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Without a doubt, one of the world's most recognizable pieces of art is the Mona Lisa. Painted in the 16th Century by Leonardo da Vinci, it continues to attract crowds of people who are captivated by the mysterious woman in the portrait. Her enigmatic smile and penetrating gaze reach out through the ages as if she were alive today.
譯文：毫無(wú)疑問(wèn)，蒙娜麗莎是世界上最容易辨認(rèn)的藝術(shù)品之一。這幅畫于16世紀(jì)，由列奧納多·達(dá)·芬奇(Leonardo da Vinci)創(chuàng)作，至今仍吸引著眾多被畫中神秘女子所吸引的人。她那神秘的微笑和穿透人心的目光，仿佛她穿越了歲月，至今還活著。
recognizable =?可辨認(rèn)的；可認(rèn)識(shí)的；可承認(rèn)的
captivate = 迷住，迷惑
portrait =?肖像；描寫
enigmatic =?神秘的，高深莫測(cè)的
penetrating = 穿透人心的 (目光)
gaze = 凝視，注視
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Critics and art lovers still argue about her identity. One theory is that the way she posed suggests that she was with child. Another theory argues that her hairless face - no brows or lashes - indicates that she was a prostitute. It seems that in 16th Century Italy women working in the world's oldest profession had hairless faces in order to make themselves more sexually arousing. There is, however, evidence that at one time the woman in the portrait had thick eyebrows. Perhaps they were inadvertently erased when the painting was cleaned. Nobody knows for sure.
譯文：評(píng)論家和藝術(shù)愛(ài)好者仍在爭(zhēng)論她的身份。一種說(shuō)法是，她擺姿勢(shì)的方式表明她懷孕了。另一種理論認(rèn)為，她那無(wú)毛發(fā)的臉上沒(méi)有眉毛也睫毛，表明她是個(gè)Ji女。似乎在16世紀(jì)的意大利，從事世界上最古老職業(yè)的女性為了讓自己更性感，都沒(méi)有毛發(fā)。然而，有證據(jù)表明，畫像中的女人曾經(jīng)有過(guò)濃眉。也許是在清洗油畫時(shí)無(wú)意中擦掉的。沒(méi)有人知道確切的情況。
critic = 評(píng)論家，批評(píng)家
argue about = 爭(zhēng)辯，議論
pose = 擺姿勢(shì)
suggest = 暗示
hairless = 無(wú)毛發(fā)的，光禿禿的
profession?= 職業(yè)
arousing?=?振奮人心的
thick eyebrows =?bushy eyebrows =?heavy eyebrows?濃眉
inadvertently?= 不經(jīng)意地，非故意地，無(wú)心地
erase?=?抹去，擦除
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The painting itself has an interesting history. With the death of Leonardo, it went to his friend King Francois, and then to Louis XV and the Palace of Versailles. It wasn't until 300 years after its completion that it was recognized as a masterpiece. For a time, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte hung it in his bedroom. Eventually, it found a permanent home when it was added to the collection of the Louvre in Paris. In 1911 it was stolen by a museum employee and two accomplices. This theft made the painting famous all over the world. During World War II it was taken away and hidden from the Nazis, as were many important works of art.?Today the painting resides at the Louvre, captivating a whole new generation. Whoever she was, the mysteries surrounding the Mona Lisa continue to engage our imaginations.
譯文：這幅畫本身有一段有趣的歷史。列奧納多死后，這幅畫到了他朋友弗朗索瓦國(guó)王的手里，然后又到了路易十五和凡爾賽宮那里。直到它完工300年后，它才被公認(rèn)為是一幅杰作。有一段時(shí)間，拿破侖·波拿巴皇帝把它掛在臥室里。最終，當(dāng)它被添加到巴黎盧浮宮的收藏中時(shí)，它找到了一個(gè)永久的安身之所。1911年，它被一名博物館員工和兩名同謀偷走。這次失竊使這幅畫聞名于世。在第二次世界大戰(zhàn)期間，它和許多重要的藝術(shù)品一樣，被納粹奪走并藏起來(lái)了。如今，這幅畫就在盧浮宮，吸引了全新一代。無(wú)論她是誰(shuí)，圍繞著《蒙娜麗莎》的謎團(tuán)一直激發(fā)著我們的想象力。
the Palace of Versailles =?凡爾賽宮
completion = 完成，結(jié)束
be recognized as =?被認(rèn)為是…，被公認(rèn)為…
emperor = 皇帝，君主 ['emp?r?r]
Napoleon [n?'p?uli?n] Bonaparte ['b?un?pa:t] =?拿破侖·波拿巴
Waterloo = 滑鐵盧
hung [h??]?= 懸掛
permanent = 永久的，不變的
collection = 收藏品
Louvre ['lu:v?r] =?（法）盧浮宮
accomplice [?'kɑ:mpl?s] = 同謀，共犯
reside?=?住，居住；屬于
Happiness does not reside in strength or money.（幸福不存在于力量或金錢之中。）
surrounding?=?周圍的，附近的
engage one's imaginations?= 激發(fā)某人的想象力
Exercises:
1.This article was written to be informative and engaging.
2. What does the world's oldest profession refer to? (prostitution)
3.??— Why doesn't Mona Lisa have any eyebrows or lashes?
? ? —?The reason is still not clear.
4. Something is enigmatic, if it is mysterious and difficult to understand.
5. To captivate means to catch and hold one's attention.
6. If something happened eventrully it was an accident.
7. To penetrate something means to forcibly enter it.
8. This article was written in a style to keep the mystery alive.
9. From the author's point of view, Mona Lisa's identity is still a fascinating mystery.
Please tap the first correct sentence to appear:
1. What is one theory about her identity?
2. Where does this article mention the world's oldest profession?
3. Where does indicate that Mona Lisa might have been pregnant?
One theory is that the way she posed suggests that she was with child.
4. When was the painting first recognized as a masterpiece?
It wasn't until 300 years after its completion that it was recognized as a masterpiece.
Fill in the blanks:
1. Today the painting resides at the Louvre, captivating a whole new generation. Whoever she was, the mysteries surrounding the Mona Lisa continue to engage our imaginations.
2. It seems that in 16th Century Italy women working in the world's oldest profession had hairless faces in order to make themselves more sexually arousing. There is, however, evidence that at one time the woman in the portrait had thick eyebrows. Perhaps they were inadvertently erased when the painting was cleaned. Nobody knows for sure.
Put the sentences below in order:
(1) Another theory argues that her hairless face - no brows or lashes - indicates that she was a prostitute.
(2) It seems that in 16th Century Italy women working in the world's oldest profession had hairless faces in order to make themselves more sexually arousing.
(3) One theory is that the way she posed suggests that she was with child.
(4) Critics and art lovers still argue about her identity.
Correct Order: (4) (3) (1) (2)
Repeat & Read Sentences:
1. Critics and art lovers still argue about her identity.
2. For a time, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte hung it in his bedroom.
3. Without a doubt, one of the world's most recognizable pieces of art is the Mona Lisa.
4. Her enigmatic smile and penetrating gaze reach out through the ages as if she were alive today.
5. Perhaps they were inadvertently erased when the painting was cleaned.
