Extraordinary creativity has been characterized as revolutionary, flying in the face of what is established and producing not what is acceptable but what will become accepted. According to this formulation highly creative activity transcends the limits of an existing form and establishes a new principle. However, the idea that extraordinary creativity transcends established limits is misleading when it is applied to the arts, even though it maybe valid for the sciences. For the sciences, a new theory is the goal and the end result of the creative act. Innovative science produces new propositions in terms of which diverse phenomena can be related to one another in more coherent ways. The goat of highly creative art is very different; the phenomenon itself becomes the direct product of the creative act. Shakespeare's Hamlet is not a piece of writing about the indecisive princes or the uses of political power; not is Picasso's painting Guernica primarily a prepositional statement about the Spanish Civil War or the evils of fascism. What highly creative artistic activity produces is not a new generalization that transcends established limits, but rather an aesthetic particular. Aesthetic particulars produced by the highly creative artist extend or exploit, in an innovative way, the limits of an existing form, rather than transcend that form. This is not to deny that a highly creative artist sometimes establishes a new principle in the history of an artistic field. But whether or not a work of art establishes a new principle in the history of art has little bearing on its aesthetic worth. Because they embody a new principle of organization, some musical works, such as the operas of the Florentine Camerata, are of signal historical importance, but few listeners or musicologists would include these among the great works of music. On the other hand, although it has been said of Beethoven that he toppled the rules and freed music from the stifling confines of convention, a close study of his compositions reveals that he overturned no fundamental rules. Rather, he was an incomparable strategist who exploited limits--the rules, forms and conventions that he inherited from Hayden and Mozart Handel and Bach -- in strikingly original ways.
单选题
The main purpose of this passage is to______ A. explore the source of scientific creativity B. illustrate the importance of creativity in scientific and artistic activities C. prove that highly creative artistic activity is not always a revolutionary act D. disprove that a political revolution is essential for the release of people's creative power
单选题
Which of the following best describes the organizational pattern of this passage? A. A question followed by a list of possible answers to the question. B. A generalization followed by specific instances as its illustration. C. An argument followed by a refutation. D. A formulation followed by evidence in support of it.
单选题
The author mentions the operas of the Florentine Camerata because______ A. they reflect the birth of a new musical form B. they can be considered as peers of Beethoven' works C. they tell of a period of human history D. they are of great aesthetic value
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 根据文章第二段第三句“Because they embody a new principle oforganization．some musical works，such as the operas of the Florentine Camerata，are of signal historical importance．but few listeners or musicologists would include these among the great works of music．”可知，一些音 乐作品，比如，佛罗伦萨卡梅拉塔的歌剧，由于体现了新的创作原则而具有标志性的历史意义， 但很少有听众或音乐家将其视为音乐杰作。据此判断，答案是A。
单选题
It is implied in the passage that______ A. Beethoven conformed to some musical tradition B. all people agree in their interpretation of Beethoven C. Beethoven had been taught by Mozart Hayden Handel and Bach D. it is hard to make a comparison between Beethoven and his predecessors
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 根据文章最后一句“Rather,he was an incomparable strategist who exploited limits- the rules．forms and conventions that he inherited from Hayden and Mozart Handel and Bach—in strikinglv original ways．”可知，贝多芬是一个盖世无双的策略家，他运用极限——他从海登、 莫扎特．汉德尔和巴赫那里继承下来的规则、形式和传统——以一种极其独创性的方式运用这 种极限。换言之，贝多芬也遵循了一些音乐传统。据此判断，答案是A。