Lesson 18 Electric currents in modern art 現(xiàn)代藝術中的電流
Listen to the tape then answer the question below.聽錄音，然后回答以下問題。
How might some of the exhibits have been dangerous?
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 surprise 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 form 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!
參考譯文
現(xiàn)代雕塑不再使我們感到驚訝了。那種認為現(xiàn)代藝術只能在博物館里才能看到的觀點是錯誤的。即使是對藝術不感興趣的人也不會注意到在公共場所展示的現(xiàn)代藝術 品。公園里、大樓和商店外豎立著的奇形怪狀的雕塑，對這些，我們已經(jīng)司空見慣了。有些所謂的“現(xiàn)代”藝術品在那里已經(jīng)陳列了近80年了。
盡管如此，最近舉辦的一次現(xiàn)代雕塑展覽還是使一些人（包括我在內(nèi)）大吃了一驚。走進展廳首先看到的是一張告示，上面寫著“切勿觸摸展品，某些展品有危 險！”展品都是些活動的雕像。人們所熟悉的是懸掛在天花板上、造型奇特、隨風飄蕩的雕塑品。這些展品卻使人大開眼界。靠墻排列著許多細長的電線，而電線又 連著金屬球。金屬球經(jīng)過磁化，互相之間不停地相互吸引或相互排斥。展廳中央是裝有彩色燈泡的許多高高的構件，燈泡一刻不停地閃爍著，就像失去了控制的紅綠 燈。小黑盒子里迸出火花，紅色燈泡發(fā)怒似地忽明忽暗。這兒倒像是在展覽古老的電子設備。好像設計這些奇形怪狀的展品不僅是為了給人感情上的強烈刺激，而且還想給人以電擊似的！
New words and expressions 生詞和短語
current
n. 電流
sculpture
n. 雕塑
mistaken
adj. 錯誤的
gallery
n. 美術館
exhibit
n. 展品，陳列品
oddly
adv. 古怪的
attach
v. 連，系
sphere
n. 球體
magnetize
v. 使磁化
repel
v. 排斥
flicker
v. 閃爍
emit
v. 放射
flash
v. 閃光
prehistoric
adj. 史前的，老掉牙的
electronic
adj. 電子的
peculiar
adj. 奇異的
shock
v. 令人震驚，刺激人
emotionally
adv. 事情上
Notes on the text課文注釋
1 The idea that... is mistaken
此處that引導的從句作idea的同位語。
2 take no interest in... 作“對...不感興趣”解釋。
3 cannot have failed to notice不至于沒注意到。
“ cannot+have+過去分詞”表示對于過去的事所作的不肯定的推測。
4 move in response to a gust of wind，隨風飄蕩。
in response (to)作“回答”、“響應”、“作出反應”講。此處是“(展品)隨風而動”的意思。
5 be familiar to…是“為...所熟悉”的意思。
6 Lined up against the wall，靠墻排列著。
7 like traffic lights which have gone mad，就像失去控制的紅綠燈一樣。
go mad作“發(fā)瘋”、“發(fā)狂”講。
8 on and off(亦作off and on)作“斷斷續(xù)續(xù)地”、“有時”講。
9 These peculiar forms not only seemed designed…，其中seemed是系動詞，seemed designed作用與were designed是一樣的。
Lesson 18 課后練習和答案Exercises and Answer
