高考英语阅读素材：Windows XP经典桌面的故事

　　The idyllic and iconic image that served as the default background for computers running Microsofts Windows XP operating system wasnt Photoshopped. The photo was taken by Charles ORear north of San Francisco in 1996 and will live on long after XP shuts down.

　　微软Windows XP 系统电脑的默认桌面背景已经成为一种标志性图片，然而这一充满田园风光特色的图片并不是PS出来的。这张照片是摄影师查尔斯奥利尔于1996年在旧金山北部拍摄的，XP系统退休后，它将载入史册。

　　To mark the end of the Windows XP era Windows stopped offering support for it on April 8 Microsoft made a video about ORear and his famous snapshot.

　　微软在4月8日宣布停止提供Windows XP 相应的系统支持。为了标志XP时代的结束，微软公司拍摄了一个视频，讲述摄影师奥利尔和他那张著名桌面背景照片的摄影故事。

　　Yes, Bliss is a real photo. ORear took it using a Mamiya RZ67 camera with color Fuji Film and a tripod in Napa Valley, north of San Francisco, in 1996.

　　没错，Bliss桌面是一张真实的照片。1996年摄影师奥利尔在旧金山北部的纳帕谷拍下了这张照片，当时使用的是玛米亚RZ67型号相机以及彩色富士胶卷。

　　He later sold the image Corbis, which was actually started by Bill Gates, to be used as stock art, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

　　据《悉尼先驱晨报》报道，随后他把这张照片卖给了比尔盖茨的公司Corbis，该公司把它作艺术收藏用。

　　It then caught the eye of Microsoft.

　　接下来，这张照片就吸引了微软公司的眼球。

　　Carriers wouldnt accept the liability of transporting the original photograph because of the undisclosed value Microsoft put on it, so the company eventually sent ORear a plane ticket so he could deliver it in person.

　　由于微软公司对此照片估值不菲，运输公司不敢轻易运送那张最初的照片，所以微软最终不得不给奥利尔寄送飞机票，以便他能够亲自把照片送上门。

　　I had no idea where it was going to go, he said.

　　他说，我当时不知道这张照片会有怎样的前景。

　　In the clip, ORear shares that a group of Microsoft engineers had a bet going about where the photograph was taken and whether it was Photoshopped (he says it wasnt).

　　在视频中，奥利尔和大家分享了一个故事：当时有一群微软工程师打赌猜测这张照片的拍摄地，以及是否有过PS图片处理(奥利尔说没有PS过)。

　　He also talks about seeing the image everywhere from the White House to the Kremlin.

　　他还说，从白宫到克里姆林宫，到处都能看到这张图片。

　　Anybody now from age 15 on for the rest of their life will remember this photograph, he said.

　　奥利尔对自己的照片评价道，15岁以上的任何人，在他们接下来的人生中都将永远记住这张照片。

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