『新东方在线托福听力』为托福考生准备了ETS托福TPO/Official 7 Lec 1听力练习：According to the professor, why did some playwrights write the end of a play before the beginning?原文题目答案解析，TPO/Official 7 Lec 1听力原文范文音频翻译。

托福TPO/Official 7 Lec 1听力原文According to the professor, why did some playwrights write the end of a play before the beginning?-新东方托福官方网校手机版

旁白：听一段节关于剧院历史的讲座。

Narrator: Listen to part of a lecture in a class on theater history.

教授在讨论19世纪法国的剧院。

The professor is discussing the theater of 19th-century France.

教授：十九世纪是我们所谓思想的时代，现实主义在欧洲剧院得以发展。

Professor: The 19th century was the time that saw what we called Realism developed in the European theater.

为了理解这一思想，我们首先需要看一看早期被称作“佳构剧”的戏剧形式，它是一种构成戏剧最基本的形式，这些戏剧以19世纪法国戏剧在商业上最为成功。

Um... to understand this though, we first need to look at an earlier form of drama known as the well-made play, which basically was a pattern for constructing plays, plays that... uh... beginning with some early 19th century comedies in France proved very successful commercially.

这些戏剧性的发明并不是什么新鲜东西了。

The dramatic devices used here weren’t actually anything new.

但是佳构剧的规则需要一些按特定顺寻排列的元素。

But the formula for a well-made play required that the certain of these elements be included in a particular order.

并且最重要的是剧中的每一情节都要在逻辑上紧密相连。

And most importantly, that everything in the play be logically connected.

事实上，一些编剧的作品经常会在一开始就把结尾写好。此外倒叙一词就是为了确保全剧能够与之前发生的情节保持逻辑上的一致。

In fact, some of these playwrights would start by writing the end of a play and work backward toward the beginning, just to make sure each event led logically from what had gone before.

好了，佳构剧有哪些必备元素呢？

Ok, so what are the necessary elements of a well-made play?

叙述是为了说明一切观众需要知道的背景信息。

Exposition is whatever background information you have to reveal to the audience.

那么这样他们就会明白到底发生了什么。

在这之前，叙述仅仅是以一名演员做演讲的形式进行的。

Before this time, exposition might have come from actors simply giving speeches.

一些人会走到舞台上说：台词引用，一直到Romeo与Juliet两个宿敌的家庭出现。

Ur, someone might walk out on a stage and say: “In fair Verona where we lay our scene!” and then tell all about the feuding families of Romeo and Juliet.

但是对于佳构剧来说，即便是叙述，也必须符合逻辑，令人信服。

But for the well-made play, even the exposition had to be logical, believable.

比如说你可能会看见两个佣人一边收拾房子一边八卦的聊天。

So, for example, you might have two servants gossiping as they are cleaning the house.

一人说道：怎么主人的儿子还没结婚。

And one says, oh, what a shame the master’s son is still not married.

另外一人则会提到有关一个神秘的绅士和他的女儿刚刚搬进城。

And the other might mention a rumor about a mysterious gentleman who’s just moved into town with his beautiful daughter.

这些评论都是剧中逻辑叙述的一部分。

These comments are part of the play's logical exposition.

下一个关键元素叫做煽动事件。

The next key element of a well-made play is referred to as the inciting incident.

有了背景信息之后，我们需要一个关键点来使得整个剧情得以延续，它们必须使观众对我们刚刚听说的角色感兴趣。

After we have the background information, we need a key moment that gets things moving, that really makes the audience interested in what happens to the characters we just heard about.

比如说，当两个佣人揭示了所有的背景信息之后，我们见到了这个年轻人。

So, for example, after the two servants reveal all this background information, we meet the young man.

他第一眼看到这个美丽姑娘就爱上了她。

Just as he first lays eyes on the beautiful young woman, and immediately falls in love.

现在，佳构剧的剧情通常都是由谜团驱使的。

Now, the plot of a well-made play is usually driven by secrets.

一些观众知道但是剧中角色不知道的事情。

Things that the audience knows, but the characters often don’t know.

比如说，观众通过一封信或者某人的对话中得知这个神秘的男子是谁，为什么他多年前离开了家乡。

So, for example, the audience learns through a letter or through someone else’s conversation who this mysterious gentleman is and why he left the town many years before.

但是这个年轻人并不知道这些。

But the young man doesn't know about this.

而这个女人也不知道他们两家之间这种遥远的联系。

And the woman doesn't understand the ancient connection between her family and his.

在这个谜团揭晓之前，剧情会以一系列的曲折进行着。

And before the secrets are revealed to the main characters, the plot of the play proceeds as a series of sort of up and down moments.

这个女人看上去并未注意到这个年轻人，而这对于他来说就像世界末日一样。

For example, the woman first appears not to even notice the young man, and it seems to him like the end of the world.

但是接下来，他得知她也想见他。

But then, he learns that she actually wants to meet him, too.

接下来，如果他试着和她说话，那么可能她父亲会莫名其妙的极其愤怒。

Then, if he tries to talk with her, maybe her father gets furious, for no apparent reason.

但是就在这个男人几乎绝望之时，他发现时来运转了，这就使得观众更加紧张和激动了。他们会很想知道对事情的结局是好是坏。

But, just as the young man has almost lost all hope, he finds out, well you get the idea, the reversals of fortune continue, increasing the audience's tension and excitement, making them wonder if everything is going to come out okay or not.

Next comes an element known as the: obligatory scene.

它是一种所有谜团都会揭晓的场景。

It's a scene, a moment in which all the secrets are revealed.

通常来说，那些英雄和我们关注的人物都会以好的结局收尾。

And generally, things turn out well for the hero and others we care about, a happy ending of some sort.

这实在是太受欢迎了因此剧作家不得不把它们纳入剧中成为必要场景。

This became so popular that a playwright almost had to include it in every play, which is why it's called: the obligatory scene.

这之后就会出现最终最具戏剧性的元素——结局或者解决，这个时候所有已经明朗的情节一个个按照逻辑紧密相连。

And that's followed by the final dramatic element--the denouement or the resolution, when all the loose ends have to be tied up in a logical way.

记住，必要场景给观众的是情感愉悦。

Remember, the obligatory scene gives the audience emotional pleasure.

But the denouement offers the audience a logical conclusion.

这是我们必须要极力分辨的细微差别。

That's the subtle distinction we need to try very hard to keep in mind.

那么就像我说的一样，佳构剧成为了现实主义戏剧以及19世纪很多受欢迎戏剧的基石。

So, as I said, the well-made play, this form of playwriting, became the basis for realism in drama, and for a lot of very popular 19th-century plays.

不仅如此，它还是之后很多喜剧情局情节的模式，甚至包括我们今天看的电影。

And also, a pattern we find in the plots of many later plays and even movies that we see today.

According to the professor, why did some playwrights write the end of a play before the beginning?

Why does the professor mention a conversation between two servants?

According to the professor, what dramatic elements are typically included in a well-made play to help move the plot forward?

What does the professor imply about the obligatory scene and the denouement?

Narrator 
Listen to part of a lecture in a class on theater history. The professor is discussing the theater of 19th-century France. 
Pro: The 19th century was the time that saw what we called Realism developed in the European theater. Um… to understand this though, we first need to look at an earlier form of drama known as the well-made play, which basically was a pattern for constructing plays, plays that... uh.. beginning with some early 19th century comedies in France proved very successful commercially. 
The dramatic devices used here weren’t actually anything new. They had been around for centuries. But the formula for a well-made play required that the certain of these elements be included in a particular order. And most importantly, that everything in the plays be logically connected. In fact, some of these playwrights would start by writing the end of a play and work backward toward the beginning, just to make sure each event led logically from what had gone before. 
Ok, so what are the necessary elements of a well-made play? 
The dramatic devices used here weren’t actually anything new. They had been around for centuries. But the formula for a well-made play required that the certain of these elements be included in a particular order. And most importantly, that everything in the plays be logically connected. In fact, some of these playwrights would start by writing the end of a play and work backward toward the beginning, just to make sure each event led logically from what had gone before. 
Ok, so what are the necessary elements of a well-made play? 
Well, the first is logical exposition. Exposition is whatever background information you have to reveal to the audience. 
So, they‘ll understand what is going on. Before this time, exposition might have come from actors simply giving speeches. 
Someone might walk out on a stage and say: “In fair Verona where we lay our scene!” and then tell all about the feuding families of Romeo and Juliet. But for the well-made play, even the exposition had to be logical, believable. So, for example, you might have two servants gossiping as they are cleaning the house. And one says, Oh, what a shame the master’s son is still not married. And the other might mention a rumor about a mysterious gentleman who’s just moved into town with his beautiful daughter. These comments are part of the play’s logical exposition. 
The next key element of a well-made play is referred to as the inciting incident. After we have the back ground information, we need a key moment that gets things moving, that really makes the audience interested in what happens to the characters we just heard about. So, for example, after the two servants reveal all this background information, we meet the young man. Just as he first lays eyes on the beautiful young woman, and immediately falls in love. This is the inciting incident. It sets off, the plot of the play. 
Now, the plot of a well-made play is usually driven by secrets. Things that the audience knows, but the characters often don’t know. So, for example, the audience learns through a letter or through someone else’s conversation who this mysterious gentleman is and why he left the town many years before. But the young man doesn’t know about this. And the woman doesn’t understand the ancient connection between her family and his. 
And before the secrets are revealed to the main characters, the plot of the play proceeds as a series of sort of up and down moments. For example, the woman first appears not to even notice the young man, and it seems to him like the end of the world. But then, he learns that she actually wants to meet him too. So, life is wonderful. Then, if he tries to talk with her, maybe her father get furious, for no apparent reason. So, they can’t see each other. But, just as the young man has almost lost all hope, he finds out, well you get the idea, the reversals of fortune continue, increasing the audience’s tension and excitement, making them wonder if everything is going to come out okay or not. 
Next comes an element known as the: obligatory scene. It’s a scene, a moment in which all the secrets are revealed. 
And generally, things turn out well for the hero and others we care about, a happy ending of some sort. This became so popular that a playwright almost had to include it in every play, which is why it’s called: the obligatory scene. 
And that’s followed by the final dramatic element---the denouement or the resolution, when all the loose ends have to be tied up in a logical way. Remember, the obligatory scene gives the audience emotional pleasure. But the denouement offers the audience a logical conclusion. That’s the subtle distinction we need to try very hard to keep in mind. 
So, as I said, the well-made play, this form of playwriting, became the basis for realism in drama, and for a lot of very popular 19th-century plays. And also, a pattern we find in the plots of many later plays and even movies that we see today. 
The next key element of a well-made play is referred to as the inciting incident. After we have the back ground information, we need a key moment that gets things moving, that really makes the audience interested in what happens to the characters we just heard about. So, for example, after the two servants reveal all this background information, we meet the young man. Just as he first lays eyes on the beautiful young woman, and immediately falls in love. This is the inciting incident. It sets off, the plot of the play.