Who Was Leonardo da Vinci 达·芬奇 THE REBIRTH

THE FRENCH WORD RENAISSANCE¹ MEANS “REBIRTH.” IT IS THE NAME GIVEN TO ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING PERIODS IN HISTORY. IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO GIVE EXACT DATES. BUT THE RENAISSANCE LASTED FROM THE EARLY OR MIDDLE 1400S TO AROUND 1600.

THE WORD IS FRENCH, BUT THE RED-HOT CENTER OF THE RENAISSANCE WAS ITALY. IT WAS A TIME OF CREATIVITY, NEW IDEAS, AND NEW WAYS OF THINKING. THE PURPOSE OF LIFE WAS NOT SOLELY² TO DIE AND GO TO HEAVEN. THERE WERE GREAT THINGS THAT PEOPLE COULD ACCOMPLISH HERE ON EARTH. THE TERM “RENAISSANCE MAN” REFERS TO SOMEONE WHO IS GOOD AT EVERYTHING; LEONARDO WAS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF ONE. ARTISTS NOW CELEBRATED³ THE HUMAN BODY IN LIFELIKE PAINTINGS. SCHOLARS STUDIED WORKS OF ANCIENT GREEK AND ROMAN THINKERS THAT HAD BEEN LOST FOR CENTURIES. EXPLORERS SAILED TO UNKNOWN PARTS OF THE WORLD.

NEW CONTINENTS WERE DISCOVERED. SCIENTISTS WERE MAKING STARTLING⁴ DISCOVERIES, TOO, ABOUT THE UNIVERSE. IN MANY WAYS, THE RENAISSANCE WAS THE START OF MODERN TIMES.

1 renaissance   

n.复活，复兴，文艺复兴

参考例句：

• The Renaissance was an epoch of unparalleled cultural achievement.文艺复兴是一个文化上取得空前成就的时代。
• The theme of the conference is renaissance Europe.大会的主题是文艺复兴时期的欧洲。

2 solely   

adv.仅仅，唯一地

参考例句：

• Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
• The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。

3 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

4 startling   

a.令人吃惊的，惊人的

参考例句：

• He asked us to be quiet and then made a startling announcement. 他叫我们安静下来，然后宣布了一条令人吃惊的消息。
• We should draw a moral from the startling fact. 我们应当从这些触目惊心的事实中吸取教训。