On an old video recorder (a VCR), the tape rubs past a small reading head, and the picture only comes out clean if the head follows the recorded line on the tape exactly. Tracking is the part of the machine that keeps that line-up right.

On an old video recorder (a VCR)在舊式的錄影機（VCR）上，the tape rubs past a small reading head錄影帶會磨過一個小小的讀取磁頭，and the picture only comes out clean而畫面只有在 if the head follows the recorded line on the tape exactly磁頭精準跟著帶子上錄好的軌跡走時才會乾淨清楚。Tracking is the part of the machineTracking（循軌）是機器裡 that keeps that line-up right負責保持這個對準狀態的部分。

When it slips, you don't lose the picture — you get bands of grey noise across the screen, or the picture jumps and tears. Older machines had a tracking knob or a TRACKING button you turned or pressed until the noise went away; that was one of the small skills of the 1980s and 90s.

When it slips當它跑掉的時候，you don't lose the picture畫面不會完全消失——you get bands of grey noise across the screen而是螢幕上會出現一條條灰色雜訊，or the picture jumps and tears或是畫面跳動、撕裂。Older machines had a tracking knob or a TRACKING button舊機器上會有一個 tracking 旋鈕或 TRACKING 按鈕 you turned or pressed until the noise went away你轉動或按壓它直到雜訊消失為止；that was one of the small skills of the 1980s and 90s這是1980、90年代的一項小技能。

This is a technical word, and it belongs to a dead machine, so today you mostly meet it in that setting: someone talking about old tapes, or a film or game copying that look on purpose.

This is a technical word這是一個技術性的詞，and it belongs to a dead machine而且屬於一台已經淘汰的機器，so today you mostly meet it in that setting所以現在你大多是在這種情境下遇到它：someone talking about old tapes有人在講舊錄影帶，or a film or game copying that look on purpose或是電影、遊戲故意模仿那種畫面。

Note that this is only one of several jobs the word 'tracking' does — the same spelling is much more common now for following someone or something (tracking a parcel, tracking your spending), and in schools for putting students into ability groups. Those are different uses; this one is the video-machine one.

Note that this is only one of several jobs the word 'tracking' does要注意，'tracking'這個詞有好幾個用法，這只是其中一個——the same spelling is much more common now for following someone or something同樣的拼法現在更常用在追蹤某人某物（tracking a parcel追蹤包裹, tracking your spending追蹤你的花費），and in schools for putting students into ability groups以及在學校裡把學生依能力分組。Those are different uses那些是不同的用法；this one is the video-machine one這一個講的是錄影機的用法。