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wife of a wealthy silk merchant of Italy. The woman’s husband requested Da Vinci to portray her
as a celebration of their home’s completion and the birth of their second son. What is it about this
painting that has created such a lasting impact on the artistic world?
One factor is the artist himself. Leonardo da Vinci was not only an artist, but also a scientist,
an architect and an engineer. His knowledge of the human form came from the study of actual
human bodies, so he was able to draw and paint it more accurately.
Another factor is the material used for the painting. The Mona Lisa is an oil painting, but
unlike other paintings, which are usually created on canvas, the Mona Lisa has a wood panel as
the surface. The use of a wood panel makes it possible for the work to have survived for centuries.
Lastly, the style and techniques used for the painting make the Mona Lisa a masterpiece. Da
Vinci presented precise details in the subject’s hands and face. He applied a
shadowing technique
at the corners of her lips and her eyes, which gives her an unbelievably lifelike appearance. He
also created a background with aerial views and a beautiful landscape. His remarkable skills left
behind no visible brush marks at all.
All these factors–Da Vinci’s talent, the medium used for the painting, the style and techniques applied in the work–contribute to the lasting and mysterious beauty of the Mona Lisa.
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Short conversations Conversation 1
M: There is not much worth in reading the newspapers these days. They have more pages but
fewer words that really matter.
W: You said it! All you find in them are advertisements and celebrity gossip. I wish they could
direct more attention to issues that are more important to society. Q: What does the man think of today’s newspapers?
Conversation 2
W: Hello. Today on Business Focus I am talking about knowledge management with Mr. Adam
Johnson, the Human Resources Manager of a multinational company. Mr. Johnson, how has
knowledge management changed the way your company works?
M: In lots of ways. The most significant change occurs in how we manage the process of our
project development …
Q: What is the woman probably doing? Conversation 3
W: Recently, reality television has swept across almost all channels: matchmaking, job hunting,
and talent shows. I don’t know why people are so crazy about it!
M: In my view, some people watch reality TV because it makes them feel they’re better than
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others. They may also enjoy seeing other people get embarrassed. Q: What does the man say about reality TV? Conversation 4
W: I think teenagers today experience a different social reality from what we had before.
M: Exactly. When we were kids, we would hang out with friends, chatting, or going to movies.
That’s our experience, but what we see now is that young people are choosing to live online.
Q: How do young people socialize today according to the man? Conversation 5
W: Much has been said about how anti-social the Internet and mobile phones are, but I think communications technology is bringing people closer.
M: Yes, I’d go along with you on that. With these modern tools, there’s a new kind of connection
being built within families.
Q: What does the man think of modern communications technology?
Long conversation
W: Hey Billy! It’s 7:30 p.m.! Turn off your TV and computer. Come down to dinner. It seems your
father is finishing his conference call with his team in China.
M: OK Mom. Coming. But why is Dad on his computer while I can’t be on mine!
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W: Billy, your father is working. But you are chatting with your friends about celebrities!
So your father needs to be on his computer. And you don’t! M: OK. Sorry, Mom. What are we having for dinner? Pizza?
W: Pizza?! I’ve made us a nice dinner of roast chicken, mushroom soup and vegetable salad. I
even made chocolate cake for dessert – and you want pizza!
M: Just kidding Mom! I love your cooking! Mmm I’m hungry, and it smells delicious! W: Billy! I told you to shut down all electronics!
M: Mom! This isn’t fair. You told me to turn off my computer and my TV – you didn’t say all
electronics – and you didn’t mention my cell phone! I have to check the news! My favorite
golf player just got in trouble for drunk driving! Please Mom! I have to find out! W: You can’t go five minutes without having your eyes on a screen! Hand me your phone. Now! I
am turning it off so we can have a nice dinner. M: OK Mom. Fine! Here’s my phone.
W: Now, where is your father?
M: Will you make Dad do the same? We never have family dinner anymore without Dad being on electronics!
W: Hmm, you know, Billy, you have a very good point. I think it’s time we had family dinner
without any electronics. Here’s our new rule: Just for 45 minutes over dinner, no electronics!
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Passage 1
We as a society have intense interest in the celebrity news prevalent in our media. One of the
key reasons is that in a world of constant death and disasters, celebrity news allows us to escape
from the “real news”. After all, the job of celebrities is to entertain us, so it’s only natural that
news about them would be a source of entertainment as well.
Of course the world isn’t always a depressing place filled with death, danger and sad events.
But the media presents a dominant coverage of them. Watching hours of that news makes you
depressed and want something different. This is why celebrity news fills that need for “happy
news” or “light news”.
Celebrities also tend to live life on the edge and overdo everything they are engaged in. They
long for attention and will do whatever to get it. We watch them with fascination as they party, do
drugs, escape the law, get caught by the law, get married or divorced, and so forth. Many people became attracted by the lifestyle of celebrities because they more or less wish
they had the same lives as the stars. Celebrity news fuels people’s desire to look like the stars,
dress like the stars, and even name children after the stars. It can be a source of making every life
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