Art is considered by many people to be little more than a decorative means of giving pleasure. This is not always the case, however; at times, art may be seen to have a purely functional side as well. Such could be said of the sandpaintings of the Navaho Indians of the American Southwest; these have a medicinal as well as an artistic purpose.
According to Navaho traditions, one who suffers from either a mental or a physical illness has in come way disturbed or come in contact with the supernaturalperhaps a certain animal, a ghost, or the dead. To counteract this evil contact, the ill person or one of his relatives will employ a medicine man called a singer to perform a healing ceremony which will attract a powerful supernatural being.
During the ceremony, which may last from 2 to 9 days, the singer will produce a sandpainting on the floor of the Navaho hogan. On the last day of the ceremony, the patient will sit on this sandpainting and the singer will rub the ailing parts of the patients body with sand from a specific figure in the sandpainting. In this way the patient absorbs the power of that particular supernatural being and becomes strong like it. After the ceremony, the sandpainting is then destroyed and disposed of so its power will not harm anyone.
The art of sandpainting is handed down from old singer to their students. The material used are easily found in the areas the Navaho inhabit; brown, red, yellow, and white sandstone, which is pulverized by being crushed between 2 stones much as corns is ground into flour. The singer holds a small amount of this sand in his hand and lets it flow between his thumb and fore-finger onto a clean, flat surface on the floor. With a steady hand and great patience, he is thus able to create designs of stylized people, snakes and other creatures that have power in the Navaho belief system. The traditional Navaho does not allow reproduction of sandpaintings, since he believes the supernatural powers that taught him the craft have forbidden this; however, such reproductions can in fact be purchased today in tourist shops in Arizona and New Mexico. These are done by either Navaho Indians or by other people who wish to preserve this craft.
1. The purpose of the passage is to ___.
A. discuss the medical uses of sandpaintings in medieval Europe.
B. study the ways Navaho Indians handed down their painting art.
C. consider how Navaho singer treat their ailments with sandpaintings.
D. tell how Navaho Indians apply sandpainting for medical purposes.
2. The purpose of a healing ceremony lies in ___.
A. pleasing the ghosts
B. attracting supernatural powers
C. attracting the ghosts
D. creating a sandpainting
3. The singer rubs sand on the patient because ___.
A. the patient receives strength from the sand
B. it has pharmaceutical value
C. it decorates the patient
D. none of the above
4. What is used to produce a sandpainting?
A. Paint
B. Beach sand
C. Crushed sandstone
D. Flour
5. Which of the following titles will be best suit the passage?
A. A New Direction for Medical Research
B. The Navaho Indians Sandpainting
C. The Process of Sandpainting Creation
D. The Navaho Indians Medical History
参考答案:
DBACB
上一篇: 12月英语六级阅读理解高效训练(1)
下一篇: 冬季大学英语六级阅读冲刺练习(五)
体坛英语资讯:Little progress in talks to end Spanish Football players strike
体坛英语资讯:Hewitt to skip US Open
体坛英语资讯:Cameroons soccer star Etoo to join Russian side Anzhi
体坛英语资讯:World No.1 Wang Shixian out of badminton worlds
体坛英语资讯:Granada return with defeat, Valencia and Real Sociedad win in Spain
体坛英语资讯:Kenyan womens medal sweep opens Daegu Worlds
体坛英语资讯:Worlds leading hurdlers safely advance in Daegu worlds
体坛英语资讯:Schalke humbles Cologne 5-1 at German Bundesliga
体坛英语资讯:Barca beat Villarreal 5-0 to kick off the season on perfect note
体坛英语资讯:Jamaican sprinter Mullings positive test confirmed
体坛英语资讯:In U.S., Cricket Stages a Comeback
体坛英语资讯:Athletic in Europa League group stage without kicking a ball
体坛英语资讯:S. Korean skating champion seeks Russian citizenship for Sochi Olympics
体坛英语资讯:Monchengladbach surprises Wolfsburg 4-1 at German Bundesliga
体坛英语资讯:World No. 4 paddler Guo Yan steps on podium twice at China Open
体坛英语资讯:Blatter says Colombia can host World Cup in 2026
体坛英语资讯:Turkeys Trabzonspor replaces Fenerbahce in Champions League draw
体坛英语资讯:Usain Bolt: I have nothing to say right now
体坛英语资讯:Bayern wins, Cologne stuns Hamburg at German Bundesliga
体坛英语资讯:China mark consecutive wins at volleyball Grand Prix in Hong Kong
体坛英语资讯:Zico accepts offer to lead Iraqi national soccer team
体坛英语资讯:Csehs golden days without Michael Phelps
体坛英语资讯:Real Sociedad obtain Arsenals Vela on loan
体坛英语资讯:Italian soccer new season threatened by strike
体坛英语资讯:Chinese-U.S. basketball teams shake hands after brawl
体坛英语资讯:American Football Making Foray Into India
体坛英语资讯:Brazil, USA secure semifinal berths at FIVB WGP final round
体坛英语资讯:U-20 star looks to break ties with Sao Paulo
体坛英语资讯:Santos defeats Fluminense 2-1
体坛英语资讯:Arsenal reaches agreement with Man City for Nasri move