英语听力—环球英语 853 Saving Manuscripts

　　Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight¹. I'm Liz Waid.
Voice 2
And I'm Adam Navis. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
In the year 300 BCE, Egypt was the centre of learning² and education. The Library of Alexandria was one of greatest collections of knowledge in the world. However, a series³ of great fires destroyed almost everything.
Voice 2
During World War II, airplanes bombed the town of Dresden, Germany. Soldiers attacked stores, schools, and factories. In addition to lives and homes lost, the bombings destroyed many collections of old books.
Voice 1
Twenty [20] years later, in 1966, the River Arno flooded the city of Florence, Italy. Water destroyed many important writings, art, and public records.
Voice 2
In the 1990s, the Taliban ruled Afghanistan. This government destroyed many ancient and valuable writings. They thought the writings were against Islamic Law.
Voice 1
All these events, and many more like them, show how many things can destroy important cultural and historical⁴ records.
Voice 2
Today's Spotlight is on the Hill Museum and Manuscript⁵ Library, or HMML. This group recognizes that there are many dangers to old documents. There are natural dangers like fires, floods, and earthquakes. There are also human made dangers such as war, poor treatment, and purposeful damage. The HMML is working to protect ancient manuscripts⁶ against these dangers. They do this by creating a digital⁷ copy of the manuscript. Then, they share the information with the world.
Voice 1
What is a manuscript? A manuscript is any hand written document or any collection of writings tied together into a book form. Before the invention of the printing press, this was how people made books. People spent years creating a single book. Many times these were religious⁸ people who were copying the Bible⁹ or other religious book. However, sometimes manuscripts are personal writings, business deals or family histories.
Voice 2
Hand written manuscripts were usually made by making paper from animal skin. Next, a few pieces of paper are collected and bent¹⁰ in half. These are tied together with fine rope. These small groups are again collected and tied together. These manuscripts took a lot of work to make. There were few manuscripts. And so most manuscripts were used a lot. They were carried around and read. They often show marks from the oil of human hands or the blackening from being too close to a fire.
Voice 1
The printing press was invented around the year 1450. It quickly changed the way books were made. Books became easy to create and many books could be made in a short time. Making manuscripts by hand did not make sense anymore. However, old manuscripts still contained important information. The problem was that as time went by, more and more of these old manuscripts were lost or destroyed.
Voice 2
This is the reason that The Hill Museum and Manuscript Library is working to protect manuscripts from all around the world. They do this by taking a picture of the manuscript and turning it into a computer file¹¹. While manuscripts are rare¹² and break easily, these digital files¹³ can be easily copied and quickly shared. It is hard to destroy them.
Voice 1
There are many challenges¹⁴ in finding¹⁵ and preserving¹⁶ manuscripts. An experience in the Middle East shows these challenges. The Reverend Columba Stewart is the head of the HMML. Columba learned¹⁷ of a library that held hundreds of manuscripts - manuscripts about religion, science, history, and philosophy¹⁸. Columba travelled to look at the manuscripts. When he arrived, a librarian¹⁹ worker led him into a storage²⁰ room. There a few old manuscripts rested on the shelves. After a moment Columba asked if there were any more manuscripts. The librarian stopped for a minute, and then he opened a secret door. The librarian led Columba into another room. Columba asked again, ‘Is this all?' Then the librarian moved a secret book shelf and showed him a room full of manuscripts. Each one had been carefully protected for hundreds of years. But Columba would not take any of these books. He needed to get permission to record these books. And that took some work.
Voice 2
In the past, many western museums and libraries removed historical treasures and manuscripts from their countries of origin. This is why the librarian in the Middle East was slow to show Columba everything. He did not know if he could trust Columba. The HMML believes that manuscripts should remain in their communities and countries of origin. However, they also believe that a digital copy should be made.
Voice 1
Creating a digital copy protects against loss²¹. But it also makes it is easier for researchers all around the world to study the text. When a person studies an original manuscript, they need light. They also need to touch the book and expose it to the air. All of these things break down the manuscript. However, these are not problems with digital copies. Digital copies do not wear out.
Voice 2
The HMML is working all around the world. They currently²² have preservation²³ projects in Lebanon, Syria, Ukraine, India, Italy, Ethiopia, South Africa and other countries. Some of the manuscripts are in languages that only a few people understand. Since many of these manuscripts are now in files on the Internet, these few researchers can study the manuscripts from where they live.
The Hill Museum and Manuscript Library is a Christian²⁴ organization. It does not protect only Christian manuscripts. If it agrees to record a collection, it will record everything, not only Christian manuscripts.
Voice 1
However, one thing the HMML has been able to show is how Christianity developed in different countries. Often, Christianity is connected to Europe and North America. However, many manuscripts show that countries in Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe all have strong Christian traditions and a deep understanding of Christianity. Without these manuscripts, the full picture of Christianity as a global²⁵ religion would be lost.
Voice 2
By making manuscripts available to the world, the HMML helps show the long histories of many countries. These histories include writings on education, religion, science, and philosophy. And these documents help people better understand the development of ideas in different areas of the world.
 

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• 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 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

3 series   

n.连续；系列

参考例句：

• The students have put forward a series of questions.学生们提出了一系列问题。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

4 historical   

adj.历史的，史实的，历史上的

参考例句：

• The book is based on historical events.这本书是根据历史事件写成的。
• We have shared the same historical experiences.咱们有着共同的历史遭遇。

5 manuscript   

n.手稿，原稿，底稿，手写本

参考例句：

• The adaptation of the play for radio manuscript was easy.把剧本改编成广播稿很容易。
• The lost manuscript was found in a repository in France.丢失的手稿在法国的一个存放处被找到了。

6 manuscripts   

手稿( manuscript的名词复数 )； 原稿； 底稿； 手写本

参考例句：

• The old librarian illuminated some old books and manuscripts. 这个老图书馆员把一些古书和旧抄稿加上各种装饰。
• At his death he left a great mass of undigested manuscripts. 他去世时留下大量尚未整理的文稿。

7 digital   

n.数字，数字式；adj.数位的，数字的

参考例句：

• There's a digital watch on the table.桌子上有一块数字式手表。
• The signal will be converted into digital code.信号会被转变为数字代码。

8 religious   

adj.宗教性的，虔诚的，宗教上的；n.修道士，出家人

参考例句：

• She is very religious person who goes to church every Sunday.她十分虔诚，每个星期天都上教堂。
• It is hard for me to reject religious beliefs.要我抛弃自己的宗教信仰是困难的。

9 bible   

n.《圣经》；得到权威支持的典籍

参考例句：

• According to the Bible we are all the seed of Adam.根据《圣经》所说的，我们都是亚当的后裔。
• This dictionary should be your Bible when studying English.学习英语时，这本字典应是你的主要参考书。

10 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

11 file   

n.档案，公文箱，锉刀；v.列队行进，归档，申请；[计算机]文件

参考例句：

• Fran came in holding a blue file.弗兰拿着一个蓝色的文件夹进来了。
• The door won't fit;you'll have to file it down.这门关不上，你得把它锉一锉。

12 rare   

adj.稀罕的，罕有的，珍贵的，稀薄的，半熟的，非常的；adv.非常

参考例句：

• It is rare to see a man over 160 years old.很少见到一个人能活到160岁。
• The zoo has a lot of rare animals in it.这个动物园有许多珍奇的动物。

13 files   

文件夹( file的名词复数 )； 卷宗； 纵列

参考例句：

• A stack of files awaited me on my desk. 我桌上有一堆文件正待我去处理。
• Files were strewn higgledy-piggledy over the floor. 文件乱七八糟地扔了一地。

14 challenges   

n.挑战( challenge的名词复数 )；要求；（警卫等）查问口令；怀疑

参考例句：

• Many challenges, abroad and at home, have arrived in a single season. 国内和国外的众多挑战出现在同一个时刻。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• The new democracies face tough challenges. 这些新兴的民主国家面临着严峻挑战。 来自辞典例句

15 finding   

n.发现，发现物；调查的结果

参考例句：

• The finding makes some sense.该发现具有一定的意义。
• That's an encouraging finding.这是一个鼓舞人心的发现。

16 preserving   

adj. 保存的，保留的 动词preserve的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• Vinegar is used in preserving food. 醋可用来保存食物。
• He spoke about preserving the country as a secular state. 他谈及了保持该国世俗化的问题。

17 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

18 philosophy   

n.哲学，人生观，原理

参考例句：

• He believed in the philosophy of Russell.他信奉罗素的哲学。
• I can't sum up his whole philosophy in one sentence.我无法用一句话来概括他的全部人生观。

19 librarian   

n.图书管理员；图书馆馆长

参考例句：

• His father is the librarian of our school library.他父亲是我们学校的图书馆馆长。
• The librarian entered a new book in the catalogue.图书管理员把一本新书编入目录。

20 storage   

n.存储器，储藏，保管，库存，仓库

参考例句：

• How much will you have to pay the warehouse for storage?你得付多少仓库保管费？
• He is charging a storage battery.他在为蓄电池充电。

21 loss   

n.损失，遗失，失败，输，浪费，错过，[军]伤亡，降低

参考例句：

• His death was a great loss to the country.他的逝世对这个国家是一大损失。
• Because of the continued loss,the factory closed down.由于连续亏损，工厂关闭了。

22 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。

23 preservation   

n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持

参考例句：

• The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。
• The picture is in an excellent state of preservation.这幅画保存得极为完好。

24 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

25 global   

adj.全球的；球形的；世界的

参考例句：

• A global environmental meeting is going to be held here.一个全球环境会议将在这里举行。
• The report takes a global view of the company's problems.这份报告对公司的问题作了综合性的论述。