英语听力精选进阶版 6194（在线收听）

Back to War 回到战争时代

Thousands of UK gamers queued into the night for the launch of what may be the world’s most anticipated video game.

Video game retailers opened at midnight to sell the first copies of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, a game which is widely expected to shatter sales records.

The latest instalment in the Call of Duty franchise was officially launched in the UK at a cinema in Leicester Square in the heart of London’s West End, a site usually reserved for the premiere of Hollywood blockbusters.

Actors dressed as soldiers patrolled the square while British celebrities joined gamers to take part in multiplayer sessions of the game.

The game, which is tipped to sell more than a million copies in the UK in its first week of release, features astonishing graphics and exciting gameplay as the player takes on a group of ultra-nationalist Russian terrorists.

Predictably, the game has provoked a certain amount of criticism as it is extremely violent and features a controversial scene in which civilians are killed at an airport.

One British MP has attacked the game in the press, describing his "absolute shock" at the violence portrayed in the game.

However, another MP has defended the game by setting up a group on a social-networking website which describes itself as "unashamedly pro-video games" and which aims to "discuss how UK video gamers can find their voice in newspapers and government".

More cynical observers have said that the game’s developers deliberately included the scene in which civilians are massacred in order to stir up controversy, knowing that this will generate a huge amount of free publicity.

Whatever people’s views on violence in computer games, the game is flying off the shelves around the UK and is expected to generate $400m (2,700m yuan) globally for its publishers.

Glossary 词汇表

gamers 游戏爱好者 

anticipated 令人期待的 

shatter sales records 打破了销售记录 

franchise 一系列（游戏） 

Hollywood blockbusters 好莱坞大片 

patrolled 巡逻 

multiplayer 多玩家 

tipped 专家预计 

graphics 画面 

gameplay 游戏性 

takes on 对峙，挑战 

ultra-nationalist 极端民族主义者 

criticism 批评 

controversial 有争议的 

MP 下院议员 

social-networking website 社交网站 

cynical 愤世嫉俗的 

stir up 煽动 

publicity 宣传 

flying off the shelves 极其畅销