题目内容
The French word renaissance means rebirth. It was first used in 1855 by the historian Jules Michelet in his History of France, then adopted by historians of culture, by art historians, and eventually by music historians, all of whom applied it to European culture during the 150 years spanning 1450~1600. The concept of rebirth was appropriate to this period of European history because of the renewed interest in ancient Greek and Roman culture that began in Italy and then spread throughout Europe. Scholars and artists of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries wanted to restore the learning and ideals of the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome. To these scholars this meant a return to human—as opposed to spiritual-values. Fulfillment in life—as opposed to concern about an afterlife—became a desirable goal, and expressing the entire range of human emotions and enjoying the pleasures of the senses were no longer frowned on. Artists and writers turned to secular (非宗教的) as well as religious subject matter and sought to make their works understandable and appealing.
These changes in outlook deeply affected the musical culture of the Renaissance period—how people thought about music as well as the way music was composed, experienced, discussed, and circulated. They could see the architectural monuments, sculptures(雕塑), plays, and poems that were being rediscovered, but they could not actually hear ancient music—although they could read the writings of classical philosophers, poets, essayists, and music theorists that were becoming available in translation. They learned about the power of ancient music to move the listener and wondered why modern music did not have the same effect. For example, the influential religious leader Bernardino Cirillo expressed disappointment with the learned music of his time. He urged musicians to follow the example of the sculptors, painters, architects, and scholars who had rediscovered ancient art and literature.
The musical Renaissance in Europe was more a general culture movement and state of mind than a specific set of musical techniques. Furthermore, music changed so rapidly during this century and a half—though at different rates in different countries—that we cannot define a single Renaissance style.
71. What is the passage mainly about?
A. The musical compositions that best illustrate the developments during the European Renaissance.
B. The musical techniques that were in use during the European Renaissance.
C. The European Renaissance as a cultural development that included changes in musical style.
D. The ancient Greek and Roman musical practices used during the European Renaissance.
72. The underlined phrase “frowned on”in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to______ .
A. given up B. forgotten about
C. argued about D. disapproved of
73. It can be inferred from the passage that thinkers of the Renaissance were seeking a rebirth of________ .
A. spirituality in everyday life
B. communication among artists across Europe
C. a cultural emphasis on human values
D. religious themes in art that would accompany the traditional secular(非宗教的)themes
74. What can be inferred about the music of ancient Greece and Rome?
A. Its effect on listeners was described in a number of classical texts.
B. It was played on instruments that are familiar to modern audiences.
C. It expressed more different ideals than classical sculpture, painting and poetry.
D. It had the same effect on Renaissance audiences as it had when originally performed.
75. According to the passage, Renaissance artists and writers had all of the following intentions EXCEPT______ .
A. to use religious themes
B. to portray only the pleasant parts of human experience
C. to produce art that people would find attractive
D. to create works that were easily understood
71.【解析】选C。主旨大意题。全文主要讲述了欧洲文艺复兴的发展,其中主要以音乐风格的变化为例证。
72.【解析】选D。词义猜测题。根据前面的as opposed to. . . 及. . . were no longer可推知D项“不同意”与之意义接近。
73.【解析】选C。推理判断题。由第一段中To these scholars this meant a return to human—as opposed to spiritual-values. 可推知。
74.【解析】选A。细节理解题。由第二段中although they could read the writings of classical philosophers. . . to move the listener and wondered why. . . 可知答案。
75.【解析】选B。细节理解题。由第一段最后一句可知A、C、D都包含在内;由第一段倒数第二句中的
ROME: The legend of Leonardo da Vinci is covered in mystery: How did he die?Are the remains buried in a French castle really those of the master? Was the "Mona Lisa" a self-portrait in disguise (伪装)?
A group of Italian scientists believe the key to solving those puzzles lies with the remains, and they say they are seeking permission to dig up the body to conduct carbon and DNA testing.
If the skull is undamaged, the scientists can go to the heart of a question that has fascinated scholars and the public for centuries: the identity of the "Mona Lisa." Recreating a virtual and then physical reconstruction of Leonardo's face, they can compare it with the smiling face in the painting.
"We don't know what we'll find if the tomb is opened. We could even just find grains and dust," says Giorgio Gruppioni, an anthropologist who is participating in the project. "But if the remains are well kept, they are a biological record of events in a person's life, and sometimes in their death." Silvano Vinceti, the leader of the group, said that he plans to press his case with the French officials in charge of the said burial site at Amboise Castle early next week.
Leonardo moved to France at the invitation of King Francis I, who named him "first painter to the king." He spent the last three years of his life there, and died in 1519 at age 67. The artist's original burial place, the palace church of Saint Florentine, was destroyed during the French Revolution and remains that are believed to be his were eventually reburied in the Saint-Hubert Chapel near the castle.
"The Amboise tomb is a symbolic tomb; it's a big question mark," said Alessandro Vezzosi, the director of a museum dedicated to Leonardo in his hometown of Vinci. Vezzosi said that investigating the tomb could help identify the artist's bones with certainty and solve other questions, such as the cause of his death. He said he asked to open the tomb in 2004 to study the remains, but the Amboise Castle turned him down.
The group of 100 experts involved in the project, called the National Committee for Historical and Artistic Heritage, was created in 2003 with the aim of "solving the great mysteries of the past," said Vinceti, who has written books on art and literature.
Arguably the world's most famous painting, the "Mona Lisa" hangs in the Louvre in Paris, where it drew some 8.5 million visitors last year. Mystery has surrounded the identity of the painting's subject for centuries, with opinions ranging from the wife of a Florentine merchant to Leonardo's own mother.
That Leonardo intended the "Mona Lisa" as a self-portrait in disguise is a possibility that has interested and divided scholars. Theories have existed: Some think that Leonardo's taste for tricks and riddles might have led him to hide his own identity behind that puzzling smile; others have guessed that the painting hid an androgynous lover.
If granted access to the grave site, the Italian experts plan to use a tiny camera and radar to confirm the presence of bones. The scientists would then exhume (挖掘) the remains and attempt to date the bones with carbon testing.
At the heart of the proposed study is the effort to discover whether the remains are actually Leonardo's, including with DNA testing.
Vezzosi questions the DNA comparison, saying he is unaware of any direct descendants (后代) of Leonardo or of tombs that could be attributed with certainty to the artist's close relatives.
Gruppioni said that DNA from the bones could also eventually be compared to DNA found elsewhere. For example, Leonardo is thought to have rubbed colors on the canvas with his thumb, possibly using saliva (唾液), meaning DNA might be found on his paintings.
Even in the absence of DNA testing, other tests could provide useful information, including whether the bones belonged to a man or a woman, and whether the person died young or old.
Even within the committee, experts are divided over the identity of the "Mona Lisa."
Vinceti believes that a tradition of considering the self-portrait to be not just a faithful imitation of one's features but a representation of one's spiritual identity may have resonated (共鸣) with Leonardo.
Vezzosi, the museum director, dismissed as "baseless and senseless" the idea that the "Mona Lisa" could be a self-portrait of Leonardo. He said most researchers believe the woman may have been either a wife of the artist's sponsor, the Florentine nobleman Giuliano de Medici, or Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a rich silk merchant, Francesco del Giocondo. The traditional view is that the name "Mona Lisa" comes from the silk merchant's wife, as well as its Italian name: "La Gioconda."
1. Where is this passage most probably taken from?
A.A magazine. |
B.A newspaper. |
C.A textbook. |
D.A research report. |
2. Why does the author ask a couple of questions in the beginning?
A.To arouse the interest of readers. |
B.To puzzle Italian scientists. |
C.To answer the questions himself. |
D.To make fun of French officials. |
3. The best title of this story might be “_____”.
A.What Is the Purpose of an Investigation? |
B.How Did Leonardo da Vinci Die in France? |
C.Are the Remains Really Those of the Master? |
D.Did Leonardo Paint Himself as 'Mona Lisa'? |
4.The sentence “he plans to press his case with the French officials” (underlined in Paragraph 4) suggests that Vinceti intends to _____.
A.press the French officials to participate in their project |
B.urge the French officials to open the tomb early next week |
C.persuade the French officials to allow opening the tomb |
D.record events in a person’s life with the French officials |
5. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A.Scholars have the same opinion on DNA testing. |
B.Scientists doubt if the remains are those of da Vinci. |
C.The identity of “Mona Lisa” has already been proved. |
D.Alessandro Vezzosi got permission to open the tomb. |
6. We can infer from the last two paragraphs that _____?
A.“Mona Lisa” is the name of the wife of a silk merchant |
B.the “Mona Lisa” is a self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci |
C.experts divided the committee into several groups |
D.opinions differ of the identity of the “Mona Lisa” |