时间:2018-12-19 作者:英语课 分类:环球英语 Spotlight


英语课

   Voice 1


 
  Welcome to Spotlight 1. I’m Robin 2 Basselin.
 
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  And I’m Ryan Geertsma. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
 
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  Have you ever been on a bus or in a store and heard this music?
 
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  Did you immediately recognize it? Did you think about Mario - a little Italian man with a red hat, a red shirt, and blue trousers? Did you remember trying to avoid little brown walking mushrooms with eyes? Or did you remember competing against a friend to collect the most coins?  These are all elements 3 of the video game Super Mario Brothers!
 
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  People all around the world play electronic 4 video games. And often, they can recognize a video game just by its music. Today’s Spotlight is about the history and development of video game music.
 
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  The earliest video games did not have music. In the 1970s, Pong was a popular video game. A person would play Pong by watching moving images on a large screen - like a television. Players could move the images using a device 5 called a joystick. Players would move the joystick with their hands.
 
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  Pong was basically 6 an electronic form of the sport table tennis.  In this game there is a ball. The ball moves across the screen - from one side to the other.  The players control another shape on the screen.  It is a stick shaped object called a paddle 7. Players move the paddles 8 to hit the ball.  They try to keep the ball from hitting the sides of the screen. As the ball hits the paddle it makes this sound.
 
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  Space Invaders 9 was another popular video game from the 1970s. Like Pong, the sounds in Space Invaders were simple and created by computers. And only one or two sounds played at a time. But Space Invaders did something different. In this game, players shoot little white space creatures at the top of the screen. The creatures move down the screen.  And they make a particular sound.  As they move closer to the bottom of the screen, the sounds get faster. This noise copies the sound of a fast, beating heart - like the sound your heart makes when you are frightened. The sound helps create a sense of excitement and importance. As a result, it influences the player’s experience.  It makes the game feel more real.
 
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  As technology improved, so did the sounds video games used. By the 1980’s, video games began using basic music.  Experts used computer sounds to design the music.
 
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  In 1984, Koji Kondo worked for the company Nintendo, in Japan. Nintendo develops video games. And Kondo created music for Nintendo video games. Nintendo asked Kondo to write the music for a new game. The game was Super Mario Brothers. Kondo told Wired magazine,
 
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  "I wanted to create something that had never been heard before. I wanted to create something that was not like game music at all."
 
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  New technology let Kondo create basic background music.  This music could play through the whole game. Kondo used the music to help create the atmosphere for the game. He wrote six different pieces of music for the game.
 
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  When the video game character, Mario, is outside under the blue sky and clouds - the music is happy. But when Mario goes under the ground the music changes. The music sounds darker and a little frightening. When Mario is in the enemy’s territory 10, the music sounds even more threatening and evil 11.
 
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  Game designers 12 also added 13 sound effects to Kondo’s music. Every time the player makes Mario jump, the game makes this sound. And every time Mario collects a coin, the game makes this sound.
 
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  Together, the sound effects and background music create an experience.  This experience uses several senses. The game players use their hands to create the action. They see the action on the screen with their eyes. And they hear the actions and environment with their ears. By involving several senses, the game experience becomes more like real life.
 
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  Kondo wrote the music for another famous game called The Legend 14 of Zelda.  Nintendo released 15 this game in 1986.  This video game is often recognized for its music. In the game, the player must find and rescue Princess Zelda. And the music is part of the player’s exciting travels. To win some of the game’s tests, the player must use musical instruments. Sometimes the musical instruments even start new events in the game.
 
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  Kondo made a major influence on video game music.  His work changed video game music forever.  But the development of video game music did not end with Kondo.
 
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  During the 1990’s and early 2000’s technology continued to improve. Music designers began to create very complex 16 pieces of music for video games. The designers were no longer limited by basic computer noises. New technology let designers record and use the sound of real musical instruments. Today, many video games sound like live music performances!
 
  Voice 1
 
  The video game Halo is a good example of this. Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori created the music for this game. For Halo’s main music piece, they recorded people singing.  The performers 17 sang long sad sounds in low voices. They also recorded string musical instruments like violins. Erik Kain believes that Halo’s music aids the playing experience. He wrote in Forbes Magazine,
 
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  “Halo’s singing voices are combined with very different rock-opera-style string instruments.  This helps pull you in to the exciting space-age travels.”
 
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  Many pieces of video game music have become iconic. They are easy to remember. They are easy to recognize. And people clearly identify them with their video game.
 
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  Charles Martinet 18 is the voice of Mario - from the newer versions 19 of the Super Mario games. He clearly remembers his first experience with Super Mario Brothers.  He told Wired Magazine,
 
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  "The first time I ever played a Mario video game, I started at about 4 at night. I played until the sun came up the next day. I laid down on the bed. I closed my eyes. And I could hear that music!”
 
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  Do you have a favorite piece of video game music?  Are there games you recognize just by their music? How does music affect your video game playing? You can leave your comments on the script 20 page of this program at http://www.radioenglish.net Or yo.u can email us at radio@radioenglish.net.
 
  Voice 1
 
  The writer of this program was Courtney Schutt. The producer was Mark Drenth. The voices you heard were from the United 21 States. All quotes 22 were adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight. You can listen to this program again and read it on the Internet at http://www.radioenglish.net This .program is called, “Video Game Music.”
 
  Voice 2
 
  We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.

1 spotlight
n.公众注意的中心,聚光灯,探照灯,视听,注意,醒目
  • This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
  • The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。
2 robin
n.知更鸟,红襟鸟
  • The robin is the messenger of spring.知更鸟是报春的使者。
  • We knew spring was coming as we had seen a robin.我们看见了一只知更鸟,知道春天要到了。
3 elements
原理,基础; 要素(旧时认为土、空气、火和水是构成一切物质的四大要素)( element的名词复数 ); (化学)元素; 基础; 成分
  • Oxygen is one of the basic elements of substance. 氧是物质的基本元素之一。
  • A language teacher should initiate pupils into the elements of grammar. 语言老师应该把基本语法教给学生。
4 electronic
adj.电子的;n.[-s]电子学,电子设备
  • It is an electronic device with many uses.这是一部具有多种用途的电子仪器。
  • Father needs a new electronic shaver.爸爸需要一个新的电子剃须刀。
5 device
n.器械,装置;计划,策略,诡计
  • The device will be in production by the end of the year.该装置将于年底投入生产。
  • The device will save much time and effort for us.这种装置会使我们节省大量时间和气力。
6 basically
adv.基本上,从根本上说
  • His heart is basically sound.他的心脏基本上健康。
  • Basically I agree with your plan.我基本上同意你的计划。
7 paddle
vi.划桨;涉水;vt.用桨划;n.短浆;划浆
  • Each man had a paddle for an hour and then a rest.每个人划了一小时桨,然后休息。
  • They paddle their boat up the river.他们划着小船往上游去了。
8 paddles
n.划船( paddle的名词复数 );桨状物;(机具的)桨状部份v.涉水( paddle的第三人称单数 );趟水;用桨划船;用戒尺打(孩子)
  • Paddles are used especially to propel canoes and kayaks. 短桨特别用于划独木舟和小艇。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He paddles his own canoe. 他自己划独木舟。 来自辞典例句
9 invaders
入侵者,侵略者,侵入物( invader的名词复数 )
  • They prepared to repel the invaders. 他们准备赶走侵略军。
  • The family has traced its ancestry to the Norman invaders. 这个家族将自己的世系追溯到诺曼征服者。
10 territory
n.领土,领地,版图,地区,活动范围
  • Resources in plenty can be found in this territory.这一地区能找到大量自然资源。
  • Our country has a vast territory and abundant resources.我国土地辽阔,资源丰富。
11 evil
n.邪恶,不幸,罪恶;adj.邪恶的,不幸的,有害的,诽谤的
  • We pray to God to deliver us from evil.我们祈求上帝把我们从罪恶中拯救出来。
  • Love of money is the root of all evil.爱钱是邪恶的根源。
12 designers
n.设计师( designer的名词复数 );图案设计师;打样师;制图员
  • Have you seen that article about young fashion designers? 你见到了关于年轻时装设计师的那篇文章没有?
  • Every moment of the fashion industry's misery is richly deserved by the designers and magazine poltroons who perpetuate this absurd creation. 时装工业每一个痛苦的时刻都是完全应该被时装设计师们…和那些使这种荒诞创造永久化的杂志懦夫领受。 来自《简明英汉词典》
13 added
adj.更多的,附加的,额外的
  • They have added a new scene at the beginning.在开头他们又增加了一场戏。
  • The pop music added to our enjoyment of the film.片中的流行音乐使我们对这部电影更加喜爱。
14 legend
n.传说;传奇故事
  • This is a popular legend.这是一个民间传说。
  • According to ancient legend,the river is a goddess.据古代传说,这条河是位女神。
15 released
v.释放( release的过去式和过去分词 );放开;发布;发行
  • He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
  • With hindsight it is easy to say they should not have released him. 事后才说他们本不应该释放他,这倒容易。
16 complex
adj.复杂的,合成的,综合的;n.联合体
  • What he said was too complex for me to understand.他说的太复杂了,我无法了解。
  • Justice is part of the complex machinery of the law.正义是复杂的法律机器的一部分。
17 performers
n.演出者( performer的名词复数 );演奏者;表演者;履行者
  • The boss kissed the other performers off as mere amateurs. 老板认为其他的演员只有业余水平而把他们打发掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • They manage to sign up all the best performers. 他们设法跟所有最佳演员签订合同。 来自《简明英汉词典》
18 martinet
n.要求严格服从纪律的人
  • They discover that the new teacher is a martinet.他们发现新来的老师非常严格。
  • He's a retired Lieutenant Colonel and a bit of a martinet.他是个退役中校,有点军人作风。
19 versions
n.译本( version的名词复数 );版本;(个人对事件的)描述;(原物的)变体
  • There are two versions of the game, a long one and a short one. 这游戏有两个版本,一长一短。
  • When both versions of the story were collated,major discrepancies were found. 在将这个故事的两个版本对照后,找出了主要的不符之处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
20 script
n.剧本,广播稿;文字体系;笔迹,手迹
  • It's easy to identify his script.他的笔迹容易辨认。
  • The script is massaged into final form.这篇稿子经过修改已定稿。
21 united
adj.和谐的;团结的;联合的,统一的
  • The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
  • The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。
22 quotes
v.引用,援引( quote的第三人称单数 );报价;引述;为(股票、黄金或外汇)报价
  • He quotes a few verses from Tennyson in his paper. 他在论文中引用了英国诗人丁尼生的几行诗句。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He quotes (from) the Bible to support his beliefs. 他引用圣经来支持自己的信念。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
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