A
Mime is a performance art in which the performer uses body movements alone to act out a story or situation. As well as not using speech, mime artists do not usually use props（道具）. Instead they use body movements to suggest that an object exists; the audience’s imagination does the rest! Usually mime is associated with comedy, with the goal of making the audience laugh, but like every other performance art, mime also has the potential to communicate serious messages.
The mime artist who is most closely associated with the serious (although still funny) side of mime is Carlos Martinez. Born in Pravia, Spain in 1955, Martinez’s family moved to Barcelona when he was 12, and it was there he soon discovered his love for acting. He went on to maintain a steady career as a stage actor until, in 1982, he decided to study mime. He felt that, through mime, he could communicate with the audience on a deeper and more effective level. Not only did he realise that mime could let him perform internationally avoiding the barriers of language, but he also noticed the need for silence in a world that was “saying more but thinking less”. As he said, “Silence is like water, every day there is less. Water is like silence—every day more is needed.” Indeed, it is water conservation that one of Martinez’s most popular routines is about. At one point in the act, Martinez plays a man standing at a sink who allows the tap to run while he does everything else but use the water, from taking off his imaginary watch to examining his face in a imaginary mirror. Performed to the sound of running water, it’s a simple but very effective scene. Martinez similarly gets a powerful message across in his award-winning routine “Human Rights”. In 14 separate pieces he highlights different violations of human rights around the world, and makes it obvious to the audience how meaningless these terrible acts we do to each other really are.
Though the majority of his work involves not speaking, Martinez does drama upon his language skills in his mime workshops, where he passes on the skills and knowledge he has gained over three decades as a professional mime as well as instructing up-and-coming mimes, Martinez has also given workshops on body language for businesspeople. But his real love remains performing; communicating to people around the world and touching their hearts like only he can.
1. What is the purpose of the article?
A. To explain what mime is in detail.
B. To examine the pros and cons of mime.
C. To present the biography of Carlos Martinez.
D. To present the work of Carlos martinez.
2. According to the text, how does mime differ from other performance arts?
A. Props are never used.
B. Props are rarely used.
C. Stories are acted out.
D. It is mostly associated with comedy.
3. In the second sentence of the second paragraph, what does “there” refer to?
A. Stage B. Side
C. Pravia D. Barcelona
4. What does the second paragraph imply about Carlos’ beliefs?
A. He feels actors don’t express themselves enough.
B. He feels people don’t communicate enough.
C. He feels people talk too much.
D. He feels he wasn’t a very good actor.
