The earliest controversies about the relationship between photography and art centered on whether photograph’s fidelity to appearances and dependence on a machine allowed it to be a fine art as distinct from merely a practical art. Throughout the nineteenth century, the defense of photography was identical with the struggle to establish it as a fine art. Against the charge that photography was a soulless, mechanical copying of reality, photographers asserted that it was instead a privileged way of seeing, a revolt against commonplace vision, and no less worthy an art than painting.Ironically, now that photography is securely established as a fine art, many photographers find it pretentious or irrelevant to label it as such. Serious photographers variously claim to be finding, recording, impartially observing, witnessing events, exploring themselves—anything but making works of art. They are no longer willing to debate whether photography is or is not a fine art, except to proclaim that their own work is not involved with art. It shows the extent to which they simply take for granted the concept of art imposed by the triumph of Modernism: the better the art, the more subversive it is of the traditional aims of art.Photographers’ disclaimers of any interest in making art tell us more about the harried status of the contemporary notion of art than about whether photography is or is not art. For example, those photographers who suppose that, by taking pictures, they are getting away from the pretensions of art as exemplified by painting remind us of those Abstract Expressionist painters who imagined they were getting away from the intellectual austerity of classical Modernist painting by concentrating on the physical act of painting. Much of photography’s prestige today derives from the convergence of its aims with those of recent art, particularly with the dismissal of abstract art implicit in the phenomenon of Pop painting during the1960’s. Appreciating photographs is a relief to sensibilities tired of the mental exertions demanded by abstract art. Classical Modernist painting—that is, abstract art as developed indifferent ways by Picasso, Kandinsky, and Matisse—presupposes highly developed skills of looking and a familiarity with other paintings and the history of art. Photography, like Pop painting, reassures viewers that art is not hard; photography seems to be more about its subjects than about art.Photography, however, has developed all the anxieties and self-consciousness of a classic Modernist art. Many professionals privately have begun to worry that the promotion of photography as an activity subversive of the traditional pretensions of art has gone so far that the public will forget that photography is a distinctive and exalted activity—in short, an art.47. What is the author mainly concerned with? The author is concerned with ______.48. Which of the following adjectives best describes “the concept of art imposed by the triumph of Modernism” as the author represents it in paragraph 2?49. Why does the author introduce Abstract Expressionist painter?50. How did the nineteenth-century defenders of photography stress the photography?
It is imperative for the Chairman to look into this mate personally.
Opponents of affirmative action say the battle over the use of race in college admissions is hardly over, despite the Supreme Court’s ruling Monday upholding the goal of a diverse student body. Higher education leaders overwhelmingly hailed the decision, saying it reaffirmed policies used by must selective colleges and universities. But some critics raised the possibility of more lawsuits, and promised to continue pressuring the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights to investigate questionable policies. “We’re talking about admissions programs, scholarships, any program...only for minorities or in which the standards used to judge admissions are substantially different.” says Linda Chavez, founder and president of the Center for Equal Opportunity, a conservative non-profit group.Others say they’ll take their case to voters. “We have to seriously contest all this at the ballot box.” says University of California regent Ward Connerly, who helped win voter approval of California’s Proposition 209, which prohibits considering race or gender in public education, hiring and contracting. Because of that law, Monday’s ruling had no practical impact in the state. “It may be time for us to...let the (Michigan) voters decide if they want to use race as a factor in admissions.” Connerly said.Meanwhile, U.S. Education Secretary Rod Paige, consistent with President Bush’s stance opposing affirmative action, said the Department of Education will “continue examining and highlighting effective race-neutral approaches to ensure broad access to and diversity within our public institutions”. Even Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, in one of the opinions, recommended that states look for lessons in race-neutral programs being tried in California and elsewhere. While the ruling said admissions officials may consider race in the selection process, colleges and universities are not obligated to do so. “Ultimately in the debate, diversity is a choice, not a legal mandate.” says Arthur Coleman, a former Department of Education official who now helps colleges and universities ensure constitutional policies.The public, too, remains conflicted, largely along racial lines. According to a January poll by the nonprofit research organization Public Agenda, 79% of Americans said it is important for colleges to have a racially diverse student body, while just 54% said affirmative action programs should continue. In a Gallup poll conducted days before the ruling, 49% of adults said they favor affirmative action and 43% did not, with blacks and Hispanics far more likely to favor the practice than whites. And some educators doubt that with Monday’s ruling, those opposing affirmative action will change their minds.For now, admissions officials and university lawyers are poring over the ruling to determine how or whether to adjust policies. While most tend to be closed-mouthed about admissions policies, many say they don’t expect significant changes.1. What the critics said in the first paragraph amounts to the idea that ________.
Just as there are occupations that require college or even higher degrees, ______ occupations for which technical training is necessary.
The floods did not start to ______ until two days after the rain had stopped.
As a child, time used to move as slowly as lightning bugs drift in the summer evening skies, but as an adult, time is_____.