1、课下能力提升(五)阅读理解AIn the later half of the 13th century, a new trend of fine arts appeared in the central part of Italy with Florence as its centre, representing the change from fine arts of Middle Ages to Renaissance art.At that time, Florence school became the main stream of fine arts.The 14th century
2、 saw the birth of a great artist Giotto.His art bore a striking tendency of Realism.For most people Giotto_is_the_first_name_in_European_painting_since_antiquity_(古代)That he had breathed fresh life into painting was recognised by people of the day, and later by Ghiberti and Vasari.Before Giotto, pai
3、nting was still considered a “mechanical” art.Giotto came to occupy a position of great respect in Florence.Though he was employed by the Bardi and Peruzzi families, owners of the most important European banking houses of the day, he never limited his activity to Florence, and prestigious (声望很高的) co
4、mmission in other parts of Italy kept him on the move frequently.At a time when Italys flourishing economy made every Italian city an independent cultural and artistic centre, Giotto went beyond regional barriers and the effect of his art was felt throughout the peninsula (半岛)In his lifetime Giotto
5、has raised painting to a prestigious level among the arts, to such a high level that it influenced sculpture.Italian painting can be said to have changed greatly with the appearance of Giotto than ever before.The motivation Giotto gave to the arts was so great that it determined the fate of European
6、 painting.By the middle of the fourteenth century Europe had already become aware of Giottos new ideas, which agreed with the growing secular tendency in European society.语篇解读：乔托，意大利杰出的画家，被认定是意大利文艺复兴时期的开创者，被誉为“欧洲绘画之父”。1Before the later half of the 13th century_.Afine arts of Middle Ages was the main
7、 streamBRenaissance art was the main streamCFlorence school began to disappearDGiotto became a great artist解析：选A细节理解题。根据第一段可知，13世纪后半期，美术发生了很大的变化，从中世纪美术向文艺复兴美术转变。由此可判断出在13世纪前半期，中世纪美术为主流。故答案为A。2What does the author mean by saying “Giotto is the first name in European painting since antiquity” in Parag
8、raph 2?AGiotto is the artists first name.BGiotto is the man who started European painting.CGiotto is the most important painter in Europe since antiquity.DGiotto is the name of a most famous European painting.解析：选C句意理解题。从第二段看出，本段讲述这位艺术家的巨大成就，而题目中的这句话正好支持这段的主题。所以这句话就是为了表明他在绘画界的地位。3From the third para
9、graph we can learn_.AGiotto thought painting was a “mechanical” artBGiotto didnt get great respect in FlorenceCGiotto owned European banking housesDGiottos art affected the whole Italy解析：选D细节理解题。根据本段最后一句话“.the effect of his art was felt throughout the peninsula (半岛)”可知，他的艺术作品影响了整个意大利半岛。4The main the
10、me of the passage probably is_.Athe Renaissance in ItalyBGiotto, a great artistCFlorence schoolDfine arts of Middle Ages解析：选B主旨大意题。纵览全文可以看出本文是一篇人物介绍的文章，所以主题应是B项“乔托一位伟大的艺术家”。BThe late, great producer Phil Ramone worked with many famous popular singers. However, one of his albums is a little different
11、. Its classical music, made for children.“He actually started as a child violinist，” said Marc Neikrug, a famous classical composer who worked together with Ramone on the album, “Sunken Cathedrals，” after being introduced by Rock Positano, a doctor with a special interest in musics value to medicine
12、. “The three of us all want to promote classical music to children.”In the digital age when children develop surrounded by constant distractions (使人分心的事物), however, Neikrug sees a very particular value in classical music. “Im concerned about a world in which there is an almost aggressive move to low
13、er peoples attention spans (持续时间)，” he said. “Thats terrifying. How do you even absorb and learn things? How do you expect kids to do well in school？”“I think its really important to let kids build some kind of ability to focus，” Neikrug said. “Great music can do that, because youre drawn into what
14、youre listening to. A two or threeminute music may not seem so long to concentrate on, but its a good attention span for kids，” he said. “We picked the pieces very deliberately to be not too long.”All of the pieces on the twopart album are unadapted, complete works of classical music. “Phil, Dr. Roc
15、k and I were all completely convinced that we need little, short, beautiful pieces for kids. They happen to be really good for adults too，” he pointed out, though the words “Classics for Kids” on the cover might scare some grown people off.This doesnt mean you should toss all of your popular music a
16、lbums away or trash all the screen devices (设备) in your home. “Im not an advocate for disregarding the reality of living in this world，” Neikrug said. “I would say someone who grows up able to focus for an hour and equally able to use the smartphone with one hand, is fine.”语篇解读：本文是议论文。Neikrug与Ramone
17、合作制作了一张儿童古典音乐专辑，他认为古典音乐能帮助孩子们培养专注力。5What did Marc Neikrug and Rock Positano have in common?AThey had the same career.BThey had the same interest.CThey had the same circle of friends.DThey had the same number of children.解析：选B细节理解题。根据第二段中的“Marc Neikrug, a famous classical composer”和“Rock Positano, a
18、doctor with a special interest in musics value to medicine. The three of us all want to promote classical music to children.”可知，Marc Neikrug和Rock Positano都对音乐感兴趣，致力于让孩子从小就听古典音乐。6What was Neikrug worried about?APeoples decreasing attention spans.BPeople becoming too aggressive.CPeoples low learning a
19、bility.DPeople losing faith in school.解析：选A细节理解题。根据第三段中的“Im concerned about a world in which there is an almost aggressive move to lower peoples attention spans (持续时间)”可知，当今世界让人们的持续关注时间不断减少，Neikrug对此表示担忧。7Why did Ramone and Neikrug select short pieces for the album?ATo attract distracted adults.BBec
20、ause of their own preference.CTo include more pieces in the album.DBecause of kids mental characteristics.解析：选D细节理解题。根据第四段中的“. A twoor threeminute music may not seem so long to concentrate on, but its a good attention span for kids， he said. We picked the pieces very deliberately to be not too long.
21、”可知，由于孩子的持续关注时间很短，所以Ramone和Neikrug专门选短小的曲子迎合孩子们的心智特征。8What does the text want to tell us?APopular music producers turned to classical music.BClassical music can coexist with digital devices.CIts never too late to listen to classical music.DKids can benefit from classical music.解析：选D主旨大意题。根据第四段中的“I t
22、hink its really important to let kids build some kind of ability to focus， Neikrug said. Great music can do that, because youre drawn into what youre listening to .”可以看出，Neikrug认为古典音乐能帮助孩子们培养专注力，这也是他与Ramone合作制作儿童古典音乐专辑的原因。 CThe medieval (中世纪的) artists didnt know about perspective; they didnt want to
23、 make their people look like real individual people in a real individual scene.They wanted to show the truth, the eternal (永恒的) quality of their religious stories.So these artists didnt need to know about perspective.In the European Renaissance period, artists wanted to show the importance of the in
24、dividual person and his or her possessions and surroundings.A flat medieval style couldnt show this level of reality and the artists needed a new technique.It was the Italian artist Brunelleschi who discovered the technique of perspective drawing.At first the artists of the Renaissance only had a si
25、nglepoint perspective.Later they realized that they could have twopoint perspective and still later multipoint perspective.With twopoint perspective they could turn an object (like a building) at an angle to the picture and draw two sides of it.The technique of perspective which seems so natural to
26、us now is an invented technique, a part of the “grammar of painting”Like all bits of grammar there are exceptions about perspective.For example, only vertical and horizontal surfaces seem to meet on eye level.Sloping roof tops dont meet on eye level.For 500 years, artists in Europe made use of persp
27、ective drawing in their pictures.Nevertheless, there are a range of priorities (优先顺序) that artists in displaying individual styles.Crivelli wanted to show depth in his picture and he used a simple singlepoint perspective.Cezanne always talked about space and volume.Van Gogh, like some of the other p
28、ainters of the Impressionist period, was interested in Japanese prints.And Japanese artists until this century were always very strong designers of “flat” pictures.Picasso certainly made pictures which have volume and depth.However, he wanted to keep our eyes on the surface and to remind us that his
29、 paintings are paintings and not illusions (幻觉)It is technically easy to give an illusion of depth.However, a strong twodimensional design is just as important as a feeling of depth, and perhaps more important.9The passage mainly discusses_.Athe difference between medieval and Renaissance artBhow th
30、e technique of perspective influenced the modern artCthe discovery of the technique of perspectiveDthe contributions of Renaissance artists解析：选B主旨大意题。本文主要介绍了文艺复兴时期出现的透视绘画技巧及其对现代艺术的影响。10According to the passage, which may be the main concern for medieval artists?AThe individual person and his/her pos
31、sessions and surroundings.BReal people, real scenes.CEternal timeless truth of the earth.DThemes of religious stories.解析：选D细节理解题。根据第一段第二句可知中世纪的艺术家们主要从事与宗教故事有关的绘画。11Whats the authors purpose of giving the example in Para.3?ATo explain how perspective work in painting.BTo support twopoint perspective.
32、CTo show that there are exceptions about perspective.DTo point out that the technique of perspective is an invented technique.解析：选C推理判断题。根据第三段可知透视法有例外之处，后面的例子就是为了说明这些例外之处。因此选C项。12It can be inferred from the passage that Renaissance artists_.Awelcomed the medieval style of eternal truthBneeded to develop a new approach towards painting to show a new level of realityCwere inspired by vertical and horizontal surfaces in inventing the technique of perspectiveDsaw twodimensional design more important than a feeling of depth解析：选B推理判断题。通读全文可知，文艺复兴时期的艺术家们为了展示现实发明了透视法。因此本题选B项。