EZCNN 易英网

Lascaux Cave: The World’s First Comic Strip 连环图之祖：拉斯科洞穴

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本

It was a crisp autumn morning in September, 1940. Near the village of Montignac in southwestern France, four young friends were out playing with their dog, Robot. Robot suddenly went missing! The boys found the dog stuck in a crack that led to the mouth of a long cave. Returning to explore a few days later, the fearless teens discovered that the walls of the cave were covered with spectacular paintings!

1940年九月一个干冷的秋天早晨，在法国西南部蒙蒂尼亚克村附近，四名年轻友人在户外和他们的狗罗勃特玩。转眼间罗勃特不见踪影！这些男孩发现狗卡在一个裂隙中，而裂隙通往一个深长洞穴的入口。几天后重回探险时，这群无惧的年轻人发现穴壁上画满壮观的画！

Lascaux Cave, as the site became known, is a series of chambers containing some of the earliest cave paintings ever found. Most researchers believe that the paintings were made between 13000 and 15000 BC. Most of the images depict hunting scenes. Figures of men painted in simple, natural pigments chase animals in a comic-strip-like sequence along the cave walls. Many of the paintings also feature hand prints, adding a personal dimension to the artwork.

此遗迹成为著名的拉斯科洞穴，而洞穴内一连串穴室藏有迄今发现最早的一些洞穴壁画。多数研究人员相信，这些壁画绘于公元前13000年至15000年间。画的内容多在描绘狩猎场景，以简单、自然的颜料绘出的人形，沿着穴壁以彷佛连环图画的顺序追逐动物。许多壁画中还有手掌印，更为此艺术创作增添个人特色。

There are numerous theories as to the significance of these pictures. Some scholars believe they held religious importance. This interpretation is supported by the presence of mystical figures on the walls, including figures that appear to be half-human and half-animal. Others claim they were used to teach hunting tactics, or to motivate the cave dwellers in preparation for their hunts. There certainly is a strong element of realism in the paintings. Just look at the images of early man chasing buffalo and ibex and you will feel a real connection with our primitive ancestors!

这些壁画的意义有多种推论。有些学者相信它们具有宗教意义。这种解读的依据是因墙上有些神秘图形，包括类似半人半兽的图形。有些学者则主张它们是用来教授狩猎策略，或是激励为狩猎作准备的穴居。这些壁画绝对具有强烈的写实意味，我们只要看着画中早期人类追赶水牛及野山羊，便可真实感受到和原始祖先之间的关系。

−by Michael Karanicolas

Vocabulary

单词发音

crisp [krɪsp] adj. 凉爽的

lead to 通向某目的地

spectacular [spɛkˋtækjəlɚ] adj. 壮观的；壮丽的

site [saɪt] n. 旧址，遗迹

sequence [ˋsikwəns] n. 顺序

numerous [ˋnjumərəs] adj. 为数众多的

interpretation [ɪn͵tɝprɪˋteʃən] n. 诠释; 解释﹐说明﹐阐明

tactic [ˋtæktɪk] n. 手法; 策略

motivate [ˋmotə͵vet] v. 刺激；激发

ancestor [ˋænsɛstɚ] n. 祖先

More Information

单词发音

crack [kræk] n. 裂缝

teen [tin] n.（13-19岁的）青少年

chamber [ˋtʃembɚ] n. 室，房间

scene [sin] n. 景象

pigment [ˋpɪgmənt] n. 颜料

dimension [dɪˋmɛnʃən] n. 特点；方面

dweller [ˋdwɛlɚ] n. 居住在城里/镇上/山洞/森林中的人[动物]

realism [ˋrɪəl͵ɪzəm] n. 写实主义〔艺术﹑文学上的风格〕

ibex [ˋaɪbɛks] n. 阿尔卑斯山的野山羊

as to 关于  according to

The Dordogne, France- Lascaux's Prehistoric Cave Paintings