在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.carbon dioxide 二氧化碳 2.absorbing 吸收 3.species 种 4.extinct 灭绝 5.declare 宣布 原文 Preservation of Forests Many thousands of years ago，much of the world's land area was covered in forests. Since that time，people have needed to clear the forests by cutting the trees in order to make room for their farms and cities. Today，forests are still being cleared，and many people are worried that too much forest area is being lost. There are many reasons why it is important to preserve forests. One reason is that the trees inside the forests help to remove carbon dioxide from the air and put oxygen back into the air. This is important，because scientists believe that too much carbon dioxide in the air might be causing the world's temperature increase quickly. The forests might help to reduce the problem by absorbing carbon dioxide from the air. Another reason for preserving forests is maintain many different species of plants and animals. The forests are the home of a huge variety of plants and animals，which will be extinct if the forests are destroyed. These plants and animals are both beautiful and interesting，but they also have practical benefits for people. For example，doctors believe that many diseases might be treated by chemicals that are obtained from forest plants. Forests are also important for providing wood，or lumber，but sometimes people cut down too many trees for lumber. To preserve the forests，it is important to ensure that the amount of wood removed is not more than the amount of new wood that grows in the forest. Otherwise，the forest will gradually disappear. In many parts of the world，forests have already been cleared. In recently years，many forests have been cleared in South America，Africa，and southeast Asia. In other parts of the world，the forests had been cleared a long time ago. There are only a few areas of the world where very large areas of forests have not yet been changed by people. These areas include the Amazon rain forest in Brazil，and the northern forests of Canada，Alaska，and Siberia. Some countries have passed laws to protect their forests from being cleared. For example，a country can declare its forest areas to be a national park and prevent the forests from being cut down. However，this is very difficult for poor countries to do. The people may want to cut down the forests to obtain wood，to gain access to natural resources in the forest areas ，or to have new land for farming. When forests are cut down to gain new farmland，however，people usually find that the soil is not very good for farming. It is a difficult challenge to provide opportunities for poor people of these countries，and to protect the forests at the same time. However，it is very important that this challenge be met successfully because the forests will be needed by future generations of people.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.politics 政治 2.printer 印刷商 3.almanace 年历 4.experiments 实验 5.bifocals 双光眼镜 6.supervised 监督 7.ambassador 大使 原文 Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin was one of the most famous people in American history. He was never a President of the United States，but he made great achievements in many areas in life，including business，literature，science，and politics. Benjamin Franklin was born in the city of Boston，during the year 1706. In his early years，Franklin was very poor. As a young man，he worked for his older brother，who was a printer. However，the two brother soon argued with each other. Benjamin decided to leave，and he moved to the city of Philadelphia. He worked very hard and soon became a successful printer. He published his own newspapers，and he also published books called almanacs，which contained many wise sayings. Many of the wise sayings in Franklin's almanacs are still repeated today. Franklin's printing business was very successful ，but he was also very interested in science. He performed experiments on the topic of electricity. Some of these experiments were very dangerous. In one experiment，Franklin was almost killed when he went outside during a lightning storm and flew a kite that had a metal key attached. However，Franklin was lucky enough to avoid injury，and he learned new facts about electricity. In addition to scientific research，Franklin was also an inventor. He invented a new kind of eye-glasses called“bifocals”. Bifocals are eye-glasses that allow people to see things that are far away，but also allow them to read things that are very close. Another invention was a new kind of stove for burning wood. This new stove was much more efficient than the older stove had been. He also invented a new lightning rod，which keeps house safe from lightning. Franklin was also interested in making his city a better place to live. He started a public library，and he helped to organize a hospital and a fire department. In addition，he supervised the postal service，which operated profitably under his command. In his later years，Franklin became heavily involved in politics. For most of Franklin's life，the United Sates was not yet a country. Instead，the states were still colonies of England，but Franklin encouraged other Americans to become an independent country. When the United States became a country，Franklin became the American ambassador to France. The French people like Franklin very much. Franklin later returned to the United States，and he died in 1790. Today，many Americans still admire the brilliant achievements of Benjamin Franklin，who did so much to improve people's lives. The picture of Benjamin Franklin can be seen on the American one hundred-dollar bill.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.trial by jury 陪审团审判 2.accused 控告 3.guilt 罪犯 4.innocence 无辜 5.crime 罪行 6.jurors 陪审员 7.ridiculous 荒唐的 8.ordeal 折磨 9.blistered 起泡 10.combat 搏斗 11.witchcraft 巫术 12.barbaric 野蛮 13.victim 受害者 14.bias 偏见 15.prejudice 成见 16.accurate 精确的 17.inconvenient 不方便 原文 The History of Trial by Jury In most English-speaking countries，a person is accused of a crime has the right to a“trial by jury”. In a trial by jury，the guilt or innocence of the accused person is decided by a group of 12 people，called jurors，who must listen to the evidence about this case. The idea of trial by jury is over 800 years old，but there was a time when criminal cases were decided in other ways. Today，many of these methods seem ridiculous and cruel. Many accused people were forced to undergo a trial by ordeal. There were several different kinds of this trial. For example，in the ordeal by fire，an accused man was forced to carry a red-hot piece iron in his hand. People believed that if the man was innocent，then the gods would protect him，and his hand would not be burned or blistered by the iron. Another form of the trial by ordeal was the ordeal by combat. If one person accused another of a crime，they would be forced to fight each other with some weapon. People believed that the gods would help the man who was right and allow him to win the fight. Yet another kind of ordeal was the ordeal by water. If a woman was accused of a crime，such as witchcraft，she might be thrown into a river with rocks attached to her. People believed that if the gods would help an innocent woman and allow her to float on the water. Gradually，people realized that the trial by ordeal was a completely worthless way to judge person's innocence or guilt. They wanted a less barbaric way to decide criminal cases. During the twelfth century，a new method was introduced by one of the kings of the England，Henry the Second. Henry said that criminal cases should be decided by the opinions of twelve honest men who knew about the crime，the victim，and the accused person. This was the beginning of trial by jury in English-speaking countries，and the method soon became very popular. People trusted this new method much more than they trusted the old methods Later，the system of trial by jury changed somewhat. Instead of having twelve men and women who knew about the crime，juries were chosen so that the twelve people did not know anything about the crime. This change ensures that the jurors do not have any bias or prejudice about the case. When jurors do not know any of the people involve in the case，their decisions are more like to be fair and accurate. Today，citizen in many countries are called occasionally for jury duty. This can be inconvenient for the people who are busy with their work and family life. However，many men and women are willing to serve on juries because of a feeling of responsibility to society. The use of juries in criminal cases helps to ensure that justice is done.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.element 元素 2.cardio-vascular fitness 心血管健康 3.rowing 划船 4.steady 稳定 5.recreational 娱乐 6.strength 力量 7.endurance 耐力 8.palms 手心 原文 Physical Fitness In modern society，many people find that they do not get very much exercise. They travel by bus，train，or car，and they can move up or down in elevators. They have machines that do most of the heavy work that was once done by people. However，exercise is important for staying healthy. A person who exercises frequently will be“physically fit”. There are different aspects of physical fitness. One important element of being physically fit is called cardio-vascular fitness The words“cardio-vascular” refers to the heart and lungs. If one's heart and lungs are good condition，then one can exercise at a steady pace without soon getting tired. To devolve cardio-vascular fitness，it is important to perform some exercise that makes one's heart beat quickly. For example，a person can improve cardio-vascular fitness by riding a bicycle，by running，by swimming，by rowing，or even by walking quickly. Some people go to special places called“health clubs”or“gyms”，where they can use different exercise machines to develop their cardio-vascular fitness. But many people improve their cardio-vascular fitness by playing recreational sports，such as tennis or soccer，or by dancing vigorously. By having good cardio-vascular fitness，one is less likely to suffer from heart disease. Of course，there is one way to improve cardio-vascular fitness that does not involve exercise：stop smoking！ Another important aspect of physical fitness is called flexibility. Flexibility refers to one's ability to stretch comfortably. For example，a healthy person should be able to touch his or her toes without bending the legs. People can perform various stretching exercises to improve flexibility. By being flexible，a person can avoid injuries that might otherwise affect their body. Yet another important aspect of physical fitness is the strength and endurance of one's muscles. Many people suffer from injuries that result，in part，from weakness of the muscles. Muscular strength and endurance can be improved by a variety of exercises. Some of these exercises involve lifting a weight，but other exercises simply involve pushing and pulling against the weight of one's own body. One example is an exercise called the“push-up”. In this exercise，a person lies on the floor，with the face pointing down. The person bends his or her arms，so that palms of the hands are on the floor，next to the shoulders. The person then pushes with his or her arms，lifting the upper part of the body above the ground until the arms are straight. Before starting to do any exercises，it is a good idea to have a medical check-up. Some people do not want to exercise，because they think it will be too much work. However，many people find that they feel very good when they exercise. Exercising can be an enjoyable and fun way to maintain health and fitness.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.extreme 极端 2.anorexia 厌食症 3.disorder 混乱 4.bulimia 贪食症 5.eliminate 消除 6.vomiting 呕吐 7.surgery 外科手术 8.implanted 植入 9.steroids 类固醇 原文 Worries About Physical Appearance Most people would like to have an attractive physical appearance，but some people become very worried about the way they look. This can sometimes lead them to do things that are unhealthy. For example，many women believe that they must be very thin in order to be attractive. They see pictures of fashion models who are very thin and then believe that an attractive woman must look the same way. However，many men prefer the appearance of women who are not so thin. In order to become thin，some try to reduce the amount of food that they eat. When this is taken to an extreme，a woman might eat far too little food to remain healthy. Her weight might become dangerously low，as she tries to be thinner and thinner. This condition is called“anorexia”，and it effects many thousands of women in Western countries. Anorexia is one of several conditions known as eating disorders. Another eating disorder is called“bulimia”. A woman who has bulimia will sometimes eat larger amounts of food，but then will try to eliminate the food，by vomiting. This is intended to prevent to weight gain，but it is also a very unhealthy behavior. Unfortunately，some women are concerned about being very thin，but some women have different concerns related to their appearance of their body. For example，some women believe that their breasts are not larger enough，and undergo surgery to enlarge their breasts. In this surgery，some artificial substance is implanted inside the breast to make it larger. Many women have had this surgery，but many of them have suffered serious health problems as a result. In recently years，many men have also become very concerned about their physical appearance. For example，some men believe that they must become very muscular in order to have an attractive appearance. To achieve this appearance，some men use drug called steroids，which make it possible to gain large amounts of muscle. However，steroids can have a very unhealthy side effects. In addition to drugs，some men have used surgery to changed their physical appearance. For example，some men have had implants to their arms，legs or chest appear larger. It is unfortunate that so many men feel so unhappy about their physical appearance and that they do unhealthy things to change the way they look. Of course，everyone should try to be healthy，but people must also learn to accept their physical appearance. Many different body types can be attractive，and there is no single idea body type There is no need to use unnatural methods of changing one's body.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.tragic 悲剧 2.obtain 获得 3.rival 对抗 4.brutal 残酷 5.abolished 废除 6.Civil War 美国南北战争 7.descendants 后代 8.racial prejudice 种族偏见 原文 African Slavery in the Americas One of the most tragic parts of the history of North and South America is the period of African slavery. For hundreds of years，many people were taken from African，by force，to work in the fields of many different countries in North and South America. When Europeans first came to the Americas，some of them realized that they might make money by growing crops and selling them in Europe. However，in order to make money，they would need a cheap source of labor. Few Europeans would come to the Americas to work for the low wages，so instead，the landowners looks for slaves. In the areas of the great farms，or plantations，there were few Indians，so they used another source of slaves：Africa. The plantation owners usually obtained slaves by buying them from local kings in western Africa. This led to many wars between rival kings within Africa，who tried to capture each other's people to sell them as slaves. A few kings tried to avoid the slave trade，but this was very difficult. During the period of several hundred years，from the 1500s to the 1800s，about 12 million people were taken from western Africa to the Americas. Many more people died as slaves before leaving Africa，and many more died on the ships that took them to the Americas. This was because the conditions on the ships were extremely unhealthy：the ships were far too crowded，and there was little food and water. When the African slaves arrived in the Americas，the plantation owners made them work on the farms that produced goods such as cotton and sugar. In many places，the work was very hard，and many of the slaves died from overwork They were then replaced by other slaves who arrived from Africa. However，many slaves survived despite the brutal conditions. In some places，the African slaves were able to revolt against the plantation owners. However，this was difficult because the slaves who had recently arrived spoke different languages. Some slaves escaped into wilderness areas and were able to remain free from the plantation owners. As time went by，many people in Europe and in Americas realized that slavery was wrong. By the 1830s，slavery had been end ，or abolished in islands owned by the British，and in parts of the United States. In the southern United States，slavery was ended in the 1860s，during the Civil War In some countries，such as Brazil and Cuba，slavery only ended in the 1880s. Today，many millions of people in North and South America are the descendants of slaves who were brought from Africa. The effects of slavery have lasted for many generations，and there was much racial prejudice against African people even when slavery ended. However，some have achieved success despite these disadvantages. Today，the people of African background in North and South America are a very important part in population in many countries.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.Germanic language 日耳曼语 2.Dutch 荷兰人 3.distinct 不同 4.derived 来源 5.conquered 征服 6.ancient 古代 7.Celtic languages 凯尔特语 原文 The History of the English Language Most people know that the English language is spoken by many millions of people around the world. However，few people are aware of the history of the English language. Today，English is one language，but in some ways it is a mixture of many different languages. The English language is most closely related to a group of languages called the Germanic languages. The group also includes languages such as German and Dutch. About 1500 years ago，these languages were not yet distinct from each other. Some of the people of Germany and the Netherlands then moved to England. Those people were called the Anglo-Saxons，and their language then evolved into English. Most of the basic words of English language are derived from these very old Anglo-Saxon languages. For example，the words for the path of the body，for numbers and for animals are mostly Anglo-Saxon languages. Some new words are brought to England over 1000 years ago by people who came from the Scandinavia countries of northern Europe. Many words that begin with the letters“sk”，such as skin and skill，are Scandinavia words. A major change happened in the English language after the year 1066. In that year，England was conquered by a king from the northern part of France. He and his followers spoke French，so French became an important language in England. During the next few hundred years，the England language absorbed a very large number of French words. In fact，today's English dictionaries contain more words of French origin than of Anglo-Saxon origin. Part of the reason why the English language has so many words is that it has two words for each idea，one word of Anglo-Saxon origin and one word of French origin. Many more word entered the English language a few hundred years ago，when science and technology became more widespread. Most scientific and technical words are derived from words of the ancient languages of Latin and Greek. Because there are so many of these scientific and technical words in the English language today，the influence of Latin and Greek has been quite large. Other languages have also contributed many words to the English language. Some word have come from the Celtic languages，spoken in Ireland，Scotland and Wales. Many words have been added to the English language by immigrants who came to North America from various countries of Europe. Also，many words have been adopted from the Native Languages of North America，Australia，and the Pacific，and from the languages of people in Africa and Asia. All of these words have made English a very interesting language！

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.immigration illegal 移民问题 2.prominent 杰出的 原文 Chinese People in North America In recent years，many people have moved to North America from China，but many people do not know Chinese people have a long history in Canada and the United States. During the nineteen century，both Canada and the United States were rapidly expanding to the west，toward to the Pacific Ocean. In those days，there were of course no cars or airplanes to allow people and goods to move across the land. Instead，the best method of long-distance transportation was the railroad. Railway trains could move quickly across the countryside. However，there were one problem：before the railway trains could run，railroads had be built across very long distances. To build the railroads was a very big job. Many men would be needed because the distance was so long and the land was so difficult，with many mountains and rivers to be crossed. For the men who own the railway companies，it would be too expensive to hire Canadian or American men to build the railroads，because those workers only work for high wages. The railroad owners decided to get workers from overseas. Many Chinese men were willing to work for low wages because they were very poor. These men would work very hard and send much of the money to their relatives in China. Thousands of Chinese men were brought to North America to work on the railroads. They did good work，but their employers treated them badly. The work day was very long，and the working conditions were very unsafe. Many Chinese men died in accidents while constructing the railroads. Some Chinese women also came to North America，but there were many more men than women. After the railroads were completed，by about the year 1900，very few Chinese people were allowed to come to North America. Most people in Canada and the United States were not familiar with Chinese people，and did not want strangers to come to their countries. Any Chinese person who came to North America had to pay an expensive tax. This made it difficult for Chinese men to bring their wives and families to join them in North America. Later，the governments of Canada and the United States made Chinese immigration illegal. Eventually，the people of Canada and the United States realized that their laws had been unfair. They changed the rules so that Chinese people could immigrant in the same way that people from other countries could do so. In recent decades，many Chinese people have moved to North America，and formed a very lively and successful community. Many cities，such as Toronto，Vancouver，San Francisco，and New York，have been enriched by Chinese culture. Chinese people now are very prominent in North America，just as they were many years ago.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.rink 溜冰场 2.blades 刀片 3.puck 冰球 4.goaltender 守门员 5.bumping 撞 6.opponents 对手 7.penalty 处罚 8.referee 裁判 原文 Ice Hockey One of the most popular sports in northern countries is the game of ice hockey. Each winter，this sports is played by hundreds of thousands of children and adult in North America and in Europe. Ice hockey is a fast and exciting game that can make winter much more enjoyable. The game of ice hockey is played on a flat surface of ice called a rink. The rink is about 60 meters long，and about 25 or 30 meters wide. At any time，each team has six players on the ice. On their feet，the players wear skates，whose thin metal blades allow fast movement along the ice surface. Learning to skate requires time and practice，but many people can skate very quickly and smoothly. In many ways，ice hockey is similar to soccer. However，unlike soccer，there is no large ball used in hockey. Instead，the players use a hard，black rubber disk，which is called a puck. The players skate around the ice，trying to get the puck. They do not use their hands or their feet to control the puck. Instead，they carry long wooden sticks，which is shaped in such a way that it is easy to push the puck along the ice. The players can pass the puck to each other by sliding it across the ice. To score a goal，a hockey player must shoot the puck into the net of the opposing team，but it is a difficult task. The net is less than two meters wide，and it is protected by a player called the goaltender. However，some player can shoot the puck very suddenly and with great power Sometimes，the sport of ice hockey can be quite rough. Players try to take the puck from their opponents by bumping into them at a high speed. This is called a body check. Players are not allowed to hit each other with their sticks. If a player does this，then the player must be given a penalty by the referee，who enforce the rules of the game. Naturally，the sports of ice hockey is most popular in the countries that have cold winters：Slovakia，the Czech Republic，and Germany. In addition，many people play hockey in the United States. In previous generations，ice hockey was considered a sports for men and boys only. However，in recent years，women and girls have been playing hockey much more frequently than in the past. Not only do many girls enjoy playing hockey for fun，but now women's hockey is officially a sports at the winter Olympics.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.tragedies 悲剧 2.invents 编造 3.phrases 短语 4.quotations 引用 原文 William Shakespeare There have been many great writers in the history of England literature，but there is no doubt about which wither was the greatest. Many people consider William Shakespeare to have been the best writer who ever lived. William Shakespeare was born in the town of Stratford，England，in the year of 1564. When he was a young man，Shakespeare moved to the city of London，where he began writing plays. His plays were soon very successful，and were enjoyed both by the common people of London and also by the rich and famous. In addition to his plays，Shakespeare wrote many short poems and a few long poems. Like his plays，his poems are still famous today. Shakespeare's most famous plays include Romeo and Juliet，Macbeth，Hamlet，King Lear，Othello，and Julius Caesar. Usually，Shakespeare did not invent the stories that he told in his plays. Instead，he wrote his plays using stories that already existed. However，Shakespeare's plays told these stories in a more interesting way than ever before. Some of the stories were tragedies，some were comedies，and some described historical events. In his plays，Shakespeare revealed a very wild knowledge of many areas of life. The characters in his plays discussed many different topics，often with the knowledge of experts. But what is even more impressive about these plays is Shakespeare's use of the English language. His vocabulary was very large，and Shakespeare seem to have introduced many words to the language！ Also，many of the phrases that are said by Shakespeare's characters are now used in everyday conversation. Today，writers often use quotations from Shakespeare's plays in their own works. But perhaps even the most impressive features of Shakespeare's plays are the characters within them. The many characters in his plays seem very different from each other，but they seem very realistic. The emotions they feel，the words they say，and the actions they perform are all easily understood. Many people who watch one of Shakespeare's plays will find they know the people who remind them somewhat of the characters in those plays. Shakespeare died in year 1619，but his writings are still popular today，400 years after they were written. The poems and plays are greatly admired by experts in literature，but also by people in general. Each year，hundreds of thousands of people enjoy attending performances of Shakespeare's plays. No other writer in the English language has remained so popular for such long time.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.vikings 维京人 2.coast 海岸 3.fierce warriors 凶猛的战士 4.oars 桨 5.descended 传宗接代 6.converted 转变 原文 The Vikings About a thousand years ago，people known as the Vikings were known and feared throughout Europe. The Vikings were the people of the northern part of Europe，called Scandinavia，which includes the modern countries of Denmark，Norway and Sweden. The Vikings made their living by farming and fishing. However，by about the year 700，they began to making attacks，or raids，upon towns along the coast of Europe in order to steal the wealth of those towns. The Vikings made their attacks very quickly and without any warning. They were very cruel to the people of the towns they attacked，and they sometimes destroyed the towns by burning down the buildings. In some parts of Europe，the local kings would often fight against the Vikings Sometimes，however，the kings would pay the Vikings in order to persuade them not to attack. Although the Vikings were known as fierce warriors，they also built excellent ships， The wooden Viking ships，called longboats，were able to sail in even very bad weather. Many Viking longboats were about 20 meters long，but some were nearly 90 meters long. The Vikings sailors used both sails and oars to move their ships. The Vikings travelled across a large area. They made many of their attacks in Britain，France and Germany，but sometimes sailed south，into the Mediterranean Sea. Other Vikings moved to the east，and then south along the rivers of Russia. Some even went as far as the area that is now the country of Turkey. In some places，the Vikings decided to stay. Many Vikings settled in the England and in France，and eventually they mixed with the local people. Other people settled in Russia，and also mixed with the people there. The most famous travels of the Vikings were in the Atlantic Ocean. Vikings sailed westward to the island of Iceland where many of them stayed. Today，the people of Iceland were descended from the Vikings. Some Vikings sailed the farther west to the cold island of Greenland. Vikings lived in Greenland for several generations，but eventually they died out. Some Vikings had gone even further west and reached the Canadian island of Newfoundland. The Vikings only stayed for a few years，but they had reached North America about 500 year before Christopher Columbus！ Gradually，the Vikings became converted to be Christian religion. They also stopped raiding the towns of Europe，and instead of fighting，they became trading with their neighbors. Today，the Scandinavia countries are known as very peace-loving nations.

在喜马拉雅已支持实时字幕 关注公众号“高效英语磨耳朵”获取文稿和音频 词汇提示 1.sculptures 雕塑 2.captivated 着迷 3.disciple 信徒 4.military 军事 5.rough drawing 草图 6.submarines 潜水艇 7.ceiling 天花板 8.faded 褪色 原文 Two Great Artists：Leonardo and Michelangelo Many people admire the paintings and sculptures that artists create. Some very beautiful paintings and sculptures were created by two men who lived in the same country and same time. These men were Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. They both lived in Italy around the year 1500. Leonardo da Vinci is most famous for his painting called the Mona Lisa. This is perhaps the best-known painting in the world. The Mona Lisa shows the head and shoulders of a dark-haired woman. When people look at this painting，they are often captivated by her smile and by her eyes，which have a look of mystery. Another painting of Leonardo's is called The Last Supper. This painting shows a famous scene from the Christian religion. In this painting，Jesus Christ seated at the middle of a long table，with his followers（the disciples）seated around him. Many of the paintings that were created at this time have a religious theme. Leonardo was not only a artist：he was also interested in engineering. He actually worked for some time as a advisor to a military leader，helping him to developing new machines for use in war. Leonard also made rough drawings of machines that are similar to those that were invented much later，such as submarines and helicopters. Obviously，Leonardo was an extremely creative man. Michelangelo was about 23 years younger than Leonardo. In addition to being a painter，Michelangelo was also a sculptor，and many experts consider him the greatest sculptor of all time. One of his most famous sculptures is David，which is a statue of a young man who was a famous figure in the Bible. Another great sculpture of Michelangelo's is called the Pieta. The Pieta shows Mary，the mother of Jesus，holding the body of her son across her lap. Michelangelo is also famous for painting the ceiling of a church known as the Sistine Chapel. The lead of the Roman Catholic Church，Pope Julius，asked Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of this new church. This project required many years of hard work，and the Pope complained that it took too long. However，when the work was finished，the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was covered with beautiful paintings of many scenes from the Bible. Fortunately，many of the works of Leonardo and of Michelangelo can still be seen today in the art galleries of Europe. During the past 500 years，the color of the paintings had faded somewhat，but in recent years，some work has been done to restore these paintings to their original appearance.