美是什么

Ideas of beauty are like the ocean: they change constantly, but they're always somehow^[1] the same. There are some things that have always been considered beautiful, while other fashions come and go^[2].

Some "beautiful" qualities are the same across cultures and centuries. One important aspect of beauty is symmetry(对称). Symmetry is balance. It refers to how alike two halves of an object are. Faces that are symmetrical are considered more beautiful than those that aren't. Signs of good health are also always called beautiful, such as shiny hair, clear skin, and strong teeth^[3]. Strong teeth don't necessarily have to be white, though^[4]. In some parts of Vietnam(越南), black teeth are considered attractive!

Other aspects of beauty change with time and geography. For example, our current obsession(着迷) with thinness in much of the world is new. Until recently—40 or 50 years ago—it was beautiful to be soft and round^[5]. Having some fat was considered beautiful throughout most of history. It meant that you were healthy and didn't have to work hard. Now we know that being fit^[6] is healthy too. Being fit is something that takes time and effort—and probably money. Being thin now shows status the way being fat did^[7].

Different cultures have different ideas of beauty. Some cultures in Africa and Asia value^[8] long necks. Women have their necks stretched with metal rings to achieve a "beautiful" look. In ancient China, bound feet were "beautiful", though they prevented women from walking comfortably. In Renaissance(文艺复兴) Europe, high foreheads were seen as beautiful, so women plucked(拔) their hairlines!

Some ideas of beauty change with our opinions of health and status, but others stay the same. There are few "rules" about beauty. In the end, the most beautiful person in the world is the one you look at with love.

【精品注释】

[1] somehow是一个常见的副词，意思是“以某种方式，不知道为什么”，在高考英语中也经常作为高考。例如：She is not well-natured, but she is somehow quite popular here. (他性格并不是很好，但不知怎么回事她在这里还挺受欢迎的。) 文中这句话的意思是“对美的看法就像是海洋一样：它们经常在改变，但变来变去却总是一样”。

[2] come and go表示“来来去去”，形容变化较多。Opportunities come and go. It is up to you, the individual, to make the best decision for yourself. (机会即来即逝，漂浮不定，你个人该为自己做出最佳决定。)

[3] 这里是一组对健康的特征的描述，可翻译为：闪亮的头发，无瑕的肌肤以及强健的牙齿。

[4] though的用法是基础英语中一个非常常见的知识点，也是高考英语中的重点知识。引导让步状语从句的连词though学习者往往都很熟悉，这里though是副词，表示“然而”，一般用于句末。

[5] 这句话的意思是：直到最近的四五十年钱，柔软浑圆的题型还被认为是美丽的。

[6] fit的意思是“体态健康的”，尤指因经常锻炼而形成的一种健美的感觉。

[7] 这是由the way引出的一个方式状语从句，意思是“现在纤细的人所代表的地位就如过往丰满的人所代表的（地位一样）”。

[8] value的用法作为名词更常见，这里是其动词用法，意思是“重视、珍惜”。如：No matter how rich you are, you should value food. (不管你多么富有，你都应该珍惜粮食。)

试译：

对美的看法就像是海洋一样：它们经常在改变，但变来变去却总是一样。有些东西一直被认为是美丽的，而其他时尚却来来往往变化多端。

一些“美丽”的品质在不同的文化和多个世纪都是相同的。美的一个重要方面是对称性。对称就是平衡。它指的是物体的两半相像。对称的面孔被认为比不对称的面孔更漂亮。健康的标志通常也被称为美丽，如亮丽的头发、清澈的皮肤和强壮的牙齿。强壮的牙齿不一定必须是白色的。在越南的某些地方，黑色的牙齿被认为是有吸引力的！

美的其他方面随着时间和地理环境而变化。例如，世界范围内我们当前的痴迷的瘦就是美。直到四十年或50年前，柔软和圆润才是美丽的。在历史的大部分时间里，有一些脂肪被认为是美丽的。这意味着你是健康的，不必努力工作。现在我们知道身体壮实也是健康的。健康是需要时间和精力的，也可能是金钱。现在纤细的人所代表的地位就如过往丰满的人所代表的（地位一样）为人们所追捧。

不同的文化对美有不同的看法。非洲和亚洲的一些文化价值观念里长场的脖颈就是美。女人们在脖子上戴上金属环，以达到“美丽”的外表。在中国古代，束缚的脚是“美丽的”，尽管它们阻碍了妇女舒适地行走。在文艺复兴时期的欧洲，高高的额头被认为是美丽的，所以妇女们拔掉发际！

一些美容观念随着我们对健康和地位的看法而改变，但其他的却保持不变。关于美的规则很少。总之，世界上最美丽的人是你用爱去看的那个人。