Question

Leonardo da Vinci and Nature

In the modern world, art and science are two very separate activities, but in Leonardo’s time they were closely connected. Science meant mathematics and medical studies.1.Mathematics included practical work like surveying land for making maps as well as measuring the movements of the stars in the sky. An artist might need to measure the different parts of the body. He could also use mathematics to place things in relationship to each other in a drawing or painting so the scene looked correct.2.

Mathematics was also connected to music because musical sounds have a fixed relationship with each other that can be described in numbers.3.More than this, though, Leonardo believed that numbers were a part of all things in the world, including music, and he said that “without them nothing can be done.”

“Nature has kindly given us things everywhere to copy,” wrote Leonardo. In all his activities, Leonardo was trying to discover the rules that control nature. In his search for those rules, he looked very carefully at a lot of examples and details. Actual experience was more important to him than opinion, and he worked from facts to ideas.4. His purpose was to examine the world so he could copy it in beautiful paintings and sculptures. He also wanted to learn from the clever solutions of nature.

5. His quick little sketches, often done while wandering outside, helped him to catch a movement or a shape. More careful drawings would be done at a desk with a pen and ruler. In July 2001, a small drawing by Leonardo was sold for $12 million. It was the most expensive drawing in the world.

A.Leonardo was always drawing.

B.How could these be connected with art?

C.Leonardo was also an influential philosopher.

D.Mathematicians and doctors worked to discover the unknown.

E.Above all, Leonardo wanted to understand how and why things worked.

F.Leonardo himself was a very good musician and liked to play an instrument and sing.

G.You will see a good example of such positioning in the painting of The Last Supper.

Answer

1.B

2.G

3.F

4.E

5.A

【解析】

这是一篇科普说明文。通过对达芬奇与自然是如何结合起来进行艺术创作这一事件进行以下方面的说明：数学、音乐与艺术的关系，以及自然与艺术的关系。

1.

空格前面两句，由但是引导的句子提示我们，在里奥拉多时代，科学与艺术紧密相连。科学意味着数学和医学研究， but in Leonardo’s time they were closely connected. Science meant mathematics and medical studies. 那他们是如何紧密联系在一起的呢？这样看来B选项How could these be connected with art?那这些是如何与艺术紧密相联系的呢？这是西方作者行文的特点即渐进式重复主题，切合题意。故选B。

2.

He could also use mathematics to place things in relationship to each other in a drawing or painting so the scene looked correct.从空格前面这句里面的place things in relationship to each other in a drawing or painting.把所画的事物在一幅画里面彼此之间的位置关系安排的妥妥的。这里读出两点信息：一是in a drawing or painting.一是place things.根据这两点信息可以推出答案里面必须要有一幅画和位置的描述。G选项刚好切合此意：You will see a good example of such positioning in the painting of The Last Supper.你会看到一个好的例子，就是有这样一幅画《最后的晚餐》里人物位置的安排。故选G。

3.

本段描述的是与音乐有关的话题，数学与音乐的关系。因此可以推出达芬奇也应该熟悉并精通音乐。F选项与此意切合：Leonardo himself was a very good musician and liked to play an instrument and sing.里奥拉多他自己就是一个非常优秀的音乐家，喜欢演奏乐器和唱歌。故选F。

4.

在空格前面的描述中可以得知：达芬奇在他探寻这些规则的时候，他认真仔细地观察大量的实例和细节。实践经历比起他自己的意见更重要，然后他经常通过事实得出观点。……他的目的是考量这个世界，以便于能够把它复制在自己美丽的图画和雕塑中。通过对上文的理解，达芬奇做这些的最终目的是为了画画和创作。那么答案中必定有表示目的这一选项供我们选择。或者说在描述前面这么多细节后，再接着描述他到底想要做什么。因此E选项切合题意：Above all, Leonardo wanted to understand how and why things worked.最重要的是，里奥拉多想要理解事物是如何运作的，又为什么会这么运作。故选E。

5.

根据空格后面两句话的结构可以看出：他的小速写……，更多的认真的画画，会用一支钢笔和尺在桌子旁边完成。然后讲他的一幅小速写卖了多少钱，是当今世界上最贵的一幅画。空格在这一段的开头处，可以得出答案一定会有一个总起的作用的结论，就是要为后面所说的两件事情都与画画有关。能够充当此角色的只有A选项切合此意：Leonardo was always drawing. 里奥拉多总是画画。故选A。