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Navajo Art
The Navajo, a Native American people living in the southwestern United States, live in small scattered settlements. In many respects, such as education, occupation, and leisure activities, their life is like that of other groups that contribute to the diverse social fabric of North American culture in the twenty-first century. At the same time, they have retained some traditional cultural practices that are associated with particular art forms. For example, the most important traditional Navajo rituals include the production of large floor paintings. These are actually made by pouring thin, finely controlled streams of colored sands or pulverized vegetable and mineral substances, pollen, and flowers in precise patterns on the ground. The largest of these paintings may be up to 5.5 meters in diameter and cover the entire floor of a room. Working from the inside of the design outward, the Navajo artist and his assistants will sift the black, white, bluish-gray, orange, and red materials through their fingers to create the finely detailed imagery. The paintings and chants used in the ceremonies are directed by well-trained artists and singers who enlist the aid of spirits who are impersonated by masked performers. The twenty-four known Navajo chants can be represented by up to 500 sand paintings. These complex paintings serve as memory aids to guide the singers during the performance of the ritual songs, which can last up to nine days.
The purpose and meaning of the sand paintings can be explained by examining one of the most basic ideals of Navajo society, embodied in their word hozho (beauty or harmony, goodness, and happiness). It coexists with hochxo ("ugliness," or "evil," and "disorder") in a world where opposing forces of dynamism and stability create constant change. When the world, which was created in beauty, becomes ugly and disorderly, the Navajo gather to perform rituals with songs and make sand paintings to restore beauty and harmony to the world. Some illness is itself regarded as a type of disharmony. Thus, the restoration of harmony through a ceremony can be part of a curing process.
Men make sand paintings that are accurate copies of paintings from the past. The songs sung over the paintings are also faithful renditions of songs from the past. By re?creating these arts, which reflect the original beauty of creation, the Navajo bring beauty to the present world. As relative newcomers to the Southwest, a place where their climate, neighbors, and rulers could be equally inhospitable, the Navajo created these art forms to affect the world around them, not just through the recounting of the actions symbolized, but through the beauty and harmony of the artworks themselves. The paintings generally illustrate ideas and events from the life of a mythical hero, who, after being healed by the gods, gave gifts of songs and paintings. Working from memory, the artists re-create the traditional form of the image as accurately as possible.
The Navajo are also world-famous for the designs on their woven blankets. Navajo women own the family flocks, control the shearing of the sheep, the carding, the spinning, and dying of the thread, and the weaving of the fabrics. While the men who make faithful copies of sand paintings from the past represent the principle of stability in Navajo thought, women embody dynamism and create new designs for every weaving they make. Weaving is a paradigm of the creativity of a mythic ancestor named Spider Woman who wove the universe as a cosmic web that united earth and sky. It was she who，according to legend, taught Navajo women how to weave. As they prepare their materials and weave. Navajo women imitate the transformations that originally created the world. Working on their looms, Navajo weavers create images through which they experience harmony with nature. It is their means of creating beauty and thereby contributing to the beauty, harmony, and healing of the world. Thus, weaving is a way of seeing the world and being part of it.
Paragraph 1
The Navajo, a Native American people living in the southwestern United States, live in small scattered settlements. In many respects, such as education, occupation, and leisure activities, their life is like that of other groups that contribute to the diverse social fabric of North American culture in the twenty-first century. At the same time, they have retained some traditional cultural practices that are associated with particular art forms. For example, the most important traditional Navajo rituals include the production of large floor paintings. These are actually made by pouring thin, finely controlled streams of colored sands or pulverized vegetable and mineral substances, pollen, and flowers in precise patterns on the ground. The largest of these paintings may be up to 5.5 meters in diameter and cover the entire floor of a room. Working from the inside of the design outward, the Navajo artist and his assistants will sift the black, white, bluish-gray, orange, and red materials through their fingers to create the finely detailed imagery.The paintings and chants used in the ceremonies are directed by well-trained artists and singers who enlist the aid of spirits who are impersonated by masked performers. The twenty-four known Navajo chants can be represented by up to 500 sand paintings. These complex paintings serve as memory aids to guide the singers during the performance of the ritual songs, which can last up to nine days.
1.The word “precise” is closest in meaning to
A.colorful
B.exact
C.delicate
D.complex
2. The word “enlist" in the passage is closest in meaning to
A.assist
B.require
C.describe
D.recruit
3. What can be inferred from paragraph 1 about the Navajo ritual chants?
A. There is a large number of them.
B. Each of them corresponds to a particular sand painting.
C. They are difficult to remember.
D. They do not take long to perform
4. According to paragraph 1, all of the following are true of many important Navajo rituals EXCEPT:
A. They involve the creation of large, detailed images.
B. They include performers whose faces are covered.
C. They take place indoors.
D. They are performed without elaborate planning.
Paragraph 2
The purpose and meaning of the sand paintings can be explained by examining one of the most basic ideals of Navajo society, embodied in their word hozho (beauty or harmony, goodness, and happiness). It coexists with hochxo ("ugliness," or "evil," and "disorder") in a world where opposing forces of dynamism and stability create constant change. When the world, which was created in beauty, becomes ugly and disorderly, the Navajo gather to perform rituals with songs and make sand paintings to restore beauty and harmony to the world. Some illness is itself regarded as a type of disharmony. Thus, the restoration of harmony through a ceremony can be part of a curing process.
5. It can be inferred from the discussion of illness and curing in paragraph 2 that
A. the Navajo consider illness to always have a supernatural cause
B. rituals involving songs and sand paintings may be used to treat an illness
C. when a Navajo is ill, ugly and disorderly sand paintings are made
D. after a serious illness, a Navajo will take part in a ceremony
Paragraph 3
Men make sand paintings that are accurate copies of paintings from the past. The songs sung over the paintings are also faithful renditions of songs from the past. By re?creating these arts, which reflect the original beauty of creation, the Navajo bring beauty to the present world. As relative newcomers to the Southwest, a place where their climate, neighbors, and rulers could be equally inhospitable, the Navajo created these art forms to affect the world around them, not just through the recounting of the actions symbolized, but through the beauty and harmony of the artworks themselves. The paintings generally illustrate ideas and events from the life of a mythical hero, who, after being healed by the gods, gave gifts of songs and paintings. Working from memory, the artists re-create the traditional form of the image as accurately as possible.
6. The word “faithful” in the passage is closest in meaning to
A. modern
B. accurate
C. wonderful
D. simplified
7. 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 Navajo used the symbolism and beauty of their works of art to improve their life in an often inhospitable environment.
B. The ideas the Navajo hold about symbolism and beauty were influenced by their inhospitable climate, neighbors, and rulers.
C. When they first arrived in the Southwest, the Navajo produced symbolic art forms that promoted harmony.
D. In their works of art, the Navajo emphasized beauty and harmony that can be found even under the most inhospitable circumstances.
8. According to paragraph 3, which of the following is often the subject of Navajo sand paintings?
A. The landscape of the Southwest
B. Traditional Navajo practices
C. Historical events that occurred in the Southwest
D. The lives of heroes in traditional Navajo stories
Paragraph 4
The Navajo are also world-famous for the designs on their woven blankets. Navajo women own the family flocks, control the shearing of the sheep, the carding, the spinning, and dying of the thread, and the weaving of the fabrics. While the men who make faithful copies of sand paintings from the past represent the principle of stability in Navajo thought, women embody dynamism and create new designs for every weaving they make. Weaving is a paradigm of the creativity of a mythic ancestor named Spider Woman who wove the universe as a cosmic web that united earth and sky. It was she who，according to legend, taught Navajo women how to weave. As they prepare their materials and weave. Navajo women imitate the transformations that originally created the world. Working on their looms, Navajo weavers create images through which they experience harmony with nature. It is their means of creating beauty and thereby contributing to the beauty, harmony, and healing of the world. Thus, weaving is a way of seeing the world and being part of it.
9. Paragraph 4 supports which of the following statements about Navajo weavers and weaving?
A. Navajo women oversee all aspects of wool production and weaving.
B. The wool used for blankets comes from different sheep than does the wool used for other purposes.
C. Navajo weavers have used some of the same designs for hundreds of years.
D. Weaving is done primarily for use in rituals.
10. The word “ancestor” in the passage is closest in meaning to
A. relative from an earlier generation
B. person who established a particular tradition in a society
C. hero from ancient times
D. person who once made important contributions to a social group or culture
11. Why does the author discuss “a mythic ancestor”?
A. To show how Navajo ideas of weaving have changed over time
B. To explain why the Navajo principle of stability is more clearly represented in their weavings than in their sand paintings
C. To emphasize the role of naturally occurring weaving materials in the creative weavings of the Navajo
D. To help explain the significance of weaving in Navajo culture
12. According to paragraph 4, Navajo weavers imitate
A. traditional weaving patterns
B. patterns used in sand paintings
C. the activities through which the world was created
D. images from nature
13. Look at the four squares []] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.
Since this purpose is limited to the context of the ritual, the paintings are destroyed when the ritual is completed.
Where would the sentence best fit? Click on a square [] to add the sentence to the passage.
The Navajo, a Native American people living in the southwestern United States, live in small scattered settlements. In many respects, such as education, occupation, and leisure activities, their life is like that of other groups that contribute to the diverse social fabric of North American culture in the twenty-first century. At the same time, they have retained some traditional cultural practices that are associated with particular art forms. For example, the most important traditional Navajo rituals include the production of large floor paintings. These are actually made by pouring thin, finely controlled streams of colored sands or pulverized vegetable and mineral substances, pollen, and flowers in precise patterns on the ground. The largest of these paintings may be up to 5.5 meters in diameter and cover the entire floor of a room. Working from the inside of the design outward, the Navajo artist and his assistants will sift the black, white, bluish-gray, orange, and red materials through their fingers to create the finely detailed imagery. [] The paintings and chants used in the ceremonies are directed by well-trained artists and singers who enlist the aid of spirits who are impersonated by masked performers. [] The twenty-four known Navajo chants can be represented by up to 500 sand paintings. [] These complex paintings serve as memory aids to guide the singers during the performance of the ritual songs, which can last up to nine days. []
14. Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selected 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.
Drag your answer choices to the spaces where they belong. To remove an answer choice, click on it.
To review the passage, click View Text.
Navajo art is fundamentally connected to aspects of Navajo ritual and belief.
Answer Choices
A. Navajo sand paintings are an expression of the close relationship between nature and the spiritual world in Navajo culture
B. Sand paintings, which help participants in rituals recall traditional chants, are part of ceremonies designed to restore beauty and harmony.
C. Whereas Navajo sand paintings are associated with male deities. Navajo weaving involves representations of female figures such as Spider Woman.
D. Individual Navajo sand paintings typically embody the principles of harmony and disorder.
E.Sand paintings, which are created by Navajo men, are faithful re-creations of earlier works and as such represent the principle of stability.
F.In Navajo culture, weaving is a female art and is associated with creativity and change.
阅读1
1-5, BDCDB 6-10, BADAA 11-13 DCD
14. BEF