【CET 12-24备战】之六级听力(十八)(在线收听) |
Passage One 12. 13. Graffiti is drawings or writings often found on a wall in public places. These drawings and writings are usually rude, humorous or political. The word "graffiti" comes from an Italian word meaning "a scratch". Graffiti provides the record of the past, because people have written on walls for centuries. Keep drawings are the earliest example we have of the art graffiti. Writing on walls is a way to comment the world we live in. Women's liberation groups in Britain, for example, have used graffiti to show their anger at the sex discrimination(11) of many advertisements where women's bodies are used to sell goods. Yesterday's graffiti can be today's tourist attraction. When the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, people found it was covered with graffiti from all over the world. Graves of famous people, like rock star Jim Morrison, are covered with written messages from fans. Graffiti is also a popular art form. Graffiti pictures have gained respect in artistic circles. Today, graffiti is likely to be found hanging inside modern New York apartments as well as in the downtown streets(12). In New York, graffiti pictures have been sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Graffiti artists have been paid to use their art to brighten up dull environments. But graffiti can bring us trouble. Things of natural beauty and important landmarks have been spoiled by mindless graffiti. The London underground authorities spend about 2 million pounds a year on removing graffiti from trains and stations. If you are caught doing it, you can be sent to a prison(13). In Britain, the maximum sentence for this type of crime is 10 years. Whether you think graffiti is mindless violence against property or a living art form, its popularity suggests that it is here to stay. 11. What did women's liberation groups in Britain do with graffiti? |
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