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　　UNIT TWO

　　TEXT ONE

　　The bride and groom, a guitar-wielding rock vixen and a muscle-rippling dragon-slayer, make an odd couple—so it is hardly surprising that nobody expected their marriage. But on December 2nd the video-game companies behind “Guitar Hero�?and “World of Warcraft�? Activision and Vivendi Games respectively, announced plans for an elaborate merger. Vivendi, a French media group, will pool its games unit, plus $1.7 billion in cash, with Activision; the combined entity will then offer to buy back shares from Activision shareholders, raising Vivendi's stake in the resulting firm to as much as 68%.

　　Activision's boss, Bobby Kotick, will remain at the helm of the new company, to be known as Activision Blizzard in recognition of Vivendi's main gaming asset: its subsidiary Blizzard Entertainment, the firm behind “World of Warcraft�? an online swords-and-sorcery game with 9.3m subscribers. The deal was unexpected, but makes excellent strategic sense, says Piers Harding-Rolls of Screen Digest, a consultancy. Activision has long coveted “World of Warcraft�? and Vivendi gets a bigger games division and Activision's talented management team to run it. As well as making sense for both parties, the $18.9 billion deal—the biggest ever in the video-games industry—says a lot about the trends now shaping the business.

　　The first is a push into new markets, especially online multiplayer games, which are particularly popular in Asia, and “casual�?games that appeal to people who do not regard themselves as gamers. “World of Warcraft�?is the world's most popular online subscription-based game and is hugely lucrative. Blizzard will have revenues of $1.1 billion this year and operating profits of $520m. “World of Warcraft�?is really “a social network with many entertainment components,�?says Mr Kotick.

　　Similarly, he argues, “Guitar Hero�?and other games that use new kinds of controller, rather than the usual buttons and joysticks, are broadening the appeal of gaming by emphasising its social aspects, since they are easy to pick up and can be played with friends. Social gaming, says Mr Kotick, is “the most powerful trend�?building new audiences for the industry. He is clearly excited at the prospect of using Blizzard's expertise to launch an online version of “Guitar Hero�?for Asian markets. Online music games such as “Audition Online�? which started in South Korea, are “massive in Asia,�?says Mr Harding-Rolls.

　　A second trend is media groups' increasing interest in gaming. Vivendi owns Universal Music, one of the “big four�?record labels. As the record industry's sales decline, it makes sense to move into gaming, a younger, faster-growing medium with plenty of cross-marketing opportunities. (Activision might raid Universal's back catalogue for material for its music games, for example, which might in turn boost music sales.) Other media groups are going the same way. Last year Viacom, an American media giant, acquired Harmonix, the company that originally created “Guitar Hero�? It has been promoting its new game, “Rock Band�? using its MTV music channel. Viacom has also created online virtual worlds that tie in with several of its television programmes, such as “Laguna Beach�?and “Pimp My Ride�? Disney bought Club Penguin, a virtual world for children, in August. And Time Warner is involved in gaming via its Warner Bros Home Entertainment division, which publishes its own titles and last month bought TT Games, the British firm behind the “Lego Star Wars�?games.

　　1. The merger of these two companies are out of expection because_____

　　[A] they aim to design marriage games which sound really weird.

　　[B] it is difficult for big companies of two different nations to end up in successful cooperation.

　　[C] their games are by no means similar to each other in terms of their styles.

　　[D] it would be illegal for them to buy back the shares.

　　2. Why Piers Harding-Rolls thinks this marriage has strategic sense?

　　[A] Activision has been longing to cooperate with “World of Warcraft�?

　　[B] Vivendi could get bigger portion and better management resources from Activision.

　　[C] This deal is beneficial to both sides for they can combine their talents to make various games.

　　[D] This deal make them become decisive factor of this industry’s trend in the future.

　　3. The word “lucrative�?(Line 3, Paragraph 3) most probably means_____

　　[A] profitable.

　　[B] luxurious.

　　[C] entertaining.

　　[D] populous.

　　4. The first trend shaping the industry is _____

　　[A] pushing people online to develop their own games.

　　[B] building new audiences for the new network of games.

　　[C] promoting games with new kinds of controller.

　　[D] expanding the reign of traditional games and creating new market.

　　5.From the two trends we can infer that_____

　　[A] this merger is a great success because it goes along with both trends.

　　[B] this deal can strengthen both parties to surpass the other media giants.

　　[C] this allied group is powerful enough to shape the industry’s trends.

　　[D] it is indeed of strategic sense to have initiate and carry out the merger.

　　���章剖析�Q?/p>

　　本篇文章讲述�?ji��n)两个游戏公司Activision和Vivendi的“联姠Z��。第一�D�讲�q�C��个公司的�l�合令�h吃惊以及(qi��ng)他们的联��L���?�W�二�D�讲�q�这�ơ联��d��有一定的战略意义;�W�三�D�和�W�四�D�讲�q�C��们结合后塑造的�W�一个行业发展趋�?�W�五�D�讲�q�第二个发展���势�?/p>

　　词汇注释�Q?/p>

　　wield v. 操纵�Q�熟�l�掌�?vixen n. 泼妇, �(zh��n)�妇, 刁妇

　　slayer n. 杀����? 凶手 stake n. 股䆾

　　helm n. 领导或支配地�?in recognition of 承认……�? 为酬�{�……�?/p>

　　covet v. 垂涎, 觊觎 lucrative adj. 获利的，赚钱�?/p>

　　joystick n. 操纵�?tie in�l�合成一�?/p>

　　隑֏��H�破�Q?/p>

　　(1) Activision's boss, Bobby Kotick, will remain at the helm of the new company, to be known as Activision Blizzard in recognition of Vivendi's main gaming asset: its subsidiary Blizzard Entertainment, the firm behind “World of Warcraft�? an online swords-and-sorcery game with 9.3m subscribers.

　　[��M��句式] Activision’s boss will remain at the helm.

　　[�l�构分析]�q�个一个简单句�Q�具有复杂的表语。表语是�׃��个固定介词短语充当，介词的宾语比较复杂，带有复杂的修饰成分。to be known as…是作the new company的定语，冒号后面的成分是用来说明main gaming asset的，可以看作是同位语;冒号后面的成分中�Q�后面两个短语都是前面一个的同位语，用来对Blizzard Entertainment作进一步的解释�?/p>

　　(2) Similarly, he argues, “Guitar Hero�?and other games that use new kinds of controller, rather than the usual buttons and joysticks, are broadening the appeal of gaming by emphasising its social aspects, since they are easy to pick up and can be played with friends.

　　[��M��句式] He argues, “Guitar Hero�?and other games are broadening the appeal�?since�?/p>

　　[�l�构分析]�q�是一个简单句�Q�argues后面是宾语从句，�l�构比较复杂�Q�带有原因状语从句。宾语从句的主语有that引导的定语从句，by emphasising its social aspects是方式状语修饰are broadening …�?/p>

　　[句子译文]同样的，他说�Q�“吉他英雄”和其他游戏也没有用普通的按钮和操作杆�Q�而是使用�?ji��n)新式控制器�Q�通过重点�����其社�?x��)性的特点来增加游戏的吸引力，因�ؓ(f��)�q�些游戏很容易就可以开始，而且可以和朋友一��L(f��ng)���?/p>

　　题目分析�Q?/p>

　　1. The merger of these two companies are out of expection because_____1.�q�两个公司的联姻��Z����Z��的意料是因�ؓ(f��)_____�?/p>

　　[A] They aim to design marriage games which sound really weird.[A]他们计划要设计一些结婚游戏，听�v来非常奇怪�?/p>

　　[B] It is difficult for big companies of two different nations to end up in successful cooperation. [B]两家属于不同国家的公司要成功合作是非常困隄����?/p>

　　[C] Their games are by no means similar to each other in terms of style. [C] 它们研发的游戏有完全不同的风根{�?/p>

　　[D] It would be illegal for them to buy back the shares. [D]他们要想买回股票是不合法的�?/p>

　　[�{�案] C

　　[隑ֺ��p�L��] �?/p>

　　[分析] �l�节题。文章开头就用�Ş象的比喻说明�q�两家公司的�l�合很奇怪，挥舞着吉他的摇滚�?zh��n)�妇和一�w�肌肉的杀龙者是两家公司研发的不同的游戏的风��g��表，因此是因��Z��们研发��品截然不同才令这�ơ联合让人大吃一惊。因此，C为正���答案。A选项有一定的�q�h��性，但是要注意到文中�W�一�D늚�marriage不是“结婚”的意思，而是“合�q�、合作”的意思。B和D选项都与原文意思无兟�?/p>

　　2.Why Piers Harding-Rolls thinks this marriage has strategic sense?2.��Z��么Piers Harding-Rolls认�ؓ(f��)�q�次联姻��h��战略意义?

　　[A] Activision has been longing to cooperate with “World of Warcraft�?[A] Activision公司一直想要和“战��C��界”合作�?/p>

　　[B] Vivendi could get bigger portion and better management resources from Activision.[B]Vivendi公司可以从Activision公司那里获得更大的䆾额和更好的管理资源�?/p>

　　[C] This deal is beneficial to both sides for they can combine their talents to make various games.[C] �q�个交易对双斚w��有益�Q�因��Z��们可以充分结合各自的人才推出更加多种多样的游戏�?/p>

　　[D] This deal make them become decisive factor of this industry’s trend in the future. [D]�q�个交易使得他们成�ؓ(f��)本行业未来发展趋势的军_��性力量�?/p>

　　[�{�案]D

　　[隑ֺ��p�L��] ☆☆☆☆

　　[分析]推理题。Piers认�ؓ(f��)�q�项交易的达成有重大的战略意义，那么应该是对未来有一定的意义。紧接着���p��Activision已经觊觎“战��C��界”很久了(ji��n)�Q�而且Vivendi公司也可以获得对本公司有利的帮助�Q�而更重要的是它们从此后将�Ҏ(gu��)��行业发展潮流有着军_��作用。因此，比较而言�Q�答案D最佟�?/p>

　　3. The word “lucrative�?(Line 3, Paragraph 3) most probably means_____3.“lucrative”这个词(�W�三�D늬�三行)最有可能的意思是_____

　　[A] profitable.[A] 盈利的�?/p>

　　[B] luxurious.[B] 奢华的�?/p>

　　[C] entertaining.[C] �׃��的�?/p>

　　[D] populous.[D] 人多的�?/p>

　　[�{�案]A

　　[隑ֺ��p�L��] ☆☆

　　[分析] 猜词题。根据上下文来判断该词的意思，上文是说“战��C��界”是世界上最���行的基于网上注册的游戏�Q�而下文说的是“暴风雪”今�q�可以赢利的数额�Q�那么可以大致推断是关于“战��C��界”盈利方面的�Q�答案A 最为符合。D选项populous �?popular意思不同，但从字面上看有一定迷惑性，需要加强对形似单词的区分能力�?/p>

　　4. The first trend shaping the industry is _____4. 塑造该产业的第一个趋势是_____�?/p>

　　[A] pushing people online to develop their own games.[A] �?j��)����Z��上网来开发自��q��游戏�?/p>

　　[B] building new audiences for the new social network of games.[B] ��Z��(ji��n)新的�C�会(x��)交际游戏创造新的玩家�?/p>

　　[C] promoting games with new kinds of controller.[C] 利用新的操作器推出游戏�?/p>

　　[D] expanding the reign of traditional games and creating new market. [D] 拓展传统游戏的范畴�ƈ拓展新的�?j��ng)场�?/p>

　　[�{�案]D

　　[隑ֺ��p�L��] ☆☆☆☆

　　[分析]�l�节题。第三段和第四段讲述�?ji��n)塑造该产业的第一个趋势，其中�W�三�D늬�一句话���提��C��(ji��n)�q�一点，���是推进新的领域�Q�包括传�l�的游戏和新开发的游戏�Q�尤其是多�h游戏和休闲游戏。接下来提到的社交性游戏等�{�都是�ؓ(f��)�?ji��n)说明这一点，因此�Q�选项D是正���答案。A选项指出让玩家自己来开发游戏，�q�显然是���出很多人的能力的，因此是不现实的。B选项表示只是�W�一个趋势中的部分内容，其概�q�C��如D选项更加全面�?/p>

　　5. From the two trends we can infer that_____5.从这两个���势我们可以推断出_____

　　[A] this merger is a great success because it goes along with both trends.[A] �q�个联盟是一个成功，因�ؓ(f��)它同时符合了(ji��n)两个���势�?/p>

　　[B] this deal can strengthen both parties to surpass the other media giants.[B] �q�个交易对双斚w��有利�Q�能帮助他们赶超其他的媒体巨�?/p>

　　[C] this allied group is powerful enough to shape the industry’s trends. [C]新同盟集团又���_��的能力来军_��该��业的发展���势�?/p>

　　[D] it is indeed of strategic sense to initiate and carry out the merger.[D] 发�v和实施这个联合确实具有战略性的意义�?/p>

　　[�{�案]D

　　[隑ֺ��p�L��] ☆☆�?/p>

　　[分析] 推理题。文章讲�q�C��(ji��n)该��业的两个发展���势�Q�提�?qi��ng)这两个���势是由皮尔斯的一番话引�v的，他认������ơ联��d��有战略意义，189亿美元的成交���_��以决定该行业的新���势。那么紧接着讲述�q�两个趋势其实就是事实上的证明，因此�Q�答案D最�W�合题意。A选项首先表述错误�Q�因为现在没有�h能够预言�q�项合作是否是一个成功。同�Ӟ��B和C选项的表�q�过于夸大，不符合文章的客观语调�?/p>

　　参考译文：(x��)

　　新娘是挥舞着吉他的摇滚�?zh��n)�妇，新郎是一�w�肌肉的杀龙者，�q�一对实在古怪，也怪不得没有�h�怿�他们能结合在一赗���但�?2�?日，“吉他英雄”和“战��C��界�?的两个视频游戏公司——Activision和Vivendi公司宣布�?ji��n)他们的�_�ֿ�(j��)�{�划的联姅R��Vivendi是一家法国媒体公司，它准备将自己的游戏单元以�?7亿美元现金注入到Activision公司。联合体自后再从Activision股东那里买回股䆾�Q�将Vivendi在联合公司的股䆾提到�?8%�?/p>

　　新公�总�由Activision公司老总Bobby Kotick来执舵，新公司名为“Activision 暴风雪”，取这个名字是��Z��(ji��n)酬谢Vivendi注入的主要的游戏资��——子公司“暴风雪�׃��”，该公司属于“战��C��界”，是一个拥�?30万注册者的在线“剑与巫术”游戏。这�W�生意出乎大家意料，但却有非凡的战略意义�Q�Screen Digest的顾问Piers Harding-Rolls�q�样说。Activision 对“战��C��界”已�l�觊觎很久，而Vivendi公司也因此获得了(ji��n)更大的游戏䆾额，拥有Activision公司优秀的管理团队来��Z���q�营。同样对双方有利的是�Q?89亿美元的交易是视频游戏��业中最大的�Q�因此其决策���对未来该��业的发展���势��L(f��ng)��举��轻重的作用�?/p>

　　�W�一个趋势是推进新的�?j��ng)场�Q�尤其在风靡于亚�z�的在线多�h游戏领域和“休闲游戏”，�q�种游戏寚w��些不把自己当玩游戏的人有吸引力。“战��C��界”是全球最���行的在�U�注册游戏，盈利巨大。“暴风雪”今�q�收入将�?1亿美元，操作利润���有5.2亿美元。Kotick 先生评�h(hu��n)��_(d��)��“战��C��界”是真正的“拥有众多娱乐成分的交际性网�l�”�?/p>

　　同样的，他说�Q?“吉他英雄”和其他游戏也没有用普通的按钮和操作杆�Q�而是使用�?ji��n)新式控制器�Q�通过重点�����其交际性的特点来增加游戏的吸引力，因�ؓ(f��)�q�些游戏很容易就可以上手�Q�而且可以和朋友一��L(f��ng)��。Kotick 先生��_(d��)��交际游戏是�ؓ(f��)�q�个产业创造新玩家的“最强大的趋劎�(k��)��。很明显�Q�他谈到利用“暴风雪”的技术来向亚�z�市(j��ng)场推行“吉他英雄”在�U�版的前景时十分兴奋。Harding-Rolls��_(d��)��像最先开始于韩国的“在�U�试听”这��L(f��ng)��在线音乐游戏“在亚洲占有相当大的份额”�?/p>

　　�W�二�U�趋势就是媒体集团在游戏斚w��兴趣不断增加。Vivendi拥有“四大”唱片之一的“全球音乐”。由于唱片行业销售衰退�Q�它?y��u)��p�{向游戏，�q�是更�ؓ(f��)�q�轻且成长迅速的一�U�媒介，拥有很多跨市(j��ng)场型的机遇�?比如Activision 可能���p��从“全球音乐”曲目中�������q��音乐游戏搜烦(ch��)一些素材，而这样反�q�来又促(j��)�q�了(ji��n)��q��的销售�?其他的媒体集团也大体一栗���去�q�_(d��)�����国媒体巨头Viacom收购�?ji��n)Harmonix公司——“吉他巨人”最初就是由该公司创造出来的。目前它利用自己的MTV音乐频道推展新游戏——“摇滚乐队”。Viacom�q�创造了(ji��n)在线虚拟世界�Q�这个游戏和几个�?sh��)视频道如“Laguna Beach”、“Pimp My Ride”取得了(ji��n)联合。��_(k��i)斯尼也于八月份购��C��(ji��n)“企鹅俱乐部”，�q�是专门为孩子创造的虚拟世界。华�U�x(ch��ng)��代通过其华�U�_��弟家庭娱乐公�怹�涉��游戏业，该公司出版了(ji��n)自己的名�U�ͼ��q�于上个月收购了(ji��n)TT 游戏公司(该公��ؓ(f��)“Lego 星际争霸”游戏旗下的英国公司)�?/p>