1.
Leonardo da Vinci is one of the greatest geniuses of all time.
He was a painter, an architect, an engineer, and a scientist.
He was born in Vinci, Italy in 1452.
Vinci is a town just outside of the great Italian city, Florence.
His name Da Vinci means "of Vinci”.
Leonardo’s father was a lawyer and land owner, and his mother was a peasant.
Leonardo’s parents were never married to each other.
2.
Leonardo lived with his mother until he was around 5 years old. When he was 5, he moved into the home of his father. By then, his father had married a 16-year-old girl.
Leonardo’s mother married another man, and moved to another town.
She had many children more after that, with several different man.
In the end, Leonardo had more than 15 half-sisters and brothers.
3.
As a young man, Da Vinci didn’t go to school.
He was educated at home in reading, writing and mathematics.
In other subjects, he was mostly self-educated.
He had access to books at his father’s home.
Leonardo spent a lot of time outdoors and developed a strong interest in nature.
He loved to observe things, especially birds.
He was also interested in the properties of water. 性质
4.
Leonardo’s early drawings and paintings demonstrated a rare talent.
His father and his father’s friends recognized his talents and encouraged him.
When he was 15, he was sent to Florence.
In Florence, he became an apprentice to a famous master painter.
For the next few years, Leonardo worked at his master’s workshop.
It wasn't long before his ability surpassed that of his master.
Some people say that his master became jealous of Leonardo’s great talent.
They say that the master vowed to never paint again.
In 1478, with his father's help, Leonardo set up his own workshop.
5.
In 1482, he entered the service of a powerful man in the city of Milan.
This man was the Duke of Milan.
For the next few years, Leonardo designed buildings, machinery and weapons of war.
Weapons were important because Italy was constantly at war during this period.
From 1485 to 1490, Leonardo produced designs for a variety of weapons.
In his notes, He predicted the development of advanced weapons such as submarines and flying machines.
In 1499, the French invaded Italy and Leonardo left Milan.
6.
All together, Leonardo spent 17 years in Milan.
During this period he spent much of his time studying nature.
He dissected bodies, both human and animal, to study and illustrate anatomy.
His detailed illustrations are masterpieces.
Leonardo filled many notebooks with drawings and ideas.
He wrote backwards, so you need a mirror to read them.
7.
After 1500, Leonardo spent time in a number of Italian cities.
He worked very slowly, and the range of his interests was very wide.
As a result, Leonardo left many paintings and projects unfinished.
One painting that he did finish was the Mona Lisa, one of the world’s most famous paintings.
People are still interested in this painting, 500 years after he painted it.
Thought there are many theories, nobody knows who the woman in the painting really was.
8.
In 1516 Leonardo left Italy for good when the French King, Francis I, offered him a position.
There, he had the freedom to paint or draw whatever he wanted.
Leonardo died in 1519 at the age of 67.
Some say that the French King, who had became a close friend, was with him when he died.
(Some say that the French King was with him when he died.)
He was buried in a church which was destroyed during the French Revolution.
The exact location of his remains is unknown.
L3-Unit3 4-2 Vocabulary
Sources of Pollution
Waste water and carbon gases from farm animals are bad for the environment. Animal wastes and other chemicals flow into the ground and pollute water supplies.
Exhausts gases form automobiles are a major cause of air pollution and global warming. As a result, many companies are trying to produce more efficient and cleaner cars.
Pesticides and fertilizers are used by farmers to grow corps, such as fruits and vegetables. This chemicals pollute the water supplies when they flow into guound or rivers.
Factories like this one allow harmful chemicals to get into air or water. Companies need to try harder to protect the environment and our health.
Nuclear waste products are radioactive and can pollute the environment for thousands of year. They need to be safely transported and stored in a safe place.
Historical Figures
The British writer, Jane Austen, was born in England in 1775, one of seven children. She wrote some of the most popular love stories of all time.
One of the most famous female rulers in history, Cleopatra had fairs with Julius Caesar And later with Mark Antony. She was known for her great beauty and charming voice. (Her family ruled Egypt for more than 100 years before she was born.)(She used her beauty and charm to gain power.)
Born in 1756, Mozart composed and performed some of the world’s greatest classic music. He was the youngest of seven children and by the age of 5 he was already composing music.
The Son of the King, Alexander the great was a military leader who created one of the largest empires in the ancient world. As a youth, Alexander was taught by the Greek philosopher Aristotle.
Mahatma Gandhi was a 20th century leader who used nonviolent resistance to lead India to independence. Gandhi dedicated his life to the pursuit of truth.
L3-Unit3 4-2 Dialogue
An Urgent Call
I’d like to speak with Mr. Bennett please.
I’m sorry, but he’s not here right now.
Would you like to leave a voice message?
It’s urgent that I speak with him.
It’s an emergency! (It’s in an urgent matter that I can wait.)
Oh, I see. What kind of emergency?
It’s very personal. So, I can’t give you any details.
Without more details, I’m afraid I can’t give you his number.
Give me your number and I’ll let him know about your call.
Then maybe he’ll call you back, would that be okay?
Sure, my number is 583-4987.
It would great if he could call within the next half hour.
Setting the Bill
That was a great dinner.
Here, put away your wallet, I’ll pay the bill.
You paid last time, this time is my turn to pay.
Hey, you don’t have a job, and I do. Let me pay.
Thanks for the offer, but I can handle it.
Wait, let’s flip for it.
Flip for it? What does that mean?
Do you see this coin?
This side is heads, and the opposite side is tails.
I’ll flip it up in the air.
If it comes down with heads facing up, I’ll pay.
If tails up, you can pay.
(They are going to flip a coin.)
Okay, that’s fine with me.
Look, it’s heads up. So, I’ll pay.
Thanks, it’s very nice of you.
It’s my pleasure.
Do you want anything else sir?
Would you like to see the desert menu?
No, thank. I’m ready for the check.
Here’s my credit card.
I’m sorry sir, but we don’t take credit cards.
You’re joking, right?
No sir, I’m not joking.
Do you see that sign? It says cash only.
I didn’t see it when I came in.
I don’t have enough cash to pay the bill.
There is a bank down the street, sir.
If you let me hold your driver’s license, You can go and get the cash.
Ok, I hope the bank is open.
The bank is closed, but you can use the ATM to get your cash.
(He can get the cash at an ATM down the street.)
(He has to leave his driver’s license with the waiter.)
