Birthdays often bring surprises. But this year’s surprise on the birthday of the great British playwright William Shakespeare is __21__ one of the most surprising.
On April 22, one day before his 441st birthday anniversary, experts __22__ that one of the most recognizable __23__ of William Shakespeare is a fake (赝品).
This __24__ that we no longer have a good __25__ of what Shakespeare looked like. “It’s very possible that many pictures of Shakespeare are unreliable because many of them are __26__ of this one,” said an expert from Britain’s National Portrait Gallery.
The _27_ comes after four months of testing. Experts from the gallery say the image — commonly known as the “Flower portrait” — was actually __28__ in the 1800s, two centuries __29_ Shakespeare’s death.
The art experts who work at the gallery say they used modern chemistry technology to __30__ the paint on the picture. These checks found traces (痕迹) of paint deep in the picture __31__ about 1814.
Shakespeare __32__ in 1616, and the date that appears on the portrait is 1609.
“We now think the portrait dates back to around 1818 to 1840. This was __33__ there was a new interest in Shakespeare’s__ 34__ ,” Tanya Cooper, the gallery’s 16th century curator (馆长) said.
The __35__ picture has often been used as a cover for __36__ of his plays. It is called the “Flower portrait” because one of its __37__, Desmond Flower, gave it to the Royal Shakespeare Company.
“There have always been __38__ about the authenticity (真实性) of the painting,” said David Howells, curator for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
“Now we know the truth, we can put the image in its proper place in the history of Shakespearean portraiture (画像技法),” he said.
Two other images of Shakespeare are also being studied as part of the investigation and the results will __39__later in May. But for now what Shakespeare really looked like will remain a __40__.
1.A. surely B. never C. hardly D. only
2.A. wondered B. doubted C. found D. considered
3.A. plays B. masterpiecesC. portraits D. photos
4.A. recommends B. advises C. decides D. means
5.A. news B. idea C. design D. expression
6.A. bargains B. productions C. copies D. prints
7.A. justice B. discovery C. invention D. deed
8.A. cloned B. developed C. painted D. copied
9.A. after B. before C. since D. until
10.A. try B. remove C. wash D. check
11.A. looking back B. dating from C. getting along D. starting with
12.A. died B. was born C. succeeded D. was buried
13.A. why B. when C. how D. what
14.A. stories B. pictures C. plays D. photos
15.A. real B. original C. valuable D. fake
16.A. requirements B. collections C. consequences D. playwrights
17.A. owners B. painters C. writers D. readers
18.A. causes B. problems C. questions D. orders
19.A. go about B. come out C. turn up D. break out
20.A. surprise B. problem C. secret D. mystery
---I was riding along the street and all of a sudden, a car cut in and knocked me down.
--- You can never be ______ careful in the street.
A. much B. very C. so D. too
A dozen ideas were considered _____ the chief architect decided on the design of the
building.
A. because B. before C. whether D. unless
Scientists are trying to develop a special material, ________ they will make use of in
spacecraft.
A. it B. one C. that D. what
He was absent for two weeks, so he had a lot of homework to ________.
A. make up B. put up C. take up D. pick up
--- Do you think he will do me a favor?
--- As far as I know, he is the last one to help others. He _______ be prepared to give you a hand, though.
A. might B. must C. can D. should
