外研版（2019）英语选择性必修三《Unit 2 A life’s work》Masters of Time P20优质课教案

外研版（2019）英语选择性必修三《Unit 2 A life’s work》Masters of Time P20优质课教案

Masters of Time (P20)

Unit 2 Developing ideas P20.mp3

In the quiet courtyards of Xi San Suo, behind the high walls of the Forbidden City, time ticks

at its own pace. If it hadn’t been for a three-episode documentary, outsiders would never have known that the plainly-dressed people working here are masters of their craft, who have spent their lives restoring precious antiques. Among these is the clock restoration master, Wang Jin.

Walking through the seven crimson gates towards his workplace, Wang Jin still regards himself as an ordinary worker in the Palace Museum, although now he is often stopped by admirers wanting their photo taken with him. Day in, day out, Mr Wang and his student spend their time restoring clocks dating back hundreds of years. But for quite some time, he and his student Qi Haonan used to be the only two people repairing timepieces in the Palace Museum.

Qing emperors were very fond of clocks. Therefore, in order to please them, foreign envoys presented these emperors with the most intricate and splendid timepieces. Today, the Palace Museum has one of the most significant collections of timepieces in the world, mainly originating from Europe and China. With objects ranging from small pocket watches to clocks over one metre in height, each of these requires its own unique method of restoration.

Given the complexity of the work and the lack of necessary materials, this means that each

expert can work on a maximum of two large pieces a year. But, through their painstaking

efforts, Mr Wang and his student do more than repair the clocks – they bring them back to life.

The only sound to break the silence in Wang Jin’s workshop is the chiming melody of the repaired and polished clocks. To Wang Jin it is the most beautiful music in the world. Now, after eight months of endless adjustments, the time has finally come for Mr Wang to wind up

the gigantic clocks that date back to the time of Emperor Qianlong. The intricately fashioned

objects that have stood still for centuries instantly come back to life: water flows, boats sail, dogs bark, chickens flap their wings and a woman starts to spin. It is a truly awe-inspiring

moment. It is suddenly clear that when the clock masters say that “these antiques have lives”, it is neither an exaggeration nor a metaphor.

But, despite the combined work of several generations of masters, it seems unlikely that the

restoration of the clocks will ever be complete. Even if every clock in the Palace Museum were restored, there would still be work to do, because restoration would probably need to begin again on the clocks that were repaired long ago. This is a race against time that can never be won! Nonetheless, Mr Wang remains optimistic about the future of these timepieces. Following in the footsteps of his own teacher all those years ago, Mr Wang has now passed on his skills to the new members, who will take on many of the future repairs. What’s more, inspired to follow in his father’s footsteps, Mr Wang’s son now has also taken up repairing antique clocks. This new generation of artisans will not only help preserve traditional skills, the innovation they bring to the craft will also ensure that the art of clock repairing stands the test of time.

In today’s fast-paced world, the saying that “time waits for no man” has never seemed more apt. Yet inside the hidden courtyards of Xi San Suo, there is something timeless about the way Mr Wang and his colleagues sedately piece together the past with skilful hands and modest hearts. It is as if they have become one with their craft and with the history of the country.