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AI复活阿加莎, 教你写侦探小说
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AI复活阿加莎, 教你写侦探小说
现在全球最畅销的虚构类作家阿加莎·克里斯蒂正在教观众侦探小说的创作艺术，尽管她已于1976年去世。 
双语精读
Bringing back the Queen of Crime
让犯罪小说女王复活
Everyone has a book inside them, or so the saying goes. In this day and age, those who want help coaxing the story out can receive instruction online from some of the world's most popular authors.
每个人心中都有一本书，有一句格言差不多是这样说的。在当今时代，如果想要获得帮助，把故事从心里引导出来，那么人们可以在网上得到全世界最受欢迎的作家的指导。
And now Agatha Christie, the world's bestselling writer of fiction, with more than 2bn copies sold, is instructing viewers in the art of the whodunnit-even though she died in 1976.
现在全球最畅销的虚构类作家阿加莎·克里斯蒂——其作品销量超过20亿册——正在教观众侦探小说的创作艺术，尽管她已于1976年去世。
Christie's course is the result not of recently unearthed archival footage, but artificial intelligence. BBC Maestro, an online education platform, brought the idea to the Christie family, which still controls 36% of Agatha Christie Ltd. They consented to bring the "Queen of Crime" back to life, to teach the mysterious flair of her style.
克里斯蒂的课程并非源自最近发现的视频档案，而是人工智能的产物。在线教育平台“BBC大师课”向克里斯蒂家族提出了这个想法，该家族仍控制着阿加莎·克里斯蒂有限公司36%的股份。他们同意让“犯罪小说女王”复活，并传授她那神秘莫测的悬疑写作才华。
A team of almost 100-including Christie scholars as well as AI specialists-worked on the project. Vivien Keene, an actor, provided a stand-in for the author; Christie's face was mapped on top. Crucially, Ms Keene's eerily credible performance employs only Christie's words: a tapestry of extracts from her own writings, notebooks and interviews.
一支由近100人组成的团队——包括研究克里斯蒂的学者和人工智能专家——参与了这个项目。演员薇薇安·基恩为克里斯蒂当替身，并与克里斯蒂换脸。关键在于，基恩的表演诡异地逼真，而且她只用了克里斯蒂的原话：从她本人的作品、笔记、访谈中摘取的语句编织成了一幅多彩织锦/一堂生动课程。
In this way, the creator of Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple shares handy writing tips, such as the neatest ways to dispatch fictional victims. Firearms bring ballistic complications. Be wary of poisons, as each works in a unique way. Novice authors can "always rely on a dull blow to the head".
通过这种方式，大侦探波洛与马普尔小姐的创造者分享了一些实用的写作技巧，比如杀死虚构受害者最干净利落的方法。枪支会带来弹道学上的复杂问题。要当心毒药，因为每种毒药的作用方式各不相同。新手作者“永远可以用头上挨了一闷棍的死法”。
Many of Christie's writing rules concern playing fair. She practised misdirection and laid "false clues" alongside true ones, but insisted that her plots do not cheat or hide key evidence: "I never deceive my readers."
克里斯蒂的许多写作规则都涉及不要弄虚作假。她也会用误导的写法，在真实线索旁边放置“假线索”，但坚称她的故事情节绝对不欺骗或隐藏关键证据：“我从不欺骗我的读者。”
By relying on Christie's own words, BBC Maestro hopes to avoid charges of creepy pedagogical deepfakery. At the same time, it is that focus on quotation which limits the course's value as a creative-writing toolbox.
通过依靠克里斯蒂的原话，BBC大师课希望避免被指控进行了诡异的教学深度造假。与此同时，正是对原话的关注限制了这门课程作为创意写作工具箱的价值。
The woman born Agatha Miller in 1890 speaks from her own time and place. She tells wannabe writers to use snowstorms to isolate murder scenes (as they bring down telephone wires) and cites the clue-generating value of railway timetables, ink stains and cut-up newspapers.
这位出生于1890年，原名阿加莎·米勒的女性是基于当时的时代背景进行讲述。她告诉想要成为作家的人，可以利用暴风雪来使谋杀现场与外界隔绝（因为暴风雪会让电话线断掉），并提到了铁路时刻表、墨迹、剪碎的报纸有带来线索的价值。
These charming details are irrelevant to modern scribblers.
这些迷人的细节对现代写作者来说是没有用处的。
词汇预习
- creator [高考]
美[kriˈeɪtər] | 英[kriˈeɪtə(r)]
n. 创造者；[计]创建者
n. 上帝 - isolate [高考]
美[ˈaɪsəleɪt] | 英[ˈaɪsəleɪt]
vt. 使隔离；使孤立；[电]使绝缘；[化]使离析；[微]使细菌分离
vi. 隔离；孤立；单独考虑，区别看待
n. 被隔离的人（或物）；【微】分离菌
adj. 隔离的；孤立的 - clue [高考]
美[kluː] | 英[kluː]
n. 线索；（故事等的）情节
vt. 为…提供线索；为…提供情况 - unique [高考]
美[juˈniːk] | 英[juˈniːk]
adj. 独特的；独一无二的；稀罕的 - evidence [高考]
美[ˈevɪdəns] | 英[ˈevɪdəns]
n. 证据；证词；根据；迹象
v. 证明；证实 - rely [高考]
美[rɪˈlaɪ] | 英[rɪˈlaɪ]
vi. 依靠；信任 - intelligence [高考]
美[ɪnˈtelɪdʒəns] | 英[ɪnˈtelɪdʒəns]
n. 智力；智慧；才智；（尤指关于敌国的）情报 - artificial [高考]
美[ˌɑːrtɪˈfɪʃl] | 英[ˌɑːtɪˈfɪʃl]
adj. 人造的；虚伪的；武断的 - false [高考]
美[fɔːls] | 英[fɔːls]
adj. 假的；人造的；不真实的；错误的；虚伪的
adv. 欺骗地 - platform [高考]
美[ˈplætfɔːrm] | 英[ˈplætfɔːm]
n. 平台，站台，月台，讲台，(政党的)政纲
v. 把…放在台上；起草政纲；站在讲台上演说 - alongside [高考]
美[əˌlɔːŋˈsaɪd] | 英[əˌlɒŋˈsaɪd]
adv. 在旁边
prep. 在 ... 旁边 - handy [高考]
美[ˈhændi] | 英[ˈhændi]
adj. 方便的；手边的；灵巧的；近便的；现成的 - rely on [高考]
美[rɪˈlaɪ ɑːn] | 英[rɪˈlaɪ ɒn]
v. 依靠；信赖 - bring down [高考]
美[brɪŋ daʊn] | 英[brɪŋ daʊn]
使倒下； 减少 - deceive [高考]
美[dɪˈsiːv] | 英[dɪˈsiːv]
vt. 欺骗
vi. 行骗 - irrelevant [四级]
美[ɪˈreləvənt] | 英[ɪˈreləvənt]
adj. 不恰当的；无关系的；不相干的 - stand-in [四级]
美[ˈstændˌɪn] | 英[ˈstændˌɪn]
n. 替身 - charming [四级]
美[ˈtʃɑːrmɪŋ] | 英[ˈtʃɑːmɪŋ]
adj. 迷人的 - fictional [六级]
美[ ˈfɪkʃənl] | 英[ˈfɪkʃənl]
adj. 虚构的；小说的 - dispatch [六级]
美[dɪˈspætʃ] | 英[dɪˈspætʃ]
v. 派遣；发送；迅速完成；处死
n. 急件；派遣；发送；新闻报道 - or so [六级]
美[ɔːr soʊ] | 英[ɔː(r) səʊ]
大约;左右;把 - credible [六级]
美[ˈkredəbl] | 英[ˈkredəbl]
adj. 可信的；可靠的 - wary [六级]
美[ˈweri] | 英[ˈweəri]
adj. 小心的；机警的 - provided [专四]
美[prəˈvaɪdɪd] | 英[prəˈvaɪdɪd]
conj. 假如；若是
adj. 预备好的；提供的 - tapestry [专八]
美[ˈtæpɪstri] | 英[ˈtæpəstri]
n. 挂毯
v. 饰以织锦画 - works [专八]
美[wəks] | 英[wə:ks]
n. 工厂；修建；机器部件；全套物品 - pedagogical [专八]
美[ˌpɛdəˈgɑdʒɪkəl] | 英[ˌpɛdəˈgɒdʒɪkəl]
adj. 教学(法)的 - flair [专八]
美[fler] | 英[fleə(r)]
n. 天赋；才华；鉴别力
重点讲解
Bringing back the Queen of Crime
让犯罪小说女王复活
instruction n. 指示；教导；说明书
【例】The video provides instruction on how to operate the computer.
这个视频教你如何操作电脑。
【拓展】instruct v. 教授；传授
instructive adj. 获益良多的
Everyone has a book inside them, or so the saying goes. In this day and age, those who want help coaxing the story out can receive instruction online from some of the world’s most popular authors.
每个人心中都有一本书，有一句格言差不多是这样说的。在当今时代，如果想要获得帮助，把故事从心里引导出来，那么人们可以在网上得到全世界最受欢迎的作家的指导。
instruction n. 指示；教导；说明书
【例】The video provides instruction on how to operate the computer.
这个视频教你如何操作电脑。
【拓展】instruct v. 教授；传授
instructive adj. 获益良多的
And now Agatha Christie, the world’s bestselling writer of fiction, with more than 2bn copies sold, is instructing viewers in the art of the whodunnit—even though she died in 1976.
现在全球最畅销的虚构类作家阿加莎·克里斯蒂——其作品销量超过20亿册——正在教观众侦探小说的创作艺术，尽管她已于1976年去世。
unearth v. 挖掘；出土；发现
【例】to unearth buried treasures 挖掘地下埋藏的珍宝
to unearth the hidden truth 发现隐藏的真相
【拓展】unveil v. 揭开面纱；揭示
unfold v. 展开；发展
consent v. & n.
1. 作动词：同意；允许
【例】He consented to his daughter's marriage.
他同意了女儿的婚事。
【近义词】agree to 同意；允许
2. 作名词：同意；允许
【例】You have my consent to sell the shares.
我准许你卖出股票。
【近义词】permission n. 允许
Christie’s course is the result not of recently unearthed archival footage, but artificial intelligence. BBC Maestro, an online education platform, brought the idea to the Christie family, which still controls 36% of Agatha Christie Ltd. They consented to bring the “Queen of Crime” back to life, to teach the mysterious flair of her style.
克里斯蒂的课程并非源自最近发现的视频档案，而是人工智能的产物。在线教育平台“BBC大师课”向克里斯蒂家族提出了这个想法，该家族仍控制着阿加莎·克里斯蒂有限公司36%的股份。他们同意让“犯罪小说女王”复活，并传授她那神秘莫测的悬疑写作才华。
unearth v. 挖掘；出土；发现
【例】to unearth buried treasures 挖掘地下埋藏的珍宝
to unearth the hidden truth 发现隐藏的真相
【拓展】unveil v. 揭开面纱；揭示
unfold v. 展开；发展
consent v. & n.
1. 作动词：同意；允许
【例】He consented to his daughter's marriage.
他同意了女儿的婚事。
【近义词】agree to 同意；允许
2. 作名词：同意；允许
【例】You have my consent to sell the shares.
我准许你卖出股票。
【近义词】permission n. 允许
A team of almost 100—including Christie scholars as well as AI specialists—worked on the project. Vivien Keene, an actor, provided a stand-in for the author; Christie’s face was mapped on top. Crucially, Ms Keene’s eerily credible performance employs only Christie’s words: a tapestry of extracts from her own writings, notebooks and interviews.
一支由近100人组成的团队——包括研究克里斯蒂的学者和人工智能专家——参与了这个项目。演员薇薇安·基恩为克里斯蒂当替身，并与克里斯蒂换脸。关键在于，基恩的表演诡异地逼真，而且她只用了克里斯蒂的原话：从她本人的作品、笔记、访谈中摘取的语句编织成了一幅多彩织锦/一堂生动课程。
credible adj. 可信的；可靠的
【例】a credible explanation 可以相信的解释
【近义词】convincing adj. 可信的；有说服力的
believable/plausible adj. 可信的
【反义词】unbelievable/incredible adj. 难以置信的；极好的
unconvincing/implausible adj. 不可信的；不像真的
In this way, the creator of Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple shares handy writing tips, such as the neatest ways to dispatch fictional victims. Firearms bring ballistic complications. Be wary of poisons, as each works in a unique way. Novice authors can “always rely on a dull blow to the head”.
通过这种方式，大侦探波洛与马普尔小姐的创造者分享了一些实用的写作技巧，比如杀死虚构受害者最干净利落的方法。枪支会带来弹道学上的复杂问题。要当心毒药，因为每种毒药的作用方式各不相同。新手作者“永远可以用头上挨了一闷棍的死法”。
be wary of 小心；谨慎
【例】Be wary of strangers who offer you a ride.
要小心那些主动让你搭车的陌生人。
【近义词】be cautious about sth 小心；谨慎
【辨析】be weary of sth 对某事感到厌倦
practise v. 经常做；行使
【例】to practise thrift 厉行节约
to practise self-restraint 培养自制力
【拓展】practice n. 做法；常做的事
Many of Christie’s writing rules concern playing fair. She practised misdirection and laid “false clues” alongside true ones, but insisted that her plots do not cheat or hide key evidence: “I never deceive my readers.”
克里斯蒂的许多写作规则都涉及不要弄虚作假。她也会用误导的写法，在真实线索旁边放置“假线索”，但坚称她的故事情节绝对不欺骗或隐藏关键证据：“我从不欺骗我的读者。”
be wary of 小心；谨慎
【例】Be wary of strangers who offer you a ride.
要小心那些主动让你搭车的陌生人。
【近义词】be cautious about sth 小心；谨慎
【辨析】be weary of sth 对某事感到厌倦
practise v. 经常做；行使
【例】to practise thrift 厉行节约
to practise self-restraint 培养自制力
【拓展】practice n. 做法；常做的事
By relying on Christie’s own words, BBC Maestro hopes to avoid charges of creepy pedagogical deepfakery. At the same time, it is that focus on quotation which limits the course’s value as a creative-writing toolbox.
通过依靠克里斯蒂的原话，BBC大师课希望避免被指控进行了诡异的教学深度造假。与此同时，正是对原话的关注限制了这门课程作为创意写作工具箱的价值。
isolate v. 使孤立；使隔绝
【例】She was isolated by other students in school.
她在学校被其他学生孤立。
【搭配】isolate sb/sth from... 把某人/物与……隔绝开
【拓展】isolation n. 孤立状态
isolated adj. 孤独的
The woman born Agatha Miller in 1890 speaks from her own time and place. She tells wannabe writers to use snowstorms to isolate murder scenes (as they bring down telephone wires) and cites the clue-generating value of railway timetables, ink stains and cut-up newspapers.
这位出生于1890年，原名阿加莎·米勒的女性是基于当时的时代背景进行讲述。她告诉想要成为作家的人，可以利用暴风雪来使谋杀现场与外界隔绝（因为暴风雪会让电话线断掉），并提到了铁路时刻表、墨迹、剪碎的报纸有带来线索的价值。
isolate v. 使孤立；使隔绝
【例】She was isolated by other students in school.
她在学校被其他学生孤立。
【搭配】isolate sb/sth from... 把某人/物与……隔绝开
【拓展】isolation n. 孤立状态
isolated adj. 孤独的
These charming details are irrelevant to modern scribblers.
这些迷人的细节对现代写作者来说是没有用处的。
课后练习
How did BBC Maestro bring Agatha Christie back to life?
A. By using recently unearthed archival footage.
B. By inviting a living author to teach Christie's style.
C. By using artificial intelligence and Christie’s words.
D. By asking a descendant of Christie to appear on camera.What is unique about the course?
A. The course features a famous actor.
B. The course uses only Christie's words.
C. It involves the largest producing team.
D. It applies the most advanced AI technology.What is the recommended way to kill fictional victims?
A. Using firearms.
B. Using poisons.
C. Giving a blow to the head.
D. Planning some accidents.According to the author, what is the weakness of the course?
A. It may face charges of pedagogical deepfakery.
B. The author cannot interact with the audience.
C. The writing tips are too detailed to be useful
D. It sometimes neglects the change of times.
