With the start of BBC World Service Television, millions of viewers in Asia and America can now watch the Corporation's news coverage, as well as listen to it.
And of course in Britain listeners and viewers can tune in to two BBC television channels, five BBC national radio services and dozens of local radio stations. They are brought sport, comedy, drama, music, news and current affairs, education, religion, parliamentary coverage, children's programs and films for an annual licence fee of 83 pounds per household.
It is a remarkable record, stretching back over 70 years — yet the BBC's future is now in doubt. The Corporation will survive as a publicly-funded broadcasting organization, at least for the time being, but its role, its size and its programs are now the subject of a nation-wide debate in Britain.
The debate was launched by the Government, which invited anyone with an opinion of the BBC — including ordinary listeners and viewers — to say what was good or bad about the Corporation, and even whether they thought it was worth keeping. The reason for its inquiry is that the BBC's royal charter runs out in 1996 and it must decide whether to keep the organization as it is, or to make changes.
Defenders of the Corporation — of whom there are many — are fond of quoting the American slogan"If it ain't broke, don't fix it." The BBC "ain't broke", they say, by which they mean it is not broken (as distinct from the word 'broke', meaning having no money), so why bother to change it?
Yet the BBC will have to change, because the broadcasting world around it is changing. The commercial TV channels — TV and Channel 4 — were required by the Thatcher Government's Broadcasting Act to become more commercial, competing with each other for advertisers, and cutting costs and jobs. But it is the arrival of new satellite channels — funded partly by advertising and partly by viewers' subscriptions — which will bring about the biggest changes in the long term.
1.The world famous BBC now faces_______.
A.the problem of new coverage B.an uncertain prospect
C.inquiries by the general public D.shrinkage of audience
2.In the passage, which of the following about the BBC is NOT mentioned as the key issue?
A.Extension of its TV service to Far East.
B.Programmes as the subject of a nation-wide debate.
C.Potentials for further international co-operations.
D.Its existence as a broadcasting organization.
3.The BBC's "royal charter" (Line 4, Para. 3) stands for_______.
A.the financial support from the royal family B.the privileges granted by the Queen
C.a contract with the Queen D.a unique relationship with the royal family
4.The foremost reason why the BBC has to readjust itself is no other than_______.
A.the emergence of commercial TV channels
B.the enforcement of Broadcasting Act by the government
C.the urgent necessity to reduce costs and jobs
D.the challenge of new satellite channels
5.The best title for this article is "________".
A.End of Royal Privilege of BBC B.BBC Having to Change
C.Dispute about Future of BBC D.Prospect of BBC
长难例句分析
［长难例句］The debate was launched by the Government, which invited anyone with an opinion of the BBC — including ordinary listeners and viewers — to say what was good or bad about the Corporation, and even whether they thought it was worth keeping.
［结构分析］本句中，主干是the debate was launched by the Government。which引导的是一个非限定性定语从句，定语从句中including ordinary listeners and viewers起到补充解释作用。what was good or bad about the Corporation, and even whether they thought it was worth keeping是动词say的两个并列的宾语从句。
［参考译文］争论是由政府发起的，它邀请了每一位对BBC有看法的人——包括普通听众和观众——讨论公司好坏所在，甚至说出他们认为该公司是否值得继续存在下去。
全文参考译文
伴随着BBC英国广播公司全球电视节目的开播，亚洲和美洲数以百万观众现在不仅可以收听广播，而且还可以观看它的电视新闻报道。
当然，英国听众和观众能收到两个BBC电视频道、五个BBC全国广播服务和几十个地方无线电台。每户每年交83英镑即可看到体育、喜剧、戏剧、音乐、新闻和时事、教育、宗教、议会报道、儿童频道和电影节目。
过去的70年间，BBC成绩辉煌，但它的未来现在还是个未知数。公司将作为公众资助的广播机构而存在，至少目前如此，但它所扮演的角色、它的规模和它的节目如今在英国成了广泛争论的话题。
争论是由政府发起的，它邀请了每一位对BBC有看法的人——包括普通听众和观众——讨论公司好坏所在，甚至说出他们认为该公司是否值得继续存在下去。这样做的原因是BBC持有的皇家特许证到1996年终止。政府必须决定，对该公司维持原状还是进行改革。
他们中很多的公司辩护人喜欢引用美国的一个广告口号：“如果还没坏，就不要修理它。”他们这样说意思是BBC公司还没有broken（垮掉）（与表示“破产”的broke含义不同），所以为什么要自找麻烦去改变它呢？
但BBC将不得不改革，因为它周围的广播界正在发生变化。商业电视频道——独立电视公司和第四频道——按撒切尔政府的广播法案要求更加商业化，互相竞争广告业务，削减成本并裁员。但是，新增加的卫星频道，其资金部分来自广告收入，部分来自用户收视费，它们的到来从长远看将会带来最大的变化。
题目答案与解析
1.世界著名的BBC如今面临着________。
A.新闻报道范围的问题 B.不确定的前途
C.普通大众的质询 D.观众人数的减少
【答案】B
【解析】从文章第一段的内容可知，随着BBC（英国广播公司）国际电视服务节目的开播，亚洲和美洲数以百万计的人不仅可以收听，还可以收看到该公司新闻报道，据此可知A项和D项不是BBC现在面临的问题。C项不正确，文中第四段提到了“调查、质询”，但那是政府为了解普通大众的意见所采取的行动，并不是BBC现在面临的问题。从文章第三段的内容可知，如今的BBC前途悬而未决。B项与文中的意思相符，因此为正确答案。
2.本篇文章中，下面有关BBC的说明中，哪项没有被作为关键问题提到？
A.把其电视覆盖范围拓展到远东。 B.节目成为全国争论的话题。
C.进一步加强国际合作的潜力。 D.作为广播机构的存在。
【答案】C
【解析】本题中，C项在文中没有提到。从文章第三段的第二句话可知，该公司将作为政府基金资助的广播机构而幸存，至少目前是这样，但是它的作用、规模以及它的节目成为现阶段整个英国争论的话题。据此可知，BBC的生存方式、作用、规模以及它的节目都是目前的关键问题。这说明A、B和D三项之意都是文中所说的关键问题。因此正确答案为C。
3.BBC的“royal charter”（第四段第四行）意指________。
A.来自皇室的财政资助 B.女王授予的特权
C.与女王签订的合约 D.与皇室的独特关系
【答案】C
【解析】本题中，A、B、D三项都与文意不符。从文章第四段的最后一句话可知，政府做这样的调查的原因是——BBC持有的皇家契约将于1996年到期，政府必须决定是维持该公司的原状呢，还是实行改革。据此可知，“royal charter”应该是指“BBC与皇家签订的合约”。C项与文中的意思相符，因此为正确答案。
4._______正是BBC不得不重新自我调整的主要原因。
A.商业电视频道的出现 B.政府加大《广播法》的执法力度
C.降低成本、裁减员工的迫切需要 D.新卫星频道的挑战
【答案】D
【解析】本题中，A、B、C三项都不是主要原因。从文章最后一段的内容可知，然而BBC将不得不实行改革，因为其周边的广播业正在发生变革；撒切尔政府的广播法要求商业电视频道更加商业化，要它们互相竞争广告商，要它们降低成本，裁减员工；但是，从长远来看，正是新卫星频道的出现——部分资金来自于广告收入，部分来自于用户的收视费，才会带来最大的变革。据此可知，BBC不得不重新自我调整的主要原因是新卫星频道的出现。D项与文中的意思相符，因此为正确答案。
5.本文最合适的标题是________。
A.英国广播公司皇家特权的终结 B.英国广播公司不得不改变
C.对英国广播公司未来的争论 D.英国广播公司的前景
【答案】B
【解析】本文论述了一个大公司，英国广播公司在新时代面临的各种挑战。英国公众对其角色、规模和频道都开始质疑并讨论，政府也对之颇有微词。因此，这个大公司需要进行调整以应对新环境的变化。
