英语博客(A cup of English):041 Hmm, what do you think?

　　Beginners.
Art is all around us. There are many forms of art, such as paintings, sketches¹, sculpture, architecture, ceramics², stained glass windows, and even wood burning. Art is a personal thing, also. If somebody loves to grow flowers, their work in the garden could be considered art. Life without art would be very dull and quite strange. Think about never seeing pictures or photos in buildings. No statues, no water fountains, no interesting details. And what about fashion? You could say that fashion, hair styles, make-up etc are forms of art because they are personal tastes to do with color and shape. Music is a huge subject that is related to art. It makes you think, doesn't it? When someone is very good at being creative in some way, people say that he is "an artist". My recent visit to a bakery made me realize that baked goods can also be works of art. Let me know how art is important to you, my listeners. Drop me a comment or an E-mail, and I will share your thoughts in a future episode.
Grammar notes.
Could be considered: His language could be considered rude. His interview went well; he could be considered for the job.
Art vocabulary: paint, paint brush, shade, form, style, arts and crafts, exhibition, genre³.
Advanced.
The other day, I found myself gazing at a painting, and enjoying the contact that my eyes were making with the work. Nothing more. Something about the arrangement of the colors and their differing tones, pleased a part of my brain, and had me not wanting to look away. That's how it is with art. In the deep recesses⁴ of our grey matter, just left of the hypocampus, is the art appreciation⁵ gland⁶, better known as artemilikus. Every time a person is in contact with art that appeals to him or her, it is stimulated⁷. Well, okay, I just made that one up. But, my point is, we humans can get transfixed by any kind of art without understanding why it is so satisfying and important. The picture on this post is the kind of art that I love. Impressionistic? Perhaps. Modern? Maybe. Well, I'm sure many influences have flowed into the mind of the artist, Majka Sadel, but the end result is that it just is. So, hmm, what do you think? Is it a river reflecting in the water? A busy street on a rainy day? It could be. Though its title is 'Cityscape', it could be, and conjure⁸ up, anything for any person.
Grammar notes.
Useful vocabulary: Arrangement, differing, recesses, appreciation, gland, impressionistic, influence, to be in contact.
Verbs: to gaze (reg.), to make (make, made, made), to flow (reg.), to conjure (up) (reg.).

1 sketches   

n.草图( sketch的名词复数 )；素描；速写；梗概

参考例句：

• The artist is making sketches for his next painting. 画家正为他的下一幅作品画素描。
• You have to admit that these sketches are true to life. 你得承认这些素描很逼真。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 ceramics   

n.制陶业；陶器

参考例句：

• an exhibition of ceramics by Picasso 毕加索陶瓷作品展
• The ceramics bore the imprint of Luca della Robbia. 陶器上印有卢卡·德拉·罗比亚的字样。

3 genre   

n.(文学、艺术等的)类型，体裁，风格

参考例句：

• My favorite music genre is blues.我最喜欢的音乐种类是布鲁斯音乐。
• Superficially,this Shakespeare's work seems to fit into the same genre.从表面上看， 莎士比亚的这个剧本似乎属于同一类型。

4 recesses   

n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 )；（工作或业务活动的）中止或暂停期间；学校的课间休息；某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭

参考例句：

• I could see the inmost recesses. 我能看见最深处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I had continually pushed my doubts to the darker recesses of my mind. 我一直把怀疑深深地隐藏在心中。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 appreciation   

n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨

参考例句：

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
• I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。

6 gland   

n.腺体，(机)密封压盖，填料盖

参考例句：

• This is a snake's poison gland.这就是蛇的毒腺。
• Her mother has an underactive adrenal gland.她的母亲肾上腺机能不全。

7 stimulated   

a.刺激的

参考例句：

• The exhibition has stimulated interest in her work. 展览增进了人们对她作品的兴趣。
• The award has stimulated her into working still harder. 奖金促使她更加努力地工作。

8 conjure   

v.恳求，祈求；变魔术，变戏法

参考例句：

• I conjure you not to betray me.我恳求你不要背弃我。
• I can't simply conjure up the money out of thin air.我是不能像变魔术似的把钱变来。