Take Away English-Jane Austen 简·奥斯丁

The BBC adapted Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice for television

Even though she lived more than 200 years ago, the famous English novelist Jane Austen has been in the news a lot recently.

The only known portrait of Jane Austen is to be sold by auction¹ in New York this week, and is expected to fetch between £200,000 and £400,000.

The oil painting, which experts believe was commissioned by the novelist’s great-uncle in 1790, has been handed down from generation to generation and currently belongs to one of Jane Austen’s descendants.

There has been some doubt over the authenticity² of the portrait because some experts say the type of dress she is wearing in the painting is from the wrong historical period.

However, other academics and the auction house Christie’s, who are selling the painting, say the picture is a "true depiction³" of the writer.

This is not the first time Jane Austen’s image has caused controversy⁴. Earlier this year her publishers were criticised for giving her a makeover on the cover of a book about her life.

The publishers made changes to a sketch⁵ of Jane drawn⁶ by her sister. In the original picture Jane is wearing a cap, but in the new image the publishers have removed the cap, and added make-up and hair extensions.

Whatever she looked like, Jane Austen remains⁷ a British national treasure. Her books, such as Emma, Sense and Sensibility, and Pride and Prejudice, remain widely-read and have been successfully adapted for television and cinema.

In fact, her work is still so popular that in a recent survey to mark World Book Day, the British public voted Pride and Prejudice the nation’s favourite read – ahead of Harry⁸ Potter and The Lord of the Rings!

GLOSSARY 词汇表
novelist 小说家 auction 拍卖 handed down 传下来 doubt 怀疑 historical period 历史时代 true depiction 真实的描绘 publishers 出版商 sketch 素描 hair extensions 假长发 survey 调查	portrait 肖像 oil painting 油画 descendants 后代 authenticity 真实性 academics 学术家 controversy 争议 makeover 重新包装 make-up 化妆 national treasure 国宝 voted 投票

 

1 auction   

n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖

参考例句：

• They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。
• They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。

2 authenticity   

n.真实性

参考例句：

• There has been some debate over the authenticity of his will. 对于他的遗嘱的真实性一直有争论。
• The museum is seeking an expert opinion on the authenticity of the painting. 博物馆在请专家鉴定那幅画的真伪。

3 depiction   

n.描述

参考例句：

• Double rhythms, resounding through the lyric depiction and connecting with each other, indicate the thespian place of mankind and the cognition of the writer to this thespian place. 这双重旋律互为表里，表明了人类的某种悲剧性处境以及作家对这种悲剧性处境的感受和认识。
• A realistic depiction of scenes from everyday domestic life. 日常家居生活的写实画。

4 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

5 sketch   

n.草图；梗概；素描；v.素描；概述

参考例句：

• My sister often goes into the country to sketch. 我姐姐常到乡间去写生。
• I will send you a slight sketch of the house.我将给你寄去房屋的草图。

6 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

7 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

8 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。