Window Flowers|历久弥新的剪纸艺术

Window Flowers

by Marcus Maurice

Paper cuttings placed on windows look like beautiful flowers.

　　The Chinese have made many contributions to the world. They credit themselves for coming up with four inventions that helped develop their culture and also had a far-ranging global impact. The compass, gunpowder, and printing process are all considered Chinese creations, but papermaking, the fourth great invention attributed _(1)_ China, was already happening in ancient Egypt before it occurred in Asia. What Chinese inventor Tsai Lun actually did during the Eastern Han dynasty was to make paper that  was more _(2)_ from the papyrus used in Egypt. This gradually led to paper cutting as an art form a few hundred years later.

　　At some point in the sixth century, _(3)_ of the royal family and their friends started cutting paper into fancy patterns. Soon, this new art form spread, and even _(4)_ townspeople were trying their hand at paper cutting. As trading between countries became more widespread, paper cutting _(5)_ as well. By the mid-16th century, many places in the Middle East had their own paper cutting guilds. Eventually, nearly every modern society had developed some form of paper cutting.

　　Nowadays, paper cutting is _(6)_ used as a decorative skill. People use knives or scissors to cut elaborate patterns in soft paper. Chinese paper cuttings are used to _(7)_ just about anything, but they are most often put on columns, lamps, mirrors, and vases. When these designs are put on entranceways to homes, they are considered a symbol of good luck.

1. (A) for (B) with (C) as (D) to

2. (A) harmful (B) distinct (C) inevitable (D) pessimistic

3. (A) members (B) exhibitions (C) guidelines (D) miracles

4. (A) accidental (B) envious (C) ordinary (D) furious

5. (A) was (B) is (C) did (D) does

6. (A) fluently (B) chiefly (C) miserably (D) falsely

7. (A) decorate (B) decorating (C) decoration (D) decorated

 

历久弥新的剪纸艺术

放置在窗户上的剪纸艺术品看起来就象是美丽的花朵。

　　中国人一直以来对世界都有许多贡献。他们将这些贡献归功于他们想出了四项有助于发展自身文化及对全球产生深远影响的发明。指南针、火药及印刷术都被认为是中国人所创造，但第四项被归为中国人创造的伟大发明，也就是造纸术，其实在出现在亚洲之前就已在埃及出现。中国发明家蔡伦真正在东汉时期所做的事就是制造出和埃及所使用的纸莎草纸大不相同的纸张。这项发明最后导致剪纸在数百年后成为一种艺术形式。

　　在公元六世纪的某个时候，皇室的成员和他们的朋友开始将纸张剪成很花俏的图案。不久，这项新的艺术形式传开了，而且就连一般的市井小民都在尝试剪纸。当国与国之间的贸易变得愈来愈普遍时，剪纸的情形也是一样。十六世纪中期，中东的许多地方都有自己的剪纸协会。最后，几乎每一个现代的社会都发展出某些形式的剪纸艺术。

　　时至今日，剪纸主要被当成一种装饰技巧来使用。人们会用刀子或是剪刀在柔软的纸上剪出精巧的图案。中国的剪纸艺术几乎可以用来装饰任何东西，但它们最常被放置在柱子、台灯、镜子及花瓶上。当这些设计被放在家里的入口时，就会被视为一种好运的象征。

答案： 1. D 2. B 3. A 4. C 5. C

6. B 7. A