常春藤解析英語 88 Art or Breakfast? 舍不得吃的藝術

Art or Breakfast? 舍不得吃的藝術

by Suzanne Cowan

Egg decorating is a form of art that has been popular for thousands of years.

蛋的彩繪藝術已有數(shù)千年歷史，而且歷久不衰。

Eggs are not just for eating. With a unique shape that is smooth and elegant, they're also perfect for decorating.

_(1)_ decorating them with bright and beautiful colors, eggs can be made into little works of art. This is actually a custom that started thousands of years ago. Throughout history, eggs have represented many different things. The tradition of decorating eggs has often been used as a way to celebrate the things they signify.

People first started decorating eggs in ancient Egypt over 5,000 years ago. To celebrate the coming of the new year, Egyptians would _(2)_ decorated eggs as gifts. They believed that the eggs would bring good luck in the year to come.

Many years later, when Christians began their own tradition of decorating eggs, the practice took on a whole new meaning. Christians used the egg as a religious _(3)_. Christians believe that Jesus rose from the dead, and the egg is used to represent the tomb that he was first placed in. To this day, many people still _(4)_ egg decorating with this meaning.

Today, people from all over the world _(5)_ the tradition of decorating eggs. Using paints and dyes is the most common method. But for experts, the _(6)_ shell can also be carved. Eggs are sometimes decorated with beads by having tiny holes _(7)_ into the shell. Ukrainian egg-decorating uses wax, and the incredible patterned designs of Ukrainian eggs are known worldwide. These are some of the methods that can be used; the rest is up to the artist and the egg.

1. (A) As (B) By　　 (C) With　　 (D) Upon

2. (A) apply　 (B) replace (C) exchange (D) transfer

3. (A) symbol　 (B) symptom (C) signal (D) signature

4. (A) mistake　 (B) compare (C) suspect　 (D) associate

5. (A) carry on　(B) lay off (C) stand for (D) put aside

6. (A) delicate　(B) fluent　(C) sensitive (D) allergic

7. (A) make　 (B) making (C) made　 (D) to be made

原來如此

1. By decorating them with bright and beautiful colors, eggs can be made into little works of art.

理由:

a. (A) As + 表身分的名詞, S + V　　身為……，……

例: As a teacher, you are supposed to be a role model for your students.

(身為老師，你應該做學生的模范。)

(B) By + V-ing, S + V　　借著……，……

例: By asking the right questions, the investigator gets closer to solving the mystery.

(借著提出切要的問題，該調查員離解開謎團更進一步了。)

(C) With + N, S + V　　隨著∕有了……，……

例: With his help, we were able to paint the house in a few hours.

(有了他的幫忙，我們得以在幾個小時內就把房子漆好。)

(D) Upon + N/V-ing, S + V　　一……就……

例: Upon exiting the building, Julie fell down the stairs.

(茱莉一出這棟大樓就失足跌落階梯。)

b. 根據(jù)上述，By 置入后符合語意、用法，可知應選 (B)。

2. To celebrate the coming of the new year, Egyptians would exchange decorated eggs as gifts.

理由:

a. (A) apply vt. 運用;涂，抹

apply A to B　　把 A 運用在 B 上;將 A 抹在 B 上

例: Mom applies makeup to her face every morning before work.

(媽媽每天上班前都會化妝。)

(B) replace vt. 取代

replace A with B　　用 B 取代 A

例: It's time to replace your old toothbrush with a new one.

(是時候把你的舊牙刷換一只新的了。)

(C) exchange vt. 交換

exchange sth as gifts　　交換某物作為禮物

exchange sth with sb　　和某人交換某物

例: I love to exchange stamps with my friends.

(我喜歡和朋友交換郵票。)

(D) transfer vt. 轉移;轉調

transfer...to...　　把……轉到∕調到……

例: My company is transferring me to China.

(公司要把我調到大陸。)

b. 空格后有介詞 as，故根據(jù)上述，可知應置入動詞 exchange，故選 (C)。

3. Christians used the egg as a religious symbol.

理由:

a. (A) symbol n. 象征

as a religious symbol　　作為宗教上的象征

as a symbol of...　　作為……的象征

例: I gave Mary a ring as a symbol of my love.

(我給瑪麗一枚戒指以象征我的愛。)

(B) symptom n. 癥狀

(C) signal n. 信號

(D) signature n. 簽名

b. 根據(jù)語意，可知應置入 (A) symbol，表作為宗教上的『象征』，故選之。

4. To this day, many people still associate egg decorating with this meaning.

理由:

a. (A) mistake vt. 誤認

mistake A for B　　將 A 誤認為 B

例: Ray likes to wear his hair long, so people often mistake him for a girl.

(雷喜歡留長發(fā)，因此大家常把他誤認為女生。)

(B) compare vt. 比較

compare A to/with B　　將 A 與 B 作比較

例: My mother always compares me with my brother.

(我媽媽總是拿我和哥哥作比較。)

(C) suspect vt. 懷疑

suspect sb of...　　懷疑某人……

例: The police suspected Tommy of having organized the crime.

(警方懷疑湯米策劃了這起犯罪活動。)

(D) associate vt. 把……聯(lián)想在一起

associate A with B　　將 A 與 B 聯(lián)想在一起

例: I usually associate bars with loud music.

(我常常將酒吧和吵鬧的音樂聯(lián)想在一起。)

b. 由于空格后的介詞是 with，故 (A)、(C) 不可選，根據(jù)語意，可知應置入 associate，表把彩蛋和這層意義『聯(lián)想』在一起，故選 (D)。

5. Today, people from all over the world carry on the tradition of decorating eggs.

理由:

a. (A) carry on...　　繼續(xù)……

例: If you carry on spending money like that, you'll end up in debt.

(如果你繼續(xù)這樣花錢，你最后會負債的。)

(B) lay off...　　解雇……

例: The company laid off 5,000 employees last month.

(該公司上個月解雇了 5 千名員工。)

(C) stand for...　　代表∕象征……

例: Doves stand for peace.

(鴿子代表和平。)

(D) put aside.../put...aside　　撇開……

例: You need to put aside your troubles and have some fun.

(你需要把煩惱擺一邊，然后去找點樂子。)

b. 根據(jù)語意，可知應置入 carry on，表世界各地的人們仍『持續(xù)』彩繪雞蛋的傳統(tǒng)，故選 (A)。

6. But for experts, the delicate shell can also be carved.

理由:

a. (A) delicate a. 易碎的

(B) fluent a. 流利的

be fluent in + 語言　　會說流利的……(語言)

例: I wish I were fluent in French.

(我真希望我的法文夠流利。)

(C) sensitive a. 敏感的

be sensitive to...　　對……敏感

例: My friend is very sensitive to criticism.

(我這位朋友對批評非常敏感。)

(D) allergic a. 過敏的

be allergic to...　　對……過敏

例: Her brother is allergic to peanuts.

(她哥哥對花生過敏。)

b. 根據(jù)語意，可知應置入 delicate，表『易碎的』蛋殼也可以拿來雕刻，故選 (A)。

7. Eggs are sometimes decorated with beads by having tiny holes made into the shell.

理由:

a. 本空格測驗使役動詞 have 的用法：

1) 使役動詞 have　加了受詞后，需用原形動詞作受詞補語。

have + 受詞 + 原形動詞　　叫……做……

例: The boss had the secretary type the letter for him.

(老板叫秘書幫他打那封信。)

2) have 加受詞后，其后亦可接過去分詞作受詞補語，此時的 have 譯成『把……』。

have + 受詞 + 過去分詞　　把……(被)……

例: I had my computer fixed.

(我把我的計算機修理好了。)

b. 空格前的受詞是 tiny holes(小洞)，根據(jù)上述第 2 點，可知應置入過去分詞 made，故選 (C)。

精解字詞詞組

1. decorate vt. 裝飾

decorate A with B　　用 B 裝飾 A

例: Let's decorate our room with posters of rock stars.

(咱們用搖滾巨星的海報來布置房間吧。)

2. represent vt. 代表，象征

例: The stars on the American flag represent the fifty states.

(美國國旗上的星星代表美國的 50 州。)

3. signify vt. 象征，表示

例: The crown signifies the king's power.

(皇冠象征國王的權力。)

4. in the year to come　　在來年

for days/weeks/months/years to come　　在未來幾天∕幾星期∕幾個月∕幾年

for generations to come　　在未來的世代

例: This singer will be popular for years to come.

(這名歌手在未來幾年一定會大紅大紫。)

5. take on...　　呈現(xiàn)出……(某種性質、外觀等)

例: His face took on a sad expression.

(他的臉露出傷心的表情)

6. incredible a. 難以置信的;驚人的

例: Anita has an incredible voice.

(安妮塔有著驚人的美妙嗓音。)

7. be up to sb　　由某人決定

例: It's up to you whether you want to stay here or go home.

(你要留在這里還是回家都由你自己決定。)

單字小鋪

1. elegant a. 優(yōu)美的;精致的

2. custom n. 習俗

3. Christian n. 基督教徒

4. tomb n. 墳墓，墓穴

5. dye n. 染料

6. expert n. 專家

7. shell n. 外殼

8. carve vt. 雕刻

9. bead n. 珠子

10. wax n. 蠟

11. patterned a. 有圖案(裝飾)的

pattern n. 花樣，圖案

詞組小鋪

1. rise from the dead　　死后重生，復活

= come back from the dead

2. to this day　　至今

中文翻譯&標準答案

蛋不僅可以食用，其獨特的外形既光滑又典雅，拿來做裝飾真是再好不過了。

用明亮美麗的顏料上色裝飾，蛋就可以成為小巧的工藝品。這種風俗始于好幾千年以前。蛋在歷史上曾代表許多不同的事物，而蛋的彩繪傳統(tǒng)就常被用來慶祝其所代表的事物。

5 千多年前的埃及人首先開始蛋的彩繪。為了慶祝新年的到來，埃及人會交換彩繪好的蛋作為禮物。他們相信這些彩繪蛋能帶來未來一整年的好運。

許多年后，當基督徒開啟了自己的彩繪蛋傳統(tǒng)，這種習慣便有了新的含義。基督徒利用彩蛋作為宗教上的象征。他們篤信耶穌死而復活，而蛋被用來代表祂第一次下葬的墓穴。至今，許多人仍把彩蛋和這層宗教含義聯(lián)想在一起。

今天，世界各地的人們仍持續(xù)彩繪雞蛋的傳統(tǒng)。最常使用的方式便是用顏料或染料來上色。但對達人來說，易碎的蛋殼也可以拿來雕刻。有時候還會在蛋殼打上小洞放進珠子來作裝飾。烏克蘭的彩蛋上頭則會先上一層蠟，而且烏克蘭的彩蛋還因為上頭精美的圖案設計而聞名于世。這些只是一些可以運用的彩繪方式，其它的方法就得視藝術家本身和雞蛋而定了。

標準答案: 1. (B) 2. (C) 3. (A)　4. (D 5. (A) 6. (A) 7. (C)