【英语趣味课堂】在美术馆-At the Gallery

 Ruth: Oh, hello there. Can I help you?

 

Akane: Hi, I'm just looking at some of your paintings here. You have a really nice store here.

 

Ruth: Yes that's right, we do don't we? We have some really nice paintings in here.

 

Akane: I think I really like this one. Can you tell me a bit about it?

 

Ruth: Certainly, yes. Now that one's actually by a local painter. His name's John Mansfield and he's been painting since he was 14 actually, although he died in 1999 so he painted for about 53 years in total. I really like that one myself actually.

 

Akane: So he died? That means¹ that there aren't many of his paintings left.

 

Ruth: That's right, yes. I mean most of his paintings are one-offs and this one is a one-off.

 

Akane: Oh, OK. Well I especially like the colours of this one. I like how it's bright and it looks really nice and I like how it depicts³ the local landscape.

 

Ruth: Yes, that's true. It is really nice isn't it? Actually this is a picture of a local walking route⁴ which is quite famous and quite popular with hikers. A lot of people go there on walks particularly at the weekend. And if you look on the left hand side there, that tree is the oldest tree in the area.

 

Akane: Oh, is that right? Have you ever been to this place?

 

Ruth: Yes I've been there quite often actually and it looks very much like this in the spring.

 

Akane: Well if John Mansfield is a local painter, have you ever met him when he was alive?

 

Ruth: Yes, he often use to come into this shop. He was a very devoted⁵ painter and he really enjoyed buying paintings by different painters in the area.

 

Akane: Really? Well that sounds really interesting. How much is this painting?

 

Ruth: That one's actually a hundred and eighty pounds.

 

Akane: Wow! 180 pounds!

 

Ruth: Yes I'm afraid so.

 

Akane: Well that's a bit beyond my budget. Would you be able to give it to me for 100 pounds?

 

Ruth: Mm, I think a hundred is too cheap.

 

Akane: Well let's see. This other painting looks quite nice too. How about if I buy both of them? Would you be able to give it to me for maybe 250 pounds?

 

Ruth: Why don't we say three hundred and you've got yourself a deal.

 

Akane: Three hundred? That sounds good. Thanks a lot. I'll take it.

 

Ruth: OK then.

 

Akane: Great!

 

学习内容：

 

one-off

 

Most of his paintings are one-offs, and this one is a one-off. 

 

Used like this, 'one-off' refers to something that is made only once. There are no copies made of it. Notice the following:

 

He is very particular about the fact that he wants all of his photographs to be one-offs.

The coolest thing about buying clothes here is that they are all one-offs.

depicts

 

I like how this one depicts the local landscape. 

 

A painting that 'depicts' the local landscape represents⁶ it or show images of it. Notice the following:

 

His most famous painting depicts a young mother holding her baby.

I think these photographs really depict² what life is like in the city.

local walking route

 

This is a picture of a local walking route which is quite popular with hikers. 

 

A 'local walking route' is an unpaved trail⁷ that is used for walking around in nature. Notice the following:

 

One of the best things about this house is how close it is to the local walking route.

My favorite place to run around here is the local walking route.

beyond my budget

 

Well, a hundred and eighty pounds is a bit beyond my budget. 

 

Something that is 'beyond your budget' is too expensive for you to pay. Notice the following:

 

He lives a style of life that is beyond his budget.

All of the things in this store are just a little beyond my budget.

got yourself a deal

 

Why don't we say three hundred and you've got yourself a deal? 

 

When you are negotiating⁸ prices with someone and they tell you that 'you've got yourself a deal,' it means that they agree with the price that you have stated. Notice the following:

 

I was actually quite surprised when he told me that I had myself a deal.

If you can lower⁹ your price $10 more, you've got yourself a deal.

1 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

2 depict   

vt.描画，描绘；描写，描述

参考例句：

• I don't care to see plays or films that depict murders or violence.我不喜欢看描写谋杀或暴力的戏剧或电影。
• Children's books often depict farmyard animals as gentle,lovable creatures.儿童图书常常把农场的动物描写得温和而可爱。

3 depicts   

描绘，描画( depict的第三人称单数 )； 描述

参考例句：

• The book vividly depicts French society of the 1930s. 这本书生动地描绘了20 世纪30 年代的法国社会。
• He depicts the sordid and vulgar sides of life exclusively. 他只描写人生肮脏和庸俗的一面。

4 route   

n.路径，途径，路线；vt.确定路线，按规定路线发送

参考例句：

• On the way home, we took an indirect route.回家的路上，我们绕了一个大圈。
• The plane did not fly the usual commercial route.飞机没有沿通常的商业航线飞。

5 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

6 Represents   

v.表现( represent的第三人称单数 )；代表；体现；作为…的代表

参考例句：

• This represents a volte-face in government thinking. 这代表着政府观点的彻底转变。
• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history. 俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 trail   

n.踪迹，痕迹，一串，尾部，小径，尾，持枪姿势；vt.拖，尾随，追踪，落后于

参考例句：

• The car raised a trail of dust.汽车掀起了一股尘土。
• The hound found the trail of the rabbit.猎狗发现了兔子的踪迹。

8 negotiating   

n. 谈判 动词negotiate的现在分词

参考例句：

• They were coerced into negotiating a settlement. 他们被迫通过谈判解决。
• We want to get all the parties back to the negotiating table. 我们想把有关各方拉回到谈判桌上来。

9 lower   

adj.较低的；地位较低的，低等的；低年级的；下游的；vt.放下，降下，放低；减低

参考例句：

• Society is divided into upper,middle and lower classes.社会分为上层、中层和下层阶级。
• This price is his minimum;he refuses to lower it any further.这个价格是他开的最低价，他拒绝再作任何降价。