NCE3 Lesson 18 Electric currents in modern art

I have learned NCE3 lesson 18 today. I think NCE 3

is very helpful to improve writing skills as sentences are not very long and structures are very clear. I have posted the grammar analysis as well as a reference.

背诵法是很有效的掌握英语的一个方法吧，试一试，看看是否有效。欢迎背诵新概念，从今天开始！

NCE3 Lesson 18 Electric currents in modern art

Listen to the tape then answer the question below.
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
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 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!

New words and expressions 生词和短语
current
n. 电流
sculpture
n. 雕塑
mistaken
adj. 错误的
gallery
n. 美术馆
exhibit
n. 展品，陈列品
oddly
adv. 古怪的
attach
v. 连，系
sphere
n. 球体
magnetize
v. 使磁化
repel
v. 排斥
flicker
v. 闪烁
emit
v. 放射
flash
v. 闪光
prehistoric
adj. 史前的，老掉牙的
electronic
adj. 电子的
peculiar
adj. 奇异的
shock
v. 令人震惊，刺激人
emotionally
adv. 事情上

rarely: seldom
We are not surprised at modern sculpture...

that 引导同位语从句，修饰限定the idea 的内容
Eg.: The idea that one can learn English well in Englis-speaking countries is mistaken.

重点句式结构
who take no interest in art 修饰说明people
take interest in 对……感兴趣；take delight in 对……感到高兴
take pride in 对……感到骄傲
show interest in 显示对……的兴趣

cannot;failed to 双重否定意味着肯定
He must have passed his examination last week.
He cannot have failed to pass his examination last week.

You must keep your promise.
You can't fail to keep your promise.

on display/on show 展览，展出

We can see sculptures everywhere

用夸张的口吻表明事实
in spite of this 尽管如此
作者表明了自己的观点

重点句型：The first thing...was a notice which said...
定语从句省略　that

The sculpture can move.

Oddly...that...
that引导的定语从句用来限定shaped forms
are ... familiar to ...谓语

句子主干：Oddly shaped forms are familiar to everybody
that 定语从句中：in response to/in reaction to 作为对……的反应
be familiar to sb.对某人来讲很熟悉
Eg.: The house is familiar to him.
Eg.: I don't really remember where I have seen him before,but he looks very familiar to me

familiar with 熟悉，熟知
Are you familiar with the play of Shakespeare?
I'm familiar with that book too.

be familiar to sb./be familiar with sth.
lined up 过去分词做状语，与long with wires 为被动关系
attached to metal spheres 过去分词做定语，修饰long thin wires

定语从句
there were long thin wires that were attached to metal sphers.

the center of the hall 展厅的中央
coloured lights 彩色灯泡

continuously adv. 不停止的
go mad 发疯，发狂：run mad
He must have gone mad to do such a thing.

on and off: continuously
Eg.: It has been raining on and of since noon.
It was rather like...
It was more like...

Key structure
...not only seemed designed to do sth.

not only...but ...as well

seem 系动词＋名词／形容词／分词