Although we now tend to refer to the various crafts according to the materials used to construct them-clay, glass, wood, fiber, and metal-it was once common to think of crafts in terms of function, which led to their being known as the “applied arts.”
（OG-Applied arts and fine arts）
长难句类型：抽象词难度：3
语法分析：Although we now tend to refer to the various crafts according to the materials used to construct them-clay, glass, wood, fiber, and metal-it was once common to think of crafts in terms of function, which led to their being known as the “applied arts.”
译文：尽管现在我们倾向于根据工艺品的制造材料——比如黏土、玻璃、木头、纤维以及金属——对他们进行分类，但根据工艺品的功能进行分类（这一做法）在过去曾经很流行，（这一做法）导致了这些工艺品被称作“实用艺术”。
解释：这句话的前半句，也就是让步的部分并不难，难就难在后面的转折部分，it是形式主语，真正的主语是“to think of crafts in terms of function”这一做法，而后面which引导的定语从句也正是修饰前面的“to think of crafts in terms of function”这一做法，这句话是全文的第一句，事实上作者是在做一个背景导入，根据这句话，我们可知，下面要讲的就“是实用艺术”。
Since the laws of physics, not some arbitrary decision, have determined the general form of applied-art objects, they follow basic patterns, so much so that functional forms can vary only within certain limits.
（OG-Applied arts and fine arts）
长难句类型：抽象词+插入语+易混指代难度：4
语法分析：Since the laws of physics, not some arbitrary decision, have determined the general form of applied-art objects, they follow basic patterns, so much so that functional forms can vary only within certain limits.
译文：因为是物理定律——而不是随意的结论——决定了实用艺术品的一般形式，所以它们（实用艺术品）遵循基本的样式，这也使得（它们的）功能形式只能在很小的范围内变化。
解释：这句话前半部分的原因状语从句并不难，难就难在句子中的“they follow basic patterns”这个句子中的“they”到底指代的是什么，并且ETS也针对这里的“they”出了一道指代题，我们由前面的原因状语从句可知是物理定律决定实用艺术品，而这里说“它们”遵循基本样式，“basic patterns”事实上就是对前面“the laws of physics”的对应，因此“they”指代的就是“applied-art objects”，明确这点之后，后面的“so much so that”一句就很好理解了，和前面的句子是顺成关系。
That this device was a necessary structural compromise is clear from the fact that the cannonball quickly disappeared when sculptors learned how to strengthen the internal structure of a statue with iron braces (iron being much stronger than bronze).
（OG-Applied arts and fine arts）
长难句类型：复杂修饰难度：4
语法分析：That (this device was a necessary structural compromise) is clear from the fact that the cannonball quickly disappeared when sculptors learned how to strengthen the internal structure of a statue with iron braces (iron being much stronger than bronze).
译文：当雕塑家学会如何了用铁支架加强雕塑的内部结构后（铁比青铜更结实），就不再使用金属球了，由此看来，铁球的使用是对于必要结构性的妥协。
解释：这个句子难就难在主干不好找，这个句子的主干其实很简单，就是“that is clear”，第一个“that”后面是其引导的主语从句，“from the fact”是目的状语，后面接着第二个“that”引导的同位语从句，在这个同位语从句中又嵌套了一个“when”引导的条件状语从句。通过作者的写法我们也可以知道这个句子最重要的部分就是“compromise”。
