A
(2020·合肥教学质量检测)The following four famous paintings—from Jan van Eyck's portrait to Pablo Picasso's masterpiece—have stood the test of time.
The Arnolfini Portrait
Jan van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait，an oil painting on wood produced in 1434，in which a man and a woman hold hands with a window behind him and a bed behind her，is undoubtedly one of the masterpieces in the National Gallery，London.This painting is not only visually interesting but also famed.It is also an informative document on fifteenthcentury society，through Jan van Eyck's heavy use of symbolism—while husbands went out to engage in business，wives concerned themselves with domestic duties.
The Starry Night
Vincent van Gogh painted The Starry Night，oil on canvas(油画布)，a moderately abstract landscape painting of a night sky over a small hillside village，during his 12month stay at the mental hospital in SaintRemydeProvence，France between 1889 and 1890.When the Museum of Modern Art in New York City purchased the painting from a private collector in 1941，it was not well known，but it has since become one of Vincent van Gogh's most famous works.
The Harvesters
The Harvesters is an oil painting on wood completed by Pieter Bruegel the Elder in 1565.It depicts(描绘)the harvest time which most commonly occurred within the months of July and August.Nicolaes Jonghelinck，a merchant banker and art collector from Antwerp，once held this painting.The painting has been at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City since 1919.
Guernica
Guernica，a large oil painting，was painted by the Cubist(立体派的)Spanish painter，Pablo Picasso in 1937.The title “Guernica” refers to the city that was bombed during the war.The painting depicts the horrors of war and as a result，has come to be an antiwar symbol and a reminder of the tragedies of war.Today，the painting is housed at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía in Madrid.
[语篇解读] 本文介绍了四幅世界绘画名作的相关情况，包括其创作时间、画作内容等。
1．Which of the following paintings was produced earliest?
A．Guernica. B．The Harvesters.
C．The Starry Night. D．The Arnolfini Portrait.
解析：细节理解题。根据文章对四幅画的介绍可知，The Arnolfini Portrait的创作时间是1434年，The Starry Night创作于1889至1890年间，The Harvesters创作于1565年，Guernica创作于1937年。对上述四幅画的创作时间进行对比可知，D项正确。
答案：D
2．Who created the painting describing the harvest seasons?
A．Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
B．Vincent van Gogh.
C．Jan van Eyck.
D．Pablo Picasso.
解析：细节理解题。根据The Harvesters部分第二句“It depicts the harvest time which most commonly occurred within the months of July and August.”可知，Pieter Bruegel the Elder的画作描述了丰收季节的情况。故选A。
答案：A
3．What do we know about the painting The Starry Night?
A．It was painted on wood in oils.
B．It described the painter's life in hospital.
C．It wasn't widely recognized before 1941.
D．It was given away to the museum by a collector.
解析：细节理解题。根据The Starry Night部分最后一句可知，1941年，当纽约现代艺术博物馆从一位私人收藏家手中买下这幅画时，它并不太有名，但后来却成为凡·高最著名的作品之一。故选C。
答案：C
词汇积累：Para.1：masterpiece n．杰作 Para.2：famed adj.著名的 informative adj.提供有用信息的 domestic adj.家庭的，家务的 concern oneself with/about sth.对……感兴趣
