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精读原文
Modern sculpture rarely surprises us any more. The idea that modern art can only be seen in museums is mistaken. Even people who take no interest in art cannot have failed to notice examples of modern sculpture on display in public places. Strange forms stand in gardens, and outside buildings and shops. We have got quite used to them. Some so-called 'modern' pieces have been on display for nearly eighty years.
In spite of this, some people -- including myself -- were surprised by a recent exhibition of modern sculpture. The first thing I saw when I entered the art gallery was a notice which said: 'Do not touch the exhibits. Some of them are dangerous!' The objects on display were pieces of moving sculpture. Oddly shaped forms that are suspended from the ceiling and move in response to a gust of wind are quite familiar to everybody. These objects, however, were different. Lined up against the wall, there were long thin wires attached to metal spheres. The spheres had been magnetized and attracted or repelled each other all the time. In the centre of the hall, there were a number of tall structures which contained coloured lights. These lights flickered continuously like traffic lights which have gone mad. Sparks were emitted from small black boxes and red lamps flashed on and off angrily. It was rather like an exhibition of prehistoric electronic equipment. These peculiar forms not only seemed designed to shock people emotionally, but to give them electric shocks as well!
精读注解
Electric currents in modern art
current/'kʌr(ə)nt/：An electric current is a flow of electricity through a wire or circuit.电流，如：A powerful electric current is passed through apiece of graphite. 一股强大的电流被传导经过一块石墨。
参考译文：现代艺术中的电流
Modern sculpture rarely surprises us any more. The idea that modern art can only be seen in museums is mistaken. Even people who take no interest in art cannot have failed to notice examples of modern sculpture on display in public places.Strange forms stand in gardens, and outside buildings and shops. We have got quite used to them. Some so-called 'modern' pieces have been on display for nearly eighty years.
sculpture /'skʌlptʃə/：an object made out of stone, wood, clay etc by an artist雕像，雕刻品，雕塑作品，如：a sculpture of an elephant 一尊大象雕塑
rarely：If something rarely happens, it does nothappen very often.少见地，很少，极少，含基本否定的含义。如：You feel that rarely any more in the US.你在美国很少有这样的感觉。
The idea that…is mistaken：that引导的从句作idea的同位语。that…后面的内容解释说明idea。有关同位语的部分用法，参见精读：Flying cats
take no interest in…：对……不感兴趣，如：I take no interest in computer games.我对电脑游戏不感兴趣。
【复杂句分析】Even people who take no interest in art cannot have failed to notice examples of modern sculpture on display in public places.①关系代词who引导的定语从句修饰先行词people.②cannot+have+过去分词：表示对于过去的事所作的不肯定的推测
get quite used to：已十分习惯于，后面加名词／名词性从句／动名词。【拓展】①used to(+动词不定式)，表示：过去常常……（指过去的习惯），如：I used to listen to music during showering.我过去常常在洗澡的时候听歌。②be used to (sth./doing sth.)，表示：熟悉，习惯于……,如：I amused to getting up late.我习惯晚起。
参考译文：现代雕塑不再使我们感到惊讶了。那种认为现代艺术只能在博物馆里才能看到的观点是错误的。即使是对艺术不感兴趣的人也不会注意到在公共场所展示的现代艺术品。公园里、大楼和商店外竖立着的奇形怪状的雕塑，对这些，我们已经司空见惯了。有些所谓的“现代”艺术品在那里已经陈列了近80年了。
In spite of this, some people -- including myself -- were surprised by a recent exhibition of modern sculpture. The first thing I saw when I entered the art gallery was a notice which said: 'Do not touch the exhibits. Some of them are dangerous!' The objects on display were pieces of moving sculpture. Oddly shaped forms that are suspended from the ceiling and move in response to a gust of wind are quite familiar to everybody. These objects, however, were different.Lined up against the wall, there were long thin wires attached to metal spheres. The spheres had been magnetized and attracted or repelled each other all the time. In the centre of theh all, there were a number of tall structures which contained coloured lights.These lights flickered continuously like traffic lights which have gone mad.Sparks were emitted from small black boxes and red lamps flashed on and off angrily. It was rather like an exhibition of prehistoric electronic equipment.These peculiar forms not only seemed designed to shock people emotionally, but to give them electric shocks as well!
, some people -- including myself -- were surprised…：句中的including myself是插入语，对people作进一步说明，用破折号隔开。这是起补充说明作用的一种用法。
gallery /'gæl(ə)rɪ/：a large building where people can see famous pieces of art美术馆，如：an exhibition of African art at the Hayward Gallery 海沃德美术馆的非洲艺术展览
exhibit /ɪɡ'zɪbɪt/：An exhibit is a painting, sculpture, or object of interest that is displayed to the public in a museum or art gallery.展览品，如：Shona showed me around the exhibits. 肖纳带我参观了展品。
oddly /'ɒdlɪ/：in a strange or unusual way奇怪地，古怪地；异常地，如：She’s been behaving oddly this week. 这个星期她行为有点异常。
gust /gʌst/：a sudden strong movement of wind, air, rainetc一阵狂风；一阵暴雨，如：A sudden gust of wind blew the door shut. 一阵狂风把门吹得关上了。
in response：对…做出反应，如：You then change in response to that. 之后你会做出反应，会有变化。所以move in response to a gust of wind：随风飘荡
be familiar to…：为……所熟悉，如：Most willbe familiar to you. Some might not. 多数可能让你感到熟悉，一些可能会有些陌生。
【复杂句解析】Oddly shaped formsthat are suspended from the ceiling and move in response to a gust of wind are quite familiar to everybody.整个句子的主干是Forms are quite familiar to everybody.；此外，Oddly shaped是过去分词，that are suspended fromthe ceiling and move in response to a gust of wind是定语从句，均是修饰forms。
Lined up against thewall：靠墙排列着，过去分词短语作状语，修饰wires
attach/ə'tætʃ/:to fasten or connect one object to another系；绑；贴；固定；连接；附上，常用搭配：attach sth. to sth.（把……同……连／结／系在一起）如：Attach a recent photograph to your application form. 申请表上贴近照一张。
sphere/sfɪə/:a ball shape球，球形，球体，如：Therefore, the atmosphereis merely a sphere. 因此大气层只不过是一个球体。
magnetize/'mægnɪtaɪz/：to make iron or steel able to pull other pieces of metaltowards itself使有磁性，使磁化，如：Placing iron next to a magnet will magnetize the iron. 将铁放在磁石的旁边，铁将会被磁化。
repel/rɪ'pel/:if two things repel each other, they push each other awaywith an electrical force排斥，如：Two positive charges repel each other. 两个正电荷相互排斥。
all the time：adv.without respite不停地，经常，总是，如：I've been thinking about that all the time. 我一直惦记着这件事。
flicker/'flɪkə/：to burn or shine with an unsteady light that goes on and off quickly〔光〕闪烁，摇曳，如：The overhead lights flickered momentarily. 头顶灯闪了一会儿。
like traffic lights which have gone mad：译为：就像失去控制的红绿灯一样。①which have gone mad是定语从句，修饰traffic lights。②go mad：发疯，发狂，引申为“失控”之意
emit/ɪ'mɪt/：If something emits heat, light, gas, or a smell, itproduces it and sends it out by means of a physical or chemical process. 发出; 散发 (热、光、气体或气味)，如：The new device emits a powerful circular column of light. 这个新装置发出一束强烈的环形光柱。
flash /flæʃ/：If a light flashes or if you flash a light, it shineswith a sudden bright light, especially as quick, regular flashes of light.闪光，如：Lightning flashed among the distant dark clouds. 远处的乌云中电光闪闪。
on and off：not regularly断断续续，间歇地，如：Edison switched them on and off at will, dazzling and delighting his guests. 爱迪生不时地关上又打开它们，让他的客人们眼花缭乱，兴高采烈。
prehistoric/priːhɪ'stɒrɪk/：relating to the time in historybefore anything was written down史前的，有历史记载以前的 OR very old-fashioned –used humorously非常陈旧的，老掉牙的〔幽默用法〕，如：a prehistoric attitude towards women 对待女性的过时看法
electronic/ɪˌlekˈtrɒnɪk/:electronic equipment, such as computers and televisions, useselectricity that has passed through computer chips, transistors etc电子的，用电子操作的；电子器件的，如：electronic games 电子游戏
peculiar/pɪ'kjuːlɪə/：strange, unfamiliar, or a little surprising奇怪的；异常的，如：There was a peculiar smell in the kitchen. 厨房里有一股怪味。
shock/ʃɒk/：If something shocks you, it makes you feel very upset,because it involves death or suffering and because you had not expected it. 使震惊，如：After forty years in the police force nothing much shocks me. 在警察部门干了40年后，没有什么能令我非常震惊了。
emotionally/ɪˈməʊʃənəli/：in an emotional manner感情上；情绪上；令人激动地；情绪冲动地，如：But emotionally, it was clear that she was on a mission, and she’sbeen on that mission ever since. 但是在感情上，很明显，她从那时起有了一种使命感，至今仍是如此。
【复杂句解析】These peculiar forms notonly seemed designed to shock people emotionally, but to give them electric shocks as well!本句用not only...but (also)连接起来，其中，but to 中间省略seemed designed，即but seemed designedto。
参考译文：尽管如此，最近举办的一次现代雕塑展览还是使一些人（包括我在内）大吃了一惊。走进展厅首先看到的是一张告示，上面写着“切勿触摸展品，某些展品有危险！”展品都是些活动的雕像。人们所熟悉的是悬挂在天花板上、造型奇特、随风飘荡的雕塑品。这些展品却使人大开眼界。靠墙排列着许多细长的电线，而电线又连着金属球。金属球经过磁化，互相之间不停地相互吸引或相互排斥。展厅中央是装有彩色灯泡的许多高高的构件，灯泡一刻不停地闪烁着，就像失去了控制的红绿灯。小黑盒子里迸出火花，红色灯泡发怒似地忽明忽暗。这儿倒像是在展览古老的电子设备。好像设计这些奇形怪状的展品不仅是为了给人感情上的强烈刺激，而且还想给人以电击似的！
Summary writing：(last paragraph)
用不多于80个单词描述作者进入美术馆后的所见所闻。（摘自新概念英语教师用书新版3）
On entering the art gallery, the writer saw a notice which forbade people to touch the exhibits because they were dangerous.The exhibition consisted of pieces of moving scupture. Against a wall, the writer saw long thin wires attached to metal spheres which attracted and repelled each other.In the centre of the hall were tall structures containing coloured lights which went on and off. Sparks were emitted from small black boxes and red lamps flashed on and off.
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