When you hear the name Leonardo da Vinci, what pops into your mind? Maybe his most famous paintings, the Mona Lisa, one of the most famous and valuable pieces of art in the world hanging in the Louvre Museum in Paris, or the Last Supper, the most widely reproduced religious painting ever. Many people call Leonardo da Vinci one of the greatest artists of all time for his great achievements in paintings.
Despite his fame as an artist, da Vinci is also known as a true “Renaissance Man”. The term comes from fifteenth-century Italy and refers to the idea of a person with knowledge and skills in a number of different areas. Perhaps, no single individual defines the idea of a Renaissance man better than Leonardo da Vinci – an artist, inventor, architect and engineer.
Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most productive inventors in history. He drew early sketches of devices that would later become the parachute, bicycle, helicopter, and tank. He even drew a flying machine based on thephysiologyof the bat. Leonardo has also been given credit by historians for many more inventions.
Once in the courtyard of Senor Ludovico, Leonardo da Vinci constantly invented various “labor- saving devices” for use in the kitchen. At the same time, he began to keep notebooks filled with drawings and his thoughts. The funny thing was that most of the drawings, which for several hundred years were considered by researchers to be mechanisms for military operations, in fact, turned out to be quite peaceful meat grinders, dishwashers, mechanical devices for cracking nuts. The restless Leonardo invented the manual garlic press, which has remained virtually unchanged to our day, a foot-operated napkin dryer, an egg cutter, and many other useful things.
The most interesting anecdote about him may be his invention of spaghetti (意大利面条). Of course, pasta has existed in Italy since ancient time. But it was hard and very broad substance, like a heavy lump of lasagna (面块). Leonardo made a machine that cut pasta into long thin strips, which after boiling turned into spaghetti.
4. Leonardo da Vinci is mentioned as a “Renaissance Man” because ________.
A.he was one of the greatest artists. | B.he had diverse talents. |
C.his paintings were universally copied. | D.he was born during the Renaissance in Italy. |
5. What is known about his inventions in the courtyard of Senor Ludovico?
A.They were practical for everyday use. | B.They included many notebooks. |
C.They have remained unchanged to our day. | D.They were intended for military operations. |
6. In what way did Leonardo da Vinci change pasta?
A.Taste. | B.Color. | C.Fragrance. | D.Shape. |
7. What is this passage most likely to talk about next?
A.da Vinci’s life experiences. | B.da Vinci’s skills in engineering. |
C.da Vinci’s achievements in architecture. | D.da Vinci’s personalities. |