大学英语四级阅读练习

(PhotographyandArt)Theearliestcontroversiesabouttherelationshipbetweenphotographyandartcenteredonwhetherphotograph’sfidelitytoappearancesanddependenceonamachineallowedittobeafineartasdistinctfrommerelyapracticalart.Throughoutthenineteenthcentury,thedefenceofphotographywasidenticalwiththestruggletoestablishitasafineart.Againstthechargethatphotographywasasoulless,mechanicalcopyingofreality,photographersassertedthatitwasinsteadaprivilegedwayofseeing,arevoltagainstcommonplacevision,andnolessworthyanartthanpainting.Ironically,nowthatphotographyissecurelyestablishedasafineart,manyphotographersfinditpretentiousorirrelevanttolabelitassuch.Seriousphotographersvariouslyclaimtobefinding,recording,impartiallyobserving,witnessingevents,exploringthemselves—anythingbutmakingworksofart.Theyarenolongerwillingtodebatewhetherphotographyisorisnotafineart,excepttoproclaimthattheirownworkisnotinvolvedwithart.ItshowstheextenttowhichtheysimplytakeforgrantedtheconceptofartimposedbythetriumphofModernism:thebettertheart,themoresubversiveitisofthetraditionalaimsofart.Photographers’disclaimersofanyinterestinmakingarttellusmoreabouttheharriedstatusofthecontemporarynotionofartthanaboutwhetherphotographyisorisnotart.Forexample,thosephotographerswhosupposethat,bytakingpictures,theyaregettingawayfromthepretensionsofartasexemplifiedbypaintingremindusofthoseAbstractExpressionistpainterswhoimaginedtheyweregettingawayfromtheintellectualausterityofclassicalModernistpaintingbyconcentratingonthephysicalactofpainting.Muchofphotography’sprestigetodayderivesfromtheconvergenceofitsaimswiththoseofrecentart,particularlywiththedismissalofabstractartimplicitinthephenomenonofPoppaintingduringthe1960’s.Appreciatingphotographsisarelieftosensibilitiestiredofthementalexertionsdemandedbyabstractart.ClassicalModernistpainting—thatis,abstractartasdevelopedindifferentwaysbyPicasso,Kandinsky,andMatisse—presupposeshighlydevelopedskillsoflookingandafamiliaritywithotherpaintingsandthehistoryofart.Photography,likePoppainting,reassuresviewersthatartisnothard;photographyseemstobemoreaboutitssubjectsthanaboutart.Photography,however,hasdevelopedalltheanxietiesandself-consciousnessofaclassicModernistart.Manyprofessionalsprivatelyhavebeguntoworrythatthepromotionofphotographyasanactivitysubversiveofthetraditionalpretensionsofarthasgonesofarthatthepublicwillforgetthatphotographyisadistinctiveandexaltedactivity—inshort,anart.1.Whatistheauthormainlyconcernedwith?Theauthorisconcernedwith[A].definingtheModernistattitudetowardart.[B].explaininghowphotographyemergedasafineart.[C].explainingtheattitudeofseriouscontemporaryphotographerstowardphotographyasartandplacingthoseattitudesintheirhistoricalcontext.[D].definingthevariousapproachesthatseriouscontemporaryphotographerstaketowardtheirartandassessingthevalueofeachofthoseapproaches.2.Whichofthefollowingadjectivesbestdescribes“theconceptofartimposedbythetriumphofModernism”astheauthorrepresentsitinlines12—13?[A].Objective[B].Mechanical.[C].Superficial.[D].Paradoxical.3.WhydoestheauthorintroduceAbstractExpressionistpainter?[A].Hewantstoprovideanexampleofartistswho,likeseriouscontemporaryphotographers,disavowedtraditionallyacceptedaimsofmodernart.[B].HewantstosetforthananalogybetweentheAbstractExpressionistpaintersandclassicalModernistpainters.[C].HewantstoprovideacontrasttoPopartistandothers.[D].Hewantstoprovideanexplanationofwhyseriousphotography,likeothercontemporaryvisualforms,isnotandshouldnotpretendtobeanart.4.Howdidthenineteenth-centurydefendersofphotographystressthephotography?[A].Theystressedphotographywasameansofmakingpeoplehappy.[B].Itwasartforrecordingtheworld.[C].Itwasadeviceforobservingtheworldimpartially.[D].Itwasanartcomparabletopainting.Vocabulary1.finearts美术(指绘画，雕刻，建筑，诗歌，音乐等)2.assert主张，声明，维护(权利)3.privileged特殊的，享受特权的，特许的4.pretentious狂妄的，做作的5.irrelevant不相干的，无关的6.subversive破坏性的，颠覆性的7.disclaimer弃权者8.harry掠夺，折磨9.austerity严格，简朴10.convergence聚合，集合点11.implicit含蓄的12.distinctive区别的，独特的13.exalted高贵的，高尚的难句译注1.Theearliestcontroversiesabouttherelationshipbetweenphotographyandartcenteredonwhetherphotograph’sfidelitytoappearancesanddependenceonamachineallowedittobeafineartasdistinctfrommerelyapracticalart.[结构简析]此句为主谓语+宾语从句。Asdistinctfrom…句修饰fineart.[参考译文]最早有关摄影和艺术关系的争论点集中在摄影对表象的忠实和对机器的依赖能否使它成为艺术，有别于仅仅是实用的美术。2.Againstthechargethatphotographywasasoulless,mechanicalcopyingofreality,photographersassertedthatitwasinsteadaprivilegedwayofseeing,arevoltagainstcommonplacevision,andnolessworthyanartthanpainting.[结构简析]结构是主谓宾从。句子长是因为介词短语againstthecharge后接同位说明语thephotographywas…宾语从句中有三组表语：awayofseeing,arevolt,anart.[参考译文]正队这种指责：摄影是一种没有灵魂的，对现实机械性复制，摄影工作者声名摄影不是复制品，而是一种特殊的观察方式，是对平庸视觉的叛逆，和绘画一样有艺术价值。3.ItshowstheextenttowhichtheysimplytakeforgrantedtheconceptofartimposedbythetriumphofModernism:thebettertheart,themoresubversiveitisofthetraditionalaimsofart.[结构简析]句子结构为主从句，which引导宾从作介词to的宾语，宾从中imposedby…分词短语修饰conceptofart,thebetter…themore是说明conceptofart.[参考译文]这说明他们就是把现代主义胜利所强加的艺术概念视为合理的，其合理程度是：艺术越强，对艺术的传统目的破坏得越大。4.Photographers’disclaimersofanyinterestinmakingarttellusmoreabouttheharriedstatusofthecontemporarynotionofartthanaboutwhetherphotographyisorisnotart.[结构简析]名词disclaimer放弃，否认。上下文翻译中可译成动词含义，否认抛弃创作艺术的兴趣。[参考译文]摄影师否认对创作艺术感性趣，他们告诉我们更多的是有关现代艺术概念的令人苦恼的情况，而不是摄影是不是艺术问题。5.Manyprofessionalsprivatelyhavebeguntoworrythatthepromotionofphotographyasanactivitysubversiveofthetraditionalpretensionsofarthasgonesofarthatthepublicwillforgetthatphotographyisadistinctiveandexaltedactivity—inshort,anart.[结构简析]复合句。句内三个thatclause.第一个是worry的宾从;第二个是sofarthat的句型。第三个是forget之宾从。[参考译文]许多专业摄影人员私下开始担忧，强调摄影是对传统艺术意图的颠覆活动的做法有些过分了，(活动的宣传走得太远)以致使公众忘记摄影是一种独特的高尚活动——总之，是一种艺术。写作方法与文章大意文章论及“摄影是否是艺术”问题，这样采用对比手法。一开始就讲述了19世纪摄影家为确立摄影是艺术而提出的种种依据，并把美术和摄影作比较，来反驳否定摄影的论点：忠于表象，以来机器，没有灵魂……确立的艺术后，他们为摆脱油画那种矫饰的艺术意图而努力推崇“艺术越佳，对艺术传统意图破坏越大”的论点。作者把这些摄影家和抽象表现主义画家相提并论，把摄影和流行画等同;和古典现代主义画家和画相对抗。最后结论是这种破坏传统艺术意图的活动不能走得太远，因为摄影毕竟是艺术，否则……。答案详解1.C.说明当代严肃的摄影家对摄影作为艺术的态度，并把他们这些态度放在历史的进程来观察。见文章大意。他们先为摄影是否是艺术而争辩，后为否定其艺术而努力。重点放在主题上。A.界定显得主义者对艺术的态度。B.解释摄影是如何作为美术出现的。第一段涉及，见难句译注2。D.界定当代严肃摄影家对待他们艺术所具有的各种观点，并评定每种观点的价值。这三项只是文内提到的某些方面，不是主要的。2.D.矛盾的。见难句译注3。A.客观的。B.机械的。C.表面的。3.A.他要列举这样艺术家的例子，他们象当代严肃的摄影家一样抛弃了传统上被接受的现代艺术目的。见第三段第二句：“举例说，这些认为通过拍照可以摆脱绘画所表现的艺术的矫饰的摄影家，使我们想起了那些抽象表现主义绘画的严肃的思想。”B.他想在抽象表现主义画家和古典现代主义画家之间找出相似点。C.他要在流行艺术家和其它艺术家之间作一个对比。D.他想解释为什么严肃摄影，象其它当代视觉形式一样不是艺术，而且也不应当充作艺术。4.D.摄影是一种艺术，可以和油画相比美。见难句译注2。A.他们强调摄影是使人们快乐的手段。B.是记录世界的艺术。C.摄影是公正观察世界的工具。(TheContinuityoftheReligiousStruggleinBritain)ThoughEnglandwasonthewholeprosperousandhopeful,thoughbycomparisonwithherneighborssheenjoyedinternalpeace,shecouldnotevadethefactthattheworldofwhichsheformedapartwastornbyhatredandstrifeasfierceasanyinhumanhistory.Menwerestillforfromrecognizingthattworeligionscouldexistsidebysideinthesamesociety;theybelievedthatthetolerationofanotherreligiondifferentfromtheirown.Andhencenecessarilyfalse,mustinevitablydestroysuchasocietyandbringthesoulsofallitsmembersintodangerofhell.Sothestrugglewentonwithincreasingfurywithineachnationtoimposeasinglecreeduponeverysubject,andwithinthegeneralsocietyofChristendomtoimposeituponeverynation.InEnglandtheReformers,orProtestants,aidedbythepoweroftheCrown,hadatthisstagetriumphed,butoverEuropeasawholeRomewasbeginningtorecoversomeofthegroundithadlostafterMartinLuther’srevoltintheearlierpartofthecentury.Itdidthisintwoways,bytheactivitiesofitsmissionaries,asinpartsofGermany,orbythemilitarymightoftheCatholicPowers,asintheLowCountries,wheretheDutchprovincesweresometimesneartheirlastextremityunderthepressureofSpanisharms.AgainstEngland,themostimportantofalltheProtestantnationstoreconquer,militarymightwasnotyetpossiblebecausetheCatholicPowersweretoooccupiedanddivided:andso,inthe1570’sRomebentherefforts,asshehaddoneathousandyearsbeforeinthedaysofSaintAugustine,towinEnglandbackbymeansofhermissionaries.ThesewereyoungEnglishmenwhohadeithernevergivenuptheoldfaith,orhavingdoneso,hadreturnedtoitandfeltcalledtobecomepriests.Therebeing,ofcourse,noCatholicseminariesleftinEngland,theywentabroad,atfirstquiteeasily,laterwithdifficultyanddanger,tostudyintheEnglishcollegesatDouaiorRome:theformerestablishedforthetrainingofordinaryorsecularclergy,theotherforthememberoftheSocietyofJesus,commonlyknownasJesuits,anewOrderestablishedbySt,IgnatiusLoyolasamethirtyyearsbefore.Thesecularscamefirst;theyachievedasuccesswhicheventhemosteagercouldhardlyhaveexpected.Cool-mindedandwell-informedmen,likeCecil,hadlongsurmisedthattheconversionoftheEnglishpeopletoProtestantismwasforfromcomplete;many—Cecilthoughteventhemajority—hadconformedoutoffear,self-interestor—possiblythecommonestreasonofall—sheerbewildermentattherapidchangesindoctrineandformsofworshipimposedontheminsoshortatime.Thusithappenedthatthemissionariesfoundawelcome,notonlywiththefamilieswhohadsecretlyofferedthemhospitalityiftheycame,butwithmanyotherswhomtheirfirsthostsinvitedtomeetthemorpassedthemonto.Theywouldlandattheportsindisguise,asmerchants,courtiersorwhatnot,professingsomeplausiblebusinessinthecountry,andmakebydeviousmayfortheirfirsthouseofrefuge.TheretheywouldadministertheSacramentsandpreachtothehouseholdsandtosuchoftheneighborsastheirhoststrustedandpresentlygoontosomeotherlocalitytowhichtheyweredirectedorfromwhichtheyreceivedacall.1.Themainideaofthispassageis[A].ThecontinuityofthereligiousstruggleinBritaininnewways.[B].TheconversionofreligioninBritain.[C].ThevictoryoftheNewreligioninBritain.[D].Englandbecameprosperous.2.WhatwasMartinLuther’sreligions?[A].Buddhism.[B].Protestantism.[C].Catholicism.[D].Orthodox.3.ThroughwhatwaydidtheRomerecoversomeofthelostland?[A].Civilandmilitaryways.[B].Propagandaandattack.[C].Persuasionandcriticism.[D].Religiousandmilitaryways.4.Whatdidthesecondparagraphmainlydescribe?[A].TheactivitiesofmissionariesinBritain.[B].TheconversionofEnglishpeopletoProtestantismwasfarfromcomplete.[C].TheyounginBritainbegantoconverttoCatholicism[D].Mostfamiliesofferedhospitalitytomissionaries.Vocabulary1.evade避开，回避2.creed教义，信条，主义3.theCrown原义皇冠，在英国代表王权，王室/君主4.lowCountries低地国，指荷兰，卢森堡，比利时5.lastextremity最后阶段，绝境，临终。这里指那里人民临近无可选择只能信奉天主教。6.bendone’seffort竭尽全力7.seminary高等中学，神学院/校8.surmise猜度，臆测9.doctrine教义10.plausible貌似合理/公平的11.courtier朝臣12.devious绕来绕去的，迂回曲折的13.Sacrament圣礼，圣事/餐14.secular修道院外的，世俗的15.thesocietyofJesus天主教的耶酥会16.Douai杜埃(法国地名)17.Jesuit天主耶酥会会士难句译注1.TheDouayBible杜埃圣经(罗马天主教会核定的英译本圣经，于1582年及1609——1610你年又罗马天主教学者将新旧约分别从拉丁文译成英语在杜埃出版，可见当时杜埃是天主教势力的集中地之一。2.St.IgnatiusLoyola圣•罗耀拉1491——1556西班牙军人及天主教教士，耶酥会的创始人。3.Cecil(WilliamCecil)西塞尔1520——1598，英国政治家，女王伊丽莎白的得力大臣。4.Menwerestillforfromrecognizingthattworeligionscouldexistsidebysideinthesamesociety;theybelievedthatthetolerationofanotherreligiondifferentfromtheirown.Andhencenecessarilyfalse,mustinevitablydestroysuchasocietyandbringthesoulsofallitsmembersintodangerofhell.[结构简析]用分号连接的两个分句，分句中都有that是引导的宾从。[参考译文]人们远远没有意识到两个宗教可以并存于同一个社会中;他们认为容忍不同于他们自己的宗教，因为也必然是错误的教派，不可避免的会破坏这样一个社会，从而把所有的成员的灵魂带进地狱的危险。5.AgainstEngland,themostimportantofalltheProtestantnationstoreconquer,militarymightwasnotyetpossiblebecausetheCatholicPowersweretoooccupiedanddivided:andso,inthe1570’sRomebentherefforts,asshehaddoneathousandyearsbeforeinthedaysofSaintAugustine,towinEnglandbackbymeansofhermissionaries[结构简析]themostimportantofalltheProtestantnationstoreconquer,这句话是同位语，说明England.Asshehaddoneathousand…，这里的as=justto义：就像，正如。[参考译文]对付英国，需要重新征服的所有基督教国家中最重要的一国，动用军事力量不可能。因为天主教大国们太忙，太分裂;因此罗马于1570年代就像一千年前，在圣•奥古斯都统治时期它曾做过的那样，竭尽权力想通过传教方式把英国赢回来。写作方法与文章大意这篇文章论及“罗马教皇采用文武两手政策在欧洲，特别在英国，恢复旧教——天主教。”采用一般到具体的写作手法。可以说由大到小。大的欧洲背景，最后落实在英国的具体做法。重点在英国。答案祥解1.A.这篇文章的中心思想是“英国宗教斗争以新的方式继续进行。”B.英国宗教的转变。C.新教在英国的胜利。D.英国变得繁荣。这三项都是文内谈到具体事情，不能作主题思想。2.B.新教，基督教。因为罗马教皇推行的是天主教。这在第一段第四句明确点明：“在英国，宗教改革者，或者说基督教，在英国皇权的协助下，此时已取得胜利;而作为整个欧洲来说，罗马教皇已经开始恢复世纪初马丁•路德反叛后所失去的一些地盘。”马丁•路德是改革者，也就是基督教。A.佛教。C.天主教。D.东正教3.D.宗教和武力。第一段第五句说明：“教皇用两种办法进行恢复，一种就像在部分德国地区进行的那样通过传教士的活动，另一种象在低地国里进行的，通过天主教国家的军事力量。那里荷兰的几个省份在西班牙的军事压力下，常常是被逼迫得几乎走投无路了。A.civilandmilitaryways文武两手，civil范围太广，特别指民事的，非宗教的，文职的。这里不合适。B.宣传和抨击。C.劝说和批评。都不对。4.A.传教士活动在英国。第二段的开始就讲到，“这些英国青年或者根本没有放弃老的信仰，或者放弃以后又重新归反旧教，应召成为牧师。英国当然没有剩下天主教神学院，他们就出国，开始很容易，后来，有困难甚至有危险，到杜埃或罗马英文学院就读。前者专为培养一般或修道院外的牧师而建。后者是培养耶酥会教士，通称天主耶酥会会士，是约三十年前圣•罗耀拉创建的一种神职。”在杜埃学习的牧师先回来，他们取得了令人意想不到的成功。下面就是他们(这样指第一类修道士在英国活动情况)。“头脑冷静，信息灵通人士，像西塞尔这种政治家，长期以来，一直猜度，英国人归反基督教新教的过程远远没有完成。许多人——因他们被在那么短的时期内强加到他们身上的信仰形式，飞快变更的教义搞糊涂了。”B.英国人归反基督教的事情远远没有完成。C.在英国青年开始归反天主教。两项选择见上文解释。都是传教活动开始的原因。D.大多数家庭礼待传教士。这是第二段最后几行谈到这些传教士秘密来到英国后的情况。他们不仅受到老关系家庭欢迎。也受到第一次邀请他们的家庭欢迎。主人还把他们介绍给其它家庭。WakefieldMaster’sRealism)Moreover,insofarasanyinterpretationofitsauthorcanbemadefromthefiveorsixplaysattributedtohim,theWakefieldMasterisuniformlyconsideredtobeamanofsharpcontemporaryobservation.Hewas,formally,perhapsclericallyeducated,ashisLatinandmusic,hisBiblicalandpatristicloreindicate.Heis,still,celebratedmainlyforhisquicksympathyfortheoppressedandforgottenman,hissharpeyeforcharacter,areadyearforcolloquialvernacularturnsofspeechandahumoralternatelyrudeandboisterous,coarseandhappy.Hencedespitehisconsciousartistryasmanifestinhisfeelingforintricatemetricalandstanzaforms,heislookeduponasakindofmedievalSteinbeck,indignantlyangryat,uncompromisinglyandevenbrutallyrealisticinpresentingtheplightoftheagriculturalpoor.Thustakingtheplayandtheauthortogether,itismowfairlyconventionaltoregardtheformerasakindofultimatepointinthesecularizationofthemedievaldrama.HencemuchemphasisonitasdepictingrealisticallyhumblemannersandpastorallifeinthebleakhillsoftheWestRidingofYorkshireonatypicallycoldbightofDecember24th.Afterwhatareoftenregardedasalmost“documentaries”giveninthethreesuccessivemonologuesofthethreeshepherds,criticsgoontoaffirmthattherealismisthenintensifiedintoaburlesquemock-treatmentoftheNativity.Finallyasasortofepilogueorafter-thoughtindeferencetotheBiblicaloriginsofthematerials,theplayslidesbackintoanatavisticmoodofearlyinnocentreverence.Actually,asweshallsee,thefinalsceneisnotonlytheculminatingscenebutperhapstheraisond’etreofintroductory“realism.”Thereismuchonthesurfaceofthepresentplaytosupporttheconventionalviewofitsmoodofsecularrealism.Allthesame,the“realism”oftheWakefieldMasterisofaparadoxicalturn.Hiswideknowledgeofpeople,aswellasbooksindicatesnocloisteredcontemplativebutoneincloserelationtohistimes.Still,thatlifewasafterallapredominantlyreligiousone,atimewhichneverneglectedthebeliefthatmanwasarebelliousandsinfulcreatureinneedofredemption,Sodeeply(onecanhardlysay“naively”ofsosophisticatedawriter)andimplicitlyreligiousistheMasterthatheislessable(orlesswilling)topresentactualhistoryrealisticallythanistheauthoroftheBrome“AbrahamandIsaac”.HishistoricalsenseisevenlessrealisticthanthatofChaucerwhojustafewyearsbeforehaddoneforhisowntimecostumeromances,suchasTheKnight’sTale,TroilusandCressida,etc.MoreoverChaucerhadtheexcuseofhighlyromanticmaterialsfortakinglibertieswithhistory.1.WhichofthefollowingstatementsabouttheWakefieldMasterisNOTTrue?[A].HewasChaucer’scontemporary.[B].Heisrememberedastheauthoroffiveorsixrealistic