Questions 13-22
Ralph Earl was born into a Connecticut farm family in 1751. He chose early
to become a painter and looked for what training was available in his home
state and in Boston. Earl was one of the first American artists to paint
landscapes. Among his first paintings were scenes from the Revolutionary War
battles of Lexington and Concord. In 1778 Earl went to London to study with
Benjamin West for four years.
When Earl returned to the United States, he was jailed for fourteen months
for fourteen months for outstanding debts. While still a
prisoner, he painted portraits of some of New York City’s most elegant society
women and their husbands. After he release, he took up the trade of itinerant portrait painter, working his
way through southern New England and New York. Earl didn’t flatter his
subjects, but his portraits show a deep understanding of them, perhaps because
he had sprung from the same roots.
Among Earl’s most famous paintings in his portrait of Justice Oliver
Ellsworth and his wife, Abigail. To provide counterpoint to the severity of the
couple., he accurately details the relative luxury of the Ellsworth's interior
furnishings. The view through the window behind them shows sunlit fields,
well-kept fences, and a bend of the Connecticut River. One of the Earl’s
paintings is something of an anomaly. Reclining
Hunter, which for many years was attributed to Thomas Gainsborough, shows a
well-dressed gentleman resting beneath a tree. In the foreground, he
displays a pile of birds, the result of a day’s hunt. The viewer can also see a
farmer’s donkey lying in the background, another of the hunter’s victims. This outrageously
funny portrait couldn’t have been commissioned-no one would have wanted to be
portrayed in such an absurd way. However, this painting uncharacteristically
shows Earl’s wit as well as his uncommon technical skills.
1.
What is the author’s
main purpose?
A.
To discuss the life and
work of an American painter
B.
To compare the art of
Ralph Earl and Thomas Gainsborough
C.
To trace Ralph Earl’s
artistic influences
D.
To describe the art
scene in New York in the late eighteenth century
2.
Which of the following
NOT given in the passage as a subject of one of Earl’s paintings?
A.
People
B.
Landscapes
C.
Battle scenes
D.
Fruit and flowers
3.
According to the
passage, Benjamin Was Ralph Earl’s
A.
Subject.
B.
Teacher.
C.
Student.
D.
Rival.
4.
Which of the following
could be substituted for outstanding
(line 7) without changing the meaning of the sentence?
A.
Excellent
B.
Shocking
C.
Unpaid
D.
Illegal
5.
The word itinerant in line 8 is closest in
meaning to which of the following?
A. Traveling
B. Successful
C.
Talented
D.
Innovative
6.
The author uses the
phrase sprung from the same roots (line
11) to indicate that Ralph Earl and his subjects
A.
lived in the same town
B.
were about the same age
C.
were equally successful
D.
had the same background
7.
According to the
passage, one of the distinguishing features of the portrait of Oliver and
Abigail Ellsworth is the contrast between
A.
the plainness of the
figures and the luxury of the furnishings
B.
the two styles used to
paint the two figures
C.
the sunlit fields and
the dark interior
D.
the straight fences and
the curving Connecticut River
8.
Why does the author
refer to Reclining Hunter as ‘something
of an anomaly’ in line 16?
A.
It is so severe.
B.
It is quite humorous.
C.
It shows Earl’s talent
D.
It was commissioned.
9.
The word he in line 17 refers to
A.
Ralph Earl
B.
the farmer
C.
the hunter
D. Thomas Gainsborough
10.
The author’s attitude
toward Ralph Earl is
A.
admiring
B.
antagonistic
C.
neutral
D.
unflattering
ANSWER KEY
1.
A
2.
D
3.
B
4.
C
5.
A
6.
D
7.
A
8.
B
9.
C
10. A
10. Should be C because there’s mention of admiring something.
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