2021届高考英语复习之高考真题阅读词块精析(三十二).pdfVIP

2021高考英语复习之高考真题阅读词块精析（三十二） 2020北京卷（C篇） For the past five years, Paula Smith, a historian of science, has devoted herself to re-creating long-forgotten techniques. While doing research for her new book, she came across a 16th-century French manuscript （手稿）consisting of nearly 1,000 sets of instructions, covering subjects from tool making to finding the best sand. The authors intention remains as mysterious （神秘）as his name; he may have been simply taking notes for his own records. But Smith was struck mainly by the fact that she didnt truly grasp any of the skills the author described. You simply cant get an understanding of that handwork by reading about it, she says. Though Smith did get her hands on the best sand, doing things the old-fashioned way isnt just about playing around with French mud. Reconstructing the work of the craftsmen （工匠）who lived centuries ago can reveal how they viewed the world, what objects filled their homes, an what went on in the workshops that produced them. It can even help solve present-day problems: In 2015, scientists discovered that a 10th-century English medicine for eve problems could kill a drug-resistant virus. The work has also brought insights for museums, Smith says. One must know how on object was made in order to preserve it. Whats more, reconstructions might be the only way to know what treasures looked like before time wore them down. Scholars have seen this idea in practice with ancient Greek an Roman statues. These sculptures were painte a rainbow of striking colours. We cant appreciate these kinds of details without seeing works of art as they originally appeared-something Smith believes you can do only when you have a road map. Smith has put the manuscripts ideas into practice. Her final goal is to link the worlds of art and science back together: She believes that bringi