基础英语轻松学：流行音乐——美国制造

文章作者 100test 发表时间 2007:09:15 12:28:42
来源 100Test.Com百考试题网

　　本课您将学到：down-to-earth（实际的），also known as句型，once解析

　　James Fenimore Cooper, an early American writer, once said, "The Americans are almost ignorant of（在……方面无知） the art of music." If that was once true, you would never know it today. Most Americans——even those without a musical bone in their bodies——have a favorite style of music. Many people enjoy classical（古典的） and folk（乡村的） music from around the world. But other popular music styles in America were "made in the U.S.A."

　　Country and western music lies close to the heart of many Americans. This style originated（发源） among country folks in the southern and western United States. Country music tells down-to-earth stories about love and lifes hardships. Guitars, banjos（五弦琴） and violins——also known as fiddles——give country music its characteristic（特有的） sound. The home of country music is Nashville, Tennessee——Music City U.S.A. Country music even has its own theme park（主题公园） called "Opryland" where you can enjoy music shows and fun rides. "The Grand Ole Opry," the oldest radio show in the United States, broadcasts country music live（现场的，实况的） from Opryland every weekend.

　　「读书笔记」

　　一位美国早期的作家柯柏（James Fenimore Cooper）曾说：“美国人对音乐艺术几乎可以说是相当的无知。”（The Americans are almost ignorant of the art of music）如果这话曾经是事实，今***绝不会这么认为了。大部份的美国人，甚至包括那些没有音乐细胞的人，（even those without a musical bone in their bodies）都有自己喜爱的音乐型态。许多人喜欢世界各国的古典音乐和民俗音乐，（classical and folk music from around the world）然而美国其它的流行音乐则是“美国制造”。（other popular music styles in America were "made in the U.S.A."）

　　乡村和西部音乐深得很多美国人的人心，（lies close to the heart of many Americans）这种型态的音乐起源于美国南部和西部的乡村小民们。（This style originated among country folks in the southern and western United States）乡村音乐传述着真实不加渲染的爱情故事和生活中的艰难。（tells down-to-earth stories about love and lifes hardships）吉他、五弦琴和小提琴（violin又名fiddle）可弹奏出乡村音乐的特殊音色。乡村音乐的发源地（The home of country music）是田纳西州的纳许维尔市——美国的音乐城市。而乡村音乐甚至还有它自己的主题乐园（theme park）——Opryland呢！在那儿你可以享受音乐表演以及好玩的游乐设施。（music shows and fun rides）美国最老牌的广播节目“The Grand Ole Opry”每个周末都实况播放Opryland的音乐。（broadcasts country music live from Opryland）

　　Down-to-earth这个习语，从字面上看是“返回地球”的意思，从幻想的空间回到真实的土地，也就可以理解为“脚踏实地的”意思，对吗？来看看例子：

　　Her ideas to the boutique are always very down-to-earth.
　　她对于这个精品店的设想总是很切合实际。

　　The committees plans for the village are anything but down-to-earth.
　　委员会对该村所做的计划一点也不切合实际。

　　「句型留言板」

　　今天的句型是also known as“也被称作……”

　　许多事物都有不只一个名称，所以这个句型会经常出现，来看两个例子：

　　Mid-Autumn Festival is also known as “Harvest Festival”, which is one of the most well known Chinese Festival.
　　中秋节，也被称为是收获的节日。是我国最为重要的节日之一。

　　Chinese New Year, also known as Chun Jie （"Spring Festival） in Mandarin, is the biggest and most celebrated holiday in the majority of Asian countries （except Japan）.
　　中国新年，中国话叫“春节”，是大部分亚洲国家最盛大的节日。（日本除外）

　　「语法小教室」

　　Once这个词，意思很多，用途广泛，今天的语法教室要给大家介绍常见的用法。

　　它可以表示“一次”，也就是说if something happens once, it happens only one time.看看例子：

　　Ive been out with him once, thats all.
　　我只和他出去过一次，就这样。

　　I have never forgotten her, though I saw her only once.
　　我只见过她一次，却从没忘记过她。

　　在表示“一次”的时候，once通常放在句尾。

　　今天的文章里，用到的once意思是something happened in the past，但时间上不确定。比如：

　　I once investigated this story and it seems to be wholly untrue.
　　我曾调查过这个传闻，看来它似乎一点都不真实。

　　这时，once通常放在动词前面，或者句首。

　　有时候，有些曾经是“事实”的情况现在发生了变化，也用once来表达，比如：

　　He had once been a big star but now he was finished.
　　他曾是个大明星，但现在完蛋了。

　　这时，once放在be或助词后面，有时还放在句尾。

　　讲了这么多，下面来做点练习，请你试着翻译句中的once：

　　1.These carvings were once brightly colored.
　　2.This is kind of thing certainly, but only once in the lifetime.
　　3.There was once a great actor who could no longer remember his lines.
　　4.He once knew her, but they are no longer friends.