Mary Cassatt is considered one of America’s most famous female artists．

    She was born in Pennsylvania in 1844．When she was a child，Mary and her family spent five years travelling and living in Europe．Mary saw the great art museums，and she wanted to become an artist．

    When she was seventeen，she said that she wanted to go to Paris to study art．At that time people thought that only men could become painters．It was not considered proper work for a woman Her father refused to let her study art．Finally he said she could study it if she went to a school near their home．She attended the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts．

    At her graduation（毕业）in 1866，she again said that she had to go abroad to learn more about painting．Her lather agreed to let her go．At 22 she sailed for Paris．She lived in France，but she went to other countries in Europe．She spent a lot of time in museums．She worked hard to improve her work．She studied the famous paintings of the old masters，and she copied and sketched（画素描）for hours．

    She found，though，that she g referred the new ideas used by a group of artists living in Paris．They called themselves impressionists（印象派画家）．Like them Mary Cassatt tried to show real 1people and the real world．Because these ideas were new，it took some years before

people recognized（承认）her as the great artist that she was．

1．Mary Cassatt went to art school Dear home because________．

    A．she did not have enough money to go away

    B．she was frightened about leaving home

    C．her father would not let her leave home

    D．it was the best school

2．Mary Cassatt showed that she was serious about becoming an artist by________．

    A．spending long hours painting

    B．taking many trips to Europe

    C．reading many art books   

D．talking to older artists

3．From this passage we can learn that in the 1800s_________．

    A．all careers were open to women

    B．some careers were not open to women

    C．all women wanted to stay at home and have children

    D．male artists welcomed female artists

4．We learn from the passage that Mary Cassatt became a great artist because she_________．

    A．came from a rich family

    B．worked hard and never gave up

    C．had good teachers

    D．travelled in Europe