【正文】 s books. 16. the war between Britain and France In the late eighteenth century, battles raged in almost every corner of Europe, as well as in the Middle East, south 在線英語聽力室 27 Africa ,the West Indies, and Latin America. In reality, however, there was only one major war during this time, the war between Britain and France. All other battles were ancillary to this larger conflict, and were often at least partially related to its antagonist’ goals and strategies. France sought total domination of Europe . this goal was obstructed by British independence and Britain’s efforts throughout the continent to thwart Napoleon。s Nobel Academy has decided who will receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, thereby determining who will be elevated from the great and the near great to the immortal. But today the Academy is ing under heavy criticism both from the without and from within. Critics contend that the selection of the winners often has less to do with true writing ability than with the peculiar internal politics of the Academy and of Sweden itself. According to Ingmar Bjorksten , the cultural editor for one of the country39。s president. 13 Skyscrapers and Environment In the late 196039。 second, a diverse population with a large number of subgroups。s origin from the human interest in storytelling. According to this vies tales (about the hunt, war, or other feats) are gradually elaborated, at first through the use of impersonation, action, and dialogue by a narrator and then through the assumption of each of the roles by a different person. A closely related theory traces theater to those dances that are primarily rhythmical and gymnastic or that are imitations of animal movements and sounds. 06 Television Televisionthe most pervasive and persuasive of modern technologies, marked by rapid change and growthis moving into a new era, an era of extraordinary sophistication and versatility, which promises to reshape our lives and our world. 在線英語聽力室 10 It is an electronic revolution of sorts, made possible by the marriage of television and puter technologies. The word television, derived from its Greek (tele: distant) and Latin (visio: sight) roots, can literally be interpreted as sight from a distance. Very simply put, it works in this way: through a sophisticated system of electronics, television provides the capability of converting an image (focused on a special photoconductive plate within a camera) into electronic impulses, which can be sent through a wire or cable. These impulses, when fed into a receiver (television set), can then be electronically reconstituted into that same image. Television is more than just an electronic system, however. It is a means of expression, as well as a vehicle for munication, and as such bees a powerful tool for reaching other human beings. The field of television can be divided into two categories determined by its means of transmission. First, there is broadcast television, which reaches the masses through 在線英語聽力室 11 broadbased airwave transmission of television signals. Second, there is nonbroadcast television, which provides for the needs of individuals or specific interest groups through controlled transmission techniques. Traditionally, television has been a medium of the masses. We are most familiar with broadcast television because it has been with us for about thirtyseven years in a form similar to what exists today. During those years, it has been controlled, for the most part, by the broadcast works, ABC, NBC, and CBS, who have been the major purveyors of news, information, and entertainment. These giants of broadcasting have actually shaped not only television but our perception of it as well. We have e to look upon the picture tube as a source of entertainment, placing our role in this dynamic medium as the passive viewer. 07 Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie, known as the King of Steel, built the steel industry in the United States, and , in the process, became 在線英語聽力室 12 one of the wealthiest men in America. His success resulted in part from his ability to sell the product and in part from his policy of expanding during periods of economic decline, when most of his petitors were reducing their investments. Carnegie believed that individuals should progress through hard work, but he also felt strongly that the wealthy should use their fortunes for the benefit of society. He opposed charity, preferring instead to provide educational opportunities that would allow others to help themselves. He who dies rich, dies disgraced, he often said. Among his more noteworthy contributions to society are those that bear his name, including the Carnegie Institute of Pittsburgh, which has a library, a museum of fine arts, and a museum of national history. He also founded a school of technology that is now part of CarnegieMellon University. Other philanthrophic gifts are the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace to promote understanding between nations, the Carnegie Institute of Washington to fund scientific research, and Carnegie Hall to provide a center for the arts. 在線英語聽力室 13 Few Americans have been left untouched by Andrew Carnegie39。在線英語聽力室 1 01 The Language of Music A painter hangs his or her finished pictures on a wall, and everyone can see it. A poser writes a work, but no one can hear it until it is performed. Professional singers and players have great responsibilities, for the poser is utterly dependent on them. A student of music needs as long and as arduous a training to bee a performer as a medical student needs to bee a doctor. Most training is concerned with technique, for musicians have to have the muscular proficiency of an a