Question

    Albert Einstein was an extraordinary physicist, but no artist. Pablo Picasso could paint anything, but he had no talent for science. Lionel Messi is great at soccer, but nobody talks about his singing ability.

This specialization of talent may seem normal, but it may be a modern phenomenon. In English, we have a term for people with broad knowledge and skills: “Renaissance man (or woman)”. It refers to the European Renaissance, a time when it became common to study a wide range of subjects. This led to complex works of art, invention and philosophy that transformed European culture.

The classic Renaissance man was undoubtedly Leonardo da Vinci, who died 500 years ago. Even today, he is regarded as one of the great creative minds of the Italian Renaissance. “He was hugely influential as an artist and sculptor but also greatly talented as an engineer, scientist and inventor,” says the BBC.

At 14, Da Vinci became an apprentice (学徒) of the popular sculptor and goldsmith Andrea del Verrocchio. Young Leonardo learned how to draw and paint in his workshop, but he was also introduced to chemistry, metallurgy and carpentry. He acquired so many skills that it became natural for him to try new things. The man who would design a flying machine and a military tank set his life course during these early years.

It is interesting to note that his skills as a draftsman (画师) were important in both his artistic and his scientific activities. For instance, he made marvelously detailed drawings of moving water, but not really for artistic reasons. As The Conversation notes, Da Vinci wanted to learn about moving water so he could benefit people. For this purpose, he eventually drew up plans for canals.

Da Vinci was also fascinated by anatomy (解剖学). He dissected (切开) bodies and drew detailed pictures of what he saw. These drawings anticipated the future of scientific medicine.

Apart from his scientific drawings, Da Vinci had a genius for painting lifelike images of people. Even today, this ability stands out in works like the Mona Lisa (1503). With her famous smile, we recognize her as a flesh-and-blood human like ourselves.

The best epitaph (碑文) for Da Vinci may be his own words:”Learning never exhausts the mind.” His numerous projects over 67 years make it clear that his mind was never exhausted. Five centuries after his death, his life and work inspire would-be Renaissance men and women everywhere.

1.“Renaissance man” is mentioned mainly to____.

A.show that people in the past were less talented

B.compare the great minds of the Renaissance

C.introduce Da Vinci as a representative

D.show how Da Vinci created the world

2.What do we know about Da Vinci?

A.He learned anatomy in his childhood.

B.He designed a military tank in his later years.

C.He invented 67 things in his lifetime.

D.His drawings were both artistic and scientific.

3.Which of the following best describes Da Vinci?

A.Hardworking and humorous.

B.Knowledgeable and creative.

C.Imaginative and easygoing.

D.Open-minded and generous.

4.How would the author probably describe Da Vinci’s painting style?

A.Realistic. B.Mysterious. C.Abstract. D.Modern.

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.B

4.A

【解析】

本文为说明文。文章介绍了文艺复兴时期的经典人物达芬奇，说明了他在多个领域的杰出成就、对人类社会的贡献及影响。

1.推理判断题。根据第二段第二句In English, we have a term for people with broad knowledge and skills: “Renaissance man (or woman)”.可知在英语中，我们有一个术语来形容拥有广泛知识和技能的人:“多才多艺的男人(或女人)”。以及第三段第一句The classic Renaissance man was undoubtedly Leonardo da Vinci, who died 500 years ago.可知文艺复兴时期的经典人物无疑是500年前去世的列奥纳多·达·芬奇。由此可推知，文章引入“Renaissance man”这个概念，是为了介绍这类人物里的杰出代表达芬奇。故选C。

2.细节理解题。根据第五段第一句It is interesting to note that his skills as a draftsman were important in both his artistic and his scientific activities.可知有趣的是，他作为一名画师的技能在他的艺术和科学活动中都很重要。由此可知，达芬奇的画既有艺术性又有科学性。故选D。

3.推理判断题。根据第三段中Even today, he is regarded as one of the great creative minds of the Italian Renaissance. “He was hugely influential as an artist and sculptor but also greatly talented as an engineer, scientist and inventor,” says the BBC.可知即使在今天，他仍被认为是意大利文艺复兴时期最伟大的创意人物之一。英国广播公司说:“他是一位极具影响力的艺术家和雕塑家，但也是一位极具天赋的工程师、科学家和发明家。”以及第四段中He acquired so many skills that it became natural for him to try new things. 他学到了很多技能，所以他很自然地尝试新事物。由此可推知，达芬奇知识渊博并有创造力。故选B。

4.推理判断题。根据倒数第二段中With her famous smile, we recognize her as a flesh-and-blood human like ourselves.可知她那著名的微笑使我们认识到她是一个和我们一样有血有肉的人。由此可推知，作者认为达芬奇描述的人物形象很生动。在他的名著中，蒙娜丽莎的微笑让我们觉得她是和我们一样有血有肉的人。所以作者很有可能用“逼真的、写实的”这样的词来描述达芬奇的画作。故选A。