The Hidden Meaning of Kids’ Scribbles(胡乱画)
A parent might place his daughter’s tadpole(蝌蚪)drawing on the fridge out of a love for his child rather than for the funky-looking image, but for many people, that tadpole art is actually quite charming. In fact, adult abstract artists were often inspired by children’s drawing. Observers have found similar patterns in modem abstract art and kids’ drawing.
Acknowledging that young kids aren’t as eager to produce a realistic rendering(呈现)helps demonstrate what the drawing experience means to them. For many kids, drawing is enjoyable not because of the final product it leads to, but because they can live completely in the world of their drawing for a few minutes. Adults may find it hard to relate to this sort of full-body, short experience. But the opportunities for self-expression that drawing provides have important, even therapeutic, value for kids.
Maureen Ingram , who’s a preschool teacher, said her students often tell different stories about a given piece of art depending on the day, perhaps because they weren’t sure what they intended to draw when they started the picture. “We as adults will often say, I’m going to draw a horse, and we set out…and get frustrated when we can’t do it,” Ingram said. “They seem to take a much more sensible approach, where they just draw,” and then they realize, “it is a horse.”
Ultimately, what may be most revealing about kids, art isn’t the art itself but what they say during the drawing process. Studies suggest that kids will create an elaborate narrative(详细的故事)while drawing ,but when telling adults about their work they’ll simply name the items or characters in the image.
And what about those odd or scary-looking drawings? Does that mean kids are telling themselves stories that are odd or scary? It’s hard to say, but it’s rarely a good idea to over-interpret it. Ellen Winner, a psychology professor at Boston College, pointed to parents who worry when their kid draws a child the same size as the adults, wondering whether she’s suffering from, say, a feeling of impotence—a desire to feel as powerful as older people. But the likely reason is that the child hasn’t yet learned how to differentiate size; the easiest solution is to just make all the figures the same size.
What’s most important to remember is that “children’s art has its own logic,” Winner said. “Children are not being crazy.”
【语篇解读】这是一篇议论文。作者认为孩子们画画有自己的逻辑和意义，我们要正确看待孩子们的作品。
71.【答案】encouragement
【解析】信息转换题。句意：父母可能会在家里展示孩子的图画，出于对孩子的爱的鼓励。文章第一句的A parent might place his daughter’s tadpole(蝌蚪)drawing on the fridge out of a love for his child rather than for the funky-looking image，一个家长可能会把他女儿的蝌蚪画放在冰箱上，这是出于对孩子的爱，而不是因为画本身有多独特。可知，父母可能是出于对自己孩子的爱，把他们认为没有什么特别意义的涂鸦展示在家里，这种展示不是对孩子作品的认可，而是想鼓励孩子们能够作画的勇气，所以要填“鼓励”，在不定冠词an后，冠词修饰名词，要用名词形式，故填encouragement。
72.【答案】inspiration
【解析】信息转换题。句意：成人抽象艺术家从儿童绘画中汲取灵感。第一段的最后In fact, adult abstract artists were often inspired by children’s drawing.事实上，成人抽象艺术家往往受到儿童绘画的启发。可知，成人抽象艺术家从儿童绘画中汲取灵感。所以，所填词词义“灵感”，句子谓语动词draw后跟宾语，要用其名词形式，故填inspiration。
73.【答案】meanings/values/benefits/advantages
【解析】信息转换题。句意：绘画体验对孩子们的意义(价值、益处)。所填词为作者的第二个分论点，在第二段中的Acknowledging that young kids aren’t as eager to produce a realistic rendering(呈现)helps demonstrate what the drawing experience means to them.承认年幼的孩子们并非要制造现实的翻版可以帮助我们了解绘画对于他们来说到底意味着什么。接着这一段中作者给出了画画对孩子意味着什么的具体内容。可知，作者认为对于孩子们来说，他们不是想画出有完整意思的符合现实的画作，他们只是想体验画画本身并且在画画中表达自己。“绘画体验对孩子的真正意义或益处或价值”是作者的第二个分论点，由右边的两个论据可以进一步确认答案，所以要填“意义”、“益处”或“价值”词义的词汇，后面的of介词短语要修饰名词，要填其名词形式，4个名词皆为可数名词，右边的“意义”有两个，要用名词复数，故填meanings/values/benefits/advantages。
A parent might place his daughter’s tadpole(蝌蚪)drawing on the fridge out of a love for his child rather than for the funky-looking image, but for many people, that tadpole art is actually quite charming. In fact, adult abstract artists were often inspired by children’s drawing. Observers have found similar patterns in modem abstract art and kids’ drawing.
Acknowledging that young kids aren’t as eager to produce a realistic rendering(呈现)helps demonstrate what the drawing experience means to them. For many kids, drawing is enjoyable not because of the final product it leads to, but because they can live completely in the world of their drawing for a few minutes. Adults may find it hard to relate to this sort of full-body, short experience. But the opportunities for self-expression that drawing provides have important, even therapeutic, value for kids.
Maureen Ingram , who’s a preschool teacher, said her students often tell different stories about a given piece of art depending on the day, perhaps because they weren’t sure what they intended to draw when they started the picture. “We as adults will often say, I’m going to draw a horse, and we set out…and get frustrated when we can’t do it,” Ingram said. “They seem to take a much more sensible approach, where they just draw,” and then they realize, “it is a horse.”
Ultimately, what may be most revealing about kids, art isn’t the art itself but what they say during the drawing process. Studies suggest that kids will create an elaborate narrative(详细的故事)while drawing ,but when telling adults about their work they’ll simply name the items or characters in the image.
And what about those odd or scary-looking drawings? Does that mean kids are telling themselves stories that are odd or scary? It’s hard to say, but it’s rarely a good idea to over-interpret it. Ellen Winner, a psychology professor at Boston College, pointed to parents who worry when their kid draws a child the same size as the adults, wondering whether she’s suffering from, say, a feeling of impotence—a desire to feel as powerful as older people. But the likely reason is that the child hasn’t yet learned how to differentiate size; the easiest solution is to just make all the figures the same size.
What’s most important to remember is that “children’s art has its own logic,” Winner said. “Children are not being crazy.”
| Passage outline | Supporting details |
| Different angles of looking at kids’ drawing | Parents might display kids’ drawing at home as an(71) ▲ of love for their children. Adult abstract artists could draw(72) ▲ from kids’ drawing. |
| Real(73) ▲ of drawing experience to kids | Kids enjoy the(74) ▲ of drawing rather than the final product. Though kids’ drawing experience is hard for adults to(75) ▲ , it allows kids to express themselves. |
| Typical characteristics of kids in drawing | Kids just draw(76) ▲ and then they realize they have drawn something， not like adults who know what they intend to draw. Kids create stories while drawing, but can’t tell them(77) ▲ . |
| A professor’s opinions | There is no(78) ▲ to over-interpret odd or scary-looking drawings. Kids are(79) ▲ to be less knowledgeable. For instance, they may have no idea about size. |
| Conclusion | Children’s art seems(80) ▲ on the surface, but it has its own logic. |
71.【答案】encouragement
【解析】信息转换题。句意：父母可能会在家里展示孩子的图画，出于对孩子的爱的鼓励。文章第一句的A parent might place his daughter’s tadpole(蝌蚪)drawing on the fridge out of a love for his child rather than for the funky-looking image，一个家长可能会把他女儿的蝌蚪画放在冰箱上，这是出于对孩子的爱，而不是因为画本身有多独特。可知，父母可能是出于对自己孩子的爱，把他们认为没有什么特别意义的涂鸦展示在家里，这种展示不是对孩子作品的认可，而是想鼓励孩子们能够作画的勇气，所以要填“鼓励”，在不定冠词an后，冠词修饰名词，要用名词形式，故填encouragement。
72.【答案】inspiration
【解析】信息转换题。句意：成人抽象艺术家从儿童绘画中汲取灵感。第一段的最后In fact, adult abstract artists were often inspired by children’s drawing.事实上，成人抽象艺术家往往受到儿童绘画的启发。可知，成人抽象艺术家从儿童绘画中汲取灵感。所以，所填词词义“灵感”，句子谓语动词draw后跟宾语，要用其名词形式，故填inspiration。
73.【答案】meanings/values/benefits/advantages
【解析】信息转换题。句意：绘画体验对孩子们的意义(价值、益处)。所填词为作者的第二个分论点，在第二段中的Acknowledging that young kids aren’t as eager to produce a realistic rendering(呈现)helps demonstrate what the drawing experience means to them.承认年幼的孩子们并非要制造现实的翻版可以帮助我们了解绘画对于他们来说到底意味着什么。接着这一段中作者给出了画画对孩子意味着什么的具体内容。可知，作者认为对于孩子们来说，他们不是想画出有完整意思的符合现实的画作，他们只是想体验画画本身并且在画画中表达自己。“绘画体验对孩子的真正意义或益处或价值”是作者的第二个分论点，由右边的两个论据可以进一步确认答案，所以要填“意义”、“益处”或“价值”词义的词汇，后面的of介词短语要修饰名词，要填其名词形式，4个名词皆为可数名词，右边的“意义”有两个，要用名词复数，故填meanings/values/benefits/advantages。
