|
Beauty Through Pain
Many people
(especially women) dream of being beautiful and they can go far
to become more attractive. Some of us are not quite satisfied
with our bodies, some want to become taller or slimmer, some
would like to improve their features. There are different ways
to achieve perfection: cosmetics, creams, lotions, beautiful
clothes, etc. But in search of perfection many of us forget
about health risks connected with our overwhelming desire to be
fashionable and beautiful. Can we harm ourselves by improving
and decorating our bodies? Of course we can.
Let us remember
the past. Wishing to achieve the feminine ideal and to have a
wasp waist many women wore the corset. Its origin is lost in
remote antiquity. The early Egyptian women are believed to wear
corsets. The corset was used in France and England as early as
the 12th century. The corset became extremely fashionable in the
16th century, during the reign of Catherine de Medici of France
and Queen Elizabeth of England. A lady could not consider her
figure ideal unless she could span her waist with her two hands.
To reduce their natural waist size women wore a strong rigid
corset night and day. In the 18th century respectable women of
all classes in society wore the corset (or a pair of 'stays').
The stays were made from several layers of stout fabric, such as
linen or cotton. Strips of whalebone or metal frames were used
to stiffen the garment. A larger strip of bone or wood was
slipped in at the centre front to keep the wearer's posture
absolutely rigid.
Many doctors
warned women of the dangers of lacing corsets too tight and some
advised not wearing the corset at all. One famous rent against
the corset in 1874 enumerated 97 different diseases produced by
stays and corsets. The alleged symptoms ranged from impaired
breathing and circulation to heightened hysteria and melancholy.
Many Victorian women's fainting fits were caused not by their
excessive sensitiveness but by insufficient oxygen. The corset
could lead to miscarriage or deformed offspring. Besides the
bones or steels of the corset could break and injure the woman
who wore it.
But women
continued wearing rigid corsets in spite of all health risks and
obvious physical inconveniences. Why did the do it? The answer
is quite simple. The fact is that physical beauty was associated
with virtue. An upright posture and a slender waist became a
sign of modesty, discipline and refinement. Loose clothes meant
loose morals and those women who refused to wear the corset were
considered to be lazy and immoral. The corset did not disappear
but nowadays it is absolutely different from the corsets women
wore a few centuries ago. It doesn't lead to distortion and
feebleness any more. Modern corsets have very little influence
on the wearer's body.
Many women of
fashion don't wear corsets nowadays but they should never forget
that there are still many articles of clothing that can be
dangerous to their health. All women like wearing high-heeled
shoes because they make their legs longer and more slender.
Doctors say that high-heels cause severe foot problems and foot
pain. They can also lead to foot deformities and knee diseases.
After all, a woman wearing high-heels may fall down and sprain
her ankle.
Many people think
that cosmetics and clothes can't help them become more beautiful
and they resort to plastic surgery. Reconstructive surgery
techniques were performed in India in 2000 ВС. Plastic surgery
developed greatly during the 20th century in the US. The world
record for plastic surgery is held by Cindy Jackson, a singer
and writer born in Ohio in 1955. Cindy tried to achieve the
Barbie Doll look but she also wanted 'to look convincingly
natural'.
Some people cover
their bodies with tattoos. Tattooing is popular in many parts of
the world and it is practiced for decorative, religious or other
reasons. Julia Gnuse (known by the nickname The Illustrated
Lady') is the world's most tattooed woman, having coverage of
95% of her body. Doctors warn people against possible dangers of
tattooing including infection and allergic reactions.
Many young people
decorate their bodies with piercing. Elaine Davidson holds the
Guinness Record for being the most pierced woman in the world.
The total weight of her jewelry is about 3 kilograms and Elaine
has no intention to stop at what has been accomplished. Body
piercing is a painful and risky procedure: it can cause allergic
reactions and bacterial infection. Infection due to piercing of
the tongue can be fatal!
Before
experimenting with your body think twice. Is the game worth the
candle? Remember that health and beauty are inseparably linked.
That is why don't turn yourself into an invalid for the sake of
beauty, fashion or fame.
1. Read the following sentences and circle TRUE or FALSE:
1) People can't harm themselves by improving and decorating
their bodies. T|F|
2) The corset appeared in France and England in the 12th
century. T|F|
3) In the 18th century respectable women of all classes in
society wore the corset. T|F|
4) One famous rent against the corset in 1874 enumerated 50
different diseases produced by stays and corsets. T|F|
5) Nowadays women don't wear corsets any more. T|F|
6) Low-heels cause severe foot problems and foot pain. T|F|
7) Plastic surgery developed greatly during the 20th century in
the US. T|F|
8) Infection due to piercing of the eyebrow can be fatal. T|F|
2. Complete each sentence (A— H) with one of the endings
(1—8):
A. There are different ways to achieve perfection:
B. Wishing to achieve the feminine ideal and to have a wasp
waist
C. The corset became extremely fashionable
D. The stays were made from several layers of stout fabric, such
as
E. Strips of whalebone or metal frames were used to
F. Many Victorian women's fainting fits were caused not by their
excessive sensitiveness but by
G. Reconstructive surgery techniques were performed
H. Doctors warn people against possible dangers of tattooing
including
1. many women wore the corset.
2. insufficient oxygen.
3. cosmetics, creams, lotions, beautiful clothes, etc.
4. in India in 2000 ВС.
5. in the 16th century, during the reign of Catherine de Medici
of France and Queen Elizabeth of England.
6. infection and allergic reactions.
7. linen or cotton.
8. stiffen the garment.
3. Read and translate the following proverbs and sayings and
find their Russian equivalents. Explain their meaning
• Beauty lies in lover's eyes.
• Grace will last, beauty will blast.
• Never judge by appearances.
• Fine feathers make fine birds.
• Handsome is as handsome does.
• There is no accounting for tastes.
• It is not the gay coat that makes the gentleman.
• Beauty is but skin deep.
• Prettiness makes no pottage.
• The face is the index of the heart.
4. Answer the questions
1) Why aren't many people satisfied with their bodies?
2) What effect did the corset produce on the wearer's figure?
3) What health risks were connected with wearing the corset?
4) Why did many women continue wearing rigid corsets in spite of
all health risks and obvious physical inconveniences?
5) What can you say about modern corsets?
6) Why do women like wearing high-heeled shoes?
7) What are the reasons for not wearing high-heels?
8) Why do people resort to plastic surgery?
9) Why is tattooing popular in many parts of the world?
10) Why is body piercing a risky procedure?
11) How far can you go to become more beautiful and attractive?
12) What are the safe ways to become more beautiful?
5. Fill in the table
For - Against
corset
high-heels
plastic surgery
tatooing
piercing
6. Read the quotations below. Choose any quotation and comment
on it
• 'To give pain is the tyranny; to make happy, the true
empire of beauty.' (Samuel Butler)
• 'All the freaky people make the beauty of the world.' (Michael
Franti)
• 'Beauty is the sole ambition, the exclusive goal of Taste.'
(Charles Baudelaire)
• 'Personal beauty is a greater recommendation than any letter
of reference.' (Aristotle)
• 'There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness
in the proportion.' (Francis Bacon)
• 'Beauty is also submitted to the taste of time, so a beautiful
woman from the Belle Epoch is not exactly the perfect beauty of
today, so beauty is something that changes with time.' (Karl
Lagerfeld)
• 'Beauty is whatever gives joy.' (Edna St. Vincent Mi I lay)
• Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and
pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and
soul.' (John Muir)
Solve the crossword.
Across
1.The medical practice of changing the appearance of people's
faces or bodies. It can be cosmetic and reconstruction.
3.A piece of tight-fitting underwear that women wore especially
in the past to make their waists more slender, (picture 2)
6. The state of being as good as possible.
9. The narrow part in the middle of the human body.
10. A thick smooth substance that you put on your skin to make
it feel soft.
12. A liquid mixture that you put on your skin or hair to clean,
soften, or protect it.
13. A picture or writing that is permanently marked on your skin
using a needle and ink. {picture 1)
14. A hole made through part of your body so that you can put
jewellery there, or the process of making these holes.
Down
2. A piece of clothing (formal).
4. The substance that you use on your face and body in order to
look more attractive (such as powder, lipstick etc).
5. A quality that people, places, or things have that makes them
very attractive to look at.
7. A part of someone's face, such as their eyes, nose etc.
8. A style of clothes, hair etc that is popular at a particular
time.
11. The way you position your body when sitting or standing.
A.
What is your ideal of beauty? Discuss it with your group mates.
B. Read the text 'Beauty Through Pain' and discuss the title of
the text.
Из учебного пособия
"Открывая
мир с английским языком. Современные темы для обсуждения.
Готовимся к ЕГЭ" Юнёва С.А. 2012г.
|