常春藤解析英語(yǔ) 20 指尖的藝術(shù)-指甲彩繪

by Rachel A. Black

In the 1930s, actresses on the silver screen looked elegant and sophisticated. What was the finishing touch to their look that made women across the Western world wish to imitate them? It was the perfect polish on their long fingernails.

Manicuring and painting nails is not a new thing. The first known instances of nail care date back to China in 3000 BC when members of the royal family used a mixture of silver, gold, egg whites, and beeswax to color and protect their nails. The paint used on fingernails in the 1930s and today, however, was actually made possible as a result of innovations in the automotive paint industry.

The cosmetics company Revlon was started in 1932. Its founders used nail polishes that were pigment-based instead of dyes, and they had polishes available in a variety of colors. Up until that point, nail polish was only available in various shades of red. Revlon also brought in vogue the idea of matching nail and lip color.

During the first half of the 20th century, men would receive manicures along with a haircut, shave, and shoeshine in a package deal. Over time, manicures for men went out of fashion. Yet, in the 1990's, men once again started to care about the appearance of their nails. Now, men and women alike can be seen in nail salons getting their nails cleaned, trimmed, polished, and even painted. From natural to acrylic, fingernails come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Getting a manicure is one way to pamper yourself and look well kept without breaking the bank.

1. What detail made it possible for actresses in films of the 1930s to influence Western women?

(A) Silver screens that made them look impressive.

(B) Dyes that matched nail and lip color.

(C) Car paint adapted for use on fingernails.

(D) The larger-than-life size of the actresses.

2. Why wasn't nail polishing popular outside of the royal family in China?

(A) Commoners did not have silver or gold.

(B) People outside the royal family were busy.

(C) Everyday people did not have access to eggs.

(D) Regular men and women used cream instead.

3. If a person "breaks the bank," they ______.

(A) break into a bank

(B) steal a great amount of money

(C) spend a fortune on something

(D) take all of their money out their account

精解字詞詞組

1.finishing touch/touches　　最后的潤(rùn)飾

*此處的 touch 表『潤(rùn)飾、點(diǎn)綴』之意。

例： The finishing touch to the party was when our boss gave all of us envelopes full of cash.

(最后老板給每個(gè)人一個(gè)裝滿現(xiàn)金的大紅包，讓派對(duì)畫(huà)上美好的句點(diǎn)。)

2.date back to...　　追溯至……

例： That style of hat actually dates back to the 1960s.

(那種款式的帽子實(shí)際上可追溯至 1960 年代。)

3.a variety of...　　各式各樣的……

例： We have a variety of different things to do to get ready for the party. I don't even know where to start.

(準(zhǔn)備派對(duì)有許許多多的事要做。我甚至不知道該從哪里著手。)

4.in vogue　　蔚為風(fēng)尚

vogue n. 流行，風(fēng)尚

例： Last year, long wavy hair was really in vogue with younger women.

(去年，年輕女性間非常流行留長(zhǎng)長(zhǎng)的卷發(fā)。)

5.package deal　　整套服務(wù)∕商品∕交易

例： The woman told her new boyfriend that she and her five kids were a package deal.

(那女人對(duì)新男友說(shuō)，她和自己的五個(gè)小孩是不可分割的。)

6.come in...　　有……款式∕尺寸∕顏色等

例： The shoe comes in sizes two to 13. I'm sorry, but we don't have a 14.

(這雙鞋的尺寸從 2 號(hào)到 13 號(hào)都有。但很抱歉，沒(méi)有 14 號(hào)。)

7.pamper vt. 縱容;寵

例： My husband pampers me by massaging my feet every evening.

(我先生很疼我，每晚幫我按摩腿部。)

8.break the bank　　花大錢(qián)

例： That new cell phone you bought must have broken the bank.

(你新買(mǎi)的那只手機(jī)一定讓你荷包大失血吧。)

9.adapt vt. 改造，改裝 & vt. & vi.(使)適應(yīng)

adapt (oneself to) N/V-ing　　(使自己)適應(yīng)……

= adjust (oneself to) N/V-ing

例： It's hard to adapt myself to the hectic life of this city.

(我很難適應(yīng)這城市緊張忙碌的生活。)

10.have access to...　　有取得……的管道

例： Do you have access to the latest music-making software?

(你能取得那套最新的音樂(lè)制作軟件嗎?)

11.break into...　　闖進(jìn)……

例： I have this odd feeling that someone broke into my room last night.

(我有種奇怪的感覺(jué)，覺(jué)得昨晚有人闖進(jìn)我房間。)

單字小鋪

1. sophisticated a. 世故的;精致的

2. polish n. 指甲油(= nail polish)& vt. 擦亮

3. manicure vt. 修剪(指甲)& n. 修指甲

4. beeswax n. 蜂蠟

5. innovation n. 新發(fā)明(可數(shù));創(chuàng)新(不可數(shù))

6. automotive a. 汽車(chē)的

7. cosmetics n. 化妝品

8. pigment-based a. 以顏料為底的

9. dye n. 染料

10. shade n.(顏色的)濃淡，深淺

11. salon n. 沙龍

12. trim vt. 修整

13. acrylic a. 壓克力的

14. well kept　　悉心照料的

15. commoner n. 平民

詞組小鋪

1.along with...　　連同……

= together with...

2.go/be out of fashion　　不流行

be in fashion　　流行

3.A and B alike　　A 與 B

= both A and B

中文翻譯&標(biāo)準(zhǔn)答案

1930年代，熒光幕上的女演員看起來(lái)既優(yōu)雅又世故。塑造這些美麗外表的最后步驟是什么，竟讓所有西方女性都爭(zhēng)相模仿呢?答案是她們修長(zhǎng)指甲上完美的指甲油。

指甲修護(hù)與彩繪不是件新奇的事。最早為人所知的指甲護(hù)理可追溯至公元前三千年的中國(guó)，當(dāng)時(shí)皇族成員混合金、銀、蛋白和蜂蠟來(lái)為指甲上色并保護(hù)指甲。而這種從 1930 年代至今都被使用的原料，實(shí)際上卻是汽車(chē)烤漆工業(yè)創(chuàng)新發(fā)明的結(jié)果。

化妝品公司露華濃創(chuàng)始于 1932 年。創(chuàng)辦人舍棄染料而改以顏料為底色的指甲油，并提供各種顏色。到那時(shí)為止，指甲油還只有深淺不同的紅色而已。露華濃也帶動(dòng)指甲搭配唇色的流行風(fēng)潮。

二十世紀(jì)前半，男性所接受的指甲修護(hù)包含在理發(fā)、刮胡子和擦鞋的成套服務(wù)內(nèi)。隨著時(shí)間過(guò)去，男性的指甲修護(hù)逐漸落伍。到了 1990 年代，男性再度開(kāi)始關(guān)心自己指甲的樣子。如今不論男女都會(huì)光顧指甲美容中心，享受清潔、修剪、磨光，甚至彩繪的指甲服務(wù)。從天然材質(zhì)到壓克力材質(zhì)，指甲有各種形狀、尺寸和顏色。讓自己縱情享受一次指甲修護(hù)服務(wù)，不需花大錢(qián)就能呈現(xiàn)個(gè)人完美的一面。

1. 1930 年代電影中的女演員能影響西方女性的細(xì)節(jié)是什么?

(A) 讓她們看起來(lái)令人印象深刻的熒光幕。

(B) 搭配指甲與唇色的染料。

(C) 汽車(chē)烤漆經(jīng)改良后用在指甲上。

(D) 比實(shí)際尺寸還大的女演員。

題解： 根據(jù)本文第二段及第三段，指甲油的原料是汽車(chē)烤漆工業(yè)創(chuàng)新發(fā)明的結(jié)果，1930 年代由露華濃公司將其應(yīng)用在指甲上，可知 (C) 為正選。

2. 為什么中國(guó)皇族以外的人不流行擦指甲油?

(A) 平民沒(méi)有金或銀。

(B) 皇族以外的人都很忙。

(C) 一般人無(wú)法取得蛋。

(D) 一般人用奶油取而代之。

題解： 根據(jù)第二段，皇族成員混合金、銀、蛋白和蜂蠟來(lái)為指甲上色并保護(hù)指甲，但昂貴的金和銀并非平民所能擁有，故 (A) 應(yīng)為正選。

3. 如果一個(gè)人 "breaks the bank"，那么他 _____。

(A) 闖入銀行

(B) 偷很多錢(qián)

(C) 花一大筆錢(qián)做某件事

(D) 把錢(qián)全部從戶頭領(lǐng)出來(lái)

題解： "break the bank" 指『花大筆金錢(qián)』，故選 (C)。

標(biāo)準(zhǔn)答案：

1.(C)　2.(A)　3.(C)