阅读理解。
The Peales were a famous family of American artists. Charles Willson Peale is best remembered for
his portraits of leading figures of the American Revolution. He painted portraits of Franklin and Jefferson
and over a dozen of George Washington. His life-size portrait of his sons Raphaelle and Titian was so
realistic that George Washington reportedly once tipped his hat to the figures in the picture.
Charles Willson Peale gave up painting in his middle age and devoted his life to the Peale museum,
which he founded in Philadelphia. The world’s first popular museum of art and natural science mainly
covered paintings by Peale and his family as well as displays of animals in their natural settings. Peale
found the animals himself and found a method to make the exhibits more lifelike. The museum’s most
popular display was the skeleton (骷髅) of a huge, extinct elephant, which Peale unearthed on a New
York farm in 1801.
Three of Peale’s seventeen children were also famous artists. Paphaelle Peale often painted still lives
of flowers, fruit, and cheese. His brother Rembrandt studied under his father and painted portraits of
many noted people, including one of George Washington. Another brother, Rubens Peale, painted
mostly landscapes and portraits.
James Peale, the brother of Charles Willson Peale, specialized in miniatures (小画像). His daughter
Sarah Miriam Peale was probably the first professional female portrait painter in America.
1. What is the main topic of the passage?
A. The life of Charles Willson Peale.
B. Portraits in the 18th century.
C. The Peale Museum.
D. A family of artists.
2. The author mentions in Paragraph 1 that Washington tipped his hat to the figures in the
painting to show that _______.
A. Charles Willson Peale’s painting was very lifelike
B. Washington respected Charles Willson Peale’s work
C. Washington was friendly with Raphaelle and Titian Peale
D. the painting of the two brothers was very large
3. Which of the following is NOT the child of Charles Willson Peale?
A. Titian Peale.
B. Rubens Peale.
C. Raphaelle Peale.
D. Sarah Miriam Peale.
4. The author’s attitude toward the Peales is in general _______.
A. puzzled
B. excited
C. admiring
D. disappointed
