1、Unit 3Language points1 For lack of a better terminology, one might name these: (1) the sensuous plane, (2) the expressive plane, (3) the sheerly musical plane. (Para 1)The expression for lack of a better terminology is used to introduce rather inexact terms. It means since we dont have any exact ter
2、ms, Im going to use these rather rough terms.The word sensuous suggests physical pleasure which relates to your physical senses rather than to your emotions and thoughts.A plane is a level of thought, development or existence.The word sheer is used to emphasize the amount or degree of something. The
3、 sheerly musical plane refers to the level of the musical material, melodies, rhythms, harmonies etc. The sheer pleasure (Para 2, Line 2) means great or pure pleasure.2 The only advantage to be gained from mechanically splitting up the listening process into these hypothetical planes is (Para 1)The
4、word hypothetical means to be based on situations or events that seem possible rather than on actual ones. Here, the planes are not real, they are just part of a model for analysis and discussion.3 One turns on the radio while doing something else and absent-mindedly bathes in the sound. A kind of b
5、rainless but attractive state of mind is engendered by the mere sound appeal of the music. (Para 2)To bathe means to swim or wash yourself in a bath, river or lake. To bathe in the sound means to immerse yourself in the sound, like in water.To engender means to cause a feeling or attitude to exist.
6、The expression engendered by the mere sound appeal means to be created only by the appeal or attraction of the sound.4 Music allows them to leave it . dreaming because of and apropos of the music yet never quite listening to it. (Para 3)The expression apropos of means relating to; it is used to intr
7、oduce something else about the subject you are talking about. The expression is derived from French, and the final -s is silent in pronunciation.5 . but you must not allow it to usurp a disproportionate share of your interest. The sensuous plane is an important one in music . but it does not constit
8、ute the whole story. (Para 4)To usurp means to take a job or position that belongs to someone else without having the right to do this.The sentence you must not allow it to usurp a disproportionate share of your interest means dont let it take up a wrong amount of your interest.The expression it doe
9、s not constitute the whole story means there is more to it than this.6 Here, immediately, we tread on controversial ground. (Para 5)The expression we tread on controversial ground contains a metaphor: These are ideas that some people will probably disagree about or not approve of.7 Composers have a
10、way of shying away from any discussion of musics expressive side. (Para 5)To shy away from something means to avoid someone or be unwilling to do something because you are nervous, afraid or not confident.8 Is it pessimistically sad or resignedly sad; is it fatefully sad or smilingly sad? (Para 6)Th
11、e word resignedly means with resignation, accepting that something unpleasant must happen or that you cannot change it. The whole sentence gives nuances shades of meaning of different kinds of sadness: sadness which has a feeling of pessimism (things are bad and we cant change them easily), sadness
12、to which we may feel resigned we accept it, sadness that we feel is part of our fate we cant avoid it and it is part of our life, and sadness that also has humour, so we smile even though we feel sad.9 It is very important for all of us to become more alive to music on its sheerly musical plane. (Pa
13、ra 9)To become / be alive to something means to know that something is happening and realize how important it is.10 After all, an actual musical material is being used . He must hear the melodies, the rhythms, the harmonies, the tone colors in a more conscious fashion. (Para 9)The musical materials
14、refer to the elements of music, usually discussed under the headings of melody (the tune), rhythm (the effects of time or duration of the beats of music, the pulse), harmony (how the notes of music combine with each other in chords or sequences of notes), tone color (how the precise sound of notes c
15、an vary), and form (how the music is organized with all the elements and patterns of repetition and variation).11 Perhaps an analogy with what happens to us when we visit the theater will make this instinctive correlation clearer. (Para 11)An analogy is a comparison between two situations, processes
16、 etc, that is intended to show that the two are similar. That the two things are analogous means the same things are true of or relevant to both of them.Dealing with unfamiliar words4 Match the words in the box with their definitions.1 to make up or form something (constitute)2 happening or done at
17、the same time (simultaneously)3 able to do something because you have the knowledge, skill, or experience that is needed (qualified)4 a regular pattern of sounds in music that you can show by moving, hitting your hands together, or hitting a drum or other surface (rhythm)5 to receive or obtain somet
18、hing from something else (derive)6 someone who writes music, especially classical music (composer)7 as much as is needed (sufficiently)5 Complete the paragraph with the correct form of the words in Activity 4.Johann Sebastian Bach is possibly the greatest (1) composer the world has ever known. His W
19、ell-Tempered Clavichord (2) constitutes one of the most complete works for keyboard ever written. It is (3) simultaneously both a series of technical exercises which explore the possibilities of the keyboard, and a masterpiece of expressive feeling. Although he was a highly (4) qualified musician (a
20、s an organist and a choirmaster), he was not considered to be (5) sufficiently “modern” by the generation which followed him, and he was soon forgotten. But his music was rediscovered in the 19th century, for its perfect sense of (6) rhythm and harmony. Indeed, many of the great composers of the 20t
21、h century, such as Stravinsky, (7) derived a lot of their musical ideas from him.6 Replace the underlined words with the correct form of the words and expressions in the box. You may need to make other changes.1 Shh! Theyre about to announce the winner of this years International Piano Competition.
22、(proclaim)2 Its quite easy to make a comparison between poetry and music. (analogy)Its quite easy to make an analogy between poetry and music.3 We are amazed by her ability to express herself with great clearness and simplicity. (clarity)4 How many artists have given up everything for the cause of t
23、heir art? (for the sake of)5 Internet emerges as a powerful and effective force in advertising new products. (potent)6 I enjoyed the performance, but I thought the clothes the actors were wearing were a bit silly. (costumes)7 Answer the questions about the words and expressions.1 If you split someth
24、ing up, do you (a) divide it into parts, or (b) put the parts together?2 If you do something absent-mindedly, are you (a) thinking about what you are doing, or (b) thinking about something else?3 Do you look for consolation (a) after a piece of bad news, or (b) after a piece of good news?4 If you ar
25、e treading on controversial ground, are you (a) taking a risk, or (b) making everybody happy?5 If you shy away from something, do you (a) keep close to it, or (b) keep your distance from it?6 If you pin something down, are you (a) able to examine it carefully, or (b) unable to examine it carefully?7
26、 If you know the melody of a piece of music, are you familiar with (a) the tune, or (b) the meaning of the music?8 Is an instinctive reaction to something (a) automatic, or (b) one which follows a lot of thought?Reading and interpreting8 Work in pairs and choose the best answer to the questions.1 Wh
27、ich is the writers main purpose?(a) To show how complex listening to music is.(b) To get people to listen to music more.(c) To discourage some people from listening to music.(d) To get people to think about how they listen to music.2 Who does the writer address as you?(a) Musicians.(b) Theatregoers.
28、(c) Composers.(d) Intelligent music lovers.9 Check () the statements you agree with. 1 The analysis the writer makes is a fair and accurate one.Yes, I think this is a reasonable analysis of listening to music.2 He describes the sensuous listener in negative terms.He does mention some negative aspect
29、s of sensuous listening but he says several times that we listen in all three ways, so I dont think he is actually negative about this way. 3 He thinks all great music is expressive.He doesnt actually say this, but this seems to be his point of view.4 He thinks most listeners are not intelligent eno
30、ugh.No, he doesnt say this. He says most listeners are not conscious enough of the third plane, but that doesnt mean they arent intelligent. 5 He is probably a professional musician.I guess this is true because of his knowledge of Stravinsky and Bach, and his insights into the effective way of liste
31、ning to music. 6 He is probably a good teacher.I think so because of his way of explaining the three planes and because of the way he uses the analogy of the theatre, which non-musician might appreciate.Active reading (2)Language points1 We know his work includes paintings of religious and mythologi
32、cal themes, domestic interiors and landscapes. (Para 2)Domestic interiors are the inside of households with the rooms, furniture and decorations. Landscapes are paintings of an area of land, showing the scenery sometimes with people but the focus mostly on nature.2 While Griet goes about her duties,
33、 she attracts the attention not only of a butchers boy, Pieter, but also of the painter himself. (Para 6)To go about her duties means to do the work that she is supposed to do. Being on duty means to be working at the moment; being off duty means to be not working at the moment.3 Despite their diffe
34、rent backgrounds and class, he invites her into his studio and engages her in his world. (Para 6)To engage her in his world means to help her to take an interest, understand or take part in what he does.4 Vermeer recognizes Griet as having visual talent and artistic promise, and takes her on as his
35、studio assistant. (Para 7)The expression she has artistic promise means she shows the sign that she is likely to be successful as an artist in the future.5 Her role is to grind paints and develop the colours which Vermeer will use for his paintings .(Para 7)To grind paints means to break something i
36、nto very small pieces or powder by crushing it between two surfaces or using a machine. In Vermeers time, artists made their own paints by grinding up different colours and mixing the powder with water or other substances. This task was often done by an apprentice or assistant.6 Catharina has long b
37、een forbidden to enter the studio, so the apprenticeship takes place in secret. (Para 7)The apprenticeship refers to employment as an apprentice to work for someone, or a company, usually for low pay, in order to learn the type of work they do. In the 16th and 17th centuries, it was normal for peopl
38、e to learn how to be an artist by serving as an apprenticeship.7 The film shows very effectively the tension . for the portrait commissioned by his patron. (Para 12)To commission means to ask someone officially to do some work for you. Commissioning a work of art means asking the artist to produce a
39、 particular work of art in exchange for paymentDealing with unfamiliar words5 Match the words in the box with their definitions.1 someone who looks at a picture, photograph, or piece of art (viewer)2 a painting, drawing or photograph of someone, especially of their face only (portrait)3 relating to
40、peoples homes and family life (domestic)4 the inside part of something, especially a building or vehicle (interior)5 as a result (consequently)6 to start to employ someone or use their services (engage)7 to officially ask for a piece of work to be done for you (commission)6 Complete the paragraph wi
41、th the correct form of the words in Activity 5.In the beginning it was only the rich and famous who had their (1) portraits painted. But from the Renaissance onwards things changed. Firstly, the growing importance of the middle classes led many ordinary people to (2) commission paintings, often of m
42、embers of their family. Secondly, artists became interested in showing scenes of (3) domestic life, set in the (4) interiors of ordinary houses, and (5) consequently they began to (6) engage ordinary people, such as servant girls, as models. Part of the mystery for (7) viewers today concerns the ide
43、ntity of these models, in masterpieces such as LeonardosMona Lisa and Vermeers Girl with a Pearl Earring.Additional activity7 Replace the underlined words with the correct form of the words and expressions in the box.1 He changed his religion from Protestantism and became a Catholic. (converted)2 On
44、e of the assistants jobs was to break into a powder the paints. (grind)3 The newspaper started to change the fact so that it was no longer true ever since it existed, and the localgovernment was definitely one of the victims. (distort)4 You dont have to make a hole in your ears to be able to wear th
45、ese earrings. (pierce)5 The lives of artists have often been linked to shocking events and situations. (scandals)6 One of the most striking aspects of the painting is the turban she is wearing on her head. (features)7 Ill finish the painting this evening, so from now until then you can have a break.
46、 (in the meantime)8 Answer the questions about the words and expressions.1 Are exotic clothes likely to be (a) ordinary, or (b) unusual?2 Is a sitter someone who (a) is being painted, or (b) spends a lot of time sitting down?3 Is a conventional sense of beauty one which is (a) shared and understood
47、by most people, or (b) different from what is shared and understood by most people?4 Is an enigmatic expression one which is full of (a) good humour, or (b) mystery?5 If you have a volatile personality, do you get angry (a) quickly, or (b) only when you cant tolerate?6 If you are wary of something,
48、are you (a) excited about it, or (b) careful and nervous about it?7 If you show something explicitly, do you (a) make its meaning very clear so there is no doubt about it, or (b) leave its meaning unclear?8 If a woman tries to keep her modesty, does she (a) cover her hair and body to avoid any sexua
49、l feeling in men, or (b) talk and act with good grace?9 Is jealousy the feeling you get when you think someone you love (a) is attracted to somebody else, or (b) doesnt love you any more?Language in useword formation: compound nouns1 Form compound nouns to indicate:1 a writer of songs (songwriter)2 a director of films (film director)3 a scarf you wear around your head (headscarf)4 a pack you carry on your back (backpack)5 a stick you use to make your lips red (lipstick)6 a lace you use to tie up your shoe (shoelace)7 polish that you put on y
