Passage　11

Every　artist　knows　in　his　heart　that　he　is　saying　something　to　the　public.　Not　only　does　he　want　so　say　it　well,　but　he　wants　it　to　be　something　which　has　not　been　said　before.　He　hopes　the　public　will　listen　and　understand　-　he　wants　to　teach　them,　and　he　wants　them　to　learn　from　him.　What　visual　artists　like　painters　want　to　teach　is　easy　to　make　out　but　difficult　to　explain,　because　painters　translate　their　experiences　into　shapes　and　colors,　not　words.　They　seem　to　feel　that　a　certain　selection¹　of　shapes　and　colors,　out　of　the　countless²　billions　possible,　is　exceptionally³　interesting　for　them　and　worth　showing　to　us.　Without　their　work　we　should　never　have　noticed　these　particular　shapes　and　colors,　or　have　felt　the　delight　which　they　brought　to　the　artist.　Most　artists　take　their　shapes　and　colors　from　the　world　of　nature　and　from　human　bodies　in　motion　and　repose⁴;　their　choices　indicate　that　these　aspects　of　the　world　are　worth　looking　at,　that　they　contain　beautiful　sights.　Contemporary　artists　might　say　that　they　merely　choose　subjects　that　provide　an　interesting　pattern,　that　there　is　nothing　more　in　it.　Yet　even　they　do　not　choose　entirely⁵　without　reference⁶　to　the　character　of　their　subjects.　If　one　painter　chooses　to　paint　a　gangrenous　(生坏疽的)　leg　and　another　a　lake　in　moonlight,　each　of　them　is　directing　our　attention　to　a　certain　aspect　of　the　world.　Each　painter　is　telling　us　something,　showing　us　something,　emphasizing　something　---　all　of　which　mean　that,　consciously　or　unconsciously,　he　is　trying　to　teach　us.


All　artists　are　common　in　that　_____.[ANSWER]
A)they　use　shapes　and　colors　instead　of　words
B)they　are　trying　to　teach　the　public
C)what　they　want　to　teach　is　difficult　to　explain
D)they　want　to　learn　from　the　public


A　painter　chooses　certain　shapes　and　colors　out　of　the　countless　billions　possible　because　he　believes　they　_____.[ANSWER]
A)are　beautiful
B)can　bring　delight　to　him
C)are　worth　showing　to　the　public
D)are　particular


Contemporary　artists　choose　subjects　_____.[ANSWER]
A)without　reference　to　the　character　of　their　subjects
B)that　only　provide　an　interesting　pattern
C)that　there　is　no　meaning　in　it
D)partly　for　the　meaning　of　the　subjects


Comparing　the　painter　who　paints　a　gangrenous　leg　with　the　one　who　paints　a　lake　in　moonlight,we　can　draw　the　conclusion　that　_____.[ANSWER]
A)both　convey　the　same　meaning
B)both　show　certain　aspects　of　the　world
C)the　latter　is　more　meaningful
D)the　former　is　more　meaningful


According　to　the　passage,which　of　the　follwoing　statements　is　true?[ANSWER]
A)The　public　could　share　the　artist’s　feelings　through　their　choice　of　shapes　and　colors.
B)The　painter　should　not　choose　to　paint　ugly　things.
C)Contemporary　artists　are　completely　different　from　other　artists.
D)All　artists　are　teaching　the　public　consciously.