The Art of Henna　神奇的手繪刺青

Next time you want a tattoo, consider trying it out with henna first.
下次你想刺青的時候，可以先考慮試試看手繪刺青。

Many people think getting a tattoo is a great way for people to express themselves and even tell their stories on their skin. The problem is that tattoos must be professionally removed, and sometimes stories and people change. Henna, on the other hand, is a natural impermanent way to put designs on the body. Henna is a temporary dye that has been extracted from a plant and is used to color the hands, skin, hair, fingernails, as well as different kinds of fabrics and even leather. It was first used cosmetically in ancient Egypt, and today it still remains an important tradition in many cultures.
The modern henna tattoo became fashionable in the Western world in the 1990s. It was inspired by the practice of Mehndi in India and the Arab world. Mehndi is a tradition involving the application of Henna on the hands and feet for special occasions such as festivals or Hindu weddings, as it is a symbol of love and good luck. While henna is now used to decorate the body with intricate patterns and designs, for centuries people would cool down their bodies by soaking their hands and feet in it.
To make the dye, the leaves of the henna plant are dried and ground and, when mixed with a liquid, a reddish brown paste is made. It is then applied to the skin using paintbrushes or plastic cones. After it hardens, the mud is removed, and a stain is left behind that remains for approximately one to three weeks. Fortunately, if you don't like the design you can have it redone after the henna fades, whereas ink tattoos require laser treatments to be removed. Henna might be a good starting point for someone a bit nervous about getting an ink tattoo.

1. What is NOT mentioned as a popular place to apply henna?
(A) Hair.
(B) Material.
(C) Food.
(D) Fingernails.
2. From which continent does henna originate?
(A) North America.
(B) Australia.
(C) Europe.
(D) Asia.
3. What is NOT mentioned as a use for henna?
(A) Cooling down.
(B) Body art.
(C) Dyeing fabric.
(D) Washing your body.
4. What can you do if you do not like your henna tattoo?
(A) Have it done again immediately.
(B) Wait for it to go away.
(C) Wash it off.
(D) Get it professionally removed.

1. professionally adv. 專業地
2. impermanent a. 非永久的
3. fabric n. 布料；構造
4. cosmetically adv. 化妝用途地
5. soak vt. 浸泡
6. liquid n. 液體
7. reddish a. 淡紅的
8. harden vi. 變硬
9. stain n. 染劑
10. redo vt. 重作
11. continent n. 大陸，洲

1. try...out / try out...試用　試驗……
2. cool down降溫；冷靜下來
3. mix with...和……混合
4. be applied to...被涂抹於　運用在……

Fortunately, if you don't like the design you can have it redone after the henna fades, whereas ink tattoos require laser treatments to be removed.
注意
whereas 表『（然）而』時為對等連接詞，引導的主要子句通常置於另一主要子句之後，其前加逗點，即等於 while 或 but。
Bill and Jim are brothers. The former is shy, whereas the latter is outgoing.
比爾和吉姆是兄弟。前者很害羞，而後者卻很外向。

1. express vt. 表達，表示
   Lily expressed her gratitude to David by writing him a thank-you note.
   莉莉寫了封感謝函給大衛來表達對他的感激。
2. temporary a. 暫時的
   Many employees in the factory were replaced with temporary workers.
   這家工廠的許多員工都被臨時雇員取代了。
3. extract vt. 取出；提煉，粹取
   extract A from B從 B 提煉　粹取出 A
   We can extract cooking oil from sunflower seeds.
   我們可以從葵花子中提煉出食用油。
4. inspire vt. 啟發；鼓舞
   inspire sb to V激勵　啟發某人做……
   My grandfather inspired me to follow my dreams of becoming a pilot.
   我爺爺激勵我追尋當飛行員的夢想。
5. practice n. 實行；（社會的）慣例，習俗
   It's standard practice to request their parents' approval for students to go on field trips.
   學生要參加校外教學得先徵求家長同意，這是標準的做法。
6. application n. 應用
   The application of the new data led to the success of the mission.
   這些新資料的運用使得任務順利達成。
7. symbol n. 象徵
   John gave his girlfriend a ring as a symbol of his love.
   約翰送女友一枚戒指，象徵他對她的愛。
8. intricate a. 復雜精細的
   The intricate machine needs to be used carefully.
   這臺復雜精細的機器必須小心使用。
9. leave behind... / leave...behind遺留　留下……
   Jason did not want to leave the excitement of big city life behind.
   杰森不愿拋下大都市生活的刺激。
10. treatment n. 治療
    In spite of the treatment, Jenny's health remained precarious.
    盡管接受了治療，珍妮的健康狀況還是不穩定。
    ＊precarious a. 不穩定的

神奇的手繪刺青
下次你想刺青的時候，可以先考慮試試看手繪刺青。
許多人都認為刺青是人們展現自我，甚至是在皮膚上訴說自己故事的一種好方法。問題是刺青必須用專業的方式才能去除，而且有時候人事全非。相反地，手繪刺青（henna）是一種自然而且非永久的方式，讓人們可以把他們的設計涂在身上。手繪刺青所用的是一種由植物提煉出來的暫時性染料，它被用來替手、皮膚、頭發、指甲以及各式各樣的布料甚至是皮革上色。這種染料最早是在古埃及時被用來化妝，而時至今日，它仍是許多文化中一項很重要的傳統。
現代的手繪刺青是在 1990 年代在西方世界變得很流行。這股風潮是由印度和阿拉伯世界所使用的手繪刺青（Mehndi）所帶起。這種手繪刺青是一項包含了在某些特殊場合將手繪刺青運用在手腳上的傳統，像是慶典或是印度式的婚禮，因為它是愛情和好運的象徵。雖然手繪刺青所用的染料現今被用來以精細的圖案和設計裝飾身體，但長達數個世紀的時間人們都把手腳泡在這種染料中來散熱。
要制作這種染料，要先把這種植物的葉子曬乾并磨碎，然後和某種液體混合在一起，就可以作出棕紅色的糊狀物。接著要用畫筆或是塑膠制的錐子把它涂在皮膚上。等它乾掉之後，就可以把泥巴拿掉，染劑會留在皮膚上，而且會持續大約一至三個星期。還好，如果你不喜歡皮膚上設計的圖案，你可以在手繪刺青褪色之後重作，不過如果是一般刺青可得用雷射治療的方式才能去除。對於那些對一般刺青感到有些緊張的人而言，手繪刺青可能是一種不錯的入門方式。

1. 下列哪一項未被提及為使用手繪刺青時很受歡迎的地方？
(A) 頭發。
(B) 布料。
(C) 食物。
(D) 指甲。
題解∶根據本文第一段，手繪刺青被用來替手、皮膚、頭發、指甲以及各式各樣的布料甚至是皮革上色，僅 (C) 項未被提及，故為正選。
2. 手繪刺青起源於哪一洲？
(A) 北美洲。
(B) 澳洲。
(C) 歐洲。
(D) 亞洲。
題解∶根據本文第二段，這股風潮是由印度和阿拉伯世界所使用的手繪刺青（Mehndi）所帶起，故 (D) 項應為正選。
3. 下列哪一項手繪刺青染料的功用未被提及？
(A) 散熱。
(B) 身體藝術。
(C) 替布料染色。
(D) 清洗身體。
題解∶根據本文第一和第二段，這種染料不僅被用來替布料染色，現今還被用來裝飾身體，另外長達數個世紀的時間人們都把手腳泡在這種染料中來散熱，僅 (D) 項未被提及，故為正選。
4. 如果你不喜歡你的手繪刺青，你可以怎麼做？
(A) 立刻重作。
(B) 等它褪色。
(C) 把它洗掉。
(D) 用專業的方式將它去除。
題解∶根據本文最後一段，如果你不喜歡皮膚上設計的圖案，你可以在手繪刺青褪色之後重作，故 (B) 項應為正選。

答案∶ 1. C2. D3. D4. B