It was a brief, shining moment in Egypt’s history—a time of epochal change presided over by a Pharaoh named Akhenaten and his beautiful wife Nefertiti. During his 17-year reign the old gods were cast aside, monotheism was introduced, and the arts liberated from their stifling rigidity. Even Egypt’s capital was moved to a new city along the Nile called Akhetaten (modern Amarna). But like Camelot, it was short-lived, and its legacy was buried in the desert sands.
Now Akhenaten’s 3,400-year-old world has been brilliantly recalled in an exhibit titled “Pharaohs of the Sun: Akhenaten, Nefertiti, Tutankhamen,” which opens this week at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts. Part of the city’s eight-month tribute to ancient Egypt (operas, ballet and an IMAX film), it is a unique assemblage of more than 250 objects from Egypt’s 18th dynasty, some of which have languished unseen in storerooms and private collections for decades. They range from larger-than-life statues of Akhenaten to exquisitely sculpted reliefs and dazzling jewelry to such poignant reminders of everyday life as a perfectly preserved child’s sandal.
The exhibit illuminates a murky period in Egyptian history that curator Rita Freed describes as having “all the elements of a soap opera.” When Amenhotep IV, as he was originally called, ascended the throne in 1353 B.C., Egypt was a flourishing empire, at peace with its neighbors. Yet there were troubling signs. His father Amenhotep III had already challenged the powerful priesthood by proclaiming the sun god Aten as foremost among Egyptian deities and himself as his living incarnation.
His son shook things up even more, not only changing his name to honor the new god (Akhenaten means “one who serves Aten”) but also banishing the older gods, especially the priestly favorite Amen. Some scholars believe Akhenaten’s monotheism, a historic first, inspired the Hebrew prophets, but it had the more immediate effect of freeing Egypt’s artists. They could now portray the Pharaoh and the voluptuous Nefertiti (who may have shared the throne with him) in a far more casual, realistic way. Akhenaten’s cone-shaped head, elongated face, fingers and toes, pot belly and flaring hips have led some scholars to suggest that he had hydrocephalus or Marfan’s syndrome.
He was certainly a revolutionary, propelled either by madness or by great vision. Still, his changes did not endure. After his death, his son-in-law (and perhaps son) Tutankhamen moved the political and religious capitals back to Memphis and Thebes respectively and reinstated the old gods. Egyptian art returned to its classic, ritualized style. And like Camelot, Akhenaten’s once bustling capital became only a mythic memory. “Pharaohs of the Sun” will remain in Boston until February, then travel to Los Angeles, Chicago and Leiden, the Netherlands.
26. Which of the following event did not happen during Akhenaten’s reign over Egypt?
27. We can learn from the text that in Boston, many activities are held as tribute to ancient Egypt except ______.
28. The views of Akhenaten and his father on the sun god Aten are ______.
29. Tutankhamen, according to the text, probably ______.
30. What can we learn about the exhibit on ancient Egypt’s 18th dynasty?
问题1选项
A.He banished the older gods.
B.People had to worship one god—the sun god Aten.
C.Egyptian artists suffered from a more casual, realistic way of portraying.
D.He built a new capital along the Nile.
问题2选项
A.pageant
B.ballet
C.operas
D.movie
问题3选项
A.opposite
B.controversial
C.complementary
D.similar
问题4选项
A.moved the political capital back to Thebes
B.gave the older gods back their previous position
C.might had got some disease that made his face longer than the healthy people
D.moved the religious capital back to Memphis
问题5选项
A.It mainly consists of statues of the pharaohs of that time.
B.It will last for eight months in Boston.
C.It is very enlightening for people to know that period.
D.The objects on the exhibit used to be stored in private collection.
第1题:C
第2题:A
第3题:D
第4题:B
第5题:C
26.【试题答案】C
【试题解析】客观细节题。由A选项关键词“older gods”可以定位到文章第四段第一句but also banishing the older gods(而且还摒弃了旧神),说明阿肯纳坦在统治期间驱逐了旧神,所以A选项“他摒弃了旧神”表述正确,排除A。由B选项关键词“Aten”可以定位到文章第四段第一句not only changing his name to honor the new god (Akhenaten means “one who serves Aten”)(他不仅把自己的名字改为阿肯纳坦,意为阿坦的仆人),第一段中也提到monotheism was introduced(一神论被引入),说明在阿肯纳坦统治期间人们信奉唯一的太阳神,所以B选项“人们不得不崇拜唯一神——太阳神阿坦”表述正确,排除B。由D选项关键词“capital”可以定位到文章第一段第三句Even Egypt’s capital was moved to a new city along the Nile called Akhetaten.(甚至埃及的首都也迁到尼罗河边的新城市阿希提顿。),说明阿肯纳坦统治期间在尼罗河边建立了新首都,所以D选项“他在尼罗河边建立了一个新的首都”表述正确,排除D。由C选项关键词“portraying”可以定位到文章第四段第三句They could now portray the Pharaoh and the voluptuous Nefertiti in a far more casual, realistic way.(现在他们可以更为真实随意的描画法老和妖艳性感的奈菲提提。),第一段中也提到the arts liberated from their stifling rigidity.(艺术也从令人窒息的一成不变中解脱出来。),说明在阿肯纳坦统治期间艺术家可以更真实随意的画像,而不是束缚他们。因此C选项“埃及的艺术家们苦于没有更随意真实的描绘方式”不符合原文,本题选C。
27.【试题答案】A
【试题解析】客观细节题。由题干关键词“tribute to ancient Egypt”可以定位到文章第二段第二句Part of the city’s eight-month tribute to ancient Egypt (operas, ballet and an IMAX film)(这次展览只是波士顿为期8个月的致敬古埃及活动中的一部分,其它形式还有歌剧、芭蕾、一部 IMAX 电影),说明向古埃及致敬的活动有展览、歌剧、芭蕾、电影,所以B选项“芭蕾”,C选项“歌剧”,D选项“电影”符合原文,排除B,C,D。A选项“盛会”在文中没有提及,不属于向古埃及致敬的活动,所以本题选A。
28.【试题答案】D
【试题解析】推理判断题。由题干可以定位到文章第三段最后一句His father Amenhotep III had already challenged the powerful priesthood by proclaiming the sun god Aten as foremost among Egyptian deities and himself as his living incarnation.(他的父亲阿蒙赫特普三世已经质疑势力强大的教会,宣称太阳神阿坦是埃及诸神中最具威力的神灵,他本人则是太阳神的转世化身。),和第四段第一句His son shook things up even more, not only changing his name to honor the new god (Akhenaten means “one who serves Aten”) but also banishing the older gods, especially the priestly favorite Amen.(儿子做得更甚,他不仅把自己的名字改为阿肯纳坦——意为阿坦的仆人——以表示对太阳神的敬意,而且不许人们崇拜以往的神灵,特别是教会的至爱阿门神。),说明阿肯纳坦及其父亲都只推崇太阳神,两人对太阳神的态度是一样的。因此D选项“相似”正确。A选项“相反”,B选项“争议”,C选项“补充”均不符合题意,所以A,B,C错误。
29.【试题答案】B
【试题解析】客观细节题。由题干关键词“Tutankhamen”可以定位到文章最后一段第三句After his death, his son-in-law (and perhaps son) Tutankhamen moved the political and religious capitals back to Memphis and Thebes respectively and reinstated the old gods.(在他死后,他的女婿(或许也是儿子)图坦卡蒙把政治中心移回孟斐斯,宗教中心移回底比斯,那些被摒弃的旧神重新归位。),说明图坦卡蒙将被摒弃的旧神重新归位了。因此B选项“将旧神重新归位”正确。A选项“把政治中心移回底比斯”,由原文可知,是将政治中心移回孟斐斯,所以A错误。C选项“可能是得了什么病,使他的脸比健康人的脸长了一些”,由原文可知,得脑积水的是阿肯纳坦,所以C错误。D选项“把宗教中心移回孟斐斯”,由原文可知,是将宗教中心移回底比斯,所以D错误。
30.【试题答案】C
【试题解析】客观细节题。A选项“主要是当时法老的雕像”,由原文it is a unique assemblage of more than 250 objects from Egypt’s 18th dynasty(这次独特的展览展出了埃及第18个王朝的250多件物品)可知,展品包罗万象,不仅有雕像,还有珠宝首饰和生活用品等,所以A选项错误。B选项“将在波士顿持续开8个月”,由最后一段最后一句“Pharaohs of the Sun” will remain in Boston until February(“太阳神法老”展览在波士顿持续到二月份)可知,展览在波士顿持续到二月份,是波士顿整个致敬古埃及的活动为期8个月,所以B错误。D选项“展品过去是由私人收藏的”,由原文some of which have languished unseen in storerooms and private collections for decades(其中有些物品几十年来一直深藏于博物馆或为私人所藏而不得面世),说明展品不仅有私人收藏的,还有保存在博物馆中的,所以D错误。C选项“对人们了解那个时期的情况很有启发”,由原文Now Akhenaten’s 3,400-year-old world has been brilliantly recalled in an exhibit(现在,3400年前阿肯纳坦时代的辉煌将在波士顿美术馆被人们重温),说明这场展览有助于人们回顾那个时期的情况,所以C正确。