The Art of Mime (1)

In this art form, actions speak louder than words
What do you think of when you think of a face painted white? A shirt with stripes? White gloves and a black hat? In the West this figure might come to mind when we think of mime. Mime is the art of acting without using speech. The word can also refer to a person who performs this art. This type of art has grown and changed over the centuries. What began as a simple form of communication is now a form of theater.

Mime through the ages
Mime is one of the earliest forms of self-expression. As languages were developing, humans still used their bodies to speak. Mime first became an art form in ancient Greece. Silent actors performed everyday scenes using gestures. These plays often taught a lesson about values. When the Romans conquered Greece, they took the art of mime back to Italy. There they made it their own. Even after the fall of the Roman Empire, mime survived.


Grammar Gym
What began as a ... is now a ...
- What began as a simple form of communication is now a form of theater.
- What began as a two-man business team is now a company with five hundred workers.
- What began as a tiny laboratory in the back of a school building is now a separate research center.

Info Cloud
actions speak louder than words
本課作者引用英文諺語: 行動勝於空談: actions speak louder than words
Do as I say, not as I do. 別管我在做什麼, 照我說的去做
monkey see monkey do 有樣學樣 (猴子模仿力很強,看到什麼就會照著去做)

Language Lab
mime n.
/ˈmaɪm/
[uncountable and countable] the use of movements to express what you want to say without using words, or a play where the actors use only movements

perform v. 表演, 演出
to do an action or activity that usually requires training or skill
to entertain an audience by singing, acting, etc.
used to describe how effective or successful someone or something is
- The band will perform tonight at the prom.
樂團今天晚上會在一個畢業舞會上演出
- The singer started performing in the early '70s.
這位歌手在七零年代初期就開始表演
表現
- John performed well in this project.
John 在這個案子表現傑出

communication n. 傳播, 溝通, 交流
- Facebook opened a new way of communication.
臉書開啟了溝通的新方式
- She had no communication with her parents once she moved out.
她搬出家以後就沒有和她的父母連絡
通訊
communication equipment 通訊設備

gesture n. 手勢, 姿勢
/ˈʤɛstʃɚ/
[uncountable and countable] a movement of part of your body, especially your hands or head, to show what you mean or how you feel
[countable] something that you say or do, often something small, to show how you feel about someone or something
- The professor loves to use gestures to emphasize his points.
這位教授喜歡用手勢來強調他的重點
gesture v. 用手勢來表達, 或用動做視意
to make a gesture : to move your hands, arms, etc., to express an idea or feeling
- My boss gestured me to close the door.
老闆用動作我視意要我把門關上

self-expression n. 自我表現
self 自己/ expression表達
the expression of your thoughts or feelings especially through artistic activities (such as painting, writing, dancing, etc.)
- Fashion is a medium for self-expression.
時尚是自我表現的一種媒介
- He sees his poems as an important way for self-expression.
他認為他的詩是做為自我表現的一種方式

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