Reading---Mysteries of the Mona Lisa
Without a doubt, one of the world's most recognizable pieces of art is the Mona Lisa. Painted in the 16th Century by Leonardo da Vinci, it continues to attract crowds of people who are captivated by the mysterious woman in the portrait. Her enigmatic smile and penetrating gaze reach out through the ages as if she were alive today.
ps: 毫无疑问，世界上最著名的艺术品之一是蒙娜丽莎。这幅画是16世纪由达芬奇（Leonardo da Vinci）创作的，它继续吸引着被画中神秘女子迷住的人群。她神秘的微笑和敏锐的目光历久弥新，仿佛她今天还活着
continues持续; 继续存在; 不断发生; 继续做; 不停地干; 走，移动; 延伸; continue的第三人称单数
attract吸引; 使喜爱; 引起…的好感; 招引; 引起
crowds人群; 观众; 一伙人; 一帮人; 群众; 民众; 老百姓; 凡夫俗子; 挤满; 塞满;
portrait肖像; 半身画像; 半身照; 详细的描述; 描绘; 竖向的; 纵向打印格式的
captivated英 [ˈkæptɪveɪtɪd] 美 [ˈkæptɪveɪtɪd] v.迷住;使着迷 captivate的过去分词和过去式
enigmatic神秘的; 费解的; 令人困惑的 英 [ˌenɪɡˈmætɪk] 美 [ˌenɪɡˈmætɪk]
smile微笑; 笑; 微笑着说; 微笑地表示; 现出; 笑容
penetrating 英 [ˈpenətreɪtɪŋ] 美 [ˈpenətreɪtɪŋ]adj.锐利的;犀利的;尖利的;响亮的;尖厉的;深刻的;精辟的v.穿过;进入;渗透，打入(组织、团体等);看透;透过…看见 penetrate的现在分词
gaze凝视; 注视; 盯着 n.v 英 [ɡeɪz] 美 [ɡeɪz]
reach out伸; 伸手; 伸向前; 生长
Critics and art lovers still argue about her identity. One theory is that the way she posed suggests that she was with child. Another theory argues that her hairless face , no brows or lashes, indicates that she was a prostitute. It seems that in 16th Century Italy women working in the world's oldest profession had hairless faces in order to make themselves more sexually arousing. There is, however, evidence that at one time the woman in the portrait had thick eyebrows. Perhaps they were inadvertently erased when the painting was cleaned. Nobody knows for sure.
ps: 评论家和艺术爱好者仍在争论她的身份。有一种说法是，她摆姿势的样子表明她有孩子。另一种理论认为，她的无毛脸,没有眉毛和睫毛,表明她是一名妓女。在16世纪的意大利，从事这个世界上最古老职业的女性为了让自己更性感，似乎都没有毛发。然而，有证据表明，有一次画像中的女子眉毛很粗。也许他们是在不经意间被擦掉的时候，这幅画被清洗了。没人确切知道。
brows额头; 山脊; 坡顶; brow的复数 英 [braʊz] 美 [braʊz]
lashes英 [ˈlæʃɪz] 美 [ˈlæʃɪz] v.猛击;狠打;鞭打;抽打;怒斥n.(作为惩罚的)鞭打，抽打;鞭端皮条;鞭梢lash的第三人称单数和复数
indicates表明; 显示; 象征; 暗示; 间接提及; 示意; indicate的第三人称单数
prostitute英 [ˈprɒstɪtjuːt] 美 [ˈprɑːstɪtuːt] n.卖淫者;娼妓;妓女;男妓v.滥用才能;糟蹋自己;卖淫;出卖肉体
arousing激起，引起; 激起性欲; 使行动起来; 激发; arouse的现在分词
inadvertently无意地; 不经意地
The painting itself has an interesting history. With the death of Leonardo, it went to his friend King Francois, and then to Louis XV and the Palace of Versailles. It wasn't until 300 years after its completion that it was recognized as a masterpiece. For a time, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte hung it in his bedroom. Eventually, it found a permanent home when it was added to the collection of the Louvre in Paris. In 1911 it was stolen by a museum employee and two accomplices. This theft made the painting famous all over the world. During World War II it was taken away and hidden from the Nazis, as were many important works of art. Today the painting resides at the Louvre, captivating a whole new generation. Whoever she was, the mysteries surrounding the Mona Lisa continue to engage our imaginations.
ps: 这幅画本身有一段有趣的历史。列奥纳多死后，它被送到他的朋友弗朗索瓦国王那里，然后又被送到路易十五和凡尔赛宫。直到建成300年后，它才被公认为杰作。有一段时间，拿破仑·波拿巴皇帝把它挂在卧室里。最终，当它被添加到巴黎卢浮宫的收藏中时，它找到了一个永久的家。1911年，它被一名博物馆职员和两名同伙偷走。这次盗窃使这幅画闻名于世。第二次世界大战期间，它被纳粹夺走并隐藏起来，许多重要的艺术作品也是如此。今天，这幅画被收藏在卢浮宫，吸引了整整一代人。不管她是谁，围绕着蒙娜丽莎的谜团继续吸引着我们的想象力。
the Palace of Versailles凡尔赛宫
completion完成; 结束; 完成交易，完成交割
permanent英 [ˈpɜːmənənt] 美 [ˈpɜːrmənənt] adj.永久的;永恒的;长久的n.烫发（等于permanent wave）
accomplices英 [əˈkɒmplɪsɪz] 美 [əˈkɑmpləsəz] n.共犯;帮凶;同谋accomplice的复数
resides居住在; 定居于; reside的第三人称单数
captivating迷人的; 有魅力的; 有吸引力的; 迷住; 使着迷; captivate的现在分词
whole全部的; 整体的; 完全的; 所有的; 整个的; 完整的; 完好无损的; 整个; 整体; 全部; 全体;
engage吸引住; 雇用; 聘用; 与…建立密切关系; 尽力理解
imaginations想象力; 想象; 想象的事物; 幻想物; 创造力; 创作力; imagination的复数
Exercises:
1.This article was written to be informative and engaging.
2. What does the world's oldest profession refer to?
prostitution.
3.To be "with child" in this context means to be pregnant.
4.An accomplice is somebody who helps others commit a crime.
5. Why doesn't Mona Lisa have any eyebrows or lashes?
The reason is still not clear.
6. To captivate means to catch and hold one's attention.
7. To penetrate something means to forcibly enter it.
ps: forcibly英 [ˈfɔːsəbli] 美 [ˈfɔːrsəbli] adv.用强力;用武力;明白地;清楚地
8. This article was written in a style to keep the mystery alive.
9. From the author's point of view, Mona Lisa's identity is still a fascinating mystery.
Fill in the blanks:
1. Today the painting resides at the Louvre, captivating a whole new generation. Whoever she was, the mysteries surrounding the Mona Lisa continue to engage our imaginations.
2. It seems that in 16th Century Italy women working in the world's oldest profession had hairless faces in order to make themselves more sexually arousing. There is, however, evidence that at one time the woman in the portrait had thick eyebrows. Perhaps they were inadvertently erased when the painting was cleaned. Nobody knows for sure.
Repeat & Read Sentences:
1. Critics and art lovers still argue about her identity.
2. For a time, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte hung it in his bedroom.
3. Without a doubt, one of the world's most recognizable pieces of art is the Mona Lisa.
4. Her enigmatic smile and penetrating gaze reach out through the ages as if she were alive today.
5. Perhaps they were inadvertently erased when the painting was cleaned.
6. Something is enigmatic, if it is mysterious and difficult to understand.
7. One theory is that the way she posed suggests that she was with child.
8. The article was written in a style to keep the mystery alive
