2011年考研英语作文之美文范例：陶器

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Pottery

　　Ancient people  made clay pottery because they needed it for their survival. They used the pots they made for cooking, storing food, and carrying things from place to place. Pottery was so important to early cultures that scientists now study it to learn more about ancient civilizations. The  more advanced the pottery in terms of decoration, materials, glazes and manufacture, the more advanced the culture itself.The  artisan  who  makes  pottery  in  North  America  today  utilizes  his  or  her  skill  and imagination  to  create  items  that  are  beautiful  as  well  as  functional,  transforming  something ordinary into something special and unique.The  potter uses one of  the Earth's  most basic  materials,  clay. Clay can be found almost anywhere. Good pottery clay  must be free from  all small stones and other hard  materials  that would make the  potting  process  difficult. Most North American artisan  potters now purchase commercially processed clay, but some find the clay they need right in the earth close to where they work.The most important tools potters use are their own hands; however, they also use wire loop tools, wooden  modeling tools, plain wire, and sponges. Plain wire is  used to cut away the finished pot from its base on the potter's wheel.After a finished pot is dried of all its moisture in the open air, it is placed in a kiln and fired. The first firing hardens the pottery, and it is then ready to be glazed and fired again.For areas where they do not want any glaze, such as the bottom of the pot, artisans paint on melted wax that will later burn off in the kiln. They then pour on the liquid glaze and let it run over the clay surface, making any kind of decorative pattern that they want.
　　全文翻译：陶器古代人制作陶器是因为他们的生存需要它。他们用这些自制的盆盆罐罐来做饭、 装食物、储运东西。  陶器在早期文化中占据了如此重要的地位，以致于科学家们现在通过 研究陶器来获取对古代文明的更多的了解。  因为陶器的装饰、材料、釉彩、制作等工艺越 发达就说明这种文明越发达。  今天，北美的陶艺匠人运用他们的技艺和想象力创造出了既 美观又实用的陶艺制品，把日常用品变为独特的艺术品。制陶匠人使用大地上比较基本的原材料--粘土。  粘土几乎随处可见，但好的制陶所用的粘土必须不含小沙粒或任何硬物，否 则会给制陶过程带来不便。 现在大多数北美制陶艺人买现成的专用陶土，也有些陶匠乐于 就地取材，在作坊附近自己挖粘土。  制陶器比较重要的工具是工匠们自己的双手，但有时他们也用些别的工具，如绳圈、木模、素线、海绵等。  素线的作用是当一件陶器完成后用它 把陶器从转盘上的基座上切下来。 陶器成形后，首先要在空气中自然风干，再放到窑中焙 烧。 第一遍焙烧使得陶器变得坚硬，下一步就是给它上釉彩，然后再焙烧。  陶器上有些地方不需上釉彩，像罐子底部，匠人们就在这些部位涂上蜡，一加热就会化掉。  然后匠人们 把釉彩液体浇上陶器表面，绘制他们想要的任何图案。