Exploring the Magical World of Puppets

    Since ancient times, cultures around the world have been making and performing with puppets. They express the ideas and beliefs of human societies through stories. Puppets are lifeless objects that are controlled in such a way as to become lifelike. It is the role of the puppeteer to make these forms come alive.

    Join us as we explore the world of puppetry and visit an organization in Atlanta, Georgia that works to support this special art form.

    In Japan, the tradition of bunraku puppetry dates back hundreds of years. A bunraku puppet is quite large. Unlike most puppets, it requires three puppeteers to control. One puppeteer controls the doll's head, face, and right hand. Another puppeteer controls the doll's left hand. And the third operates its legs and feet. The puppeteers train for many years to move as one in bringing the puppet to life to act in complex theater productions.

    In Turkey, the Karagoz tradition of shadow puppets began around the seventeenth century. These Turkish shadow puppets are flat. They are made of very thin pieces of leather that have been painted with bright colors. With shadow puppets, the puppeteer stands behind a white cloth surface and rests the slightly see-through puppets against the cloth. Light behind the cloth screen illuminates the colorful puppets for the people watching on the other side.

    VOICE ONE:

    The Punch and Judy tradition of puppet shows has its roots in the sixteenth century Italian Commedia dell'Arte theater. Punch and Judy shows later became very popular in Britain. Many other countries have their own versions of Punch and Judy puppets. The French equivalent to Punch is Polichinelle, while in Russia he goes by the name Petrushka.

    自古代起,世界各地的文化就开始制作木偶,表演木偶戏。他们通过故事的形式表达人类社会的想法和信念。木偶是没有生命的物体,通过人类控制才看上去栩栩如生。正是他们扮演的角色使木偶看上去有了生命。

    现在,请跟我们一起来探索木偶世界,寻访佐治亚亚特兰大的一个组织,他们的工作就是支持这种特别的艺术形式。

    在日本,木偶戏的传统可以追溯到几百年前。木偶戏木偶非常大。与其他木偶不同,需要几个演木偶戏的人来控制。一个表演者控制木偶的头部,面部和右手。另外一个人控制左手。第三个人操作腿和脚。表演木偶戏的人需要经过多年的训练才能在复杂的剧场演出中整齐划一,使木偶栩栩如生。

    在土耳其,皮影戏的历史始于17世纪左右。这些土耳其皮影木偶是平面的,由皮革途上明亮的颜色制成。表演木偶戏时,这些表演者站在白色的幕布后,将木偶放在稍微透明的幕布上进行表演。幕布后面的灯光为木偶照明,使得幕布另一边的观众可以欣赏表演。

    Punch and Judy木偶戏源于16世纪的意大利喜剧作品剧场。Punch and Judy后来在英国非常流行。许多其他国家都拥有自己版本的Punch and Judy木偶。法国的Polichinelle木偶相当于Punch,而在俄罗斯这种木偶则叫做Petrushka。

    Educational programs are another big part of the Center for Puppetry Arts. Adults can take classes to learn how to build and operate puppets.

    The center's distance learning program uses puppets to teach children in classrooms in forty-four American states. By using video technology, educators and performers at the center in Atlanta, Georgia can connect with classrooms around the country.

    The program uses puppets to teach students about subjects such as dinosaurs, plants and the rainforest. Other programs tell about American and European literature or about puppet traditions around the world. 

    教育项目是木偶艺术中心的另外一个大的组成部分。成人可以上课学习怎样制作和操纵木偶。

    木偶艺术中心的远程教育项目使用木偶为来自美国44个州的孩子授课。通过视频技术,亚特兰大中心的教育者和表演者可以跟全国各地的教室连接。

    该项目利用木偶来教给学生什么是恐龙,植物,以及热带雨林等等。其他项目讲述美国和欧洲文学,以及世界各地的木偶传统。

    1.lifeless a.无生命的,无趣味的,死气沉沉的

    例句:An apparently lifeless area of water.
          明显无生命的水域。

          He is lifeless that is faultless.
          人人都有缺点。

    2.lifelike a.栩栩如生的,逼真的,酷象实物的

    例句:The galloping horses he painted are extremely lifelike.
          他画的奔马栩栩如生。

    3.rest v.放置,支架

    4.illuminate vt. 照明,阐明,说明,使灿烂,用灯装饰

    例句:Footnotes illuminate the difficult passage of the book.
          脚注中解释了书中许多难懂的道理。

          The streets were brightly illuminated.
          街道装点得灯火通明。

    5.branch v.分支,出枝 n. 树枝,支店,支流,分部,部门

    例句:The bank has branches in all parts of the country.
          该银行在全国各地设有分行。

          The bank has decided to close its Los Angeles branch.
          该银行已决定关闭洛杉矶分行。

    1.In Japan, the tradition of bunraku puppetry dates back hundreds of years.

    date back to始于,可以追溯到…

    例句:The history of hockey can date back to thousands ago.
          曲棍球的历史可以追溯到数千年前。

          the ancient and now extinct language of Pharaonic Egypt; written records date back to 3000 BC.
          古代埃及法老的现在绝迹的语言;书面记录要追溯到公元前3000年。

    2.The Punch and Judy tradition of puppet shows has its roots in the sixteenth century Italian Commedia dell'Arte theater.

    has its roots in起源于

    例句:It has its roots deep in the Middle Ages. :
           它起源于遥远的中世纪。

    3.Rod puppets are controlled by a stick or wire attached to the puppet's main body parts.

    attach to使依恋,把...放在

    例句:He is attached to the embassy.
           他被派至大使馆。

          Shellfish usually attach themselves to rocks.
          贝类通常附着于岩石上。

          He was strongly attached to his home.
          他对他的家恋恋不舍。

    Since ancient times, cultures around the world have been making and performing with puppets.

    现在完成进行时

    现在完成进行时和现在完成时有相同之处,也有不同之处。

    (1) 现在完成时强调动作的完成,而现在完成进行时强调动作的延续,因此,表示动作的完成,只能用现在完成时,而不能用现在完成进行时。如:He has changed his idea. 他改变了想法。

    (2) 在表示动作的延续时,虽然既可用现在完成时,也可用现在完成进行时,但现在完成进行时强调动作的进行。因此在需要明确表示动作还要持续下去时,应用现在完成进行时。如:

    We have been studying here for two years. 我们在这儿已经学习了两年了。

    (3) 有些延续性动词(如 keep, learn, live, stay, study, work等),用于现在完成时或现在完成进行时的区别不大。如:

    I have lived here for many years.=I have been living here for many years. 我在这儿住了多年了。