2004年8月份托福阅读真题及其答案

The term "print" has several meanings, so it is important to understand exactly what is meant by the artistic terminology. A print in the artistic sense is not a reproduction of a work of art done in some other medium, such as painting or drawing. That can in no sense  be considered a work of art, since the artist had no involvement with it. A print is an original work of art created by an indirect method. Instead of making an image directly on a surface, as in drawing or painting, the artist works on a master surface, which may be a sheet of metal, a block of stone, wood, plastic, or linoleum. From this master surface, numerous impressions may be made by inking the surface, laying a sheet of paper on it, and then subjecting both surface and paper to pressure, generally by means of a printing press.

A print may exist in several versions. Sometimes the printmaker alters the image between impressions, so that each print is slightly different from the others. Any series of such prints is referred to as multiples. The number of impressions (known as the edition) that are possible from a single original varies with the material. Prints made from linoleum, which wears readily, will be fewer than those made from a metal plate, which is capable of striking fine-quality prints in the thousands. It is customary to number prints as they come off the press, the earlier impressions being the finest and therefore the most desirable.

Prints incorporate the same compositional principles, as paintings. Line, shape, or texture may be the predominant element according to the printing technique used. Some prints have obvious decorative qualities while others may be filled with emotional impact.

Printmaking derives from two historical sources: early woodblocks into which an
image was cut and used to illustrate a book or playing cards, and the medieval practice of decorating metal with incised designs, as in armor. Today most techniques fall into one of four categories: relief( intaglio, lithography, and serigraphy. However, there are many variations, combinations with photographic techniques, and considerable overlapping.

20. In the artistic sense, a print is a work of art created by
    (A) making a painting from an original drawing
    (B) drawing or painting similar images many times
    (C) transferring an original image from one surface to another
(D)copying an original image made on paper onto a hard surface
21. The word "That" in line 3 refers to
    (A) terminology
    (B) sense
    (C) reproduction
    (D) medium
22. Which of the following is mentioned as an example of a master surface?
    (A) a drawing or painting
    (B) a block of stone
    (C) a sheet of paper
(D) a printing press
23. The word "versions" in line 10 is closcst in meaning to
    (A) ideas
    (B) numbers
    (C) functions
(D) forms
24. Which of the following terms is NOT defined in the passage?
    (A) "print" (line I)
    (B) "impressions" (line 8)
(C) "multiples" (line 12)
(D) "edition" (line 12)
25. A metal plate is compared favorably with linoleum as a meter surface because a metal plate
(A)lasts longer
    (B) is less expensive
    (C) makes prints more quickly
    (D) produces a greater variety of prints
26. The word "customary" in line 15 is closest in meaning to
    (A) necessary
    (B) attractive
    (C) legal
(D) usual
27. The phrase "according to" in line 18 is closest in meaning to
    (A) in addition to
    (B) in order to
    (C) regardless of
(D) depending on
28. It can be inferred that prints may differ from other works of art in terms of all of the following EXCEPT
    (A) compositional principles
(B) use of line, shape, or texture
    (C) decorative qualities
    (D) emotional impact