B
A new study suggests classic paintings by well-known Impressionists Joseph Turner and Claude Monet may have been influenced by air pollution during the Industrial Revolution.
The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by authors from Harvard and Sorbonne universities, analyzed 60 oil paintings by Turner from 1796 to 1850 and 38 paintings by Monet from 1864 to 1901.
Scientists don't know exactly how polluted the cities were during that time for lack of data. However, researchers say examining the works of Turner and Monet can give a picture of long-term environmental change with the air pollution.
In particular, researchers said changes in local sulfur dioxide(二氧化硫) emissions from burning coal may explain changes in the colour contrast and intensity of Turner’s, Monet’s and others’ works, even after taking the artistic trends and subject matter of the time into account.
Scientists successfully measured painters’ representation of nature, focusing on differences in local weather patterns which influenced colour in works painted in different parts of Europe. Paintings done in Britain generally feature a paler blue sky than other works in other parts of the continent. Generally, artists can historically accurately represent their environment, so Turner and Monet were chosen because they are famous for their landscape and cityscape paintings and also because they were active during the Industrial Revolution, when air pollution grew at a rate never seen before.
Additionally, researchers say that as the air in London and Paris became more polluted, the cities would appear hazier(模糊的) to the eyes as well as in photographs. By comparing
the paintings of Turner and Monet to pictures from the era, they were able to determine the artists were at least partly influenced by the change in emissions.
()5. How did the researchers conduct the study?
A. By referring to relevant historical records.
B. By comparing the paintings of Turner and Monet.
C. By examining Impressionists’ works closely.
D. By analyzing local weather patterns in Europe.

()6. What did the researchers find in the works of Turner and Monet?
A. Signs of air pollution.
B. Changes in subject matter.
C. Social trends of the period.
D. Development of photography.
()7. What can we learn from paragraph 5?
A. European artists preferred landscape paintings.
B. Scientists focused on studying weather patterns.
C. Artists always intended to present the environment.
D. Britain suffered from air pollution most in Europe.
()8. What does the text mainly tell us?
A. The Industrial Revolution causes severe air pollution.
B. Air pollution makes itself a theme in Impressionist painting.
C. Impressionists’ works identify air pollution in the past.
D. Art mirrors the environment.

【语篇解读】本文是一篇说明文。一项新的研究表明,著名印象派画家约瑟夫·特纳和克劳德·莫奈的经典画作可能受到了工业革命期间空气污染的影响。
5. C 解析:细节理解题。根据第二段的内容“来自哈佛大学和索邦大学的作者在《美国国家科学院院刊》上发表了这项研究,分析了特纳1796年至1850年的60幅油画和莫奈1864年至1901年的38幅油画。”可知,科学家通过分析印象派画家的作品探查工业革命时期的空气污染情况。故选C。
6. A 解析:细节理解题。根据第三段中的“However, researchers say examining the works of Turner and Monet can give a picture of long-term environmental change with the air pollution.”可知,研究人员在特纳和莫奈的作品中发现了当时存在空气污染的迹象。故选A。
7. D 解析:推理判断题。根据第五段中的“Scientists successfully measured painters' representation of nature ... in other parts of the continent.(科学家们成功地测量了画家对自然的再现,重点研究了影响欧洲不同地区画作色彩的当地天气模式的差异。在英国创作的画作中,天空的蓝色通常比欧洲大陆其他地区的画作的要淡一些。)”可推知,英国在欧洲遭受空气污染最严重。故选D。
8. C 解析:主旨大意题。根据第一段的内容以及下文可知,一项新的研究表明,著名印象派画家约瑟夫·特纳和克劳德·莫奈的经典画作可能受到了工业革命期间空气污染的影响,文章介绍了该研究开展的过程以及发现。故C选项“Impressionists' works identify air pollution in the past.(印象派的作品显示了过去的空气污染。)”符合题意。故选C。