Objective Proficiency p 60. Beauty Written in the Stars. Extra Word Formation

1___________(GAZE) at the 2___________ (SMOKE), 3__________ (GLOW) gas clouds of the 'starburst' galaxy 4___________ (SHOW) here, we are savouring a beauty that is the 5_____________ (ACCIDENT) product of events that happened in a distant time and part of the universe.
The result looks like a great painting. To be precise, it is 6______________ (REMINISCENCE) of the work of Turner, that 7___________ (MASTER) nineteenth-century British 8_________ (ART). For John Ruskin, Turner's champion and near-contemporary, the object of art was to reveal the divine hand in nature. That was what he meant by beauty. What might he have said today, having viewed the pictures taken by the Hubble Space Telescope?
Having been launched in 1990 with an 9____________ (ACCURATE)  ground lens, Hubble was 10_____________ (INITIAL) a huge 11____________ (EMBARRASS), 12__________ (SEND) back 13______________ (DISTINCT) images that impressed no one. However, the picture changed, quite 14______________ (LITERAL), in 1993. On being 15____________ (SUCCESS) repaired by shuttle astronauts, the telescope proceeded to relay the most spectacular images to us. Hubble is now like an eye with a cataract 16_____________ (MOVE), 17___________ (SEE) into deep space with a hard, bright 18______________ (PRECISE) that is almost 19___________ (COMFORT).
There has never been a more gratuitous 20__________ (ADD) to our store of beauty. Ultimately, when we call a work of art beautiful we are comparing it to nature. The 21__________ ( LIE)  structures of nature 22____________ (IMITATE) by artists from ancient Greece until the middle of the 20th century were chosen because nature was perceived as beautiful. If we don't talk much about "beauty" in contemporary art, it is due to the fact that art is no longer concerned with the representation of nature. Arguably, the photographs taken by Hubble are the most 23________________ (FLAMBOYANT) beautiful artworks of our time.

1. Gazing
Gaze: to look steadily at somebody/something for a long time, either because you are very interested or surprised, or because you are thinking of something else. Stare. E.g. She gazed at him in amazement. He sat for hours just gazing into space.



2. smoky



3. glowing
Glow: to produce a dull, steady light. E.g. The lighted candles glowed in the darkness. 

Starburst: a bright light in the shape of a star, or a shape that looks like a star exploding. A period of intense activity in a galaxy involving the formation of stars. E.g. a starburst galaxy.



4. shown



5. accidental 



6. reminiscent 

reminiscent of somebody/something reminding you of somebody/ something. E.g. The way he laughed was strongly reminiscent of his father. She writes in a style reminiscent of both Proust and Faulkner.

reminiscence /ˌremɪˈnɪsns/ stories or thoughts of past experiences. Memory. E.g. Personal reminiscences of the war. The book is a collection of his reminiscences about the actress.



7. masterly
masterly: (adj) showing great skill or understanding.  Done in a very skilful and clever way. E.g. a masterly performance. Her handling of the situation was masterly. All handled in a masterly manner.



8. artist



9.  inaccurately



10. initially



11. embarrassment



12. sending



13. indistinct



14.  literally



15. successfully

relay: /ˈriːleɪ/ /rɪˈleɪ/
1. relay something (to somebody) to receive and send on information, news, etc. to somebody. E.g. He relayed the message to his boss. Instructions were relayed to him by phone. 
2 relay something (to somebody) to broadcast television or radio signals. E.g. The game was relayed by satellite to audiences all over the world. 



16. removed 



17. seeing 



18. precision 



19. uncomfortable 



20. addition 



21. underlying
underlie something (formal) to be the basis or cause of something. E.g. These ideas underlie much of his work. It is a principle that underlies all the party's policies.



22. imitated 



23. flamboyantly  
Flamboyant: /flæmˈbɔɪənt/ 1. (of people or their behaviour) different, confident and exciting in a way that attracts attention. Sp. Exuberante, extravagante. E.g. a flamboyant gesture/style/personality. He was flamboyant and temperamental on and off the stage. 2. brightly coloured and noticeable. Sp. Vistoso, llamativo. E.g. flamboyant clothes/designs.
 




Adapted from The Guardian

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