歷年考研英語閱讀理解2006年02

[00:05.73]2006 Text2 [00:08.45]Stratford-on-Avon, as we all know, [00:11.88]has only one industry--William Shakespeare [00:15.91]--but there are two distinctly separate [00:18.33]and increasingly hostile branches. [00:21.29]There is the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), [00:25.13]which presents superb productions of the plays [00:27.55]at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre on the Avon. [00:31.65]And there are the townsfolk [00:32.95]who largely live off the tourists who come, [00:36.27]not to see the plays, [00:37.80]but to look at Anne Hathaway's Cottage, [00:40.23]Shakespeare's birthplace and the other sights. [00:44.14]The worthy residents of Stratford doubt [00:46.36]that the theatre adds a penny to their revenue. [00:49.28]They frankly dislike the RSC's actors, [00:52.81]them with their long hair and beards [00:55.42]and sandals and noisiness. [00:58.16]It's all deliciously ironic [00:59.97]when you consider that Shakespeare, [01:01.59]who earns their living, [01:03.51]was himself an actor (with a beard) [01:06.54]and did his share of noise-making. [01:09.47]The tourist streams are not entirely separate. [01:12.98]The sightseers who come by bus [01:15.10]--and often take in Warwick Castle [01:17.62]and Blenheim Palace on the side [01:20.14]--don't usually see the plays, [01:22.26]and some of them are even surprised to [01:24.45]find a theatre in Stratford. [01:27.08]However, the playgoers do manage [01:29.48]a little sight-seeing along with their playgoing. [01:32.61]It is the playgoers, the RSC contends, [01:35.64]who bring in much of the town's revenue [01:37.94]because they spend the night [01:39.96](some of them four or five nights) pouring cash into [01:43.81]the hotels and restaurants. [01:46.72]The sightseers can take in everything [01:48.73]and get out of town by nightfall. [01:52.39]The townsfolk don't see it this way [01:54.93]and local council does not contribute directly to [01:57.83]the subsidy of the Royal Shakespeare Company. [02:01.46]Stratford cries poor traditionally. [02:04.60]Nevertheless every hotel in town seems to be adding [02:07.85]a new wing or cocktail lounge. [02:10.97]Hilton is building its own hotel there, [02:13.59]which you may be sure will be decorated with [02:15.80]Hamlet Hamburger Bars, the Lear Lounge, [02:19.64]the Banquo Banqueting Room, and so forth, [02:22.65]and will be very expensive. [02:25.18]Anyway, the townsfolk can't understand [02:28.21]why the Royal Shakespeare Company needs a subsidy. [02:31.76](The theatre has broken attendance records [02:34.09]for three years in a row. [02:36.41]Last year its 1,431 seats were 94 percent [02:41.46]occupied all year long and this year they'll do better.) [02:46.19]The reason, of course, is that costs have rocketed [02:49.62]and ticket prices have stayed low. [02:52.43]It would be a shame to raise prices too much [02:55.27]because it would drive away the young people [02:57.89]who are Stratford's most attractive clientele. [03:01.40]They come entirely for the plays, not the sights. [03:05.15]They all seem to look alike (though they come from all over) [03:09.04]--lean, pointed, dedicated faces, [03:12.22]wearing jeans and sandals, [03:14.12]eating their buns and bedding down for the night [03:16.55]on the flagstones outside the theatre [03:18.98]to buy the 20 seats and 80 standing-room tickets [03:22.49]held for the sleepers and sold to them [03:24.51]when the box office opens at 10:30 a.m.

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