A
The history of the Louvre Museum, which today contains one of the most important art collections in the world, dates back to the Middle Ages. Built in 1190 as a fortress (堡垒) to protect Paris from the Vikings, it was transformed into a place by Francesco I. Since then, for four centuries, French kings and emperors have expanded it. The glass pyramid of I. M. Pei was added to the courtyard of honor in 1989. All galleries can be reached from here.
The glass pyramid
The projects for the modernization and expression of the Louvre date back to 1981. They included the
construction of a main entrance to the museum. The American architect of Chinese origin----I. M. Pei----was in charge of the project. Pei designed a pyramid that had to become an entrance to the museum. Its glass walls allow visitors to admire the surrounding historic buildings and to light up the entrance hall.
The Louvre collection
The Louvre treasures can date hack to the collection of Francesco I (1515-1547), who bought
many Italian paintings. During the rule of Louis XIV(1643-1715) this amounted to only 200 artworks,
but it also increased as a result of donations and purchases. It was opened for the first time to the
public in 1793. Since then the Louvre collection has been continuously enriched.
The gallery guide
The main entrance is under the glass pyramid. The artworks are exposed on four floors: the
display rooms of the artworks are organized according to the countries they are from. There are
eight sections in all. The European painters’ collection is very large, with 40 percent of French
works, while the collection of sculptures is less complete.
21. What does the first paragraph say about the Louvre Museum?
A. It was first intended as a royal palace.
B. It has a history of less than ten centuries.
C. It has the largest art collection worldwide.
D. It experienced nonstop expansion in the past.
22. Which of the following is a function of the glass walls of the pyramid?
A. Acting as a good viewpoint.
B. Making visitors move faster.
C. Making the entrance hall less bright.
D. Preventing heat by reflecting sunlight.
23. The arrangement of the display rooms is based on the artworks’ __________.
A. historic values B. cultural meanings
C. countries of origin D. levels of perfection
