Question

On the basis of cultural relativism, the values of artistic works are simply reflections of local social and economic conditions. Such a view, however, fails to explain the ability of some works of art to excite the human mind across cultures and through centuries.

History has seen the endless productions of Shakespearean plays in every major language of the world. It is never rare to find that Mozart packs Japanese concert halls, as Japanese painter Hiroshige does Paris galleries. Unique works of this kind are different from today’s popular art, even if they began as works of popular art. They have set themselves apart in their timeless appeal and will probably be enjoyed for centuries into the future.

In a 1757 essay, the philosopher David Hume argued that because “the general principles of taste are uniform(不變的) in human nature, “the value of some works of art might be essentially permanent. He observed that Homer was still admired after two thousand years. Works of this type, he believed, spoke to deep and unvarying features of human nature and could continue to exist over centuries.

Now researchers are applying scientific methods to the study of the universality of art. For example, evolutionary psychology is being used by literary scholars to explain the long-lasting themes and plot devices in fiction. The structures of musical pieces are now open to experimental analysis as never before. Research findings seem to indicate that the creation by a great artist is as permanent an achievement as the discovery by a great scientist.

1.According to the passage, what do we know about cultural relativism?

A. It introduces different cultural values.

B. It explains the history of artistic works.

C. It excites the human mind throughout the world.

D. It relates artistic values to local conditions.

2.In Paragraph 2, the artists are mentioned in order to show that _____.

A. popular arts are hardly distinguishable from great arts

B. history gives art works special appeal to set them apart

C. great works of art can go beyond national boundaries

D. great artists are skilled at combining various cultures

3.According to Hume, some works of art can exist for centuries because _____.

A. they appeal to unchanging features of human nature

B. they establish some general principles of art

C. they are created by the world’s greatest artists

D. they are the results of scientific study

4.Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage?

A. Is Cultural Relativism Scientific?

B. Are Popular Arts Permanent?

C. Is Human Nature Uniform?

D. Are Artistic Values Universal?

Answer 1