Euripides is rightly lauded as one of the great dramatists of all time. In his lifetime, he wrote over 90 plays and although only 18 have survived they reveal the scope and reach of his genius. Euripides is identified with many theatrical innovations that have influenced drama all the way down to modern times, especially in the representation of traditional, mythical heroes as ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. As would be expected from a life lived 2,500 years ago, details of it are few and far between. Accounts of his life, written down the ages, do exist but whether much is reliable or surmised is open to debate. Most accounts agree that he was born on Salamis Island around 480 BC, to mother Cleito and father Mnesarchus, a retailer who lived in a village near Athens. Upon the receipt of an oracle saying that his son was fated to win "e;crowns of victory"e;, Mnesarchus insisted that the boy should train for a career in athletics. However, what is clear is that athletics was not to be the way to win crowns of victory. Euripides had been lucky enough to have been born in the era as the other two masters of Greek Tragedy; Sophocles and schylus. It was in their footsteps that he was destined to follow. His first play was performed some thirteen years after the first of Socrates plays and a mere three years after schylus had written his classic The Oristria. Theatre was becoming a very important part of the Greek culture. The Dionysia, held annually, was the most important festival of theatre and second only to the fore-runner of the Olympic games, the Panathenia, held every four years, in appeal. Euripides first competed in the City Dionysia, in 455 BC, one year after the death of schylus, and, incredibly, it was not until 441 BC that he won first prize. His final competition in Athens was in 408 BC. The Bacchae and Iphigenia in Aulis were performed after his death in 405 BC and first prize was awarded posthumously. Altogether his plays won first prize only five times. Euripides was also a great lyric poet. In Medea, for example, he composed for his city, Athens, "e;the noblest of her songs of praise"e;. His lyric skills however are not just confined to individual poems: "e;A play of Euripides is a musical whole....one song echoes motifs from the preceding song, while introducing new ones."e; Much of his life and his whole career coincided with the struggle between Athens and Sparta for hegemony in Greece but he didn't live to see the final defeat of his city. Euripides fell out of favour with his fellow Athenian citizens and retired to the court of Archelaus, king of Macedon, who treated him with consideration and affection. At his death, in around 406BC, he was mourned by the king, who, refusing the request of the Athenians that his remains be carried back to the Greek city, buried him with much splendor within his own dominions. His tomb was placed at the confluence of two streams, near Arethusa in Macedonia, and a cenotaph was built to his memory on the road from Athens towards the Piraeus.

John Galsworthy was born at Kingston Upon Thames in Surrey, England, on August 14th 1867 to a wealthy and well established family. His schooling was at Harrow and New College, Oxford before training as a barrister and being called to the bar in 1890. However, Law was not attractive to him and he travelled abroad becoming great friends with the novelist Joseph Conrad, then a first mate on a sailing ship. In 1895 Galsworthy began an affair with Ada Nemesis Pearson Cooper, the wife of his cousin Major Arthur Galsworthy. The affair was kept a secret for 10 years till she at last divorced and they married on 23rd September 1905. Galsworthy first published in 1897 with a collection of short stories entitled "e;The Four Winds"e;. For the next 7 years he published these and all works under his pen name John Sinjohn. It was only upon the death of his father and the publication of "e;The Island Pharisees"e; in 1904 that he published as John Galsworthy. His first play, The Silver Box in 1906 was a success and was followed by "e;The Man of Property"e; later that same year and was the first in the Forsyte trilogy. Whilst today he is far more well know as a Nobel Prize winning novelist then he was considered a playwright dealing with social issues and the class system. Here we publish Villa Rubein, a very fine story that captures Galsworthy's unique narrative and take on life of the time. He is now far better known for his novels, particularly The Forsyte Saga, his trilogy about the eponymous family of the same name. These books, as with many of his other works, deal with social class, upper-middle class lives in particular. Although always sympathetic to his characters, he reveals their insular, snobbish, and somewhat greedy attitudes and suffocating moral codes. He is now viewed as one of the first from the Edwardian era to challenge some of the ideals of society depicted in the literature of Victorian England. In his writings he campaigns for a variety of causes, including prison reform, women's rights, animal welfare, and the opposition of censorship as well as a recurring theme of an unhappy marriage from the women's side. During World War I he worked in a hospital in France as an orderly after being passed over for military service. He was appointed to the Order of Merit in 1929, after earlier turning down a knighthood, and awarded the Nobel Prize in 1932 though he was too ill to attend. John Galsworthy died from a brain tumour at his London home, Grove Lodge, Hampstead on January 31st 1933. In accordance with his will he was cremated at Woking with his ashes then being scattered over the South Downs from an aeroplane.

William Butler Yeats (1865 - 1939) is best described as Ireland's national poet in addition to being one of the major twentieth-century literary figures of the English tongue. To many literary critics, Yeats represents the 'Romantic poet of modernism,' which is quite revealing about his extraordinary style that combines between the outward emphasis on the expression of emotions and the extensive use of symbolism, imagery and allusions. Yeats also wrote prose and drama and established himself as the spokesman of the Irish cause. His fame was greatly boosted mainly after he received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1923. His life was marked by his many love stories, by his great interest in oriental mysticism and occultism as well as by political engagement since he served as an Irish senator for two terms. Today, although William Butler Yeats's contribution to literary modernism and to Irish nationalism remains incontestable. Here we publish a collection of his short plays that offer a rich harvest from the talents of such an esteemed artist.

If ever a writer needed an introduction Arthur Conan Doyle would not be considered that man. After all, Sherlock Holmes is perhaps the foremost literary detective of any age. Add to this canon his stories of science fiction and his poems, his historical novels, his plays, his political campaigning, his efforts in establishing a Court Of Appeal and there is little room for anything else. Except he was also an exceptional writer of short stories of the horrific and macabre. Something very different from what you might expect. Born in Arthur Conan Doyle was born on 22 May 1859 at 11 Picardy Place, Edinburgh, Scotland. From 1876 - 1881 he studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh following which he was employed as a doctor on the Greenland whaler Hope of Peterhead in 1880 and, after his graduation, as a ship's surgeon on the SS Mayumba during a voyage to the West African coast in 1881. Arriving in Portsmouth in June of that year with less than GBP10 (GBP700 today) to his name, he set up a medical practice at 1 Bush Villas in Elm Grove, Southsea. The practice was initially not very successful. While waiting for patients, Conan Doyle again began writing stories and composed his first novel The Mystery of Cloomber. Although he continued to study and practice medicine his career was now firmly set as a writer. And thereafter great works continued to pour out of him.

A perennial bestseller in the wizarding world and one of the most popular books in the Hogwarts School library, Quidditch Through the Ages contains all you will ever need to know about the history, the rules - and the breaking of the rules - of the noble sport of Quidditch. Packed with fascinating facts, this definitive guide by the esteemed Quidditch writer Kennilworthy Whisp charts the game's history from its early origins in the medieval mists on Queerditch Marsh, through to the modern-day sport loved by so many wizard and Muggle families around the world. With comprehensive coverage of famous Quidditch teams, the commonest fouls, the development of racing brooms, and much more, this is a must-have sporting bible for all Harry Potter fans, Quidditch lovers and players, whether the weekend amateur or the seasoned Chudley Cannons season-ticket holder.At least 15% of the net retail price* of this eBook will be available to Comic Relief and Lumos Foundation for their work with children and young people to help them have a better life. 20% of these monies will be used by Comic Relief and 80% will be used by Lumos Foundation.Comic Relief is a registered charity in the UK with charity nos. 326568 (England/Wales) and SC039730 (Scotland). Lumos Foundation is a registered charity in the UK with no. 1112575.* The net retail price means the price paid by the consumer less applicable sales taxes

Three thrilling short stories of adventure among the stars: Node Of Thought A spaceship pilot on a solo mission between the stars begins to see visions of other people. Are they trace thoughts from others who’ve passed that way? It’s not just an academic question when the ship’s computer starts to obey commands that aren’t his. ? Marathon of the Devil In a death-defying marathon on a desert planet, Eli Marone has managed to get lost. It’s now a race for survival, especially when the barren world might not be so lifeless after all. ? The Rift Twenty-seven years after a reckless experiment created a vast rift across the galaxy, a survey ship’s crew encounters a being with strange abilities and an even stranger disability. What they learn will test every belief they’ve ever had. Praise for Scott Overton: “A storyteller of boundless skill…a writer to watch.” “A gifted wordsmith.”

Most sensible people avoid fire-breathing carnivores that prey on humans. But Jordan has built a career out of studying such legendary animals, creatures thought mythological until their reemergence in the world three decades ago. She and researchers like her believe that knowledge is the key to reclaiming the land they'd lost back then, when humanity retreated into designated safety zones.? But when the humans moved out, the legends moved in. They were the descendants of mythical heroes, inheriting the powers of their ancestors, and they weren't afraid of the monsters. Jordan never expected to run into a legend, but when a field expedition turns into a trap for her team, she realizes that one deliberately tried to kill her. It's a diplomatic nightmare the Roman authorities might happily sweep under the rug. But if Jordan doesn't figure out who attacked her and why, they could try again. Yet even if she does solve the mystery, what could one stubborn scientist possibly do to stop a powerful legend? Almost 7,000 words of bonus content included. Embark on this urban fantasy/post-apocalyptic adventure today!

James Shirley was born in London in September 1596.His education was through a collection of England's finest establishments: Merchant Taylors' School, London, St John's College, Oxford, and St Catharine's College, Cambridge, where he took his B.A. degree in approximately 1618.He first published in 1618, a poem entitled Echo, or the Unfortunate Lovers.As with many artists of this period full details of his life and career are not recorded.He wrote his first play, Love Tricks, or the School of Complement, which was licensed on February 10th, 1625.For the next two decades, he would write prolifically and with great quality, across a spectrum of thirty plays; through tragedies and comedies to tragicomedies as well as several books of poetry. Unfortunately, his talents were left to wither when Parliament passed the Puritan edict in 1642, forbidding all stage plays and closing the theatres.His death, at age seventy, along with that of his wife, in 1666, is described as one of fright and exposure due to the Great Fire of London which had raged through parts of London from September 2nd to the 5th.He was buried at St Giles in the Fields, in London, on October 29th, 1666.

Jules Verne is probably the world's first science-fiction novelist. His Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870) centers around a sea monster that keeps on menacing and damaging ships and ocean liners in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. When the US government eventually decides to destroy the monster, a group of whaling and marine biology experts from different nationalities led by Professor Arronax are invited to join the American ship Abraham Lincoln and engage in an expedition around the South American continent to search for the weird creature. After losing their first battle, the crew discover, to their surprise, that the supposed monster is rather a large metal body that travels under the water. They are soon abducted and brought inside the vessel to meet its eccentric commander Captain Nemo. The submarine's new passengers learn that Captain Nemo has built the vessel to isolate himself from world governments and to spend his lifetime exploring new worlds and conducting scientific research. Captain Nemo's treatment of his visitors is generally respectful and kind except for his radical rejection of their pleas to leave the submarine and go back home. By the end of the story, the submarine is attacked by another ship sent by Captain Nemo's enemies. Captain Nemo decides to destroy the attacking ship and to send it to the bowels of the ocean. The novel ends when the submarine encounters a very strong whirlpool named "e;Maelstrom,"e; allowing Professor Arronax to flee with the rest of his crew while the fate of Captain Nemo and his creation remains unknown.

本套教材为“非全日制日语专业”（也适合中等教育）零起综合日语教材。学完本套教材之后学习者普遍达到全日制日语本科二年级结束时水平，日语能力考试N2水平。本套教材分为，主教材1～4册，外加教学参考用书1册，共5册。主教材1～4册分别为“新视野日本语（门）”“新视野日本语（基础）”“新视野日本语（提高）”“新视野日本语（精通）”。

本书是为了帮助日语学习者学习标准地道的日语口语而编写的，旨在利用超简单的方法让日语初学者有效提高日语口语水平。本书围绕与生活息息相关的话题，分谈天说地、着装扮、品尝美食、房屋住宿、交通出行、休闲娱乐、日常物、潮流生活八个部分，涵盖生活方方面面的常用对话。

写作，一直是新韩国语能力考试TOPIKⅡ（中高级）考生的一大难题。特别是改革后的新TOPIK考试，更是加大了写作的难度。《完全掌握.新韩国语能力考试TOPIKII(中高级)写作考前对策》作为TOPIK考试名师金龙一的成名之作，自2016年推出以来广受好评。今年对本书行了改版，内容更加系统和完整，适合各种水平的考生参考。在第三版中，作者修订了TOPIK写作的备考策略，新增了实用的“大作文七句成章法”写作模板、适合高分考生的“议论文阶”、数道大小作文题（含TOPIK写作真题）及高分范文、隔写规则及标符号使用规则。

《完全掌握.新韩国语能力考试TOPIK语法（初级、中高级全收录）》并非常规的语法书，而是为TOPIK考生“量身定制”的工具书。本书针对备考TOPIK初级和中高级的考生编写，强调实用性和学习效果。通过学习本书，考生可以在一个月内了解和巩固TOPIK考试必考的360个语法条目。如果某个语法有多种用法，但考试中只考其中两种常见用法，本书只收录常见用法。作者在解释语法时充分结合TOPIK考，尽可能多地列举出考试中可能出现的形式。另外，本书还收录相近语法和语法辨析，其中相近语法是TOPIK阅读专项的重要考，语法辨析则从实际应用层面阐述了作者对相近语法的解析。

　　《高级西班牙语口译教程》是外教社组织策划的“新世纪高等学校西班牙语专业本科生系列教材”之一，适用于大学本科高年级学生或研究生。本书除作为教材使用之外，还可作为自学材料和口译实务训练指南。 　　本书共19课，每课包含口译练习两篇、视译练习两篇、翻译理论与技巧及复习与巩固练习。课文收了见、宴请、咨询、祝辞、论坛、演讲、座谈会及领导人讲话等口译形式，内容涉及气候变化、环境保护、全球经济与贸易、货币与金融、可再生能源、世博会与城市发展、孔子与孔子学院等热门话题，并且更新了中国传统节日、中国外交、交通、广交会等传统题材，兼具时代性与多样性。

为帮助考生更好地准备考试，《全国德语专业八级考试真题与解析（2012-2014）》详细分析了2012年至2014年的真题，对评分标准予以说明。如果考生有充裕的时间备考，《全国德语专业八级考试真题与解析（2012-2014）》建议考生直接做第二部分的三套真题，然后再对照答案，找出错误，有针对性地复习迎考；如果考生没有充裕的时间备考，建议此类考生直接学习第1部分，了解德语专业八级考试的内容及形式，包括重点考查的知识点、技能要求及相关评分标准。

在这十封亲切的书信中，里尔克吐露了诗人内心深处的孤寂、真诚、善意和对艺术的执着，为后世无数诗人的心灵世界提供了宝贵营养和可资借鉴的经验，“仿佛在抚摸他过去身上的伤痕”（冯至），去慰藉那些与他有着同样精神历程的年轻一代，为青年艺术家攀登艺术圣山指明前的道路。

《现代希腊语语法》系我国部现代希腊语语法书，由上海外国语大学西方语系希腊语专业朱圣鹏和王小英两位资深教授合力编写并经多年打磨而成。 全书共分19章，从现代希腊语的语言简介开始，从词法层面依照冠词、名词、形容词、数词、代词、动词等词类范畴以及句子和标点符号等重要语法现象，分门别类进行详细阐述。论述系统，例证丰富。另有希腊语语音、不规则动词表和缩写词等附录内容，方便学习者随时查阅。

本书从语言交际应用的层面对汉语和法语的修辞手段、修辞异同和修辞效果行对比分析研究，同时，又从语言的社会功能、语用功能和语言犀利功能等截面，对汉语和法语修辞的表现形式、产生机制及效果行了比较研究。

耿超、于长胜、张鹏编*的《西班牙语专业四八级词汇》以高等学校西班牙语专业教学大纲为依据，收录了8000余条常用西班牙语词汇，是西班牙语能力考试及全国高校西班牙语专业四、八级考试备考用书，也可供平时学习西班牙语使用。 为了方便读者*好地理解和记忆西班牙语基本词汇，编者力求做到三：一是基本词汇覆盖面广泛；二是基本词性、词义和用法完整；三是选取能清晰解析词条的典型例句。

本书为《新编日语（修订本）》（周平、陈小芬编著）的配套练习册，自出版以来深受广大读者的喜爱。如今《新编日语（修订本）》有了重排本，为了使读者使用起来更加方便，本书也相应地作了修订。 本书的练习形式及内容与《新编日语（重排本）》第三册相对应，为了提高练习效果，有些地方适当加大了难度。包括日语汉字注假名和假名写汉字、词语填空、将会话文改成叙述文、改错、完成句子、日译中、中译日、阅读理解等。每册习题集后均附有参考答案。

本书是高等院校日语专业基础阶段教材*册．供一年级上学期使用。本书的编写原则以听说为主，读写为辅。参照教学大纲的要求，编日语语音、文字、词汇、语法、句型、功能用语等方面的内容。题材以学校、家庭、社会为主，同时兼顾日本文化、风俗习惯等。全书共二十课，除语音阶段稍有不同外，每课由前文、会话、功能用语、解说、读解文六个部分构成。每课配有练习，既可作为课堂教学的补充，又可作为课外作业。书后附有单词索引。