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1. lesson 8

Gulliver's Travels Jonathan Swift tried to show the smallness of people by writing the biography of Dr. Lemuel Gulliver. In one of his strangest adventures, Gulliver was shipwrecked. Drenched and weary, he fell asleep on the shore. In the morning, he found himself tied to pegs in the ground, and swarming over him were hundreds of little people six inches high. After a time he was allowed to stand, though he began to wobble from being bound so long. He was then marched through the streets, naturally causing a tumult wherever he went. Even the palace was not big enough for him to enter, nor could he kneel before the king and queen. But he did show his respect for them in another way. The king was dejected because he feared an invasion of Lilli put by Blefuscu, the enemy across the ocean. The reason for the war between the two tiny peoples would seem small and foolish to us. The rebels of Blefuscu were originally Lilliputians who would not abide by the royal decision to crack their eggs on the small end instead of on the larger end. Gulliver, obedient to the king's command, waded out into the water when the tide receded, and sticking a little iron hook into each of fifty warships, he pulled the entire enemy fleet to Lilliput. Gulliver later escaped from Lilliput when he realized the tiny king was really a tyrant with no charity in his heart. Oddly enough, the verdict of generations of readers has taken no heed of the author's intention in Gulliver)s Travels. Instead, while Lilliputians are still the symbol of small, narrow-minded people, Swift's savage attack upon humankind has become one of the best-loved children's classics.
More About the Guitar The guitar is one of the oldest instruments known to man. It probably originated in the vicinity of China. There were guitars in ancient Egypt and Greece as well, but the written history of the guitar starts in Spain in the 13th century. By 1500 the guitar was popular in Italy, France, and Spain. A French document of that time concludes that many people were playing the guitar. Stradivarius, the undeniable king of violin makers, could not resist creating a variety* of guitars. Also, there was no lack of music written for the instrument. Haydn, Schubert, and others wrote guitar music. When the great Beethoven was asked to compose music for the guitar, he went into a rage and refused, but eventually even Beethoven could not ignore the challenge; legend tells us he finally called the guitar a miniature orchestra. Indeed the guitar does sound like a little orchestra! Perhaps that is why in rural* areas around the world the guitar has been a source of music for millions to enjoy.
Flying Saucers Again Whenever journalists face a news famine they revive the undeniably* interesting question: How can we explain UFOs-unidentified flying objects? The story usually commences with a description of the object by some observant night watchman who doesn't hesitate* to identify the object as having migrated from outer space. The vessel, he persists, appeared over the hazy lake at about 30 feet. A greenish gleam prohibited* him from seeing its exact shape, he admits. Newspaper editors love these stories because they keep the population* interested in knowledge about UFOs and keep them buying newspapers.
The Guitar It is impossible to exaggerate the popularity* of the guitar. One out of every four amateur musicians in the United States plays the guitar. Even a mediocre player can produce a variety of music with this unique* instrument. Trying to find valid reasons for the guitar's ability to survive through the years isn't hard. One weird theory* by a prominent mus1c1an states that guitarists find security hiding behind the bulky instrument. But most people are reluctant to accept this idea because there are more obvious reasons for playing a guitar. It can be carried anywhere, it is inexpensive* to buy, and only a few lessons are required to learn to play it well.

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