常春藤解析英語 83 Art Outside the Law　另類的街頭涂鴉藝術(shù)

Art Outside the Law　另類的街頭涂鴉藝術(shù)

by Matthew Brown

What seems like modern street art is a tradition that dates back to a time before there were streets.

看似現(xiàn)代的街頭藝術(shù)其實(shí)早存在于尚無街道的遠(yuǎn)古時代。

A teenager wearing a dark hoodie (連帽上衣) scrambles up a ladder to the top of a building. A handkerchief covers his mouth, partly to conceal his _(1)_ from security cameras and partly to block out the fumes from his spray paint. In the dark, he rapidly begins to recreate his trademark design on the brick wall.

Street art or vandalism? Maybe graffiti is both. Graffiti _(2)_ in many forms, from someone scratching a name on a wall to an enormous spray-painted mural (壁畫). Basically, any marking, drawing, or writing on _(3)_ not belonging to the artist can be called graffiti. This definition might make us _(4)_ before we judge modern law-breaking spray-painters too harshly. In fact, graffiti can be seen as one of the most ancient forms of art. Cave drawings can be considered graffiti, and graffiti was common even in ancient Greek and Roman times.

Today's graffiti has developed a culture and style all its own. The average modern-day graffiti artist is more _(5)_ to use spray paint or markers than animal blood and vegetable pigments. Graffiti has been adopted by different cultures that _(6)_ its unique aspects: the danger involved, and its status as a kind of "outsider art." It is a way for people to display their talents—whether or not they are _(7)_ talented—in a public place, instead of trying to get a painting in a serious art museum. Graffiti is often used for political messages _(8)_.

Most commonly, though, it is _(9)_ with hip hop. It is often done with oversized, distorted lettering, and many pieces have characters and drawings that are _(10)_ by comic-book art. While many graffiti designs are nothing more than the artist's graffiti pseudonym and do not seem especially creative, there are undeniably some artists who show imagination and talent.

(A) comes (B) inspired (C) likely (D) property (E) as well (F) pause (G) identity (H) associated (I) particularly (J) appreciate

原來如此

1. A handkerchief covers his mouth, partly to conceal his identity from security cameras and partly to block out the fumes from his spray paint.

理由:

a. 空格前有所有格 his(他的)，可知空格內(nèi)應(yīng)置入名詞。

b. 選項(xiàng)中為名詞的有 (D) property(財(cái)產(chǎn))、(F) pause(暫停)和 (G) identity(身分)，然僅 identity 置入后符合語意，表隱藏自己的『身分』之意，故選 (G)。

identity n. 身分

2. Graffiti comes in many forms, from someone scratching a name on a wall to an enormous spray-painted mural.

理由:

a. 空格前有主詞 Graffiti(涂鴉)，而空格后有介詞詞組 in many forms(許多種形式)，故應(yīng)置入可與 in 搭配的第三人稱單數(shù)不及物動詞。

b. 符合上述條件的選項(xiàng)僅有 (A) comes，置入后形成下列用法：

come in...　　(物)有……(大小、尺寸、顏色等)

例: The new computer comes in a variety of colors.

(這款新型計(jì)算機(jī)有各式各樣的顏色。)

c. 根據(jù)上述，可知應(yīng)選 (A)，表涂鴉藝術(shù)『有』許多種形式。

3. Basically, any marking, drawing, or writing on property not belonging to the artist can be called graffiti.

理由:

a. 空格前有介詞 on，可知空格內(nèi)應(yīng)置入名詞。

b. 選項(xiàng)中為名詞的尚有 (D) property(財(cái)產(chǎn))和 (F) pause(暫停)，然僅 property 置入后符合語意，表在不屬于藝術(shù)家之『財(cái)產(chǎn)』上的記號、圖畫或文字，故選 (D)。

property n. 財(cái)產(chǎn);所有物

4. This definition might make us pause before we judge modern law-breaking spray-painters too harshly.

理由:

a. 空格前有不完全及物動詞 make(讓……)及受詞 us(我們)，因此空格應(yīng)置入名詞、形容詞或原形動詞作受詞補(bǔ)語。

b. 符合上述條件的選項(xiàng)有 (C) likely(可能的)、(F) pause(暫停;停頓)和 (J) appreciate(欣賞)。(C) 置入后語意不合，故不可選;而由于空格后并無任何受詞，由此可知應(yīng)選不及物動詞 pause，表這個定義或許可以讓我們在過度嚴(yán)厲批判現(xiàn)今那些違法的噴漆畫家前，先『停下來思考一下』，故選 (F) 。

pause vi. & n. 暫停;停頓

5. The average modern-day graffiti artist is more likely to use spray paint or markers than animal blood and vegetable pigments.

理由:

a. 空格前有 be 動詞 is 及副詞 more(更……)，可知空格內(nèi)應(yīng)置入形容詞。

b. 選項(xiàng) (C) likely(可能的)為形容詞，置入后與空格后的不定詞 to 形成下列用法：

be likely to V　　可能會……

例: You are likely to bump into her if you go to the library at 6:00 every day.

(如果你每天 6 點(diǎn)到圖書館就可能會遇到她。)

c. 根據(jù)上述，故選 (C)。

6. Graffiti has been adopted by different cultures that appreciate its unique aspects: the danger involved, and its status as a kind of "outsider art."

理由:

a. 空格前的 that 為關(guān)系代名詞，代替之前的先行詞 cultures(文化)。在此形容詞子句中，that 為主詞，空格后的名詞詞組 its (= graffiti's) unique aspects(涂鴉藝術(shù)的獨(dú)特面)為受詞，由此可知，空格內(nèi)應(yīng)置入及物動詞，且配合主要子句的時態(tài)，此動詞應(yīng)為現(xiàn)在式。

b. 在剩下的選項(xiàng)中，為現(xiàn)在式及物動詞的僅有 (J) appreciate(欣賞)，置入后亦符合語意，表涂鴉藝術(shù)被許多懂得『欣賞』其獨(dú)特面的文化所認(rèn)同，故選之。

c. appreciate vt. 欣賞

例: I really appreciate jazz music.

(我真的很欣賞爵士樂。)

7. It is a way for people to display their talents—whether or not they are particularly talented—in a public place, ...

理由:

a. 空格前有 be 動詞 are，空格之后則有形容詞 talented(有天份的)，可知空格內(nèi)應(yīng)置入副詞，以修飾形容詞 talented。

b. (I) particularly(特別地)為副詞，置入后亦符合語意，表無論他們是否『特別』具有天份，故選之。

c. particularly adv. 特別地

例: I like all the colors, particularly the red used on the walls.

(我喜歡所有顏色，特別是用在墻上的這種紅色。)

8. Graffiti is often used for political messages as well.

理由:

a. 空格前為一完整的句子 Graffiti is often used for political messages(涂鴉藝術(shù)常被用來傳達(dá)政治訊息)，因此空格內(nèi)應(yīng)置入可修飾整個主要子句的副詞或副詞詞組。

b.選項(xiàng)中僅剩 (E) as well(也)可作副詞，即等于 too 之意，置入亦符合語意，表涂鴉藝術(shù)『也』常被用來傳達(dá)政治訊息，故選 (E)。

c. ...as well　　也……

例: Barry bought a new stereo system and a TV as well.

(貝瑞買了一臺新音響，還買了一臺電視。)

9. Most commonly, though, it is associated with hip hop.

理由:

a. 空格前有 be 動詞 is，空格后為介詞 with，可知空格內(nèi)應(yīng)置入可與 with 搭配的形容詞、現(xiàn)在分詞或過去分詞。

b. 符合上述條件的選項(xiàng)僅有 (H) associated(有關(guān)聯(lián)的)，置入后亦符合語意，故選之。

c. be associated with...　　 和……有所關(guān)聯(lián)

例: He is associated with several New York gangsters.

(他和紐約的好幾個黑幫有牽連。)

10. It is often done with oversized, distorted lettering, and many pieces have characters and drawings that are inspired by comic-book art.

理由:

a. 空格前有 be 動詞 are，空格后有介詞詞組 by comic-book art(被漫畫藝術(shù))，因此空格應(yīng)置入過去分詞，以形成被動語態(tài)。

b. 符合上述的選項(xiàng)僅剩 (B) inspired(被啟發(fā))，置入后亦符合語意，故選之。

c. be inspired by...　　受到……啟發(fā)

例: I am inspired by the story of Helen Keller.

(海倫?凱勒的故事啟發(fā)了我。)

精解字詞詞組

1. conceal vt. 隱藏;隱瞞

例: Andrew is poor at concealing his feelings.

(安德魯不善于隱藏自己的感受。)

2. block out...　　阻擋……

例: Cathy tried to block out the noise by covering her ears.

(卡西摀住耳朵試圖阻擋那些噪音。)

3. belong to...　　屬于……，是……的

例: This house belongs to my uncle.

(這棟房子是我叔叔的。)

4. be seen as...　　被視為……

= be viewed as...

= be regarded as...

= be looked upon as...

= be thought of as...

例: Richard is thought of as a good father but a bad employee.

(理察被認(rèn)為是名好父親，但卻是個糟糕的員工。)

5. involve vt. 包含;牽涉

be involved in...　　牽涉∕卷入……

例: It is reported that the senator was involved in the bribery.

(據(jù)報(bào)導(dǎo)，該參議員與那件賄賂案有所牽連。)

6. talent n. 天份，才能

talented a. 有天份的，有才能的

have a talent for...　　具有……方面的才能

= be talented in...

例: Ed has a talent for learning languages.

= Ed is talented in learning languages.

(艾德有學(xué)習(xí)語言的天賦。)

7. be nothing more than + N　　只不過是……

= be nothing but + N

例: Donald believes that politicians are nothing more than con artists.

(唐納德認(rèn)為政客只不過是騙子罷了。)

8. undeniably adv. 不可否認(rèn)地

例: The Great Wall of China is undeniably impressive.

= There is no denying that the Great Wall of China is impressive.

(無可否認(rèn)地，中國的萬里長城令人非常印象深刻。)

單字小鋪

1. hoodie n. 連帽上衣

2. scramble vi. 爬行，攀爬

3. ladder n. 梯子

4. handkerchief n. 領(lǐng)巾;手帕

5. fumes n.(氣體、煙霧的)難聞氣味

6. spray paint n. 噴漆 & vt. 用噴漆噴

7. trademark n. 標(biāo)記;商標(biāo)

8. vandalism n. 故意破壞公物的行為

9. graffiti n. 涂鴉

10. scratch vt. 涂寫;刻劃

11. mural n. 壁畫

12. definition n. 定義

13. harshly adv. 嚴(yán)厲地

14. marker n. 記號筆;麥克筆

15. pigment n. 顏料;色素

16. aspect n. 方面，觀點(diǎn)

17. outsider n. 局外人

18. hip hop n. 嘻哈文化(1980 年代源起于美國黑人青少年的文化，其特色為霹靂舞、墻上涂鴉和節(jié)奏強(qiáng)烈的音樂)

19. oversized a. 過大的

20. distorted a. 扭曲的

21. lettering n.(寫或刻印的)字體

22. character n. 字體

23. pseudonym n. 筆名，假名

身穿深色連帽上衣的小伙子順著樓梯爬上建筑物頂端。一條領(lǐng)巾圍住了他的嘴巴，一方面是為了躲過監(jiān)視器，隱藏自己的身分，另一方面則是為了阻隔噴漆的難聞氣味。在一片漆黑中，他開始迅速地在磚墻上重新描繪自己獨(dú)特的設(shè)計(jì)。

涂鴉是街頭藝術(shù)還是破壞公物?或許它兩者兼具。涂鴉藝術(shù)有許多種形式，小至某人在墻壁上涂寫自己的名字，大至使用噴漆完成的一大片壁畫皆是。基本上，任何在不屬于藝術(shù)家之財(cái)產(chǎn)上的記號、圖畫或文字都可稱為涂鴉。這個定義或許可以讓我們在過度嚴(yán)厲批判現(xiàn)今那些違法的噴漆畫家前，先停下來思考一下。事實(shí)上，涂鴉可被視為最古老的藝術(shù)形式之一。石洞壁畫就可算是一種涂鴉，而涂鴉甚至在古希臘羅馬時代就相當(dāng)普遍。

現(xiàn)今的涂鴉已發(fā)展為自成一格的文化及風(fēng)格?，F(xiàn)今一般的涂鴉藝術(shù)者大多可能使用噴漆或麥克筆，而非動物的血或植物染料來作畫。涂鴉藝術(shù)的獨(dú)特在于其可能隱含的危險，以及其『非主流藝術(shù)』的地位，這種藝術(shù)被許多懂得欣賞其獨(dú)特面的文化所認(rèn)同。姑且不論人們是否特別具有天份，與其嘗試在嚴(yán)肅的美術(shù)館中展出，涂鴉反而是一種讓他們在公開場合展現(xiàn)才華的方法。另外，涂鴉也常被用來傳達(dá)政治訊息。

但是普遍說來，涂鴉藝術(shù)與嘻哈文化最有關(guān)連。涂鴉通常都是以超大且扭曲的字體呈現(xiàn)，而且許多作品都包含受漫畫藝術(shù)啟發(fā)而創(chuàng)造出的文字及圖畫。雖然很多涂鴉作品只不過是藝術(shù)家的筆名，并不特別有創(chuàng)意，但不可否認(rèn)地，這個領(lǐng)域中還是存在著一些展現(xiàn)出想象力及才華的藝術(shù)家。

標(biāo)準(zhǔn)答案: 1. (G) 2. (A) 3. (D) 4. (F) 5. (C) 6. (J) 7. (I) 8. (E) 9. (H) 10. (B)