托福阅读考前点睛系列(八)：作者目的题

　　但是不是所有的作者目的题，都只是段落的第一句话。每个段落的topic sentence位置不一样，或者说，每个例子对应的topic sentence位置不一样。我们再来看一个例子：

　　Sensitivity to physical laws is thus an important consideration for the maker of applied-art objects. It is often taken for granted that this is also true for the maker of fine-art objects. This assumption misses a significant difference between the two disciplines. Fine-art objects are not constrained by the laws of physics in the same way that applied-art objects are. Because their primary purpose is not functional, they are only limited in terms of the materials used to make them. Sculptures must, for example, be stable, which requires an understanding of the properties of mass, weight distribution, and stress. Paintings must have rigid stretchers so that the canvas will be taut, and the paint must not deteriorate, crack, or discolor. These are problems that must be overcome by the artist because they tend to intrude upon his or her conception of the work. For example, in the early Italian Renaissance, bronze statues of horses with a raised foreleg usually had a cannonball under that hoof. This was done because the cannonball was needed to support the weight of the leg. In other words, the demands of the laws of physics, not the sculptor’s aesthetic intentions, placed the ball there. That this device was a necessary structural compromise is clear from the fact that the cannonball quickly disappeared when sculptors learned how to strengthen the internal structure of a statue with iron braces (iron being much stronger than bronze).

　　6. Why does the author discuss the bronze statues of horses created by artists in the early Italian Renaissance?

　　○To provide an example of a problem related to the laws of physics that a fine artist must overcome

　　○To argue that fine artists are unconcerned with the laws of physics

　　○To contrast the relative sophistication of modern artists in solving problems related to the laws of physics

　　○To note an exceptional piece of art constructed without the aid of technology

　　在这道题目当中，我们需要先确定例子的位置，即加了阴影的地方。这个题目的特色是，出题点是一个非常长的自然段，一般这种比较长的自然段往往会有段落分层或者段中的转折，这样的话我们需要确定例子所在的位置在哪一层或者是在转折前还是转折后。我们先来分析一下这个段落的结构：

　　Sensitivity to physical laws is thus an important consideration for the maker of applied-art objects. It is often taken for granted that this is also true for the maker of fine-art objects. This assumption misses a significant difference between the two disciplines.这句话对前面的内容作了否定，即：这种假设忽视了两个规律之间的重要差别。 Fine-art objects are not constrained by the laws of physics in the same way that applied-art objects are. Because their primary purpose is not functional, they are only limited in terms of the materials used to make them. Sculptures must, for example, be stable, which requires an understanding of the properties of mass, weight distribution, and stress. Paintings must have rigid stretchers so that the canvas will be taut, and the paint must not deteriorate, crack, or discolor. These are problems that must be overcome by the artist because they tend to intrude upon his or her conception of the work.这句才是例子真正对应的核心句，作者举例子是为了证明这个观点 For example, in the early Italian Renaissance, bronze statues of horses with a raised foreleg usually had...

　　在这个段落当中，例子所对应的topic sentence变成了第八句，即These are problems that must be overcome by the artist because they tend to intrude upon his or her conception of the work.(这些都是艺术家必须克服的问题...)根据关键句的同义替换，我们选择第一个选项作为正确答案，即To provide an example of a problem related to the laws of physics that a fine artist must overcome (举一个关于艺术家必须跨越的关于物理学规律的例子)