1、選修 6 Un it 1 Art -Readi ngA SHORT HISTORY OF WESTERN PAINTINGArt is in flue need by the customs and faith of a people. Styles in Western art have eha nged many times. As there are so many differe nt styles of Western art, it would be impossible to describe all of them in such a short text. Con seque

2、 ntly, this text will describe only the most important ones, starting from the sixth century AD.The Middle Ages (5th to the 15th cen tury AD)During the Middle Ages, the main aim of painters was to represent religious themes. A conventional artist of this period was not interested in showing nature a

3、nd people as they really were. A typical picture at this time was full of religious symbols, which created feeling of respect and love for God. But it was evident that ideas were cha nging in the 13th cen tury whe n pain ters like Giotto di Bondone bega n to paint religious sce nes in a more realist

4、ic way.The Ren aissa nee (15th to 16th cen tury)During the Ren aissa nee, new ideas and values graduallv replaced those held in the Middle began to concentrate less on religious themes and adopt a more humanistic attitude to life. At the same time painters returned to classical Roman and Greek ideas

5、 about art. They tried to paint people and n ature as they really were. Rich people wan ted to possesstheir own pain ti ngs, so they could decorate their superb palaces and great houses. They paid famous artists to paint pictures of themselves, their houses and possessi ons as well as their activiti

6、es and achieveme nts.One of the most importa nt discoveries duri ng this period was how to draw things in perspective. This technique was first used by Masaccio in 1428. When people first saw his pain ti ngs, they were convin ced that they were look ing through a hole in a wall at a real sce ne. If

7、the roles of perspective had not bee n discovered, no one would have bee n able to paint such realistic pictures. By coin cide nee, oil paints were also developed at this time, which made the colours used in paintings look richer and deeper. Without the new paints and the new tech niq ue, we would n

8、ot be able to see the many great masterpieces for which this period is famous.Impressio nism (late 19th to early 20th een tury)In the late 19th century, Europe changed a great deal. from a mostly agricultural society to a mostly in dustrial one. Many people moved from the eoun tryside to the new cit

9、ies. There were many new inven ti ons and social cha nges. Naturally, these changes also led to new painting styles. Among the painters who broke away from the traditional style of painting were the Impressionists, who lived and worked in Paris.The Impressio nists were the first pain ters to work ou

10、tdoors. They were eager to show how light and shadow fell on objects at different times of day. However, because natural light changes so quickly, the Impressionists had to paint quickly. Their paintings were not as detailed as those of earlier pain ters. At first, many people disliked this style of

11、 painting and became very angr about it. They said that the pain ters were careless and their paintings were ridiculous.Modern Art (20th cen tury to today)At the time they were created, the Impressi onist paintings were con troversial, but today they are accepted as the beg inning of what we call &q

12、uot;modem art". This is becausethe Impressionists encouraged artists to look at their environment in new ways. There are scores of modern art styles, but without the Impressionists, many of these painting styles might not exist. On the one hand, some modem art is abstract; that is, the pain ter

13、 does not attempt to paint objects as we see them with our eyes, but in stead concen trates on certa in qualities of the object, using colour, li ne and shape to represent them. On the other hand, some paintings of modern art are so realistic that they look like photographs. These styles are so diff

14、erent. Who can predict what painting styles there will be in the future?THE BEST OF MANHATTANS ART GALLERIESThe Frick Collectio n (5th Ave nue and E.70th Street)Many art lovers would rather visit this small art gallery than any other in New York. Henry Clay Frick, a rich New Yorker, died in 1919, le

15、av ing his house, furniture and art collection to the American people. Frick had a preference for pre-twentieth century Western paintings, and these are well -represented in this excelle nt collect ion. You can also explore Frick's beautiful home and garde n which are well worth a Visit.Gugge nh

16、eim Museum(5th Ave nue and 88th Street)This museum owns 5,000 superb modern paintings, sculptures and draw in gs. These art works are not all displayed at the same time. The exhibiti on is always changing. It will appeal to those who love Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings. The Guggenhei

17、m Museum building is also world-famous. When you walk into gallery, you feel as if you were in side a fragile, white seashell. The best way to see the paintings is to start from the top floor and walk down to the bottom. There are no stairs just a circular path. Themuseum also has an excelle nt rest

18、aura nt.Metropolita n Museum of Art (5th Ave nue and 82nd Street)The reputation of this museum lies in the variety of its art collection. This covers more than 5,000 years of civilization from many parts of the world, including America, Europe, China, Egypt, other African countries and South America

19、. The museum displays more tha n just the visual delights of art. It in troduces you to ancient ways of living. You can visit an Egyptian temple, a fragrant Ming garden, a typical room in an 18th cen tury French house and many other special exhibiti ons.Museum of Modern Art (53 rd Street, between 5t

20、h and 6th Ave nues)It is amazing that so many great works of art from the late 19th century to the 21st century are housed in the same museum. The collection of Western art includes paintings by such famous artists as Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso and Matisse. A few words of warning: the admissi on price

21、 is not cheap and the museum is ofte n very crowded.Whit ney Museum of America n Art (945 Madis on Ave nue, n ear 75th Street)The Whit ney holds an excelle nt collecti on of con temporary America n painting and sculpture. There are no permanent displays in this museum and exhibitions change all the

22、time. Every two years, the Whitney holds a special exhibiti on of new art by liv ing artists. The museum also shows videos and films by con temporary video artists.選修 6 Unit 2 Poems-ReadingA FEW SIMPLE FORMS OF ENGLISH POEMSThere are various reas ons why people write poetry. Some poems tell a story

23、or describe somethi ng in a way that will give the reader a strong impressi on. Others try to con vey certa in emoti ons. Poets use many differe nt forms of poetry to express themselves. In this text, however, we will look at a few of the simpler forms.Some of the first poetry a young child lear ns

24、in En glish is nu rsery rhymes. These rhymes like the one on the right (A) are still a com mon type of childre n's poetry. The Ian guage is con crete but imag in ative, and they delight small childre n because they rhyme, have strong rhythm and a lot of repetition. The poems may not make sense a

25、nd eve n seem con tradictory, but they are easy to lear n and recite. By play ing with the words in nu rsery rhymes, childre n lear n about la nguage.A Hush, little baby, don't say a word, Papa's going to buy you a mock in gbird. If that mockingbird won't sing, Papa's going to buy yo

26、u a diamond ring. If that diamond ring turns to brass, Papa's going to buy you a looking-glass. If that looking -glass gets broke, Papa's going to buy you a billy-goat. If that billy -goat runs away, Papa's going to buy you another today.One of the simplest kinds of poems are those like

27、B and C that list things. List poems have a flexible line length and repeated phrases which give both a pattern and a rhythm to the poem. Some rhyme (like B) while others do not (like C). BI saw a fish-portal all on fireI saw a fish-pond all on fire,I saw a house bow to a squire,I saw a person twelv

28、e-feet high,I saw a cottage in the sky,I saw a balloon made of lead,I saw a coffin drop down dead,I saw two sparrows run a race, I saw two horses making lace, I saw g girl just like a cat, I saw a kitten wear a hat, I saw a man who saw these too,And said though strange they all were true.C Our first

29、 football match We would have won .if Jack had scored that goal,if we'd had just a few more minutes,if we had trained harder,if Ben had passed the ball to Joe,if we'd had thousands of fans screaming,if I hadn't taken my eye off the ball,if we hadn't stayed up so late the night before

30、,if we hadn't taken it easy, if we hadn't run out of energy.We would have won . if we'd been better!Another simple form of poem that students can easily write is the cinquain, a poem made up of five lines. With these, students can convey a strong picture in just a few words. Look at the

31、examples (D and E) on the top of the next page.D Brother Beautiful, athletic Teasing, shouting, laughing Friend and enemy too MineESummer Sleepy, salty Drying, drooping, dreading Week in, week out EndlessFA fallen blossom Is coming back to the branch. Look, a butterfly!( by Moritake) GSnow having me

32、lted, The whole village is brimful Of happy children.(by Issa)Haiku is a Japa nese form of poetry that is made up of 17 syllables. It is not a traditional form of English poetry, but is very popular with English writers. It is easy to write and, like the cinquain , can give a clear picture and creat

33、e a special feeling using the minimum of words. The two haiku poems (F and G) above are tran slatio ns from the Japa nese.H Where she awaits her husband On and on the river flows. Never looking back,Tra nsformed into by day upon the mou ntai n top,wi nd and rain the traveller retur n,this stone woul

34、d utter speech.,(by Wang Jia n)Did you know that English speakers also enjoy other forms of Asian poetry -Tang poems from Chi na in particular? A lot of Tang poetry has bee n tran slated into English. This Tang poem (H) is a translation from the Chinese.With so many different forms of poetry to choo

35、se from, students may eve ntually want to write poems of their own .It is easier tha n you might th ink and certa inly worth a try!I'VE SAVED THE SUMMERrve saved the summerAnd I give it all to youTo hold on win ter morningsWhe n the snow is n ew.rve saved some sun lightIf you should ever n eedA

36、place away from dark ness Where your mind can feed.And for myselfve kept your smile Whe n you were but nin etee n, Till you're older you'll not know What brave young smiles can mean.I know no an swersTo help you on your wayThe an swers lie somewhereAt the bottom of the day.But if you've

37、a n eed for love ril give you all l ownIt might help you dow n the roadTill you've found your own.(by Rod McKue n)選修 6 Unit 3 A healthy life -ReadingADVICE FROM GRANDADDear James,It is a beautiful day here and I am sitting under the big tree at the end of the garden. I have just returned from a

38、long bike ride to an old castle. It seems amazing that at my age I am still fit eno ugh to cycle 20 kilometres in an after noon. It's my birthday in two weeks time and I'll be 82 years old! I think my long and active life must be due to the healthy life I live.This brings me to the real reas

39、on for my letter, my dear grandson. Your mother tells me that you started smoking some time ago and now you are finding it difficult to give it up. Believe me, I know how easy it is to begin smoking and how tough it is to stop. You see, duri ng adolesce nee I also smoked and became addicted to cigar

40、ettes. By the way, did you know that this is because you become addicted in three different ways? First, you can become physically addicted to nicotine, which is one of the hundreds of chemicals in cigarettes. This means that after a while your body becomes accustomed to having nicotine in it. So wh

41、en the drug leaves your body, you get withdrawal symptoms. I remember feeling bad-tempered and sometimes even in pain. Secon dly, you become addicted through habit. As you kno w, if you do the same thing over and over aga in, you beg in to do it automatically. Lastly, you can become men tally addict

42、ed. I believed I was happier and more relaxed after hav ing a cigarette, so I bega n to think that I could only feel good whe n I smoked. I was addicted in all three ways, so it was very difficult to quit. But I did fin ally man age.Whe n I was youn g, I did n't know much about the harmful effec

43、ts of smok in g. I did n't know, for example, that it could do terrible damage to your heart and lungs or that it was more difficult for smok ing couples to become preg nan t. I certa inly did n't know their babies may have a smaller birth weight or even be abnormal in some way. Neither did

44、I know that my cigarette smoke could affect the health of non -smokers. However, what I did know was that my girlfriend thought I smelt terrible. She said my breath and clothes smelt, and that the ends of my fin gers were tur ning yellow. She told me that she would n't go out with me aga in uni

45、ess I stopped! I also no ticed that I became breathless quickly, and that I wasn't enjoying sport as much. Whe n I was taken off the school football team becauseI was unfit, I knew it was time to quit smok ing.I am sending you some advice I found on the Intern et. It might help you to stop and s

46、tre ngthe n your resolve. I do hope so because I want you to live as long and healthy a life as I have.Love fromGran dadReadi ng and discuss ingBefore you read the poster below, discuss what you know about HIV/AIDS with your classmates. Make a list of words that you might come across in this poster.

47、 HIV/AIDS:ARE YOU AT RISK?HIV is a virus. A virus is a very small living thing that causes disease. There are many different viruses, for example, the flu virus or the SARS virus. HIV weakens a person's immune system; that is, the part of the body that fights disease. You can have HIV in your bl

48、ood for a long time, but eventually HIV will damage your immune system so much that you body can no Ion ger fight disease. This stage of the illness is called AIDS. If you develop AIDS, your chances of survival are very small.HIV is spread through blood or the fluid that the body makes duri ng sex.

49、For a person to become infected, blood or sexual fluid that carries the virus, has to get in side the body through broke n ski n or by in jecti on. One day scie ntists will find a cure for HIV/AIDS.Un til that happe ns, you n eed to protect yourself. Here are some thi ngs you can do to make sure you

50、 stay safe.If you inject drugs: do not share your n eedle with anyone else. Blood from ano ther pers on can stay on or in the needle. If a person has HIV and you use the same needle, you could inject the virus into your own blood.do not share anything else that a pers on has used while inject ing co

51、uld have spilt on it.If you have sex with a male or a female:use a con dom. This will preve nt sexual fluid pass ing from one pers on to ano ther. The followi ng stateme nts are NOT true.A person cannot get HIV the first time they have . If one sexual partner has HIV, the other part ner could become

52、 in fected.You can tell by look ing at some one whether or not they have HIV .WRONG. Many people carrying HIV look perfectly healthy. It is only when the disease has progressed to AIDS that a pers on beg ins to look sick.Only homosexuals get AIDS.WRONG. Anyone who has sex with a pers on in fected wi

53、th H1V/AIDS risks getting the virus. Women are slightly more likely to become in fected tha n men.If you hug, touch or kiss some one with AIDS or visit them in their home, you will get HIV/ can only get the disease from blood or sexual , people with HIV sometimes lose their frie nds because of peopl

54、e are afraid that they will get HIV/AIDS from those infected with HIV!AIDS. For the same reason, some AIDS patients cannot find anyone to look after them whe n they are sick.You can get HIV/AIDS from . There is no evidence of this.選修 6 Unit 4 Global warming -ReadingTHE EARTH IS BECOMING WARMER -BUT

55、DOES IT MATTER?During the 20th cen tury the temperature of the earth rose about one degree Fahre nheit. That probably does not seem much to you or me, but it is a rapid in crease whe n compared to other n atural cha nges.So how has this come about and does it matter? Earth Care ' s Sophie Armstr

56、ong explores these questions.There is no doubt that the earth is beco ming warmer (see Graph 1) and that it is huma n activity that has caused this global warm ing rather tha n a ran dom but n atural phe nomenon.All scie ntists subscribe to the view that the in crease in the earth's temperature

57、is due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, natural gas and oil to produce energy. Some byproducts of this processare called "greenhouse" gases,the most important one of which is carb on dioxide. Dr Janice Foster expla in s: "There is a n atural phe nomenon that scie ntists call

58、the 'gree nhouse effect'. This is whe n small amounts of gases in the atmosphere, like carb on dioxide, metha ne and water vapour, trap heat from the sun and therefore warm the earth. Without the 'gree nhouse effect', the earth would be about thirty-three degrees Celsius cooler tha n

59、 it is. So, we n eed those gases. The problem beg ins whe n we add huge qua ntities of extra carb on dioxide into the atmosphere .It means that more heat en ergy tends to be trapped in the atmosphere caus ing the global temperature to go up."We know that the levels of carb on dioxide have in creased greatly over the last 100 to 150 years. It was a scientist called Charles Keeling, who made accurate measureme nts of the amount of carb on dioxide in the atmosphere from 1957 to 1997. He found that betwee n these years the carb on dioxide in the atmosphere wen