Comprehension - Intermediate . [ 18 ]

[ 18 ] Comprehension . 

[  18  ] Intermediate 

Read the following , then answer the questions below :

               Nowadays , it is more useful to have a photograph taken than to have a portrait painted . But kings and queens , famous and rich people and some politicians still ask artists to paint their portraits .

              The portrait of Mona Lisa is the most famous painting in the world . We often see her on postcards , posters and advertisements . The artist Leonardo da Vinci began the painting in 1503 . It took him several years to complete . There are questions that are still unanswered . Take her mysterious smile for example . Is she mocking us ? Is she sad ? Does she have a secret which she can’t share with others ?What about her eyes ? Is she looking at us or is she looking at something behind us ? Her slight smile and her mysterious eyes create a strange expression . The lady in the portrait looks charming and yet distant . She was a woman of the 16^th century , dressed in the fashion of Florence . Who was she ? One theory says that she was the wife of Fransesco del Giocondo , an aristocrat . That is why people call her La Gioconda as well.

The most extraordinary theory is that the painting was modeled on da Vinci himself! 

                  The painting was admired so much that many skillful artists painted copied . Today thousands of people line up every day in the Louvre Museum to see this masterpiece , the Mona Lisa .

A-] Answer the following questions :

1-] Who like to have their portraits painted nowadays ?

……………………………………………………………………………………….

2-] How is the portrait of Mona Lisa famous ?

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3-] What do her smile and eyes do ?

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4-] Why do some people call her La Gioconda ?

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B-] Choose the correct answer :

1-] The word “ extraordinary” means

A-] mysterious . B-] unusual . C-] unanswered . D-] imaginary .

2-] The theory says that the husband of Mona Lisa was

A-] a king.      B-] Leonardo da Vinci .      C-] Fransececo del Giocondo .                  D-] a portraitist .

3-] The painting was admired so much that

A-] many people have it in their homes . B-] women liked to be like her .

C-] many artists painted copies of it . D-] Florence keeps the painting in a museum .