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Leonardo da Vinci, one of the greatest thinkers in the world, began his career as an artist. Very little is known about Leonardo’s early life. He was born in 1452 in the town of Vinci. As a boy, Leonardo showed a great interest in drawing, sculpting and observing nature.
However, because Leonardo was born to parents who were not married to each other, he was barred from some studies and professions. He trained as an artist after moving to Florence with his father in the 1460s. It was an exciting time to be in Florence, one of the cultural capitals of Europe. Leonardo trained with one of the city’s very successful artists, Andrea del Verrocchio. He was a painter, sculptor and gold worker. Verrocchio told his students that they needed to understand the body’s bones and muscles when drawing people.
Leonardo took the teacher’s advice very seriously. He spent several periods of his life studying the human body by taking apart and examining dead bodies. While training as an artist, Leonardo also learned about and improved on relatively new painting methods at the time. One was the use of perspective(透视) to show depth. A method called “sfumato” helped to create a cloudy effect to suggest distance. “Chiaroscuro” is a method using light and shade as a painterly effect.
Leonardo’s first known portrait now hangs in the National Gallery in Washington, D. C. He made this painting of a young woman named Ginevra de’ Benci around 1474. The woman has a pale face with dark hair. In the distance, Leonardo painted the Italian countryside.
He soon received attention for his extraordinary artistic skills. Around 1475 he was asked to draw an angel in Verrocchio’s painting “Baptism of Christ.” One story says that when Verrocchio saw Leonardo’s addition to the painting, he was so amazed by his student’s skill that he said he would never paint again.
1.Which of the following words can be used to describe Leonardo according to the third paragraph?
A. Stubborn. B. Creative.
C. Pessimistic. D. Determined.
2.What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A. Verrocchio felt shame at his own work.
B. Verrocchio thought Leonardo’s work terrible.
C. Verrocchio thought highly of Leonardo’s work.
D. Verrocchio didn’t believe Leonardo could paint well.
3.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Leonardo was prevented from some studies because of his parents.
B. Leonardo thought his teacher’s advice was unreasonable.
C. “Sfumato” is a method to show depth by using light and shade.
D. “Baptism of Christ” made Leonardo known across the world.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa is perhaps the most famous portrait in the world, but now some suspect that the woman with the mysterious smile may not be a woman after all. They are suggesting that the Mona Lisa may be a self-portrait, da Vinci in drag (女装).
Italy’s National Committee for Cultural Heritage (INCCH) is carrying out the research. They think the artist, who died in 1519, was buried at a French castle and they plan to dig up his body. Using CSI-style technology, they want to rebuild da Vinci’s face. Jason Rosenfeld, a member of INCCH, says, “ It shows the reason why we preserved Einstein’s brain or King Tut’s mummy (木乃伊), which throws light on the problem we are working on.”
“Now we want to get the body of Leonardo. We want to see what he died of, we want to see his DNA, we want to see the size of his head, and what his facial feature were like, so we can know whether this was a self-portrait.”
The Mona Lisa was painted around 500 years ago. Beyond that, we know almost nothing about the painting that is now on display at the Louvre in Paris.
But will the exhumation (发掘) discover the truth behind the Mona Lisa? Not likely, according to Rosenfeld. “If the French government really wants to help find out what this is about, what they should do is allow us to clean the Mona Lisa. We will learn much more from it and understand it better if we are allowed to clean the painting than by digging up a body.”
1.What can be learnt from the text?
A. The French government will be in charge of digging up da Vinci’s body.
B. The INCCH will learn more if allowed to clean the Mona Lisa painting.
C. The exhumation will help uncover the truth behind the Mona Lisa.
D. The French government wants to help find out the truth.
2.Which of the following is TRUE about the Mona Lisa?
A. It is now preserved in France.
B. It is a self-portrait of da Vinci in drag.
C. It has the same long history as King Tut’s mummy.
D. It was painted in 1519.
3.What’s the question that the INCCH is researching on?
A. What da Vinci died of.
B. Whether da Vinci liked dressing in drag.
C. Whether the Mona Lisa was painted by da Vinci.
D. Whether the Mona Lisa is da Vinci’s self-portrait.
4.What the underlined phrase, “ throws light on”, in the second paragraph mean?
A. Pays attention to.
B. Makes people feel confident.
C. Makes it possible for people to know.
D. Draws people’s attention.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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It’s common knowledge that the woman in Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous painting seems to look back at observers, following them with her eyes no matter where they stand in the room. But this common knowledge turns out wrong.
A new study finds that the woman in the painting is actually looking out at an angle that’s 15. 4 degrees off to the observer’s right-well outside of the range that people normally believe when they think someone is looking right at them. In other words, said the study author, Horstmann, “She’s not looking at you. “ This is somewhat ironic, because the entire phenomenon of a person’s gaze (凝视) in a photograph or painting seeming to follow the viewer is called the “Mona Lisa effect” . That effect is absolutely real, Horstmann said. If a person is illustrated or photographed looking straight ahead, even people viewing the portrait from an angle will feel they are being looked at. As long as the angle of the person’s gaze is no more than about 5 degrees off to either side, the Mona Lisa effect occurs.
This is important for human interaction with on-screen characters. If you want someone off to the right side of a room to feel that a person on-screen is looking at him or her, you don’t cut the gaze of the character to that side-surprisingly, doing so would make an observer feel like the character isn’t looking at anyone in the room at all. Instead, you keep the gaze straight ahead.
Horstmann and his co-author were studying this effect for its application in the creation of artificial-intelligence avatars(虚拟头像) when Horstmann took a long look at the “Mona Lisa” and realized she wasn’t looking at him.
To make sure it wasn’t just him, the researchers asked 24 people to view images of the “Mona Lisa” on a computer screen. They set a ruler between the viewer and the screen and asked the participants to note which number on the ruler intersected(和……相交) Mona Lisa’s gaze. To calculate the angle of Mona Lisa’s gaze as she looked at the viewer, they moved the ruler farther from or closer to the screen during the study. Consistently, the researchers found, participants judged that the woman in the “Mona Lisa” portrait was not looking straight at them, but slightly off to their right.
So why do people repeat the belief that her eyes seem to follow the viewer? Horstmann isn’t sure. It’s possible, he said, that people have the desire to be looked at, so they think the woman is looking straight at them. Or maybe the people who first coined the term “Mona Lisa effect” just thought it was a cool name.
1.It is generally believed that the woman in the painting “Mona Lisa”___________.
A.attracts the viewers to look back
B.seems mysterious because of her eyes
C.fixes her eyes on the back of the viewers
D.looks at the viewers wherever they stand
2.What gaze range in a painting will cause the Mona Lisa effect?
A.
B.
C.
D.
3.The experiment involving 24 people was conducted to______.
A.confirm Horstmann’s belief
B.create artificial-intelligence avatars
C.calculate the angle of Mona Lisa’s gaze
D.explain how the Mona Lisa effect can be applied
4.What can we learn from the passage?
A.Horstmann thinks it’s cool to coin the term “Mona Lisa effect”.
B.The Mona Lisa effect contributes to the creation of artificial intelligence.
C.Feeling being gazed at by Mona Lisa may be caused by the desire for attention.
D.The position of the ruler in the experiment will influence the viewers’ judgement.
高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
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请阅读下面短文，然后按照要求用英语写一篇150词左右的文章。
Water is the driving force of all nature, Leonardo da Vinci claimed. Unfortunately for our planet, water supplies are now running dry at an alarming rate. The world’s population continues to increase but that rise in number has not been matched by adequate supplies of fresh water. Reports show that more than a billion individuals — one in seven people on the planet — now lack access to safe drinking water.
In Sao Paulo, a Brazilian city, drought got so bad that residents began drilling through basement floors and car parks to try to reach groundwater. Officials in this city warned that rationing（配给制）of water supplies was likely soon. Citizens in Sao Paulo might have access to water for only two days a week. In California, US, officials have shown that the state has entered its fourth year of drought. At the same time, its per capita（人均）water use has continued to rise.
（写作内容）
1.用约30词概括上述信息的主要内容；
2.结合上述信息及日常生活，简要分析导致全球淡水资源短缺的主要原因（不少于两点）；
3.谈谈在日常生活中我们应如何保护淡水资源（不少于两点）。
（写作要求）
1.写作过程中不能直接引用原文语句；
2.作文中不能出现真实姓名和学校名称；
3.不必写标题。
（评分标准）
内容完整。语言规范，语篇连贯，词数适当。
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高二英语概要写作困难题查看答案及解析
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Which of these paintings was painted by the famous artist Leonardo da Vinci? _______.
A．None
B．No one
C．Nothing
D．Neither
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
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Leonardo da Vinci began painting the Mona Lisa in 1503. He was working_______a special painting for a church at that time,_______the church painting was not _______well. An Italian businessman asked da Vinci to paint a picture of his second _______. This is the woman who _______be seen in the Mona Lisa.
All in all, the Mona Lisa is a very good example of da Vinci's _______, and it satisfied the husband. Da Vinci used ______and light in a clever ________in the painting.
Da Vinci loved science and_______Right away a person can see that there is a lot of geometry(几何形状) in the Mona Lisa. The face of the Mona Lisa is made of many circles and ________shapes like ________. Even her ________can be seen as a small part of a large circle.
The woman in the ________is sitting on a balcony (阳台), and ________can be seen behind her because Da Vinci loved to study rocks, and these can be seen ________in his other paintings. The woman is sitting with her knees _______the side. Her head is turned to look out of the painting. Her hands are_______together in front of her. This way of________is now used by many ______when they are______. The Mona Lisa is a remarkable master.
1.A. about B. up C. in D. on
2.A. so long as B. but C. in spite of D. however
3.A. working B. doing C. going D. making
4.A. wife B. servant C. daughter D. nurse
5.A. can B. must C. should D. might
6.A. novels B. photos C. works D. masterpiece
7.A. darkness B. oils C. heaviness D. blank
8.A. hand B. eye C. way D. picture
9.A. geography B. biology C. chemistry D. maths
10.A. long B. circular C. square D. round
11.A. cigars B. packets C. diamonds D. balls
12.A. emotion B. pattern C. preference D. smile
13.A. painting B. cottage C. exhibition D. canvas
14.A. sparrow B. mountains C. landscape D. kitten
15.A. that’s to say B. over and over C. on the other hand D. by and by
16.A. on B. by C. to D. beyond
17.A. hung B. caught C. held D. supported
18.A. sitting B. painting C. living D. smiling
19.A. models B. females C. bridegrooms D. brides
20.A. played B. being painted C. painting D. being played
高二英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
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Every year in May, art galleries and museums prepare shows to honor Leonardo Da Vinci, who died in France on May 2, 1519. He is remembered as one of the greatest artists and creative thinkers of all time. His most famous paintings are The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper.
Recently, researchers have been studying a painting-Landscape 8P which, they think, is Da Vinci's earliest-known artwork. They used special lighting to study the artwork and discovered there were two images, not one. One drawing is on the back of the piece, which dates back to August 5,1473.
The drawing on the front was painted when Leonardo was 21 years old. It shows a river valley and a castle outside the city of Florence. There is little left of the drawing on the back, perhaps because it was wiped off. Only a bridge over a river can be seen. But there is writing on both sides.
The writing on the front gives the date and goes from right to left. Some people would call this “mirror-writing”. It's a way Leonardo often wrote in his notebooks. The writing on the back goes from left to right and tells about an agreement, probably to produce a work of art.
Cecilia Frosinini is an art historian. She said, “Leonardo was born left-handed, but was taught to write with his right hand from a very young age. By looking at his writings, including from this drawing, we can see his right-handed handwriting is educated and well done.”
Experts compared the two handwriting samples(样本)and said they were both made by Leonardo. They show he could write well using his left hand or his right hand.
The drawing is known as Landscape 8P from its number in an art list. It will be part of an exhibit at Italy's Uffizi Gallery. The gallery director, Eike Schmidt, said by studying the drawing researchers gave us a new way of looking at Leonardo's drawing technique and his abilities in writing.
1.What does the writing on the back probably tell about?
A.A statement about the painting. B.An agreement to produce a painting.
C.An introduction about Leonardo. D.Something about the city of Florence.
2.What can we learn about Leonardo from Cecilia's words?
A.He did bad in right-handed handwriting.
B.He wasn’t good at writing with his left hand.
C.He could write with either of his hands.
D.He taught himself to write with right hand.
3.What's Eike Schmidt’s attitude towards the research?
A.Unclear. B.Indifferent.
C.Positive. D.Doubtful.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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The Great Wall of China, one of the greatest wonders of the world, was enlisted in the World Heritage by the UNESCO in 1987. Just like a gigantic dragon, the Great Wall winds up and down across deserts, grasslands and mountains, stretching about 6,700 kilometers from east to west of China. With a history of more than 2,000 years, some parts of the Great Wall are now in ruins or even entirely disappeared. However, it is still one of the most appealing attractions around the world.
No one can tell for sure when the building of the Great Wall was started, but it is popularly believed that it originated as a military fortification(要塞) against intrusion by tribes on the borders during the earlier Zhou Dynasty. Late in the Spring and Autumn Period, some states extended the defence work to prevent the attacks from other states.
It was not until the Qin Dynasty that the separate walls were connected to form a defensive system by Emperor Qin Shi Huang. After the emperor unified the country in 214 BC, he ordered the construction of the wall. It took about ten years to finish and the wall stretched from Gansu Province to Jilin Province. The wall not only served as a defence in the north but also symbolized the power of the emperor.
Further construction also experienced several dynasties. The present Great Wall in Beijing is mainly remains from the Ming Dynasty. Today, the Great Wall has become a must-see for every visitor to China. Few can help saying “Wow” when they stand on top of a beacon tower and look at this giant dragon. It has become a national pride of Chinese people.
1.The underlined word “appealing” probably means “______”.
A. huge B. attractive
C. ordinary D. moving
2.In the Qin Dynasty, ______.
A. the construction of the Great Wall was finished in 204 BC
B. the emperor wanted to invade other minor states
C. the defensive system of the Great Wall was separated
D. the Great Wall began its way from Jilin Province
3.According to the passage, the Great Wall _______.
A. is from the west to the east B. is as long as 6,700 miles
C. was built in several dynasties D. was begun in the Qin Dynasties
4.The best title for the passage probably is _______.
A. History of the Great Wall B. Culture of the Great Wall
C. Construction of the Great Wall D. Projection of the Great Wall
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., is one of the world's greatest art museums. Millions of people have entered its doors to see paintings by the world's fine artists. But if these priceless masterpieces are to be preserved, the Gallery must protect them carefully. The Gallery's 135-man guard force has successfully prevented them from being stolen, but protecting the paintings from nature is a greater problem.
In past times, the owners of paintings did not protect them from damaging changes in humidity (湿度) and temperature. As a result, the life of these paintings were shortened. In the National Gallery, however, humidity and temperature are carefully controlled. The building is air-conditioned in summer and heated in winter. The air-conditioning and heating system are so important to the life of the painting that the Gallery has two of each system. If one should fail, the extra one can take over.
Light is another enemy of paintings. Ultraviolet rays (紫外线) in light cause paintings to fade (褪色). Long ago, paintings often hung in dark churches and palaces. A coat of varnish (清漆) was a protection from the weak light. But when museums took over the care of many paintings, they were often hung in brighter light than before. Soon they were in danger of fading. The damaging effects of light were increased when the museums removed the varnish coating, yellowed with age.
To protect its paintings, the National Gallery put a special kind of glass in its skylights. This glass allows visible lights to enter the building but it keeps out harmful ultraviolet rays. The Gallery has also developed new and better varnishes which help to keep paintings from fading. Thanks to these new precautions, many of the world's greatest paintings are being well protected for future generations to enjoy.
1.The text mainly tells us about ______.
A．the guard force in the National Gallery
B．protecting great paintings from nature
C．priceless paintings of past times
D．the air-conditioning and heating systems in the National Gallery
2.The underlined word "precautions" in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to ______.
A．decorations
B．problems
C．suggestions
D．applications
3.From the text we can infer that_______.
A．great artists painted in dark churches and palaces
B．you can touch these paintings while you are in the National Gallery
C．the care of the world's greatest paintings is both a big responsibility and a great challenge
D．the guard force in the Gallery has not done a good job
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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Here’s a simple challenge: name a famous inventor. Perhaps Leonardo da Vinci springs to mind. Or the pioneer of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell. But you might be hard-pressed to name many female inventors, even though women are behind some of the most widely used technologies in the modern world.
For example, where would we be without the windscreen wiper? Back on a freezing winter’s day in 1902, Mary Anderson was traveling by tram through New York city. Snow was falling, forcing the driver to stop repeatedly and get out to clear it. Each time the door opened, Mary suffered. She had a brainwave: why not make something that could be operated from inside the vehicle? And that’s exactly what she did.
Let’s step in from freezing New York for our next invention. The dishwasher dates back even earlier to the 19th Century, and to the dinner parties thrown by a lady called Josephine Cochrane. As a frequent host, she wanted a machine that could wash dishes faster than people. Her response was to develop what was to become the first commercially successful dishwasher.
Need something to do while the dishwasher is on? How about a round of Monopoly（强手棋游戏）? One of the most popular board games around, the rules were first drawn up by a lady called Elizabeth Magie, and patented in 1904.
To an altogether different kind of innovation: Kevlar is the lightweight fibre used in bulletproof（防弹）vests. The material is used by millions every day and has saved countless lives and is strength-lo-weight ratio is five times higher than steel.
Finally, one of the most important inventions of the 20th Century must surely be the computer programme. The world of programming is unbalanced among men and women, with men taking home around 30% more pay than their female partners on average. But back in the 1940s and 50s, women were at the forefront of this new field and Grace Hopper was one of them.
1.What do we know about the inventions mentioned in the text?
A. They were mostly made in the 20th century.
B. They all used high technology.
C. Their inventors came from families of good education.
D. They were all made by accident.
2.Why did Mary Anderson invent windscreen wiper?
A. The winter was extremely cold there.
B. She was forced to clear the snow by others.
C. The car she drove made her suffer a great deal.
D. She was sick of the driver getting out to clear the window.
3.Which of the following statements is WRONG according to the text?
A. Josephine Cochrane wanted a machine that operated automatically.
B. The game invented by Magie was popular merely among teenagers.
C. Kevlar is the super tough fibre and stronger than steel.
D. Grace Hopper was good at computer programming.
4.What is the best title of this passage?
A. Women can be Great Inventors
B. The Most Useful Inventions by Women
C. The Most Widely Used Technologies
D. Women Made Greater Contributions than Men
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析