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Benjamin West,the father of American painting, showed his talent for art when he was only six years of age. But he did not know about brushes before a visitor told him he needed one. In htose days ,a brush was made from camel’s hair. There were no camels nearby. Benjamin decided that cat hair would work instead. He cut some fur from the family cat to make a brush.
The brush did nott last long. Soon Benjamin needed more fur. Before long, the catbegan to look ragged. His father said that the cat must be sick. Benjamin was forced to admit what he had been doing.
The cat’s lot was about to improve. That year, one of Benjamin’s cousins, Mr.Pennington, came to visit. He was impressed with Benjamin’s drawings. When he went home, he sent Benjamin a box of paint and some brushes. He also sent six engravings by an artist. These were the forst pictures and first real paint and brushes Benjamin had ever seen. In 1747，when Benjamin was nine years old，Mr.Pennington retured for another visit .He was amazed at what Benjamin had done with his gift.He asked Benjamin’s parents if he might take the boy to Philadelphia for a visit.
In the city, Mr.Pennington gave Benjamin materials for creating oil paintings.The boy began a landscape painting.Wiliams ,a well-known painter,came to see him work . Wiliams was impressed with Benjamin and gave him two classic books on painting to take home .The books were long and dull. Benjamin could read only a little,having been a poor student.But he later said,”Those two books were my companions by day,and under my pillow at night.”While it is likely that he understood very little of the books,they were his introduction to classical paintings.The nine-year-old boy decided then that he would be an artist.
Benjamin West, the father of American painting（ the father of...在這裏明顯不是“誰的爹”，而是“... ...之父” ）, showed his talent for art when he was only six years of age（ 天才！ ）. But he did not know about brushes before a visitor told him he needed one（ brush就是畫畫用的“刷子”，BW自己壹開始是不知道畫畫可以用刷子，是壹個朋友跟他說了這事兒。那麽，BW難怪是用手蘸著顏料畫的？ ）. In those days , a brush was made from camel’s hair（ 中國毛筆有羊毫、狼毫，人家是駱駝毫！ ）. There were no camels nearby（ 看來BW是沒地方薅駱駝毛 ）. Benjamin decided that cat hair would work instead（ 我們的好朋友貓咪上線了 ）. He cut some fur from the family cat to make a brush.
The brush did not last long. Soon Benjamin needed more fur. Before long, the cat?began to look ragged（ ragged就是“破破爛爛的”意思，這裏的意思就是... ...禿貓 ）.?His father said that the cat must be sick（ must be就是“估計”的意思，表示壹種比較有把握的推測 ）. Benjamin was forced to admit what he had been doing（ 貓為什麽不撓他？ ）.
The cat’s lot（ 這裏是不好理解的，因為我們無法理解什麽是“貓的很多”，更重要的是，這裏的lot顯然是壹個名詞，那麽是什麽意思呢？反正我們知道，就是說貓的什麽發生了變化。看看後文，大概可以推測出，就是貓的這種被薅毛的局面變化了，所以lot的意思估計就是“命運”之類的。其實呢，猜對了，lot的名詞意思就是“命運” ）?was about to（ be about to表示將來時態 ）?improve. That year, one of Benjamin’s cousins, Mr.Pennington, came to visit. He was impressed with Benjamin’s drawings. When he went home, he sent Benjamin a box of paint and some brushes（ 貓之救星！ ）. He also sent six engravings by an artist. These were the first pictures and first real paint and brushes Benjamin had ever seen. In 1747，when Benjamin was nine years old，Mr.Pennington returned?for another visit .He was amazed at what Benjamin had done with his gift.?He asked Benjamin’s parents if（ 這裏的if是“如果”嗎？不是，因為如果是“如果”，時態上就會出現所謂“主將從現”，所以這裏的if是“是否” ）?he might take the boy to Philadelphia for a visit（ 至少貓壹定是同意的 ）.
In the city, Mr.Pennington gave Benjamin materials for creating oil paintings.The boy began a landscape painting（ landscape是“景色”，所以landscape?painting就是“風景畫” ）.?Wiliams ,a well-known painter,came to see him work . Wiliams was impressed with Benjamin and gave him two classic books（ classic是“經典的”意思，classic book就是經典書籍，估計是《少林七十二絕技》之類的 ）?on painting（ on這個介詞後面可以跟主題，所以如果表示“關於... ...主題”這個意思，介詞就可以用on ）?to take home .The books were long and dull. Benjamin could read only a little,?having been a poor student.?But he later said,“Those two books were my companions by day,?and under my pillow at night（ under my pillow at night在這裏不是指“藏在枕頭底下”，而是指“枕邊書” ）.”While（ while在這裏出現了壹個非常不常見的意思，就是“雖然”。我們通常認為while的意思是“當”，但是別忘了，如果是“當”的話，壹般而言時態上是進行時 ）?it is likely that he understood very little of the books,?they were his introduction to classical paintings.The nine-year-old（ 表示幾歲的時候，如果中間有了小杠杠，也就是連字符，year的後面就不需要加上s了 ）?boy decided then that he would be an artist.