英语选修6课文readingWord格式.docx

1、The Renaissance （15th to 16th century） During the Renaissance, new ideas and values graduallv replaced those held in the Middle Ages.People began to concentrate less on religious themes and adopt a more humanistic attitude to life. At the same time painters returned to classical Roman and Greek idea

2、s about art. They tried to paint people and nature as they really were. Rich people wanted to possess their own paintings, so they could decorate their superb palaces and great houses. They paid famous artists to paint pictures of themselves, their houses and possessions as well as their activities

3、and achievements. One of the most important discoveries during this period was how to draw things in perspective. This technique was first used by Masaccio in 1428. When people first saw his paintings, they were convinced that they were looking through a hole in a wall at a real scene. If the roles

4、of perspective had not been discovered, no one would have been able to paint such realistic pictures. By coincidence, oil paints were also developed at this time, which made the colours used in paintings look richer and deeper. Without the new paints and the new technique, we would not be able to se

5、e the many great masterpieces for which this period is famous. Impressionism （late 19th to early 20th century） In the late 19th century, Europe changed a great deal. from a mostly agricultural society to a mostly industrial one. Many people moved from the countryside to the new cities. There were ma

6、ny new inventions and social changes. Naturally, these changes also led to new painting styles. Among the painters who broke away from the traditional style of painting were the Impressionists, who lived and worked in Paris. The Impressionists were the first painters to work outdoors. They were eage

7、r to show how light and shadow fell on objects at different times of day. However, because natural light changes so quickly, the Impressionists had to paint quickly. Their paintings were not as detailed as those of earlier painters. At first, many people disliked this style of painting and became ve

8、ry angr about it. They said that the painters were careless and their paintings were ridiculous. Modern Art （20th century to today） At the time they were created, the Impressionist paintings were controversial, but today they are accepted as the beginning of what we call modem art. This is because t

9、he Impressionists encouraged artists to look at their environment in new ways. There are scores of modern art styles, but without the Impressionists, many of these painting styles might not exist. On the one hand, some modem art is abstract; that is, the painter does not attempt to paint objects as

10、we see them with our eyes, but instead concentrates on certain qualities of the object, using colour, line and shape to represent them. On the other hand, some paintings of modern art are so realistic that they look like photographs. These styles are so different. Who can predict what painting style

11、s there will be in the future?THE BEST OF MANHATTANS ART GALLERIES The Frick Collection （5th Avenue and E.70th Street） Many art lovers would rather visit this small art gallery than any other in New York. Henry Clay Frick, a rich New Yorker, died in 1919, leaving his house, furniture and art collect

12、ion to the American people. Frick had a preference for pre-twentieth century Western paintings, and these are well-represented in this excellent collection. You can also explore Fricks beautiful home and garden which are well worth a Visit. Guggenheim Museum（5th Avenue and 88th Street） This museum o

13、wns 5,000 superb modern paintings, sculptures and drawings. These art works are not all displayed at the same time. The exhibition is always changing. It will appeal to those who love Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings. The Guggenheim Museum building is also world-famous. When you walk i

14、nto gallery, you feel as if you were inside a fragile, white seashell. The best way to see the paintings is to start from the top floor and walk down to the bottom. There are no stairs just a circular path. The museum also has an excellent restaurant. Metropolitan Museum of Art （5th Avenue and 82nd

15、Street） The reputation of this museum lies in the variety of its art collection. This covers more than 5,000 years of civilization from many parts of the world, including America, Europe, China, Egypt, other African countries and South America. The museum displays more than just the visual delights

16、of art. It introduces you to ancient ways of living. You can visit an Egyptian temple, a fragrant Ming garden, a typical room in an 18th century French house and many other special exhibitions. Museum of Modern Art （53rd Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues） It is amazing that so many great works of

17、art from the late 19th century to the 21st century are housed in the same museum. The collection of Western art includes paintings by such famous artists as Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso and Matisse. A few words of warning: the admission price is not cheap and the museum is often very crowded. Whitney Mu

18、seum of American Art （945 Madison Avenue, near 75th Street） The Whitney holds an excellent collection of contemporary American painting and sculpture. There are no permanent displays in this museum and exhibitions change all the time. Every two years, the Whitney holds a special exhibition of new ar

19、t by living artists. The museum also shows videos and films by contemporary video artists. 选修6 Unit 2 Poems-Reading A FEW SIMPLE FORMS OF ENGLISH POEMS There are various reasons why people write poetry. Some poems tell a story or describe something in a way that will give the reader a strong impress

20、ion. Others try to convey certain emotions. Poets use many different forms of poetry to express themselves. In this text, however, we will look at a few of the simpler forms. Some of the first poetry a young child learns in English is nursery rhymes. These rhymes like the one on the right （A） are st

21、ill a common type of childrens poetry. The language is concrete but imaginative, and they delight small children because they rhyme, have strong rhythm and a lot of repetition. The poems may not make sense and even seem contradictory, but they are easy to learn and recite. By playing with the words

22、in nursery rhymes, children learn about language. A Hush, little baby, dont say a word, Papas going to buy you a mockingbird. If that mockingbird wont sing, Papadiamond ring. If that diamond ring turns to brass, Papas going to buy you a looking-glass. If that looking-glass gets broke, Papas going to

23、 buy you a billy-goat. If that billy-goat runs away, Papayou another today. One of the simplest kinds of poems are those like B and C that list things. List poems have a flexible line length and repeated phrases which give both a pattern and a rhythm to the poem. Some rhyme （like B） while others do

24、not （like C）. B I saw a fish-portal all on fire I saw a fish-pond all on fire, I saw a house bow to a squire, I saw a person twelve-feet high, I saw a cottage in the sky, I saw a balloon made of lead, I saw a coffin drop down dead, I saw two sparrows run a race, I saw two horses making lace, I saw g

25、 girl just like a cat, I saw a kitten wear a hat, I saw a man who saw these too, And said though strange they all were true. C Our first football match We would have won . if Jack had scored that goal, if wed had just a few more minutes, if we had trained harder, if Ben had passed the ball to Joe, d

26、 had thousands of fans screaming, if I hadnt taken my eye off the ball, if we hadnt stayed up so late the night before, t taken it easy, t run out of energy. d been better! Another simple form of poem that students can easily write is the cinquain, a poem made up of five lines. With these, students

27、can convey a strong picture in just a few words. Look at the examples （D and E） on the top of the next page. D Brother Beautiful, athletic Teasing, shouting, laughing Friend and enemy too Mine E Summer Sleepy, salty Drying, drooping, dreading Week in, week out Endless F A fallen blossom Is coming ba

28、ck to the branch. Look, a butterfly! （ by Moritake） G Snow having melted, The whole village is brimful Of happy children. （by Issa） Haiku is a Japanese form of poetry that is made up of 17 syllables. It is not a traditional form of English poetry, but is very popular with English writers. It is easy to write and, like the cinquain , can give a clear picture and create a special feeling using the minimum