TOEFL Reading Passage 1

1. European artists in the Late Middle Ages were accorded the same social status as blacksmiths, carpenters, tailors, and other craftsmen. Whereas philosophers, musicians, and poets were seen as exercising intellectual skills, artists were not. Like other craftsmen, they were organized under the guild system. Originally developed prior to the second millennium AD, guilds were formal organizations founded by people who practiced a similar craft, with the intention of ensuring they received fair payment for their services and fostering the exchange of knowledge among members. In most European cities, there would be a masons' guild, a smiths' guild, and a carvers' guild, along with those established by painters, sculptors, and architects. New members began as apprentices, learning from the masters of their craft, and if they demonstrated enough skill, they would one day be eligible to become master craftsmen themselves.
2. Then, in the fourteenth century, Europe entered a period of significant transformation known as the Renaissance. This term literally means "rebirth;' as it describes an era when European scholars were rediscovering works of the Classical Greeks and Romans. Ancient texts on math, science, and philosophy, written by such figures as Plato and Cicero, became the subjects of intense study and altered the ways in which Europeans Viewed their world. From its origins in Florence, Italy, the Renaissance radiated throughout the continent and affected every aspect of the lives of the people living there.
3. The quest for Classical knowledge that characterized the Renaissance also led to a rebirth of the conception of the artist, Depiction of nature in its true form became the ideal, and painters began to study mathematical perspective and optics in order to more realistically represent their subjects. This emphasis on intellectual investigation distinguished the arts from the so-called mechanical crafts, and artists witnessed a marked improvement in their social standing. By the 1500s, descriptions like "genius" and "divine" were being ascribed to Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and other creators of artistic masterpieces.

单选题 The word accorded in the passage is closest in meaning to
A. elevated.
B. bestowed.
C. acclaimed.
D. applied.

单选题 Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
A. The purpose of a guild was to establish financial precedents that would benefit both the people who produced the crafts as well as their customers.
B. Guilds were established to ensure that all members who shared their knowledge of the craft would receive the same payment for their services.
C. Members of craft guilds had access to the collective knowledge possessed by everyone who practiced that same craft.
D. For centuries, craftsmen involved in a similar trade had been in guilds which provided them with economic protection and professional development.

单选题 According to Paragraph 1, guilds in the Late Middle Ages included a system that allowed members to
A. begin as master craftspeople if they had enough skill.
B. progress steadily up the hierarchy in their field.
C. practice more than one craft at a time.
D. exchange goods and services with other craftsmen.

单选题 In Paragraph 2, the author explains the nature of the Renaissance by
A. discussing ancient Greek and Roman history.
B. relating the accomplishments of Plato and Cicero.
C. providing a definition for the name itself.
D. describing Florence, Italy, in the fourteenth century.

单选题 The word marked in the passage is closest in meaning to
A. signed.
B. clear.
C. rapid.
D. special.

单选题 The word spawned in the passage is closest in meaning to
A. remained with.
B. held off.
C. brought forth.
D. stood for.

单选题 According to Paragraph 4, how did the Academy of St. Luke differ from the Platonic Academy?
A. One of them focused on painting while the other focused on architecture.
B. The Platonic Academy was supported by the guilds, but the Academy of St. Luke was not.
C. They were constructed at the same location but in different years.
D. The curriculum consisted only of artistic subjects at the Academy of St. Luke.

单选题 The word they in the passage refers to
A. academies.
B. conventions.
C. members.
D. ideals.

单选题 In Paragraph 5, the author states that the French salons
A. were first established during the Renaissance.
B. only supported artists who conformed to particular standards.
C. were responsible for the popularity of art museums in later years.
D. admitted people regardless of their social standing.

单选题 The word avenues in the passage is closest in meaning to
A. inventions.
B. channels.
C. approaches.
D. formats.

单选题 Based on the information in Paragraph 5 and Paragraph 6, what can be inferred about the French academies?
A. They were initially operated by successful artists and teachers from Italy.
B. They eventually began encouraging artists to be more radical and creative.
C. They dominated the European art world in the period after the Renaissance.
D. They played a pivotal role in opening up the art world to the general public.

单选题 Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.
Sculptors similarly were expected to possess detailed knowledge of anatomy so they could capture the intricacies of the human form.
Where would the sentence best fit?
Click on a square [■] to add the sentence to the passage.
A. Square Ａ.
B. Square Ｂ.
C. Square Ｃ.
D. Square Ｄ.

填空题 Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.
During the Renaissance, art developed into an important medium of creative expression.
·______

·______

·______


A. The work of the Classical Greeks and Romans formed the philosophical foundations of the Renaissance, the origins of which have been traced to Florence.
B. While artists had historically been considered simple craftsmen, the changes brought about by the Renaissance encouraged recognition of their intellectual skills.
C. The art academies that were opened starting in the late 1500s became the most important centers for the spread of artistic teachings in Europe.
D. French academies were more popular than their Italian counterparts in part because they actively supported local artists' movements.
E. Art salons, such as those in Paris, were the only places where the general public could observe the impressive work being done by students of the academies.

F. For a time, the development of art was controlled by the French academies, but newer and less restrictive styles grew in popularity.