The Art of Henna　神奇的手绘刺青

cntic 2014-07-25

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The Art of Henna神奇的手绘刺青

by Olivia Wycech

Next time you want a tattoo, consider trying it out with henna first.
下次你想刺青的时候，可以先考虑试试看手绘刺青。

Many people think getting a tattoo is a great way for people to express themselves and even tell their stories on their skin. The problem is that tattoos must be professionally removed, and sometimes stories and people change. Henna, on the other hand, is a natural impermanent way to put designs on the body. Henna is a temporary dye that has been extracted from a plant and is used to color the hands, skin, hair, fingernails, as well as different kinds of fabrics and even leather. It was first used cosmetically in ancient Egypt, and today it still remains an important tradition in many cultures.
The modern henna tattoo became fashionable in the Western world in the 1990s. It was inspired by the practice of Mehndi in India and the Arab world. Mehndi is a tradition involving the application of Henna on the hands and feet for special occasions such as festivals or Hindu weddings, as it is a symbol of love and good luck. While henna is now used to decorate the body with intricate patterns and designs, for centuries people would cool down their bodies by soaking their hands and feet in it.
To make the dye, the leaves of the henna plant are dried and ground and, when mixed with a liquid, a reddish brown paste is made. It is then applied to the skin using paintbrushes or plastic cones. After it hardens, the mud is removed, and a stain is left behind that remains for approximately one to three weeks. Fortunately, if you don't like the design you can have it redone after the henna fades, whereas ink tattoos require laser treatments to be removed. Henna might be a good starting point for someone a bit nervous about getting an ink tattoo.

1. What is NOT mentioned as a popular place to apply henna?
(A) Hair.
(B) Material.
(C) Food.
(D) Fingernails.
2. From which continent does henna originate?
(A) North America.
(B) Australia.
(C) Europe.
(D) Asia.
3. What is NOT mentioned as a use for henna?
(A) Cooling down.
(B) Body art.
(C) Dyeing fabric.
(D) Washing your body.
4. What can you do if you do not like your henna tattoo?
(A) Have it done again immediately.
(B) Wait for it to go away.
(C) Wash it off.
(D) Get it professionally removed.

professionally adv. 专业地
impermanent a. 非永久的
fabric n. 布料；构造
cosmetically adv. 化妆用途地
soak vt. 浸泡
liquid n. 液体
reddish a. 淡红的
harden vi. 变硬
stain n. 染剂
redo vt. 重作
continent n. 大陆，洲

try...out / try out...试用　试验……
cool down降温；冷静下来
mix with...和……混合
be applied to...被涂抹於　运用在……

Fortunately, if you don't like the design you can have it redone after the henna fades, whereas ink tattoos require laser treatments to be removed.
注意
whereas 表『（然）而』时为对等连接词，引导的主要子句通常置於另一主要子句之後，其前加逗点，即等於 while 或 but。
Bill and Jim are brothers. The former is shy, whereas the latter is outgoing.
比尔和吉姆是兄弟。前者很害羞，而後者却很外向。

express vt. 表达，表示
Lily expressed her gratitude to David by writing him a thank-you note.
莉莉写了封感谢函给大卫来表达对他的感激。
temporary a. 暂时的
Many employees in the factory were replaced with temporary workers.
这家工厂的许多员工都被临时雇员取代了。
extract vt. 取出；提炼，粹取
extract A from B从 B 提炼　粹取出 A
We can extract cooking oil from sunflower seeds.
我们可以从葵花子中提炼出食用油。
inspire vt. 启发；鼓舞
inspire sb to V激励　启发某人做……
My grandfather inspired me to follow my dreams of becoming a pilot.
我爷爷激励我追寻当飞行员的梦想。
practice n. 实行；（社会的）惯例，习俗
It's standard practice to request their parents' approval for students to go on field trips.
学生要参加校外教学得先徵求家长同意，这是标准的做法。
application n. 应用
The application of the new data led to the success of the mission.
这些新资料的运用使得任务顺利达成。
symbol n. 象徵
John gave his girlfriend a ring as a symbol of his love.
约翰送女友一枚戒指，象徵他对她的爱。
intricate a. 复杂精细的
The intricate machine needs to be used carefully.
这台复杂精细的机器必须小心使用。
leave behind... / leave...behind遗留　留下……
Jason did not want to leave the excitement of big city life behind.
杰森不愿抛下大都市生活的刺激。
treatment n. 治疗
In spite of the treatment, Jenny's health remained precarious.
尽管接受了治疗，珍妮的健康状况还是不稳定。
＊precarious a. 不稳定的

神奇的手绘刺青
下次你想刺青的时候，可以先考虑试试看手绘刺青。
许多人都认为刺青是人们展现自我，甚至是在皮肤上诉说自己故事的一种好方法。问题是刺青必须用专业的方式才能去除，而且有时候人事全非。相反地，手绘刺青（henna）是一种自然而且非永久的方式，让人们可以把他们的设计涂在身上。手绘刺青所用的是一种由植物提炼出来的暂时性染料，它被用来替手、皮肤、头发、指甲以及各式各样的布料甚至是皮革上色。这种染料最早是在古埃及时被用来化妆，而时至今日，它仍是许多文化中一项很重要的传统。
现代的手绘刺青是在 1990 年代在西方世界变得很流行。这股风潮是由印度和阿拉伯世界所使用的手绘刺青（Mehndi）所带起。这种手绘刺青是一项包含了在某些特殊场合将手绘刺青运用在手脚上的传统，像是庆典或是印度式的婚礼，因为它是爱情和好运的象徵。虽然手绘刺青所用的染料现今被用来以精细的图案和设计装饰身体，但长达数个世纪的时间人们都把手脚泡在这种染料中来散热。
要制作这种染料，要先把这种植物的叶子晒乾并磨碎，然後和某种液体混合在一起，就可以作出棕红色的糊状物。接著要用画笔或是塑胶制的锥子把它涂在皮肤上。等它乾掉之後，就可以把泥巴拿掉，染剂会留在皮肤上，而且会持续大约一至三个星期。还好，如果你不喜欢皮肤上设计的图案，你可以在手绘刺青褪色之後重作，不过如果是一般刺青可得用雷射治疗的方式才能去除。对於那些对一般刺青感到有些紧张的人而言，手绘刺青可能是一种不错的入门方式。

1. 下列哪一项未被提及为使用手绘刺青时很受欢迎的地方？
(A) 头发。
(B) 布料。
(C) 食物。
(D) 指甲。
题解∶根据本文第一段，手绘刺青被用来替手、皮肤、头发、指甲以及各式各样的布料甚至是皮革上色，仅 (C) 项未被提及，故为正选。
2. 手绘刺青起源於哪一洲？
(A) 北美洲。
(B) 澳洲。
(C) 欧洲。
(D) 亚洲。
题解∶根据本文第二段，这股风潮是由印度和阿拉伯世界所使用的手绘刺青（Mehndi）所带起，故 (D) 项应为正选。
3. 下列哪一项手绘刺青染料的功用未被提及？
(A) 散热。
(B) 身体艺术。
(C) 替布料染色。
(D) 清洗身体。
题解∶根据本文第一和第二段，这种染料不仅被用来替布料染色，现今还被用来装饰身体，另外长达数个世纪的时间人们都把手脚泡在这种染料中来散热，仅 (D) 项未被提及，故为正选。
4. 如果你不喜欢你的手绘刺青，你可以怎麽做？
(A) 立刻重作。
(B) 等它褪色。
(C) 把它洗掉。
(D) 用专业的方式将它去除。
题解∶根据本文最後一段，如果你不喜欢皮肤上设计的图案，你可以在手绘刺青褪色之後重作，故 (B) 项应为正选。