Modern Living

Modern Living

The Seans' Caged House

Sean (husband): When an architect designs a house for themselves and their family, they have to attempt to 1)accommodate those,  needs of the family. That's that's one level, but also when you're doing a building for yourself you A have the freedom and B have the desire to, make the house a 2)statement about where you're at.

Australia is part of the Asian region and in that sense the house is very much a 3)hybrid² of eastern and western ideals. And it's one, one space that's divided by sliding screens.

Emily(wife): On a very 4)pragmatic level I think the building supports a child brilliantly and it's a very low 5)maintenance building, the materials used were chosen specifically for their ability to take hard knocks. I mean the way we live our lives we did not want to come home and devote time to cleaning. So on that level it functions brilliantly. On a far more child like level, Jack³ loves the house because it also supports the way he plays and the way he likes to live. He loves his room, which he sees as a little 6)cubbyhole. He also loves the racetrack 7)perimeter⁴.

Sean: The 8)mesh⁵ provides in summer from about November to March, it provides sun, sun shading, so it was a cheap and pragmatic way of screening the building from direct 9)solar radiation. During the course of the day in winter it's light filled and warm and friendly. In summer the light's not allowed to enter. And and the thing that brings this building to life in that sense is that it is, that the screens catch the light constantly. The back wall is, is almost a 10)picturesque⁶ device. The back wall is deep and rich and earthy, it's rusted⁸ steel.

Emily: My father would walk in here and, we called him a 11)heathen, a total heathen, and will ask us why the hell we haven't bothered to paint this end wall yet, which we find very amusing and laugh it off and we'll tell him that it was a process, a lengthy⁹ process of installing sheets of steel, and using Jack's super-soaker, a big water pistol, a glorified¹⁰ water pistol, filling it with a mix of acid and water and spraying it onto the surface to create this beautiful, beautiful rust⁷ affect. And, straight after doing that the down side was we had to hide the super soaker from Jack because it was full of acid. There's nothing in here that's precious that we sort of 12)cringe when a child enters the building and think oh my God they're going to smear¹¹ their chocolate or 13)Vegemite all over the surfaces. Everything in here was chosen specifically to support a busy lifestyle.

Sean: The main living space is very flexible, there's a, there's an informality about this house which makes it very easy, while, so many, people aspire¹² to a 14)pristine¹³ perfect floor that requires total care. This floor is, is deliberately¹⁴ aged¹, um, deep and 15)battered and it's supposed to feel like it's the ground.

Emily: And I think fundamentals of getting the floor looking this way was letting the builder build on the floor...

Sean: Yeah.

Emily: So he could drop his tools, we used a utility grade timber, that by most standards probably wouldn't be used in a project of this kind and it was then when the building was complete washed with an acid, to sort of bleach¹⁶ it further and then finally coat it in tull oil.

Sean: Um, the kitchen table the 16)elongated seven metre table is, what I describe is the alter of the family in, in the history of the Australian household. And I think it's very important that we respond to our climate, so I put a fine mist spray 17)sprinkler system underneath¹⁸ the house where the air's cool. Um, when you turn that on and the native grasses on the front become 18)saturated¹⁹, then the prevailing²⁰ wind blows over that underneath the house and up through floor vents²¹ at the eastern end of the building.

Emily: We work in design; we eat, sleep, live design. So in the end, this had to be a statement about what Sean did.

Sean: This house is very much about a 19)proposition for Australian architecture rather than a critique about it and um by that I mean it attempts to 20)speculate on where we're headed as a society.

Emily: Yeah, I pretty much gave Sean free reign²² and I'd have to say I'm happy I did.

Embryo²³ Chair by Mature Talent

The 21)embryo chair is the other worldly child of the Australian born designer Marc Newson, who gave birth to it in 1988. Its steel tubed skeleton supports an injection molded foam²⁴ body and wool on 22)neoprene cover. Its colours are derived²⁵ from those of wetsuits worn by surfers on Sydney beaches. Its name suggests it'S immature²⁶ but it has stood the test of time, as has Newson, who started out designing watches and now works in London with the likes of Lessee²⁷ proving there is nothing embryonic²⁸ about his talent.

注释：
1) accommodate [E5kCmEdeit] v. 使适应，调和
2) statement [5steitmEnt] n. 声明，陈述
3) hybrid [5haibrid] n. 混血儿，混合物
4) pragmatic [prA^5mAtik] a. 实际的，注重实效的
5) maintenance [5meintinEns] n. 生活费用，抚养
6) cubbyhole [5kQbIhEJl] n. 舒适的地方
7) perimeter [pE5rimitE] n. 周长，周界
8) mesh [meF] n. 网孔，网丝
9) solar radiation 太阳辐射
10) picturesque [7piktFE5resk] a. 独特的
11) heathen [5hi:TEn] n. 粗野的人
12) cringe [krindV] v. 畏缩，奉承
13) Vegemite  澳大利亚特有的一种果酱
14) pristine [pristain] a. 崭新的，纯洁的
15) batter¹⁵ [bAtE] v. 打坏，猛击
16) elongate¹⁷ [5i:lCN^eit] v. 拉长，伸长
17) sprinkler [5spriNklE] n. 洒水装置
18) saturated [5sAtFEreitid] a. 渗透的，饱和的
19) proposition [7prCpE5ziFEn] n. 主张，建议
20) speculate [5spekju7leit] v. 推测，思索
21) embryo [5embriEu] n. 胚胎，胚芽
22) neoprene [5ni(:)Eupri:n] n. 氯丁橡胶

现代生活

肖恩一家“笼”中住

肖恩(丈夫) ：建筑师为自己及家人设计房子时总得切合家人的需要。这是一个方面，而且当你为自己造房子时，你有自由也有欲望，将这所房子建造成是对你自己生活状况的一种阐述。
澳大利亚在亚洲区域内，从那种意义上来说，这房子极具东西方意念糅合的特色。它是一个由多道滑动屏风所分隔的空间。

艾米莉(妻子)∶从实用性来讲，我觉得建筑极好地满足了孩子的需要。房子耗资极少，选料专用受撞击性能强的。我希望家人享受人生，不用回家花时间搞清洁。这一方面，房子十分配合。从孩子方面更深入地说，我儿子杰克很喜欢这所房子，因为房子与他生活和玩耍的习惯相配。他爱自己的房间，那在他看来是个小安乐窝，他也极喜欢屋子的宽阔，常常跑来跑去。

肖恩∶夏天11月至3月，屋顶的筛网让阳光直接穿透，提供日照和日影，这种方法使楼层能避免直接的太阳辐射，既便宜又实用。冬天，阳光充满室内，温暖舒适。夏季，阳光就进不来 了。全靠那些屏风不停地吸收光线——正因此房子充满了生机。后墙设计十分独特，深、厚，而且泥迹斑斑，那都是生满锈的铁。

艾米莉：我爸爸常走进这里，他真是个粗人，一个不折不扣的粗人，他会问我们，该死的，干吗还不花些功夫去刷刷这堵后墙。听到这话，我们觉得十分有趣，并且一笑了之，然后跟他说，这堵墙经过处理，经过一个很长的处理过程:装钢板，然后用杰克的超级吸水器——一支大水枪，一支深得我们满意的水枪——装满酸和水的溶液，喷在上面才产生了这种美丽的锈迹斑斑的效果的。之后呢，我们要做的就是把水枪藏起来，免得杰克看见，因为它已经沾满了酸液。住在这里最为珍贵，让我们感到备受奉承的莫过于当小朋友走进来然后想：“天啊，他们想在所有地方都涂满巧克力或者澳大利亚涂酱。”这里的所有家具都为繁忙的生活而设。

肖恩：客厅的空间非常灵活，自然舒适。很多人喜欢地板新净而完美，那就要多加爱护。而我们却特意用旧的，凹的并且被砸过的，这让人觉得有地面的感觉。

艾米莉：我认为这种地板是为建筑工人而设的，他们在地板上工作……

肖恩：对。

艾米莉：工具掉到地上也没问题。我们选用实用的高级木材，但按一般标准来说，这样的建筑很可能不会采用。房子完工后，我们全部用酸液漂洗，最后全部上油。

肖恩：厨房的餐桌长七米，我把它形容为澳大利亚人家族史上的家庭圣桌。我觉得配合这里的气候很重要，因此我装了一个小喷雾洒水器在房子下面为前面的草地洒水。那里的空气很凉，打开喷雾器时，草地便得到滋润，而屋下的风会透过房子东边地板的通风孔吹上来。

艾米莉：我们干设计这一行，我们吃，睡，活在设计中。因此，最后这房子便是肖恩所做一切的代言。

肖恩：这所房子很大程度上是对澳大利亚建筑业的一种建议而非批评，同时我想以之尝试对社会中我们引领的层次进行思索。

艾米莉：对，我让肖恩随意发挥并以之为快乐。

成熟才华，“胚胎”椅

胚胎椅是天才设计师马克·纽森的另一个存世杰作，这位设计师生于澳大利亚，而胚胎椅于1988年出自其手。钢管架构撑起填充式的泡沫椅身，氯丁盖面以羊毛包裹。椅子的颜色灵感来自悉尼海边冲浪手所穿的泳衣。“胚胎椅”意为未成熟，但却如其设计者一样经得起时间的考验。纽森一开始时设计钟表，现在伦敦与Lessee的同行一起展现其成熟的才华。

1 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

2 hybrid   

n.(动，植）杂种，混合物

参考例句：

• That is a hybrid perpetual rose.那是一株杂交的四季开花的蔷薇。
• The hybrid was tall,handsome,and intelligent.那混血儿高大、英俊、又聪明。

3 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

4 perimeter   

n.周边，周长，周界

参考例句：

• The river marks the eastern perimeter of our land.这条河标示我们的土地东面的边界。
• Drinks in hands,they wandered around the perimeter of the ball field.他们手里拿着饮料在球场周围漫不经心地遛跶。

5 mesh   

n.网孔，网丝，陷阱；vt.以网捕捉，啮合，匹配；vi.适合； [计算机]网络

参考例句：

• Their characters just don't mesh.他们的性格就是合不来。
• This is the net having half inch mesh.这是有半英寸网眼的网。

6 picturesque   

adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的

参考例句：

• You can see the picturesque shores beside the river.在河边你可以看到景色如画的两岸。
• That was a picturesque phrase.那是一个形象化的说法。

7 rust   

n.锈；v.生锈；(脑子)衰退

参考例句：

• She scraped the rust off the kitchen knife.她擦掉了菜刀上的锈。
• The rain will rust the iron roof.雨水会使铁皮屋顶生锈。

8 rusted   

v.（使）生锈( rust的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• I can't get these screws out; they've rusted in. 我无法取出这些螺丝，它们都锈住了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• My bike has rusted and needs oil. 我的自行车生锈了，需要上油。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• 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。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。

10 glorified   

美其名的，变荣耀的

参考例句：

• The restaurant was no more than a glorified fast-food cafe. 这地方美其名曰餐馆，其实只不过是个快餐店而已。
• The author glorified the life of the peasants. 那个作者赞美了农民的生活。

11 smear   

v.涂抹；诽谤，玷污；n.污点；诽谤，污蔑

参考例句：

• He has been spreading false stories in an attempt to smear us.他一直在散布谎言企图诽谤我们。
• There's a smear on your shirt.你衬衫上有个污点。

12 aspire   

vi.(to，after)渴望，追求，有志于

参考例句：

• Living together with you is what I aspire toward in my life.和你一起生活是我一生最大的愿望。
• I aspire to be an innovator not a follower.我迫切希望能变成个开创者而不是跟随者。

13 pristine   

adj.原来的，古时的，原始的，纯净的，无垢的

参考例句：

• He wiped his fingers on his pristine handkerchief.他用他那块洁净的手帕擦手指。
• He wasn't about to blemish that pristine record.他本不想去玷污那清白的过去。

14 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

15 batter   

v.接连重击；磨损；n.牛奶面糊；击球员

参考例句：

• The batter skied to the center fielder.击球手打出一个高飞球到中外野手。
• Put a small quantity of sugar into the batter.在面糊里放少量的糖。

16 bleach   

vt.使漂白；vi.变白；n.漂白剂

参考例句：

• These products don't bleach the hair.这些产品不会使头发变白。
• Did you bleach this tablecloth?你把这块桌布漂白了吗？

17 elongate   

v.拉长，伸长，延长

参考例句：

• We plan to elongate the cooperation with that company in Australia.我们打算延长与澳洲那家公司的合作关系。
• Corn is treated when the stalk starts to elongate.在玉米秆开始拔节时，给玉米打药。

18 underneath   

adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面

参考例句：

• Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
• She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

19 saturated   

a.饱和的，充满的

参考例句：

• The continuous rain had saturated the soil. 连绵不断的雨把土地淋了个透。
• a saturated solution of sodium chloride 氯化钠饱和溶液

20 prevailing   

adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的

参考例句：

• She wears a fashionable hair style prevailing in the city.她的发型是这个城市流行的款式。
• This reflects attitudes and values prevailing in society.这反映了社会上盛行的态度和价值观。

21 vents   

（气体、液体等进出的）孔、口( vent的名词复数 )； （鸟、鱼、爬行动物或小哺乳动物的）肛门； 大衣等的)衩口； 开衩

参考例句：

• He always vents his anger on the dog. 他总是拿狗出气。
• The Dandelion Patch is the least developed of the four active vents. “蒲公英区”在这四个活裂口中是发育最差的一个。

22 reign   

n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势

参考例句：

• The reign of Queen Elizabeth lapped over into the seventeenth century.伊丽莎白王朝延至17世纪。
• The reign of Zhu Yuanzhang lasted about 31 years.朱元璋统治了大约三十一年。

23 embryo   

n.胚胎，萌芽的事物

参考例句：

• They are engaging in an embryo research.他们正在进行一项胚胎研究。
• The project was barely in embryo.该计划只是个雏形。

24 foam   

v./n.泡沫，起泡沫

参考例句：

• The glass of beer was mostly foam.这杯啤酒大部分是泡沫。
• The surface of the water is full of foam.水面都是泡沫。

25 derived   

vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取

参考例句：

• Many English words are derived from Latin and Greek. 英语很多词源出于拉丁文和希腊文。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He derived his enthusiasm for literature from his father. 他对文学的爱好是受他父亲的影响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

26 immature   

adj.未成熟的，发育未全的，未充分发展的

参考例句：

• Tony seemed very shallow and immature.托尼看起来好像很肤浅，不夠成熟。
• The birds were in immature plumage.这些鸟儿羽翅未全。

27 lessee   

n.（房地产的）租户

参考例句：

• The lessor can evict the lessee for failure to pay rent.出租人可驱逐不付租金的承租人。
• The lessee will be asked to fill in a leasing application.租赁人要求填写一张租赁申请。

28 embryonic   

adj.胚胎的

参考例句：

• It is still in an embryonic stage.它还处于萌芽阶段。
• The plan,as yet,only exists in embryonic form.这个计划迄今为止还只是在酝酿之中。