英语听力：自然百科 达芬奇的自画像？

 Experts have revealed what they believe is a previously¹ unknown portrait of Leonado da Vinci. It shows Da Vinci as a middle-aged² man with piercing eyes and long flowing hair. The painting was found in December by a medieval historian, studying in the art collection of a family from Italy southern Basilicata region. The portrait is partially³ damaged by scratches. It was hidden beneath another painting on the same canvas.

 

The discovery was extraordinary in the sense that at first, when this work of art was found, it was completely different from the one that we see today at the present moment. It was very much a deteriorated⁴ work, covered with natural paints. Therefore, it was difficult to read. In the process of the first operations of cleaning and removal of paint, the figure of this particular subject appeared.

 

Carbon 14 analysis of the woods supporting the canvas dated the material to the late 15th century or early 16th century, a time when Leonado was still alive. But experts stress the age of the woods does not necessarily mean the portrait was painted at that time. Vinci fans believe the portrait could be a work by Leonado himself as the back of canvas carries the Latin words "PINXIT MEA", written in reverse, meaning "painted by myself", which are one of the artist's established trademarks⁵. The name of the artist who painted image was still being investigated. But the experts did rule out that it was a Leonado self-portrait.

 

We are in the middle of researching, discussing and comparing several hypotheses that however must have a just measure on appropriate limit. Certainly we are not in front of, for what we can see from the surface of the painting, a work that can be related to Leonado. This is absolutely unthinkable. It's not even a dream. Of course, you could dream about everything.

1 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

2 middle-aged   

adj.中年的

参考例句：

• I noticed two middle-aged passengers.我注意到两个中年乘客。
• The new skin balm was welcome by middle-aged women.这种新护肤香膏受到了中年妇女的欢迎。

3 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

4 deteriorated   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Her health deteriorated rapidly, and she died shortly afterwards. 她的健康状况急剧恶化，不久便去世了。
• His condition steadily deteriorated. 他的病情恶化，日甚一日。

5 trademarks   

n.（注册）商标( trademark的名词复数 )；（人的行为或衣着的）特征，标记

参考例句：

• Motrin and Nuprin are trademarks of brands of ibuprofen tablets. Nuprin和Motrin均是布洛芬的商标。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many goods in China have the trademarks of a panda. 中国的许多商品都带有熊猫的商标。 来自《简明英汉词典》