Question

Art is everywhere in our lives.Every man?made object is linked with art—a house，a motor car，a bridge，a chair，a teapot，or a piece of cloth.Throughout history，humans have made articles for a wide variety of purposes；generally for everyday practical requirements.The style of practical objects reflects the outlook and the spirit of the times in which they are made and in consequence style is constantly changing.

It seems that humans possess a natural urge to improve constructed objects with decoration：sometimes for beautification，sometimes for religious reasons，sometimes to show off their wealth and power，and sometimes to tell a story.Decoration is not art in itself.Unnecessary decoration can ruin the form and perhaps the function of an object，but when decoration is used with care，it can beautify，produce variety，and add interest.

The first essential(要点) in every creation is that it should properly fulfil its purpose；for instance，a teapot should pour perfectly，an easy chair should provide comfortable relaxation，a block of flats should be a pleasant place in which to live，and a factory or commercial building should be a suitable building in which to work.

The second essential is that an object should please the eye with its form，line，proportion(比例)，colour and texture(质地)，and it should be capable of inspiring the emotions.For example，contemporary furniture designers must think of form，function and structure，and have taken their lead from the outstanding Scandinavian designs of Denmark，Finland and Sweden，whose preference was for simple functional furniture to suit the architectural environment of the day.Heavy furniture is no longer desirable，and by contrast，modern furniture is often characterised by its good proportion，pleasing lines，simple fittings and attractive structures.

Motor vehicles are a perfect example of how design has changed to suit function.Early car design was greatly influenced by the horse?drawn carriage，but today we find functional design satisfying every requirement of practical use and good appearance.Designs in the 1980s and 1990s included streamlining(流线型) to reduce wind resistance in fast?moving vehicles，and，at the same time，satisfy an important art principle—rhythm.But the cars of today，often half size of their predecessors(前身)，have taken the concept of industrial design way beyond simple strength，comfort and beauty.They now include safety and ecological characteristics，reflecting the need to be environmentally friendly through，for example，reduced fuel consumption，while at the same time satisfying the need to be stylish，and appealing to the eye.For many people，the 21st?century car represents the greatest work of art.

1.What point does the writer make about decorating objects?

A．It is something people have always done.

B．It can show the object has a range of functions.

C．It always improves the appearance of an object.

D．It is usually done to make the object more noticeable.

2.The underlined word “fulfil” in Paragraph 3 means “________”．

A．keep? B．find

C．change? D．realize

3.What is the best title for the text?

A．Form Follows Function

B．Life Is Art，Art Is Life

C．Art in Everyday Life

D．The Best Work of Art

 

Answer 1

【答案】

1.A

2.D

3.C

【解析】

1.

解析　细节理解题。根据第二段的第一句“人类似乎有一种本能的欲望用装饰来改进自己制造的物品，有时是为了美化……”可知，这是人类一直在做的事情。

2.2】D

解析　词义猜测题。根据下文的内容：茶壶能倒水，椅子坐起来很舒服，房子适宜居住，工厂或者商业大楼适合工作，推断该词意为“实现”，即每一个创造都应该实现它的目的、用途。

3.3】C

解析　标题归纳题。文章第一句就讲“艺术在我们的生活中无处不在。”接下来，从人类为什么总在美化自己制造的每一件物品、美化的要点论述这个主题，并以现代家具和汽车为例证，因此推断文章标题为“艺术存在于日常生活之中”。