Fading beauty

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 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 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 (化学状态).  

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.

What does the writer mean by “time is catching up with the Mona Lisa”?

A. The painted woman is not so beautiful any more.

B. Ageing is something that affects us all.

C. The painting needs repairing.   

D. At such an old age, she is no longer popular.

What makes the repair work difficult?

A. The wooden panel is thin and old and has also changed shape.

B. The health of the painting is suffering

C. Experts can’t agree on how the painting might respond to treatment.

D. No one knows exactly what materials were used to create the painting.

What makes her smile so mysterious according to Professor Livingston?

A. The materials the Italian artist used.   B. The way Da Vinci painted the smile.

C. The way she smiles.      D. It plays a trick upon the human eye.

Which of the following is in the right order?

①The painting was stolen from the Louvre.

②The painting was sent back to France.

③It was sold to France’s King Francis I  

④Da Vinci carried the painting with him.

⑤French hid the painting to keep it out of the hands of German forces.

A. ④→③→①→②→⑤   B. ④→①→③→②→⑤

C. ①→④→③→②→⑤   D. ①→③→④→②→⑤

Washoe is a young chimpanzee(黑猩猩). She is no ___1___ chimpanzee, though. Scientists are doing a research ___2___ her. They want to see how civilized(驯化) she can ___3___. Already she does many things a human being can do.

For example, she has been learning how to exchange ___4___ with people. The scientists are teaching her ___5___ language. When she wants to be picked ___6___, Washoe points up with one finger. She rubs her teeth with her finger ___7___ she wants to brush her teeth. This is done after every meal.

Washoe has also been ___8___ to think out and find answers to problems. Once she was put in a ___9___ with food hanging from the ceiling. It was too high to ___10___. After she considered the ___11___, she got a tall box to stand ___12___. The food was still too high to be reached. Washoe found a ___13___ pole. Then she climbed onto the ___14___, grasped the pole, and ___15___ down the food with the pole.

Washoe ___16___ like a human, too. The scientists keep her in a fully furnished(家具齐全的) house. After a hard ___17___ in the laboratory, she goes home. ___18___ she plays with her toys. She ___19___ enjoys watching television before going to bed.

Scientists hope to ___20___ more about people by studying our closest relative(亲属) — chimpanzee.

1. A. foolish   B. ordinary     C. special       D. simple

2. A. for  B. by      C. to       D. on

3. A. experience     B. change       C. develop      D. become

4. A. actions   B. views  C. messages    D. feelings

5. A. sign       B. human       C. spoken       D. foreign

6. A. out B. at       C. on      D. up

7. A. when     B. until   C. since   D. while

8. A. raised     B. trained       C. ordered      D. led

9. A. cave       B. zoo     C. room  D. museum

10. A. pull      B. see      C. eat      D. reach

11. A. problem       B. position      C. food   D. ceiling

12. A. by B. on      C. up      D. with

13. A. straight B. strong C. long    D. big

14. A. wall     B. box     C. ceiling       D. pole

15. A. knocked      B. picked C. took    D. shocked

16. A. lives     B. acts     C. thinks D. plays

17. A. task      B. lesson C. day     D. time

18. A. Here    B. There  C. So      D. Then

19. A. quite    B. already       C. even   D. still

20. A. observe       B. discover     C. gain    D. learn

How hard we have all prayed(祈祷) to grow up quickly, and looked forward to the happy days of being a grown-up and enjoying the many interests that a youth should have.

At last, you have grown up. At least you are no longer a child. They call you “young lady”. You then enjoy the pleasure of being a young lady. You are proud of being a grown-up teenager. People welcome you-this young lady-heartily. You are glad that your prayer has been answered.

But there is always something that troubles you a lot. You say; “Papa and Mama, give me some money please. My pocket money is all gone already.”

“No”, they say, “your age is a dangerous age. If you have too much money to spend, it won’t do you any good.” Then you have to stay at home because you dare not go out with an empty pocket.

Another time you tell your grandma, “Grandma, see, I am a grown-up now.

“Good, now, you can sit here and knit (编织) this for me while I go and have a rest.” To show that you are no more a child, you have to sit there the whole afternoon doing the work, which only a grown-up can do. After an hour, you find it hard to do, and give the knitting basket back to your grandma. Your grandma criticizes your work. You hear what she says, “Such a big girl can’t do such easy work.” You wish then you were a child again.

But the fact is, you are growing up, and you can’t help it. That’s the way it goes!

1.The passage is told about _______ problems.

A.a growing-up boy’s

B.a teenage girl’s

C.an old woman’s

D.a grown-up’s

2.It is clear that the writer, as a teenager, ________.

A.is pleased with the present life

B.is unhappy about growing up

C.doesn’t think her present life happy enough

D.knows happy life will come to her soon

3.How does she know her prayer has been answered?

A.People treat her as a young lady.

B.She is no longer a kid.

C.People begin to call her teenager.

D.She can join women in all kinds of activities.

4.From what her parents say, we know _________.

A.they don’t believe she is already a teenager

B.it’s dangerous for a girl to spend money

C.they love her more than before

D.they still regard her as a child

5.Having heard her grandma’s criticism, _________.

A.she has to lie in bed, doing nothing

B.she knows she has already worked the whole afternoon

C.she wishes she were not growing up

D.she finds it isn’t her turn to do knitting

 

How hard we have all prayed(祈祷) to grow up quickly, and looked forward to the happy days of being a grown-up and enjoying the many interests that a youth should have.

At last, you have grown up. At least you are no longer a child. They call you “young lady”. You then enjoy the pleasure of being a young lady. You are proud of being a grown-up teenager. People welcome you-this young lady-heartily. You are glad that your prayer has been answered.

But there is always something that troubles you a lot. You say; “Papa and Mama, give me some money please. My pocket money is all gone already.”

“No”, they say, “your age is a dangerous age. If you have too much money to spend, it won’t do you any good.” Then you have to stay at home because you dare not go out with an empty pocket.

Another time you tell your grandma, “Grandma, see, I am a grown-up now.”

“Good, now, you can sit here and knit (编织) this for me while I go and have a rest.” To show that you are no more a child, you have to sit there the whole afternoon doing the work, which only a grown-up can do. After an hour, you find it hard to do, and give the knitting basket back to your grandma. Your grandma criticizes your work. You hear what she says, “Such a big girl can’t do such easy work.” You wish then you were a child again.

But the fact is, you are growing up, and you can’t help it. That’s the way it goes!

1.The passage is told about _______ problems.

A.a growing-up boy’s

B.a teenage girl’s

C.an old woman’s

D.a grown-up’s

2.It is clear that the writer, as a teenager, ________.

A.is pleased with the present life

B.is unhappy about growing up

C.doesn’t think her, present life happy enough

D.knows happy life will come to her soon

3.How does she know her prayer has been answered?

A.People treat her as a young lady

B.She is no longer a kid.

C.People begin to call her teenager.

D.She can join women in all kinds of activities.

4.From what her parents say, we know _________.

A.they don’t believe she is already a teenager

B.it’s dangerous for a girl to spend money

C.they love her more than before

D.they still regard her as a child

5.Having heard her grandma’s criticism, _________.

A.she has to lie in bed, doing nothing

B.she knows she has already worked the whole afternoon

C.she wishes she were not growing up

D.she finds it isn’t her turn to do knitting

 

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