『新东方在线托福阅读』为托福考生准备了ETS托福TPO/Official 11 Passage 1阅读练习：The word “vital” in the passage is closest in meaning to真题题目及答案解析，TPO/Official 11 Passage 1阅读原文范文音频翻译

托福TPO/Official 11 Passage 1阅读原文The word “vital” in the passage is closest in meaning to题目答案及解析-新东方托福官方网校手机版

要想理解古埃及艺术，就要尽可能多地了解古埃及精英阶层的世界观以及为艺术创作的功能与背景，这一点极其重要。

In order to understand ancient Egyptian art, it is vital to know as much as possible of the elite Egyptians’ view of the world and the functions and contexts of the formal art produced for them.

如果缺乏这些知识的话，我们只能欣赏古埃及艺术在形式上的内容，而无法理解其产生的原因以及采用独特形式而成形的理念。

Without this knowledge we can appreciate only the formal content of Egyptian art, and we will fail to understand why it was produced or the concepts that shaped it and caused it to adopt its distinctive forms.

实际上，由于缺乏对古埃及艺术用途的理解，通常会导致它在与其他文化的艺术相对比时显得相形见绌。古埃及人为什么不像古希腊的经典雕像那样在空间上的进行身体旋转和扭动呢？

In fact, a lack of understanding concerning the purposes of Egyptian art has often led it to be compared unfavorably with the art of other cultures: Why did the Egyptians not develop sculpture in which the body turned and twisted through space like classical Greek statuary?

为何这些艺术家看上去左右不分呢？

Why do the artists seem to get left and right confused?

他们为何没有体现出文艺复兴时期欧洲艺术家所使用的几何透视呢？

And why did they not discover the geometric perspective as European artists did in the Renaissance?

就古埃及艺术家而言，这些问题的答案与缺乏技艺或想象力毫无关系，但却与他们艺术创作的目的密切相关。

The answer to such questions has nothing to do with a lack of skill or imagination on the part of Egyptian artists and everything to do with the purposes for which they were producing their art.

大部分立体雕像（无论站、坐或跪）所展现的都是所谓的正面描绘：面部都直视前方，既不会扭动也不会旋转。

The majority of three-dimensional representations, whether standing, seated, or kneeling, exhibit what is called frontality: they face straight ahead, neither twisting nor turning.

如果在脱离原始情境或者忽视其功能的背景下单独审视这些雕像的话，这些三千年不曾变化的雕像姿态很容易被人诟病。

When such statues are viewed in isolation, out of their original context and without knowledge of their function, it is easy to criticize them for their rigid attitudes that remained unchanged for three thousand years.

但是，正面描绘与这些古埃及雕像的作用以及它们所处的情境有着直接联系。

Frontality is, however, directly related to the functions of Egyptian statuary and the contexts in which the statues were set up.

这些雕像被创作出来的目的并不是用来装饰，而是在对众神、国王以及逝者的宗教习俗中起主要作用。

Statues were created not for their decorative effect but to play a primary role in the cults of the gods, the king, and the dead.

作为受礼者，它们被摆放在宗教活动的现场以展现接受供奉的对象。

They were designed to be put in places where these beings could manifest themselves in order to be the recipients of ritual actions.

因此雕像注视前方所发生的一切就变得合情合理，现场表演者们可以与神灵或逝者进行沟通。

Thus it made sense to show the statue looking ahead at what was happening in front of it, so that the living performer of the ritual could interact with the divine or deceased recipient.

这些雕像通常被放置于只有正面开口的长方形神龛或壁龛内，自然而然地展现出正面描绘。

Very often such statues were enclosed in rectangular shrines or wall niches whose only opening was at the front, making it natural for the statue to display frontality.

其他雕像被放置于建筑环境中，例如，被称为桥塔的神殿通道入口纪念碑的前方，或者在由立柱支撑的庭院中位于立柱之间或立柱对面：正面描绘使得雕像与所处的建筑环境完美结合。

Other statues were designed to be placed within an architectural setting, for instance, in front of the monumental entrance gateways to temples known as pylons, or in pillared courts, where they would be placed against or between pillars: their frontality worked perfectly within the architectural context.

构成雕像的材料通常包括石头、木材或金属。

Statues were normally made of stone, wood, or metal.

石质雕像由长方形的黑金石制成，并保留着石材原样的简洁。

Stone statues were worked from single rectangular blocks of material and retained the compactness of the original shape.

站立雕像中手臂与身体、两腿之间的石料或者坐立雕像双腿与座位之间的石料通常不会被去掉。

The stone between the arms and the body and between the legs in standing figures or the legs and the seat in seated ones was not normally cut away.

从实际方面来看，在石像背部增加一个支撑柱能保护雕像不易损坏，从心理学来讲，这样能赋予雕像一种力量感。

From a practical aspect this protected the figures against breakage and psychologically gives the images a sense of strength and power, usually enhanced by a supporting back pillar.

相比之下，木制雕像的成品则由不同的木料钉在一起并雕刻而成。金属雕像由包裹着木芯的金属薄片或者通过失蜡精密铸造法而制成。

By contrast, wooden statues were carved from several pieces of wood that were pegged together to form the finished work, and metal statues were either made by wrapping sheet metal around a wooden core or cast by the lost wax process.

这些雕像无需支撑柱，手臂可以与身体分离并且手上可以单独拿东西。

The arms could be held away from the body and carry separate items in their hands; there is no back pillar.

与石质雕像相比，这些雕像在表现效果上更加明亮自由，还可以展现正面描绘。

The effect is altogether lighter and freer than that achieved in stone, but because both perform the same function, formal wooden and metal statues still display frontality.

除了代表神灵、国王、以及有记载的贵族成员所塑的正式雕像外，还有一种描绘非贵族成员的普通人物（大多是仆人）的立体雕像。

Apart from statues representing deities, kings, and named members of the elite that can be called formal, there is another group of three-dimensional representations that depicts generic figures, frequently servants, from the nonelite population.

这些雕像的功能与之前所说的雕像功能大相径庭。

The function of these is quite different.

很多被放置于贵族的陵墓中在来世服侍墓地的主人。

Many are made to be put in the tombs of the elite in order to serve the tomb owners in the afterlife.

与正式雕像中或站或坐或跪的静态姿势所不同的是，这些雕像展现出多种动作，包括研磨谷物、烘培面包、制作容器或者创作乐曲。他们在工作中或弯腰或下蹲的姿态被展现得恰到好处。

Unlike formal statues that are limited to static poses of standing, sitting, and kneeling, these figures depict a wide range of actions, such as grinding grain, baking bread, producing pots, and making music, and they are shown in appropriate poses, bending and squatting as they carry out their tasks.

The word “vital” in the passage is closest in meaning to

Paragraph 1 suggests that one reason ancient Egyptian art is viewed less favorably than other art is that ancient Egyptian art lacks

In paragraph 1, the author mentions all of the following as necessary in appreciating Egyptian art EXCEPT an understanding of

According to paragraph 2, why are Egyptian statues portrayed frontally?

The word “context” in the passage is closest in meaning to

The author mentions “an architectural setting” in the passage in order to

The word “they” in the passage refers to

According to paragraph 3, why were certain areas of a stone statue left uncarved?

The word “core” in the passage is closest in meaning to

According to paragraph 3, which of the following statements about wooden statues is true?

The word “depicts” in the passage is closest in meaning to

According to paragraph 4, what is the difference between statues that represent the Egyptian elite and statues that represent the nonelite classes?

Look at the four squares  that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage. In fact, it is the action and not the figure itself that is important.  Where would the sentence best fit? Click on a square  to add the sentence to the passage.

Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.

Ancient Egyptian Sculpture In order to understand ancient Egyptian art, it is vital to know as much as possible of the elite Egyptians’ view of the world and the functions and contexts of the formal art produced for them. Without this knowledge we can appreciate only the formal content of Egyptian art, and we will fail to understand why it was produced or the concepts that shaped it and caused it to adopt its distinctive forms. In fact, a lack of understanding concerning the purposes of Egyptian art has often led it to be compared unfavorably with the art of other cultures: Why did the Egyptians not develop sculpture in which the body turned and twisted through space like classical Greek statuary? Why do the artists seem to get left and right confused? And why did they not discover the geometric perspective as European artists did in the Renaissance? The answer to such questions has nothing to do with a lack of skill or imagination on the part of Egyptian artists and everything to do with the purposes for which they were producing their art. The majority of three-dimensional representations, whether standing, seated, or kneeling, exhibit what is called frontality: they face straight ahead, neither twisting nor turning. When such statues are viewed in isolation, out of their original context and without knowledge of their function, it is easy to criticize them for their rigid attitudes that remained unchanged for three thousand years. Frontality is, however, directly related to the functions of Egyptian statuary and the contexts in which the statues were set up. Statues were created not for their decorative effect but to play a primary role in the cults of the gods, the king, and the dead. They were designed to be put in places where these beings could manifest themselves in order to be the recipients of ritual actions. Thus it made sense to show the statue looking ahead at what was happening in front of it, so that the living performer of the ritual could interact with the divine or deceased recipient. Very often such statues were enclosed in rectangular shrines or wall niches whose only opening was at the front, making it natural for the statue to display frontality. Other statues were designed to be placed within an architecturalsetting, for instance, in front of the monumental entrance gateways to temples known as pylons, or in pillared courts, where they would be placed against or between pillars: their frontality worked perfectly within the architectural context. Statues were normally made of stone, wood, or metal. Stone statues were worked from single rectangular blocks of material and retained the compactness of the original shape. The stone between the arms and the body and between the legs in standing figures or the legs and the seat in seated ones was not normally cut away. From a practical aspect this protected the figures against breakage and psychologically gives the images a sense of strength and power, usually enhanced by a supporting back pillar. By contrast, wooden statues were carved from several pieces of wood that were pegged together to form the finished work, and metal statues were either made by wrapping sheet metal around a wooden core or cast by the lost wax process. The arms could be held away from the body and carry separate items in their hands; there is no back pillar. The effect is altogether lighter and freer than that achieved in stone, but because both perform the same function, formal wooden and metal statues still display frontality. Apart from statues representing deities, kings, and named members of the elite that can be called formal, there is another group of three-dimensional representations that depicts generic figures, frequently servants, from the nonelite population.  The function of these is quite different.  Many are made to be put in the tombs of the elite in order to serve the tomb owners in the afterlife.  Unlike formal statues that are limited to static poses of standing, sitting, and kneeling, these figures depict a wide range of actions, such as grinding grain, baking bread, producing pots, and making music, and they are shown in appropriate poses, bending and squatting as they carry out their tasks.