VOA标准英语2010-British Art Exhibit Features Live Birds

Jennifer Glasse | London 09 April 2010

Spring is in the air at London's Barbican Center and the birds are making music, literally¹. A band of zebra finches is playing electric guitars and cymbals² in a walk through area of the arts center.

These zebra finches are part of an art installation in London's Barbican Center that's become a musical sensation, says Assistant Curator Ariella Yedgar. "It's musical, there's so much to look at," she said. "There's live birds in a
gallery which is exceptional, so we thought it would appeal to lots of people but it's exceeded our expectations in that way."

Only 25 people at a time are allowed in. Some wait quite a while before getting into the small exhibition space.

The entrance is dark, with projections³ of electric guitars on the walls. The space then opens up and birds flutter between man-made islands, tapping on amplified⁴ Les Paul guitars and upturned cymbals, producing music of a sort. Yedgar says there are rules.

"Don't feed the birds, because they're on a very strict, healthy diet," Yedgar warns. "In general be respectful, don't make any sudden sounds. They really love to be around people but we don't want them to feel uncomfortable."

The birds seem comfortable around people. They peck at shoes and cluster around a camera tripod.

The 40 finches here are regularly checked by animal specialists to make sure they're healthy. They've been here a couple of months but even in this controlled environment, they know it's springtime.

The finches are lining⁵ their nesting boxes, and some are looking for other places to nest - on guitars and the exit sign.

Visitors seem to love them. "I'm delighted not only because of what I'm seeing," one visitor said. "But because the grandchildren are enjoying it. And that's the whole point really to show them something new."

The exhibit is the brainchild of French composer and artist Céleste Boursier-Mougenot who wanted to explore the rhythms of daily life.

Musician Bobby Gillespie who leads the band Primal⁶ Scream heard about it from colleagues. "I think the birds are probably better musicians than most musicians," he said.

Gillespie thought this would inspire his children. "What's good about it is it can encourage them to think that anyone can make music, even a little bird jumping on an electric guitar you know," he stated.

In a world where twitter and tweets are a new way to communicate, these birds are making a different kind of music.
 

1 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

2 cymbals   

pl.铙钹

参考例句：

• People shouted, while the drums and .cymbals crashed incessantly. 人声嘈杂，锣鼓不停地大响特响。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）
• The dragon dance troupe, beating drums and cymbals, entered the outer compound. 龙灯随着锣鼓声进来，停在二门外的大天井里。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

3 projections   

预测( projection的名词复数 )； 投影； 投掷； 突起物

参考例句：

• Their sales projections are a total thumbsuck. 他们的销售量预测纯属估计。
• The council has revised its projections of funding requirements upwards. 地方议会调高了对资金需求的预测。

4 amplified   

放大，扩大( amplify的过去式和过去分词 )； 增强； 详述

参考例句：

• He amplified on his remarks with drawings and figures. 他用图表详细地解释了他的话。
• He amplified the whole course of the incident. 他详述了事件的全过程。

5 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

6 primal   

adj.原始的；最重要的

参考例句：

• Jealousy is a primal emotion.嫉妒是最原始的情感。
• Money was a primal necessity to them.对于他们，钱是主要的需要。