She is widely seen as proof that good looks can last for ever. But, at nearly 500 years of age, time is catching up with the Mona Lisa.

The health of the famous picture, painted by Leonardo da Vinci in 1505, is getting worse by the year, according to the Louver Museum(卢浮宫) where it is housed.

“The thin, wooden panel on which the Mona Lisa is painted in oil has changed shape since experts checked it two years ago,” the museum said. Visitors have noticed changes but repairing the world’s most famous painting is not easy. Experts are not sure about the materials the Italian artist used and their current chemical state.

Nearly 6 million people go to see the Mona Lisa every year, many attracted by the mystery of her smile. “It is very interesting that when you’re not looking at her, she seems to be smiling, and then you look at her and she stops,” said Professor Margaret Livingstone of Harvard University. “It’s because direct vision(视觉) is excellent at picking up details, but less suited to looking at shadows. Da Vinci painted the smile in shadows.”

However, the actual history of the Mona Lisa is just as mysterious as the smile. Da Vinci himself loved it so much that he always carried it with him, until it was eventually sold to France’s King Francis I in 1519.  

In 1911, the painting was stolen from the Louver by a former employee, who took it out of the museum, hidden under his coat. He said he planned to return it to Italy. The painting was sent back to France two years later. During World War Ⅱ, French hid the painting in small towns to keep it out of the hands of German forces.

We can infer from the text that_______

A. the Mona Lisa is proved to be able to last another 500 years

B. Mona Lisa’s beauty is fading gradually with 500 years passing by

C. the Mona Lisa has been catching people’s wide attention in the past 500 years

D. Mona Lisa does not look out of date though painted 500 years ago

Which of the following is true about the Mona Lisa?

A. It was once taken away and hidden up by German forces.

B. Its painter himself loved it greatly and always kept it in a shade.

C. Mona Lisa stops smiling when you look at her wanting to see her smiles.

D. King Francis I bought it and then returned it to Italy.

Choose the right order about the happenings onto Mona Lisa.

a. It was stolen from the Louver.

b. Its painter sold it to King Francis I

c. Its state of health was checked.

d. It was returned to France and housed in the Louver Museum.

e. It was hidden and protected against Germans.

A. b-a-d-e-c       B. d-e-c-b-a        C. d-a-e-c-b       D. b-c-a-d-e

It may add to the difficulty in repairing the painting that_____.

A. experts haven’t noticed changes in its shape as visitors do

B. it is likely to be stolen again when it’s under repair

C. it is uncertain which country, Italy of France, should take charge

D. experts aren’t sure about the materials and the chemical state of its oil paint


(D)
As you move around your home, take a good look at the things you have.It’s likely that your living room will have a television set and a video, and your kitchen will have a washing machine and a microwave oven.Your bedroom drawers will be filled with almost three times as many clothes as you need. You almost certainly own a car and possibly a home computer, holiday abroad at least once a year and eat out at least once a week.
Now, perhaps, more than ever before, people are wondering what life is all about, and what it is for.Seeking material success is beginning to trouble large numbers of people around the world.They feel that the long-hour work culture to make more money to buy more things is eating up their lives, leaving them very little time or energy for family or pastimes.Many are turning to other ways of living and downshifting_is one of them.
Six percent of workers in Britain took the decision to downshift last year.One couple who downshifted is Daniel and Liz.They used to work in central London.He was a newspaper reporter and she used to work for an international bank.They would go to work by train every day from their large house in the suburbs (郊区), leaving their two children with a nanny(保姆).Most evenings Daniel wouldn’t get home until eight or nine o’clock, and nearly twice a month he would have to fly to New York for meetings.They both earned a large amount of money but began to feel that life was passing them by.
Nowadays, they run a farm in the mountains of Wales.“I always wanted to have a farm here,” says Daniel, “and we took almost a year to make the decision to downshift.It’s taken some getting used to, but it’s been worth it.We have to think twice now about spending money on car repairs and we no longer have any holidays.However, I think it’s made us stronger as a family, and the children are a lot happier.”
Liz, however, is not quite sure.“I used to enjoy my job, even though it was hard work and long hours.I’m not really a country girl, but I suppose I’m gradually getting used to looking after the animals.One thing I do like, though, is being able to see more of my children.My advice for other people wanting to do the same is not to think about it too much or you might not do it at all.”
68.What do the first two paragraphs tell us?
A.People seldom work long hours to make money.      
B.People hardly buy more things than necessary.
C.People are sure everything they own is in the right place.
D.People realize more is involved in life than just making money.
69.Daniel agrees that the move to the farm __________.
A.was easy to organize               B.has improved family life
C.was extremely expensive           D.has been a total success
70.The underlined word "downshifting" in the second paragraph means ________.
A.repairing your car by yourself
B.spending money carefully
C.moving out to the countryside to live a simpler and better life
D.living in a big house in the suburbs and dining out once a week

She is widely seen as proof that good looks can last forever. But, at nearly 500 years of age, time is catching up with the Mona Lisa.

The health of the famous picture, painted by Leonardo da Vinci in 1505, is getting worse by the year, according to the Louvre museum(卢浮宫博物馆)where it is housed.

“The thin, wooden panel on which the Mona Lisa is painted in oil has changed shape since experts checked it two years ago,” the museum said. Visitors have noticed the changes but repairing the world’s most famous painting is not easy. Experts are not sure about the materials the Italian artist used and their current chemical state.

Nearly 6 million people go to see the Mona Lisa every year, many attracted by the mystery of her smile. “It is very interesting that when you’re not looking at her, she seems to be smiling, and then you look at her and she stops,” said Professor Margaret Livingstone of Harvard University. “It’s because direct vision(视觉)is excellent at picking up detail, but less suited to looking at shadows. Da Vinci painted the smile in shadows.”

However, the actual history of the Mona Lisa is just as mysterious as the smile. Da Vinci himself loved it so much that he always carried it with him, until it was eventually sold to France’s King Francis I in 1519.

In 1911, the painting was stolen from the Louvre by a former employee, who took it out of the museum hidden under his coat. He said he planned to return it to Italy. The painting was sent back to France two years later.

During World War II, French hid the painting in small towns to keep it out of the hands of German forces.

Like many old ladies, the Mona Lisa has some interesting stories to tell.

1. The underlined sentence in the first paragraph means the Mona Lisa ________.

A.is losing its value

B.is being damaged after so many years

C.is getting more valuable with years passing

D.will rot away

2. Experts haven’t any repairs on the Mona Lisa because______.

1.      

A.it is now in a poor chemical state

2.

B.they don’t know how to replace the wooden panel

3.

C.they don’t have the materials Da Vinci used

4.

D.they are afraid it will be done further damage.

3.The smile of the Mona Lisa can only be seen_______.

A.by indirect vision

B.at a distance

C.by direct vision

D.in shadows

4. From the last paragraph, we can infer that______.

A.many interesting stories have been written about the Mona Lisa

B.people are interested in the stories about the Mona Lisa.

C.some mysteries still remain to be solved about the Mona Lisa.

D.Many more stories will be told about the Mona Lisa.

 

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