations. 这部电影讲述了一个跨越三代的关于爱情与战争的史诗故事。

3.2 重点词组

1. all the rage 风靡一时；十分流行

文中用法: AI-animated soap operas featuring talking cats may sound niche but have become all the rage in China.

例句:

1. Virtual reality games were all the rage a few years ago, but interest has since waned. 虚拟现实游戏几年前风靡一时，但人们的兴趣随后消退了。
2. Sustainable fashion is currently all the rage among young consumers. 可持续时尚目前在年轻消费者中十分流行。

2. stand a chance 有机会；有可能成功

文中用法: In the epic battle for eyeballs, longer dramas may still stand a chance.

例句:

1. Without proper funding, the project doesn't stand a chance of succeeding. 没有足够的资金，这个项目不可能成功。
2. She stands a good chance of winning the championship this year. 她今年很有机会赢得冠军。

3.3 巩固练习

1. The company found success by targeting a ______ market for organic pet food. (niche)

2. The ______ of social media has transformed how people communicate. (proliferation)

3. Large retailers often ______ small businesses by offering lower prices. (undercut)

4. The family survived on a ______ income of less than D#500 a month. (meagre)

5. The company faces significant ______ from rising material costs and labor shortages. (headwinds)

6. The startup was launched on a ______ budget of just D#10,000. (shoestring)

7. She kept the old photograph for ______ reasons. (sentimental)

8. The company is engaged in an ______ struggle for market dominance. (epic)

9. Virtual reality games were ______ a few years ago, but interest has since waned. (all the rage)

10. The startup operated from a ______ office with just a few desks and chairs. (bare-bones)

11. Without proper funding, the project doesn't ______ of succeeding. (stand a chance)

04 句型精讲

05 思维导图

06 练习题答案

正确答案：(B)

解析：

• (A) 错误。文章并未指出AI微短剧完全取代了传统长剧，而是说观看长剧的时间下降了15%，同时微短剧观看时间翻倍，表明一种转变趋势而非完全替代。

• (B) 正确。文章提到两个变化，一是今年1月，国内用户观看长剧的总时长同比下降15%，而微短剧应用的用户观看时长翻了一倍多。二是过去一年这类AI工具大范围普及，制作成本最高可压缩九成。这两个方面共同构成了AI微短剧带来的根本性转变。

• (C) 错误。文章指出监管部门要求动画微短剧必须报审获批后才能上线，这实际上是对AI微短剧的限制而非支持。

• (D) 错误。文章详细分析了AI微短剧对演员薪酬、观看时长等方面的实质性影响，并非昙花一现。

你答（猜）对了吗？欢迎在评论区留言。

好不容易看到这了，点点♥点点赞吧

大家的点赞和♥就是我坚持更新的动力。

如对您有帮助，欢迎转发

如需转载到个人公众号，请先与作者取得联系