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
答案:DBACB
国际英语资讯:Serbia registers record number of daily COVID-19 cases
Met his match? 棋逢对手
国内英语资讯:Ensuring security, stability crucial for Hong Kong: Cambodian justice minister
国际英语资讯:Turkish president denounces criticism over changing Hagia Sophia into mosque
国际英语资讯:Brazilian president vetoes law requiring use of masks in public spaces
国际英语资讯:Feature: Some Syrians achieve self-sufficiency through farming on rooftops
国际英语资讯:Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia resume talks on Nile dam
国内英语资讯:Xi calls for closer cooperation between Chinese, Mongolian ruling parties
国内英语资讯:Xi to address AIIB annual meeting of board of governors: spokesperson
国内英语资讯:China allocates flood relief supplies to Anhui
英国宣布对西班牙实行入境隔离 西班牙称本国仍然安全
大羊和小羊的跑步比赛
国际英语资讯:Zelensky, Putin hold phone talks on East Ukraine ceasefire
我家的饭店
国际英语资讯:Iran voices support of peace, stability in Afghanistan
小羊和大羊组织运动会
晨练
The Result of Running the Red Light 闯红灯的后果
体坛英语资讯:Hungarian football fans to be allowed into stadiums
六月规模以上工业企业利润实现两位数增长
清华发首封录取通知书
国内英语资讯:CIIE exhibitors set up special committee on public health, epidemic control
国内英语资讯:China flies AG600 large amphibious aircraft from sea
垃圾桶
国内英语资讯:China stands ready to promote comprehensive strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia: FM
体坛英语资讯:October not the time to make final decision, says Tokyo 2020 CEO Muto
国际英语资讯:Refugee confesses to setting fire to cathedral in France: report
国内英语资讯:Chinas privately offered funds top 14 trln yuan in 2019
The Day of Hong Kong Returned 香港回归纪念日
小猫