大学英语学习课件U3-2 Translation and exercises

Unit3Artforart’ssake12ThemysteryofGirlswithaPearlEarringHowwelistenText1

hepaintingGirlwithaPearlEarringisoneofthegreatestworksbytheDutchpainter

JohannesVermeer,andoneofthebestlovedpaintingsintheworld.Itshowsastrikingyoungwomanwearinganexoticcostumeanda

turban,peeringoverhershoulderstraightoutattheviewer.Setagainstadarkandunspecifiedbackground,oureyesaredrawntoherpearlearring,thefocalpointofthepainting.

ThemysteryofGirlwithaPearlEarringT

Butaftermorethanacenturyofstudy,theworkposessomefascinatingquestions.Whoistheyoungwoman?Isthepaintingaportraitofarealperson,orasitterrepresentingmoregeneralattributesofwomanhood?Howoldisshemeanttobe?Isthepearlreal?What'sthesignificanceoftheturban?Whatisshethinkingasshestaresoutatus?TextText2Ingeneral,verylittleisknownaboutVermeer.Weknowhewasbornin1632,spenthisentirelifeinDelft,anddiedin1675.Weknowhisworkincludespaintingsofreligiousandmythologicalthemes,domesticinteriorsandlandscapes.Heneverseemstohavebeenwealthy,perhapsbecauseheproducedrelativelyfewpaintings.

Hisotherwell-knownworksincludeGirlReadingaLetteratanOpenWindow,andWomanwithWaterJug.Text

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WealsoknowthatalthoughhecamefromaProtestantfamily,hemarriedaCatholicgirlCatharina,whoinsistedthatheconverttoCatholicismbeforetheymarriedandhad14children.4

AsfarastheGirlwithaPearlEarringisconcerned,itseemsthatitwasn'tmeanttobeaportrait,butastudyofexpressions,facialcharacteristicsorotherinterestingfeatures.It'struethatthegirl'sfacewouldprobablynotbeconsideredbeautifulinaconventionalsense.Ifithadbeenaportrait,apainterwouldhaveworkedhardertoconveythesitter'sbeauty,evenifitmeantslightlydistortingthetruth!ThiskindofstudywaspopularinHollandatthetime,andwouldhavebeeneasytosell.Text

Wedon'tknow,however,ifthispaintingwaseversoldduringVermeer'slifetime.Wedon'tevenknowifitwascommissionedbyVermeer'spatron,vanRuijven.Ifso,themodelmighthavebeenoneofhisdaughterswhowasaboutthesameageasthesitter.WeknowlessabouttheGirlwiththePearlEarringthananyofVermeer'sworks.Indeed,theunexplainablelackofbackgroundinformationmayevencontributetotheworldwidepopularitythepaintingenjoys.Text

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Withsomuchmystery,thepaintinghas

beenthethemeoffirst,anovelandlater,afilm,bothofwhichattempttoanswersomeofthequestionsaboutthepainting,aswellasone,whichisimmediatelymoreappropriate

tothemediumofthe

novelorthe

film:Areherwideeyesandenigmatichalf-smileinnocentorseductive?Text

6

TracyChevalier'snovel,publishedin1999,tellsusthestoryofGriet,a16-year-oldDutchgirlwhoneedstostartworkinordertosupportherfamily.ShebecomesamaidinVermeer'shousehold,withitsfivechildren,grandmother,along-timeservant,andCatharina,Vermeer'svolatilewife.WhileGrietgoesaboutherduties,sheattractstheattentionnotonlyofabutcher'sboy,Pieter,butalsoofthepainterhimself.

Despitetheirdifferentbackgroundsandclass,heinvitesherintohisstudioandengagesherinhisworld.Text

7AtfirstGrietmerelyrunserrandsandperformstasksforVermeer.Butgradually,hisrelationshipwithherchanges.VermeerrecognizesGrietashavingvisualtalentandartisticpromise,andtakesheronashisstudioassistant.GrietiswaryofherpositionintheVermeerhouseholdbutrevelsinbeingencouragedtodevelopherskills.

Text

HerroleistogrindpaintsanddevelopthecolourswhichVermeerwilluseforhispaintingsandwhenamodelfallsill,shetakesherplace.Catharinahaslongbeenforbiddentoenterthestudio,sotheapprenticeshiptakesplaceinsecret.GrietandVermeergrowcloser,althoughtheirfeelingsareneverstatedexplicitly.Text8ButthenVermeer'spatron,thewealthyvanRuijven,whoisattractedbyGriet,insiststhatthemaidandhebethesubjectsofVermeer'snextcommissionedwork.GrietandVermeerarereluctanttoagreebecauseofherstrictmodestyandthescandalcausedbythelastoccasionvanRuijvenwaspaintedwithayoungwoman.Eventually,VermeercompromisesandagreestopaintGrietonherown,wearingCatharina'spearlearrings.Butwhileheispaintingher,VermeerseesGriet'shair,whichtakessomeofhermodestyawayand,deeplyembarrassed,sherunstoPieterforcomfort.Text

9OnedayVermeer'sdaughterdiscoversthatGriethasbeenmodellingforherfather,andtellshermother.Filledwithjealousy,Catharinastormsintothestudioanddemandstoseethepainting.GrietisembarrassedwhenVermeeraccusesCatharinaofnotunderstandingart,anddecidestoleavetheVermeerhousehold.Text

10TenyearslaterweunderstandthatGriethasmarriedPieter,andhashadchildrenwithhim.Inthemeantime,Vermeerhasdiedandinhiswill,haslefttheearringstoGriet.ShesellsthemtosettlethedebtduetotheVermeersbythebutcher'sshopwhenGrietandPietergotmarried.Text

11TracyChevalier'stalentwastobringtolifeformodernreadersthestoryofayoungwomaninasmallcitymanycenturiesago,andaboveall,tospeculateontheanswerstosomeofthequestionswhichthepaintingprovokes.Text

12Thenovelwasabest-seller,andconsequentlywasmadeintoafilmofthesamenamein2003.VermeerwasplayedbyColinFirth,andGrietbyScarlettJohannson.ThefilmshowsveryeffectivelythetensionbetweenthetwowhenVermeerpiercesGriet'searlobessoshecanwearhiswife'spearlearringsfortheportraitcommissionedbyhispatron.Itendswithascenenotdescribedinthenovel,withthepearlearringsbeing

mysteriouslydeliveredtoGriet,andwe'releftwonderingifsheevermarriesPieter.Text

13ThepaintingcanbefoundintheMauritshuisMuseuminTheHague,Holland.Ithasbeendescribedasthe

MonaLisaofthenorth,preciselybecause,likeLeonardodaVinci'spainting,nowinParis,itappearstobeasimplelikenessofawomanwithanenigmaticsmile,yetwhichcontainslevelsofmeaningsandquestions.Thefactthatasinglepaintingcangenerateathoroughlyrewardingnovelandawell-composedfilmdemonstratesourfascinationinthemysteryoftheGirlwitha

PearlEarring.《戴珍珠耳环的少女》之谜

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《戴珍珠耳环的少女》是荷兰画家约翰尼斯·维梅尔最伟大的作品之一，也是世界上最受欢迎的画作之一。画里有一位引人注目的年轻女子，身穿异国服饰，戴着头巾，她侧身回眸，望着欣赏画作的观众。画面的背景一片漆黑，我们的视线被吸引到女子所佩戴的珍珠耳环上，那耳环也是整幅画的焦点。Text这幅画在被世人研究了一个多世纪后，仍然留存着一些饶有趣味的问题待人们解答。那位年轻女子是谁？这幅画到底是一幅真人肖像画，还是一幅表现女人普遍特征的模特画？她有多大年纪？那颗珍珠是真的吗？她戴的头巾有什么特殊含义吗？她回眸看着我们的时候到底在想些什么？Text

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总的来说，有关维梅尔的记载很少。我们知道他出生于1632年，一辈子都住在代尔夫特，于1675年逝世。我们知道他的画作包括宗教及神话题材的画，室内家居画以及风景画。他好像从来没富有过，可能是因为作品相对较少的缘故。他的其他名画包括《在窗前读信的女孩》和《拿着水罐的女人》。Text

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我们还知道，虽然他来自于一个新教家庭，却娶了一位信仰天主教的女孩凯瑟琳娜，凯瑟琳娜坚持要他改信天主教，然后才肯跟他结婚，婚后他们育有14个孩子。

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《戴珍珠耳环的少女》这幅画似乎不是被当作肖像画来画的，而是一幅表现人物表情、面部特征，以及其他一些特点的习作。的确，少女的那张脸在传统意义上或许算不上漂亮。如果是一幅肖像画，画家会花更多的力气来表现被画者的美貌，即便那么做会有些背离事实！这种肖像画当时在荷兰很流行，而且可能也更容易出售。Text

然而，我们并不知道这幅画在维梅尔生前是否卖出去过。我们甚至不清楚它是不是维梅尔的资助人范·鲁文的委托之作。如果是的话，画中的模特有可能是维梅尔的一个年龄相仿的女儿。我们对《戴珍珠耳环的少女》的了解比对维梅尔的其他作品都少。实际上，这种无法解释的背景资料的缺失甚至会使得该画更受欢迎。Text

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正因为如此神秘，这幅画先是成了一部小说的主题，而后又被一部电影所采纳。它们都试图揭开有关这幅画的一些谜题，其中一个是：女孩那双睁得大大的眼睛，以及那一丝神秘的微笑，到底是天真还是诱惑？像小说或电影这类媒介更适合作出回答。Text

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崔西·雪佛兰于1999年出版的小说向我们讲述了一位16岁的荷兰女孩格里特的故事。她必须去工作来养活家人，于是成了维梅尔家的一名女仆，和维梅尔的五个孩子、一位老佣人以及他喜怒无常的妻子凯瑟琳娜生活在一起。在他家干活的时候，格里特不仅被一个屠夫的儿子彼得看上了，也引起了画家本人的注意。尽管他们有着不同的背景，隶属于不同的阶级，但维梅尔还是邀她进画室，并让她走入自己的世界。Text

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起初，格里特只是帮维梅尔跑跑腿，干些杂活。可渐渐地，他们的关系发生了变化。维梅尔发现了格里特的视觉才能和艺术潜质，开始让她做画室助手。格里特清楚自己在维梅尔家的地位，一直谨小慎微，但她还是对画家鼓励她学习绘画技巧而感到高兴。Text她的工作是帮维梅尔磨颜料、调颜色，有模特生病的时候，她担当模特之职。凯瑟琳娜很久之前就被禁止进入画室了，所以格里特的学徒生涯是在秘密中进行的。格里特和维梅尔的关系日见亲密，虽然他们之间的感情从未被挑明过。Text

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可是，维梅尔的那位有钱的资助人范·鲁文喜欢上了格里特，他坚持要维梅尔在他定的下一幅画里为他和格里特画张双人像。格里特和维梅尔都不情愿，因为格里特本人很矜持庄重，还因为范·鲁文最近和一位年轻女子一起画像时传出了绯闻。最终，维梅尔作了一点妥协，他答应为格里特画一幅单人像，并让她戴上凯瑟琳娜的珍珠耳环。作画的时候，维梅尔看着格里特的头发，那一头秀发让她少了几分矜持庄重，格里特为此感到十分难堪，跑到彼得那里寻求安慰。Text

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一天，维梅尔的女儿发现格里特在给他父亲当模特，就把这事告诉了她妈妈。凯瑟琳娜顿生醋意，冲进画室，要求看那幅画。维梅尔则指责凯瑟琳娜不懂艺术，此时的格里特处境很尴尬，她决定离开维梅尔家。Text

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我们知道，十年后格里特嫁给了彼得，还为他生了孩子。同时，维梅尔也去世了。他在遗嘱里把珍珠耳环留给了格里特。在与彼得结婚时，格里特把珍珠耳环卖了，用来偿还彼得家的肉铺欠维梅尔的债。Text

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崔西·雪佛兰的才华在于她把几个世纪前一位生活在小城市的年轻女子的故事栩栩如生地展现在了现代读者的眼前；最重要的是，她对于那幅画所引发的某些问题给出了自己的思考。Text

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这本小说很畅销，所以在2003年被改编成了同名电影。维梅尔由科林·弗思扮演，格里特由斯嘉丽·约翰松扮演。电影在描述维梅尔为格里特穿耳洞，为了让她戴上他妻子的珍珠耳环，然后来画那位资助人要的画时，非常到位地表现出他俩之间的紧张状态。电影的结尾是小说里没有的，那副珍珠耳环被神秘地送到了格里特的手中，至于她是否会嫁给彼得，电影留下了悬念。Text

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这幅画现在收藏于荷兰海牙的莫瑞泰斯皇家美术馆。正是因为它像现馆藏于巴黎的列奥纳多·达·芬奇的画作一样，画了一位面带神秘微笑的女人，那微笑蕴藏着多层意义和疑问，它被誉为北方的《蒙娜丽莎》。仅仅一幅画就催生了一部备受推崇的小说，以及一部制作精良的影片，这说明了《戴珍珠耳环的少女》之谜的巨大魅力。TextExercisesReadingandunderstandingDealingwithunfamiliarwordsReadingandinterpretingDevelopingcriticalthinkingReadingandunderstanding3.

Answerthequestions.4.Matchtheeventswiththeirsources.

Exercises3.

Answerthequestions.1WhattypeofpaintingisGirlwithaPearlEarring?

It’saworld-famousportraitpaintedbyVermeeraround1665.2Whowasthemodelforthepainting?

Griet,ayounggirlwhoisthoughttoworkinVermeer’shouse.

Exercises

3Howmuchofthenovelisbasedonfact?

Thesettingandsomeofthemainideasarefactualbutthedetailsofthestoryarespeculationandfiction.4WhatwastherelationshipbetweenGrietandVermeer?

GrietwasamaidinVermeer’shouseholdandshebecamehismodel.Vermeerthoughtshehadsomeartistictalent.

Exercises5WhydidGrietleavetheVermeerhousehold?

Vermeer’sdaughterandwifefoundoutthatGrietwasmodelingforVermeer.Grietgotembarrassedwhenthewifestormedintothestudio,sosheleft.6Whatdifferencesaretherebetweenthebookandthefilm?

Accordingtothefilm,theearringsarefinallydeliveredtoGrietandtheaudienceisleftwonderingifshemarriesPieter.Thenoveldoesnottalkaboutit.Exercises4.Matchtheeventswiththeirsources.(a)knownfact(b)inthenovelbyTracyChevalier(c)inthefilmversionofthenovel1WhatistheusualnumberofflowerstobuyinRussia?____2WhydidYakovbuy14flowers?____

3VermeermarriesaCatholicgirlcalledCatharina.____4CatharinaisjealousofGriet.____5VermeerbecomesaCatholic.____

Exercisesabcab(a)knownfact(b)inthenovelbyTracyChevalier(c)inthefilmversionofthenovel6VanRuijvenwantstobepaintedwithGriet.____7VermeergrowsupinDelft.____8SomebodysendstheearringstoGrietafterVermeer’sdeath.____9GrietbecomesVermeer’sassistant.____10GrietisembarrassedwhenVermeerseesherhair.____ExercisesabbcbDealingwithunfamiliarwords5.Matchthewordsintheboxwiththeirdefinitions.6.CompletetheparagraphwiththecorrectformofthewordsinActivity5.7.Replacetheunderlinedwordswiththecorrectformofthewordsandexpressionsinthebox.8.Answerthequestionsaboutthewordsandexpressions.Exercises5.Matchthewordsintheboxwiththeirdefinitions.1someonewholooksatapicture,photograph,orpieceofart()Exercisescommission

consequently

domesticengage

interior

portrait

viewerviewerdomestic2apainting,drawingorphotographofsomeone,especiallyoftheirfaceonly()portrait3relatingtopeople’shomesandfamilylife()4theinsidepartofsomething,especiallyabuildingorvehicle()5asaresult()6tostarttoemploysomeoneorusetheirservices()7toofficiallyaskforapieceofworktobedoneforyou()Exercisesinteriorconsequentlyengagecommission

consequently

domesticengage

interior

portrait

viewercommission6.CompletetheparagraphwiththecorrectformofthewordsinActivity5.

Inthebeginningitwasonlytherichandfamouswhohadtheir(1)________painted.ButfromtheRenaissanceonwardsthingschanged.Firstly,thegrowingimportanceofthemiddleclassesledmanyordinarypeopleto(2)___________paintings,oftenofExercisesportraitscommissioncommission

consequently

domesticengage

interior

portrait

viewermembersoftheirfamily.Secondly,artistsbecameinterestedinshowingscenesof(3)________life,setinthe(4)________ofordinaryhouses,and(5)____________theybeganto(6)________ordinarypeople,suchasservantgirls,asmodels.Partofthemysteryfor(7)________todayconcernstheidentityofthesemodels,inmasterpiecessuchasLeonardo’sMonaLisaandVermeer’sGirlwithaPearlEarring.Exercisesdomesticinteriorsengageconsequentlycommission

consequently

domesticengage

interior

portrait

viewerviewers7.Replacetheunderlinedwordswiththecorrectformofthewordsandexpressionsinthebox.1HechangedhisreligionfromProtestantismandbecameaCatholic.()

2Oneoftheassistant’sjobswastobreakintoapowderthepaints.()Exercisesconvert

distort

feature

grindinthemeantime

pierce

scandalconvertedgrind3Thenewspaperstartedtochangethefactsothatitwasnolongertrueeversinceitexisted,andthelocalgovernmentwasdefinitelyoneofthevictims.()4Youdon’thavetomakeaholeinyourearstobeabletoweartheseearrings.()5Thelivesofartistshaveoftenbeenlinkedtoshockingeventsandsituations.()Exercisesdistortscandalspierceconvert

distort

feature

grindinthemeantime

pierce

scandal

6Oneofthemoststrikingaspectsofthepaintingistheturbansheiswearingonherhead.()7I’llfinishthepaintingthisevening,sofromnowuntilthenyoucanhaveabreak.()Exercisesinthemeantimefeaturesconvert

distort

feature

grindinthemeantime

pierce

scandal8.Answerthequestionsaboutthewordsandexpressions.1Areexoticclotheslikelytobe(a)ordinary,or(b)unusual?2Isasittersomeonewho(a)isbeingpainted,or(b)spendsalotoftimesittingdown?3Isaconventionalsenseofbeautyonewhichis(a)sharedandunderstoodbymostpeople,or(b)differentfromwhatissharedandunderstoodbymostpeople?Exercises(b)unusual?(a)isbeingpainted,(a)sharedandunderstoodbymostpeople,

4Isanenigmaticexpressiononewhichisfullof(a)goodhumour,or(b)mystery?5Ifyouhaveavolatilepersonality,doyougetangry(a)quickly,or(b)onlywhen