Shelling out

主題語境：傳統藝術 篇幅：344詞 建議用時：6分鐘

1As products of nature,shells developed a bond with people long long ago. The connections can be traced to the period of cave people whose images show them wearing shells. During the Qin and Han dynasties,shells were carved with simple patterns of birds and animals or decorations on a wide range of objects,such as mirrors,screens,tables and chairs.

2Today, in East China's Fujian Province, a group of artisans are trying their best to carry forward the ancient craft. Jiang Xinzhong has carried forward the traditional techniques of shell carving and turned ordinary shells into artworks of modern taste. In the depths of winter in late December,Jiang and his two apprentices (學徒)buried their heads in a pile of various seashells. For nearly six decades, the man in his late 70s has engaged in the local craft of shell carving,which dates back to thousands of years ago.

3The shell carving's beauty is a bounty of nature,as Pingtan is surrounded by the sea and enjoys a temperate subtropical (亞熱帶的) climate, both of which have granted the county rich resources such as shellfish, conches (海螺殼) and clams (蛤蜊) of different shapes and colors.

4Shell carving is different from jade, ivory or stone carving, and has a unique making method.It often requires intense manual labor.A shell painting that is dozens of kilograms can consume 1 or 2 metric tons of raw material and takes two or three months of fine carving.A person who is new and has little experience would need to spend a couple of months getting familiarized with the varieties of seashells and how to select them.“Most of the time,shells with smooth surfaces, bright colors and specific shapes are preferred,”Jiang explains.

5“I got involved with shell carving when I was in primary school, and now I want to pass this skill to the next generation to develop their interest from a young age. I hope to plant the seeds for the inheritance of shell carving,”Jiang says.

Reading Check

Gist 1.What does the first paragraph mainly focus on?

A.The life of cave people.

B.The functions of shells.

C.The decoration in ancient China.

D.The connections between shells and people.

Detail 2.How long has Jiang devoted himself to shell carving?

A.For about 40 years.

B.For about 50 years.

C.For about 60 years.

D.For about 70 years.

Vocabulary 3.What does the underlined word“bounty”in paragraph 3 mean?

A.Reward.

B.Mistake.

C.Punishment.

D.Necessity.

Inference 4.What can be inferred about shell carving?

A.It is similar to stone carving.

B.It requires a special making method.

C.It often needs two or three weeks to be finished.

D.It can date back to hundreds of years ago.

Language Study

Ⅰ.Useful expressions

be traced to/date back to 追溯到

a wide range of 各式各樣的；大范圍的

carry forward 發揚光大

turn ordinary shells into artworks 把普通的貝殼變成藝術作品

bury one's head in 沉浸在；專心于

engage in/get involved with 從事；參加

subtropical climate 亞熱帶氣候

get familiarized with 對……熟悉

pass this skill to the next generation 把這種技術傳給下一代

Ⅱ.單句填空

1.His watercolour designs make a wide range ________books more interesting.

2.The custom ________(date)back hundreds of years.

3.She always has her head buried ________a book.

4.She tried desperately to engage him ________conversation.

5.We have the responsibility to pass shell caving skills ________our next generation.