ROME: The legend of Leonardo da Vinci is covered in mystery: How did he die? Are the remains buried in a French castle really those of the master? Was the "Mona Lisa" a self-portrait in disguise (伪装)?
A group of Italian scientists believe the key to solving those puzzles lies with the remains, and they say they are seeking permission to dig up the body to conduct carbon and DNA testing.
If the skull is undamaged, the scientists can go to the heart of a question that has fascinated scholars and the public for centuries: the identity of the "Mona Lisa." Recreating a virtual and then physical reconstruction of Leonardo's face, they can compare it with the smiling face in the painting.
"We don't know what we'll find if the tomb is opened. We could even just find grains and dust," says Giorgio Gruppioni, an anthropologist who is participating in the project. "But if the remains are well kept, they are a biological record of events in a person's life, and sometimes in their death." Silvano Vinceti, the leader of the group, said that he plans to press his case with the French officials in charge of the said burial site at Amboise Castle early next week.
Leonardo moved to France at the invitation of King Francis I, who named him "first painter to the king." He spent the last three years of his life there, and died in 1519 at age 67. The artist's original burial place, the palace church of Saint Florentine, was destroyed during the French Revolution and remains that are believed to be his were eventually reburied in the Saint-Hubert Chapel near the castle.
"The Amboise tomb is a symbolic tomb; it's a big question mark," said Alessandro Vezzosi, the director of a museum dedicated to Leonardo in his hometown of Vinci. Vezzosi said that investigating the tomb could help identify the artist's bones with certainty and solve other questions, such as the cause of his death. He said he asked to open the tomb in 2004 to study the remains, but the Amboise Castle turned him down.
The group of 100 experts involved in the project, called the National Committee for Historical and Artistic Heritage, was created in 2003 with the aim of "solving the great mysteries of the past," said Vinceti, who has written books on art and literature.
Arguably the world's most famous painting, the "Mona Lisa" hangs in the Louvre in Paris, where it drew some 8.5 million visitors last year. Mystery has surrounded the identity of the painting's subject for centuries, with opinions ranging from the wife of a Florentine merchant to Leonardo's own mother.
That Leonardo intended the "Mona Lisa" as a self-portrait in disguise is a possibility that has interested and divided scholars. Theories have existed: Some think that Leonardo's taste for tricks and riddles might have led him to hide his own identity behind that puzzling smile; others have guessed that the painting hid an androgynous lover.
If granted access to the grave site, the Italian experts plan to use a tiny camera and radar to confirm the presence of bones. The scientists would then exhume (挖掘) the remains and attempt to date the bones with carbon testing.
At the heart of the proposed study is the effort to discover whether the remains are actually Leonardo's, including with DNA testing.
Vezzosi questions the DNA comparison, saying he is unaware of any direct descendants (后代) of Leonardo or of tombs that could be attributed with certainty to the artist's close relatives.
Gruppioni said that DNA from the bones could also eventually be compared to DNA found elsewhere. For example, Leonardo is thought to have rubbed colors on the canvas with his thumb, possibly using saliva (唾液), meaning DNA might be found on his paintings.
Even in the absence of DNA testing, other tests could provide useful information, including whether the bones belonged to a man or a woman, and whether the person died young or old.
Even within the committee, experts are divided over the identity of the "Mona Lisa."
Vinceti believes that a tradition of considering the self-portrait to be not just a faithful imitation of one's features but a representation of one's spiritual identity may have resonated (共鸣) with Leonardo.
Vezzosi, the museum director, dismissed as "baseless and senseless" the idea that the "Mona Lisa" could be a self-portrait of Leonardo. He said most researchers believe the woman may have been either a wife of the artist's sponsor, the Florentine nobleman Giuliano de Medici, or Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a rich silk merchant, Francesco del Giocondo. The traditional view is that the name "Mona Lisa" comes from the silk merchant's wife, as well as its Italian name: "La Gioconda." Why does the author ask a couple of questions in the beginning?
| A．To arouse the interest of readers | B．To puzzle Italian scientists |
| C．To answer the questions himself | D．To make fun of French officials |
The best title of this story might be “_____”
| A．What Is the Purpose of an Investigation? |
| B．How Did Leonardo da Vinci Die in France? |
| C．Are the Remains Really Those of the Master? |
| D．Did Leonardo Paint Himself as 'Mona Lisa'? |
The sentence “he plans to press his case with the French officials” (underlined in Paragraph 4) suggests that Vinceti intends to _____
| A．press the French officials to participate in their project |
| B．urge the French officials to open the tomb early next week |
| C．persuade the French officials to allow opening the tomb |
| D．record events in a person’s life with the French officials |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．Scholars have the same opinion on DNA testing |
| B．Scientists doubt if the remains are those of da Vinci |
| C．The identity of “Mona Lisa” has already been proved |
| D．Alessandro Vezzosi got permission to open the tomb |
We can infer from the last two paragraphs that _____?
| A．“Mona Lisa” is the name of the wife of a silk merchant |
| B．the “Mona Lisa” is a self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci |
| C．experts divided the committee into several groups |
| D．opinions differ of the identity of the “Mona Lisa” |
Safe burn
Planning a home demands great care ．The fireplace should be distinctive and elegant, with a fire that looks like a fire, giving your family the warmth and protection they need．
Every year 7,000 people die in fires in Britian , and hundreds of them are little children．Thousands more are disfigured for life．
When you choose a fire, choose Safeburn ．It gives you the atmosphere of home comfort you are looking for, and sets your mind at rest．
Caithness Pride
Caithness Pride．The ninth Duke of Caithness would only drink the best whisky, So he built his own private still, in the heart of the Highlands, with the fresh water running in the stream nearby．When we came into possession of the still, we paid the Duke’s heirs a lot of money for it．But it was worth it．After all what was good for the Duke is too good to be kept a secret．
1．The above two passages are _____ ．
A．the covers for two books．
B．The descriptions about two pictures
C．The advertisements for two products
D．The advice on home planning and whisky drinking
2．Fire can provide people with all the following except ____
A．heat B．home comfort C．great care D．peace．
3．From the second passage we’ve learnt that to make food whisky people need ___
A．a famous person’s name B．a private still
C．good water D．good land
4．In the second passage, they are trying to make it clear that ____．
A．their whisky was once drunk by a vey famous person
B．their whisky still was built by the ninth Duke of Caithness
C．their whisky is not expensive
D．their whisky is second to none
III．阅读理解：（共20 小题，每小题2分，满分40分）
第一节：（共15小题，每小题2分，满分30分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项A、B、C、D中选出最佳选项。
For her first twenty-four year, she’d been known as Debbie---a name that didn’t suit her good looks and elegant manner．” My name has always made me think I should be a cheerleader, ”She complained．”I just don’t feel like a Debbie!”
One day ,while filling out an application form for publishing job, the young woman suddenly changed middle name, Lynne, for her first name Debbie．“That was the smartest thing I ever did,” She says now．“ As soon as I stopped calling myself Debbie．I felt more comfortable with myself… and other people started to take me more seriously”．Two years after her successful magazine editor--- friends and associates call her Lynne．
Naturally, the name change didn’t cause Debbie/Lynne’s professional achievement--- but it surely helped if only by adding a bit of self-confidence to her talents．Social scientists say that what you are called can affect your life．Through history, names have not only identified people but also described them．”… As his name is, so is he …? says the Bible．For better or worse, qualities such as friendliness or reserves, simpleness or charm may be suggested by your name and encourage other people before they even meet you．
Of course , names with a good sense can work for you ---even encouraging new acquaintances．A recent survey showed that American men thought Susan to be the attractive female name, while women believed Richard and David were the most attractive to men．One woman I know turned down a blind date with a man named Harry because “he sounded dull．” Several evenings later she came up to me at a party, pressing for an introduction to a very nice man with whom they looked at each other all evening．“Oh, “ I said．” You mean Harry?” She was ill at ease．
1．Debbie’s changing her name ____．
A．had actually little to do with her career．
B．was what she happened to do when filling out the form
C．did have an effect on her success
D．entirely contributed to her luck
2．The author introduced Harry to the woman___
A．at the request of the woman herself
B．to tell her that names didn’t matter really
C．to make her feel uneasy in mind
D．the person is more important than his /her name
3．The name Debbie may be connected with something ____
A．huge B．quiet C．dull D．attractive
4．The best possible title for the passage may be ____
A．Names are the most important B．Your name is your fortune
C．Don’t care much for names D．Names and making friends
Forty years ago, Rachel Carson died and the Pittsburgh area lost perhaps its most influential citizen．A native of a Pennsylvania College for Women graduate, Carson published “Silent Spring” in 1962, a work that launched the modern environmental movement and led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency （EPA） as well as the passage of our major environmental laws．
However, there has been a puzzling and troubling trend in recent years: an attack on her theory by conservatives and the agrochemical （农用化学品） industry．For example, Rush Limbaugh gave the following quiz: “Who caused more deaths: Adolf Hitler or RachelCarson?” Limbaugh's answer was Carson, due to the approximately 100 million deaths from malaria （疟疾） since 1972, the year in which the pesticide （杀虫剂）DDT was banned for use in the United States in part as a result of “Silent Spring．”
Therefore, on this 40th anniversary of Carson's death, we need to take a scientific look at the myths that remain about pesticides．
Myth 1: Pesticide usage has declined since 1962．In fact, pesticide usage has more than doubled since 1962, and the global pesticide industry currently uses over 2．5 million tons of pesticides each year．Even DDT is still used abroad．
Myth 2: Pesticides are safe．In fact, as Carson warned us, these poisonous chemicals are unsafe since they are designed to kill biological organisms, but are often not specific in their targets．Pesticide exposure can cause skin irritation, headache, cancer and even death．According to the WHO, over 25 million people a year in developing countries suffer severe acute pesticide poisonings with over 20,000 deaths．
Of the 80,000 pesticides and other chemicals in use today, 10 percent are recognized as carcinogens （致癌物质）．According to recent studies, brain cancer rates are five times higher in homes with “no-pest” strips and six times higher in homes where pets wear flea collars （杀蚤颈圈）．Our homes have pesticide concentrations 10 to 100 times higher than outdoors．
So, if Carson were with us today, still battling the agrochemical industry that spent millions of dollars, what would she be advocating? I feel confident that she would be a strong supporter of a new principle of chemical assessment．
Simply put, this principle requires producers of pesticides to prove that they are safe and necessary before they are put on the market．Our current system puts the burden of proof on government and scientists to prove that a pesticide is dangerous and poses an “unacceptable risk” before it can be pulled from the market．
1．Limbaugh attacked Carson because he thought that _____．
A．“Silent Spring” had caused in part the 100 million deaths from malaria
B．she was supporting the production of poisonous pesticides
C．“Silent Spring” was originated from Hitler’s writings
D．she had not cared for the 100 million deaths from malaria
2．Which of the following is the content of Myth 1?
A．The production of pesticides has doubled during the past 40 years．
B．2．5 million tons of pesticides have been produced since 1962．
C．The usage of pesticides has been dropping since 1962．
D．Pesticides have become less poisonous since 1962．
3．The author mentions “flea collars” in the sixth paragraph to indicate _____．
A．pesticides contribute to the development of cancer
B．the close connection between them and dog cancer rates
C．the medical effect of flea collars on dogs
D．flea collars contribute to high pesticide concentrations indoors
4．What is the suggested new practice of chemical assessment?
A．Government should prove a pesticide is unsafe．
B．Scientists should be responsible for writing assessment reports．
C．Producers of pesticides should provide proof of their safety．
D．A special committee should be set up for chemical assessment．
About six years ago I was eating lunch in a restaurant in New York City when a woman and a young boy sat down at the next table．I couldn’t help overhearing parts of their conversation．At one point the woman asked: “So, how have you been?” And the boy, who could not have been more than seven or eight years old, replied, “Frankly, I’ve been a little depressed lately．”
This incident stuck in my mind because it confirmed my growing belief that children are changing．As far as I can remember, my friends and I didn’t find out we were “depressed” until we were in high school．
The evidence of a change in children has increased steadily in recent years．Children don’t seem childlike anymore．Children speak more like adults, dress more like adults and behave more like adults than they used to．
Whether this is good or bad is difficult to say, but it certainly is different．Childhood as it once was no longer exists, why?
Human development is based not only on innate（天生） biological states, but also on patterns of access to social knowledge．Movement from one social rote（生搬硬套） to another usually involves learning the secrets of the new status．Children have always been taught adult secrets, but slowly and in stages: we tell sixth graders things we keep hidden from fifth graders．
In the last 30 years, however, a secret-revelation（揭示） machine has been brought in 98 percent of American homes．It is called television．Television passes information to all viewers alike, indiscriminately （不加区分地）．Unable to resist the temptation, many children turn their attention from printed texts to the less challenging, more vivid moving pictures．
Communication through print, as a matter of fact, allows for a great deal of control over the social information to which children have access．Reading and writing involve a complex code of symbol that must be memorized and practices．Children must read simple books before they can read complex materials．
1．Traditionally, a child is supposed to learn about the adult world______________．
A．through contact with society
B．naturally and by biological instinct （本能）
C．gradually and under guidance
D．through exposure to social information
2．The phenomenon that today’s children seem adult like is due to ____________．
A．the widespread influence of television
B．the poor arrangement of teaching content
C．the fast pace of human intellectual development
D．the constantly rising standard of living
3．Why is the author in favor of communication through print for children?
A．It enables children to gain more social information．
B．It develops children’s interest in reading and writing．
C．It helps children to memorize and practice more．
D．It can control what children are to learn．
4．What does the author think of the change in today’s children?
A．He feels amused by their premature （早熟） behavior．
B．He thinks it is a phenomenon worthy of note．
C．He considers it a positive development．
D．He seems to be upset about it．
Michael Jackson, the American pop legend, died of a cardiac arrest（心脏骤停） in a Los Angeles hospital last night, just weeks before he hoped to resurrect（复活） his four-decade long career with a series of sold-out shows in London．The pop superstar was taken to the University of California at Los Angeles medical centre last night, and doctors tried resuscitation（使苏醒，使复活） in the ambulance．He did not regain consciousness and was reported dead about three hours later．
"My brother, the legendary King of Pop, passed away on Thursday 25 June at 2．26pm," his brother Jermaine said, "We believe he suffered a cardiac arrest at his home, however the cause of his death is unknown until the results of the autopsy（验尸） are known．The personal physician who was with him at the time attempted to resuscitated him．"
A spokesman for the UCLA medical centre said, "When he arrived at hospital at approximately 1．14pm, a team of doctors attempted to resuscitate him for a period of more than one hour, they were unsuccessful．" Police said they were investigating, which is standard procedure in such cases．
Jackson's death brought a tragic end to a long decline from his peak in the 1980s when he was music's greatest all-around performer, a uniter of black and white music who shattered the race barrier on MTV．His 1982 album Thriller, which included the blockbuster hits Beat It, Billie Jean and Thriller is still the best-selling album of all time, with an estimated 50m copies sold worldwide．
The world famous entertainer had planned a series of 50 concerts in London from 12 July．Although in the last two decades his reputation was destroyed by charges of child molestation（骚扰） and his fantastic public behavior, all tickets were sold within hours, proving the King of Pop had enduring appeal．
1．Where did Michael Jackson die?
A．At home in Los Angeles． B．In a Los Angeles hospital．
C．On the stage in London． D．In an ambulance to hospital．
2．What caused Michael Jackson to die according to Jermaine?
A．Heart disease．
B．It’s unknown before the results of the autopsy．
C．Working too hard．
D．His personal physician’s improper treatment．
3．Why were the police involved in investigating the death of Michael Jackson?
A．Because they believed he was murdered．
B．Because it was standard procedure in such cases．
C．Because Michael Jackson died suddenly．
D．Because his brother was suspicious of the truth of his death．
4．It can be inferred that Michael Jackson was ___________．
A．a King of Pop with good reputation．
B．a King of Pop still playing on the stage before death．
C．indeed a bad man with fantastic public behavior．
D．a popular King of Pop in spite of ill fame．