“I would almost rather see you dead.” Bobert S. Cassatt, a leading banker of Philadelphia, shouted when his twenty-year-old eldest daughter announced that she wanted to become an artist. In the 19th century, playing at drawing or painting on dishes was all right for a young lady, but serious work in art was not. And when the young lady’s family racked among(擠身于) the best of Philadelphia’s social(社會各界的) families, such an idea could not even be considered.

That was how Mary Cassatt, born 1844, began her struggle as an artist. She did not tremble before her father’s anger, she opposed(反對) him with courage and at last made him change his mind. Many Cassatt gave up her social position and all thoughts of a thousand and a family, which in those times was unthinkable for a young lady. In the end, after long years of hard work and perseverance(堅持), she became America’s most important woman artist and the internationally recognized leading woman painter of the time.

1. How did Mr Cassatt react(反應) when his daughter made her announcement?

A. He feared for her life. B. He was very angry.

C. He nearly killed her. D. He warned her.

2. What in fact was Mr Cassatt’s main reason in opposing his daughter’s wish?

A. Drawing and painting was simply unthinkable among ladies in those days.

B. He did not believe his daughter wanted to work seriously in art.

C. He believed an artist’s life would be too hard for his daughter.

D. Ladies of good families simply did not become artists in those times.

3. What made Mary Cassatt’s “struggle” to become a recognized artist especially hard?

A. She was a woman B. Her father opposed her.

C. She had no social position. D. She didn’t come from an artist’s family.

4. What do we know about Mary Cassatt’s marriage?

A. Her marriage failed because she never gave a thought to her husband and family.

B. She never married because she did not want to be just a wife and mother.

C. After marriage she decided to give up her husband rather than her career.

D. She did not marry because for a lady of her social position to marry below her was unthinkable.

5. What do we know about Robert Cassatt’s character from the text?

A. He was a cruel man. B. He was a stubborn (固執的) man.

B. He knew nothing about art. D. He knew little about his daughter.

The key :

6. B A A B D

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