劉文勇GRE寫作Argument題庫 Day 64

Day 64 Collectors prize the ancient life-size clay statues of human figures made on Kali Island

Collectors prize the ancient life-size clay statues of human figures made on Kali Island but have long wondered how Kalinese artists were able to depict bodies with such realistic precision. Since archaeologists have recently discovered molds of human heads and hands on Kali, we can now conclude that the ancient Kalinese artists used molds of actual bodies, not sculpting tools and techniques, to create these statues. This discovery explains why Kalinese miniature statues were abstract and entirely different in style: molds could be used only for life-size sculptures. It also explains why few ancient Kalinese sculpting tools have been found. In light of this discovery, collectors predict that the life-size sculptures will decrease in value while the miniatures increase in value.

Write a response in which you discuss what questions would need to be answered in order to decide whether the prediction and the argument on which it is based are reasonable. Be sure to explain how the answers to these questions would help to evaluate the prediction.

五問：

（1）“Collectors prize the ancient life-size clay statues of human figures made on Kali Island but have long wondered how Kalinese artists were able to depict bodies with such realistic precision. Since archaeologists have recently discovered molds of human heads and hands on Kali”是事實， “collectors predict that the life-size sculptures will decrease in value while the miniatures increase in value”是結(jié)論，值得反駁嗎？

（2）我們能否簡單地認為，考古學家最近發(fā)現(xiàn)了人類的頭和手的模型，就意味著古代 Kali Island的藝術(shù)家使用了這種模型而不是其他方法來制造人像？是否能確定除了頭和手之外，身體的其他部位也是用模型的方法來制作的？我們甚至不知道這些人體模型是否被 Kali Island的藝術(shù)家所使用。另外，即便這的確是這些藝術(shù)家所使用的方法之一，它也未必是唯一的一種方法，同時也未必是最重要的一種。

（3）即便上文關(guān)于模型的說法真的成立，我們也不能認為它解釋了 Kali Island的小型雕像的特點由來。這種特色是否可能來自其他的緣由？你能試著構(gòu)思一兩個嗎？譬如：小型雕像的用途與大型雕像不同，不需要按統(tǒng)一標準制作；或者藝術(shù)家通過抽象的手法來表達夸張的美感或內(nèi)在的含義。

（4）“僅有很少的雕塑工具被發(fā)現(xiàn)”的原因可能有很多，除了原文提到的原因之外，你還能想到哪些原因？能試著構(gòu)思一兩個嗎？例如：工具可能因為各種原因被毀壞了，或者僅僅是考古學家還未找到而已。

（5）藝術(shù)品的價格由哪些因素決定？你能列舉一兩個嗎？比如：作者的名氣、作品的歷史價值等。一件藝術(shù)品的來歷被解釋清楚后，其價格一定會下降嗎？