Born into a poor family，two of the Durers' children still had a dream for art，but they knew their father could not afford to send either of them to the academy(院校)．
After discussions，the two boys finally agreed to toss a coin．The loser would go to the nearby mines and support his brother while he attended the academy．Then，when the winner pleted his studies，he would support the other brother，either with sales of his art work or，if necessary，by working in the mines．So they tossed a coin．Albrecht Durer won the toss and went to Nuremberg．Albert went to the dangerous mines and financed his brother，whose work at the academy was almost an immediate success，and by graduation，he was beginning to earn considerable fees for his works．
When the Durer family held a dinner to celebrate Albrecht's homeing， Albrecht drank a toast to his brother，“Now，Albert，it is your turn to go to Nuremberg and follow your dream，and I will take care of you．”
Albert wiped the tears from his cheeks，glanced at the faces he loved，and said softly，“No，brother．It is too late for me．Look….look what four years in the mines have done to my hands! The bones in every finger have been broken at least once，and lately I have been suffering from arthritis(关节炎)so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast，much 1ess make lines on canvas(画布)with a pen or a brush．No，brother …for me it is too 1ate．”
Therefore，Albrecht took pains to draw his brother’s injured hands with palms together and thin fingers stretched skyward．The entire world almost immediately opened their hearts to his great masterpiece and named it “The Praying Hands”．
【小题1】The passage is mainly aboutA．the early life of Albrecht DurerB．the story behind “The Praying Hands”C．the sacrifice Albrecht made for his brotherD．a young man showing his talent through effort【小题2】According to the two brothers’ agreement，．A．they let the coin decide who would go to the academy firstB．the winner would work at the academy in exchange for the loser’s helpC．the loser would go to the mines and earn money to pay for his own educationD．the winner would work in the mines after graduation in return for the loser's support【小题3】Albert refused his brother’s offer because．A．he was too old to learn drawingB．he suffered an accident.C．he was not used to holding a pen or brushD．his hands were out of shape as a result of hard work【小题4】The artist created the masterpiece “The Praying Hands”A．to show kindness to his poor brotherB．to encourage people to realize their dreamsC．in praise of his brother’s sacrifice and loveD．in honor of his brother as a symbol of working peopleB
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(答案→)B
解析：文章想我们讲述的正是The Praying Hands背后的故事，这幅画是如何画出来的，及其背景。
【小题1】B 主旨大意题。文章想我们讲述的正是The Praying Hands背后的故事，这幅画是如何画出来的，其背景是什么，故B正确。
【小题2】A细节题。根据第二段1,2行，the two boys finally agreed to toss a coin．The loser would go to the nearby mines and support his brother while he attended the academy．说明他们是靠抛硬币的方式来决定谁先去上学。故A正确。
【小题3】D 细节题。根据第四段最后三行I have been suffering from arthritis(关节炎)so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast，much 1ess make lines on canvas(画布)with a pen or a brush．说明D正确。
【小题4】C 推理题。根据文章最后一段可知他画这份作品正是为了表示对哥哥的爱，表示对哥哥的感激之情。