1 . “When I was young, I had so much energy and I loved building stuff. If I had an idea, I had to build it right away using whatever I could find around me.” says Danish recycle artist Thomas Dambo. When Dambo was just seven years old, he bought some materials from the local market to construct a game room in his parents’ basement. As a teenager, he built a “crazy” castle in his backyard.

Decades later, 42-year-old Dambo is proudly surveying his latest creation: a troll (巨人) called Little Lui. Towering at five meters tall, Little Lui is one of the six trolls hidden in secret corners of the Peel Region of Western Australia as part of Thomas Dambo Giants of Mandurah, an Australian-first exhibition, which will be on show for at least a year. Dambo has made many impressive trolls, which have found homes in the United States, Belgium, China, Denmark, South Korea and so on.

“For me, trolls represent the voice of nature,” Dambo says. This deep respect for the natural world is a central message of Dambo’s practice. Dambo’s troll are made almost entirely from locally sourced recycled wood: their faces from secondhand furniture and their hair from branches and leaves. Taking about 750 hours to complete, each troll is constructed out in nature.

“We are slowly turning the world into a landfill. I hope that by visiting the trolls, people will think of rubbish as a resource. I think it’s really important that the next generation is connected to nature.” Dambo says. “That’s why I tried to design the trolls to appeal to younger people. I want people to be inspired to play and experiment, and to realize they don’t need a lot to create something big and beautiful. Go out, go around the corner and take advantage of whatever is there — you will find a lot of adventure in your own backyard.”

1. Which of the following can best describe young Dambo?

A．Creative.

B．Generous.

C．Independent.

D．Courageous.

2. What do you know about Little Lui?

A．It is kept underground.	B．It is Dambo’s first creation.
C．It will be shown to the public.	D．It will be sent to foreign countries.

3. Which aspect of trolls does paragraph 3 highlight?

A．Their basic theme.	B．Their artistic value.
C．Their expensive materials.	D．Their building procedures.

4. What does Dambo intend to do with his trolls?

A．Inspire more people to take adventures.

B．Encourage the young to approach nature.

C．Help people spend less time playing games.

D．Call on the young to save natural resources.

3 . Must-see exhibitions of 2024

Cute at Somerset House, London

Explore the irresistible force of cuteness in contemporary culture. From emojis to Internet memes, video games to plush toys, cuteness has taken over our world, but how has something so charming and seemingly harmless gained such attraction? Somerset House brings together cultural ephemera and contemporary artworks, alongside a spotlight on Hello Kitty, to coincide with her 50th anniversary.

Tickets: £18.50 per person/Concessions (减价票) from £11 per person

25 Jan. 2024 — 14 Apr. 2024

Barbie at Design Museum, London

Running with 2023’s Barbie mania, and coinciding with Barbie’s 65th anniversary, London’s Design Museum will tell the icon’s story through a design lens in their major new show. The exhibition will trace the legacy that began in 1959 when Ruth Handler sought a new female narrative for her daughter, Barbara. It delves into Barbie’s evolution through fashion, architecture, furniture, and vehicle design.

Tickets:TBC

05 Jul. 2024 — 23 Feb. 2025

Brâncuşi at Centre Pompidou, Paris

The Centre Pompidou presents an unprecedented Constantin Brancusi exhibition, featuring nearly 200 sculptures, photographs, drawings, films, archives, tools, and furniture from his workshop. This unique showcase, coinciding with the workshop’s relocation during renovation, offers a fresh perspective on the art of this immense 20th-century artist. The workshop, a jewel of the museum’s collection since 1957, forms the core of this retrospective, enriched by major loans from international museums.

Tickets: From €15 per person/Concession from €12 per person

27 Mar. 2024 — 01 Jul. 2024

Michelangelo: The last decades at The British Museum, London

In 1534, Michelangelo left Florence for Rome, never to return. This exhibition explores his final 30 years in Rome, showcasing new reunions with close friends, and his major works. It features numerous preparatory drawings for the Last Judgement fresco, the restored Epifania cartoon, and studies for St Peter’s Basilica’s reconstruction. Contrasting today’s youth-centric culture, the exhibition highlights lifelong practice, mastery, experience, wisdom, and experimentation, embodying Michelangelo’s enduring legacy.

Tickets:TBC

02 May 2024 — 28 Jul. 2024

1. How much will a couple pay for the first exhibition at least?

A．£37.

B．£11.

C．£22.

D．£18.5.

2. Which of the following exhibitions lasts the longest time?

A．Cute at Somerset House, London.

B．Barbie at Design Museum, London.

C．Brâncuşi at Centre Pompidou, Paris.

D．Michelangelo: The last decades at The British Museum, London.

3. What can we know about Michelangelo?

A．He passed away in Florence.

B．His works will be exhibited with objects from international museums.

C．He completed the Last Judgement fresco effortlessly.

D．His later years were spent in Rome.

4 . La Royale Maison de Savoie

Alexandre Dumas, author of several popular novels, was pressed to write La Royale Maison de Savoie for money in 1854. It was so rushed that neither the National Library of France nor the Alexandre Dumas Museum had any knowledge of it. In 1998, two historians discovered it in an Italian antique bookstore. Since then, it has been published again in France.

Profile of a Young Fiancée

The art piece has created quite a storm in the art world since its discovery. At first, it was thought to be a piece of a late 19th century German artist. In 1998, it was sold to a private collector. Over the next 10 years, some experts, including Nicholas Turner, closely examined the work and determined it was probably drawn by Leonardo da Vinci around 1485.

War Thoughts at Home

This 35-line poem by Robert Frost remained unknown to all but his friend Frederic Melcher until 2006-88 years after it was written. Melcher donated the poet’s letters and books to the University of Virginia. And Robert Stilling, a graduate student, came across the poem inside a copy of Frost’s 1914 book North of Boston.

Trio in E Flat Major

Ludwig van Beethoven composed this untitled work in 1792, then rearranged it about eight years later. Only partly completed, the project was abandoned and subsequently lost for over 100 years. German musicologist Willy Hess published the handwritten manuscript (手稿) in a scholarly review in 1920, gaining little attention. The first known performance of the 12-minute piece was on March 1, 2009.

1. Who is probably the creator of Profile of a Young Fiancée?

A．A German artist.	B．A private collector.
C．Nicholas Turner.	D．Leonardo da Vinci.

2. Which artwork was created most recently?

A．La Royale Maison de Savoie.	B．Profile of a Young Fiancée.
C．War Thoughts at Home.	D．Trio in E Flat Major.

3. What do the four artworks have in common?

A．They are the same art form.	B．They were created in the same country.
C．They used to be unknown for a period.	D．They are the most famous pieces of the creators.

5 . Over the past few months, I’ve been invited to speak with well-known writers, musicians and film producers regarding my recent book, Extraterrestrial. Prior to these conversations, I was on the receiving (and admiring) end of their artistic work, but now they were curious about my own research as a scientist. The reverse led me to recognize the similarities between innovation in the arts and the sciences.

In sciences and arts alike, creativity appears magically as an unpredictable fountain of inspiration from the subconscious (潜意识). Its unexpected content breaks routines within traditional thinking. It delivers something new that is distinct from common practices, often taking people out of their comfort zone because it is ahead of its time. As a result, many innovators are laughed at and denied the recognition they deserve when they need it the most.

There are many examples of such circumstances. In 1933 Fritz Zwicky inferred the existence of “dark matter”, but it took four decades for this concept to gain recognition within the astronomy community. Vincent van Gogh was considered a madman and a failure throughout his life. Today, his paintings are among the most expensive ever sold, though.

Typically, life offers two ways of acquiring objects. One is by collecting available items, and the other is by creating things that never existed before. Whereas most items on the shelves of supermarkets are mass-produced, products that are newly created by artists or scientists are originally unique. Just like aging wine, a product of creative work acquires quality over time. It is colored by the response of the audience as well as by imitations. The initial circumstances are a reminder of an admirable baby. It is fascinating for a scientist or an artist to watch the interaction of their creation with the world, just as it is for parents to watch their children.

Creativity in arts and sciences establishes a backdrop for human existence, as the content it invents gives pleasure and meaning to our lives. The human act of creation is an infinite-sum game, from which all of us benefit. And we can all participate in the creative process.

1. Which can best replace the underlined word “reverse” in paragraph 1?

A．Priority.

B．Assumption.

C．Shift.

D．Preference.

2. What can best describe creativity in sciences and arts?

A．It tends to be forecastable.	B．It mirrors common beliefs.
C．It usually leads the times.	D．It enjoys instant acceptance.

3. What can be inferred from paragraph 4?

A．Creative works withstand the test of time.

B．Mass-produced items are preferable.

C．Old wine can’t be put into new bottles.

D．Inventiveness starts from childhood.

4. What’s the purpose of the last paragraph?

A．To clarify a concept.	B．To launch an appeal.
C．To offer an entertainment.	D．To advocate a lifestyle.

7 . On the top floor of a workshop in Athens, Greece, a team of artists are busy creating faithful copies of the famous statue of Alexander the Great and the Venus de Milo.

“Our work mostly ends up at gift shops around the world. Museums also ask us to make copies of artworks. Prices start at $24 for a small Venus statue and go as high as $11,560 for a faithful copy of it.” says Maria Zafeiri, an artist at the workshop for 30 years. “It’s exciting when our statues end up in a museum and thousands of eyes admire them. They bring even more visitors to Greece.”

Making copies of ancient Greek statues isn’t new. Researchers and artists began reproducing ancient Greek sculptures shortly after the National Archaeological Museum in Athens opened in 1829.

“The first copies were not for commercial reasons, but for scientific ones. Scholars wanted to study the ancients.” says Maria Zafeiri. “Later, everyone wanted statues in their house, above the fireplace. They were in all European living rooms.”

Some copies of ancient statues were terrible, but other reproductions were so faithful that they ended up in places like the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. In 2018, the museum determined its famous Kouros statue—supposed to date from 650 to 480 BC and bought for $6 million—was probably a forgery (赝品), and removed it from view. “There are methods to fool the experts.” Maria Zafeiri says. “Such forgeries create a false image of Greek culture and mislead researchers.”

But aren’t Maria Zafeiri and her workshop also producing forgeries? “I think the difference between a forgery and a reproduction is the intention. There are reproductions of designer bags, but that becomes forgeries when the reproducer says they’re real.” says Maria Zafeiri. “Our shop just feeds the desire of travelers to own something lovely to pack up or ship home. A good reproduction can extend your trip. It’s similar to a photograph of yourself while on vacation, it brings you back to that beautiful day at the Acropolis.”

1. How does Maria Zafeiri most probably feel about her work?

A．Ashamed.

B．Proud.

C．Bored.

D．Dissatisfied.

2. Who were the targeted customers of the reproduced ancient Greek statues in the 1830s?

A．Researchers.	B．Businessmen.
C．Souvenir seekers.	D．Treasure hunters.

3. What can be inferred about the Kouros statue bought by the Getty Museum?

A．The reproduction was worth the money.	B．The museum had a lot of such forgeries.
C．It was probably from a skilled artist.	D．It was created between 650 and 480 BC.

4. What sets a forgery apart from a reproduction according to Maria Zafeiri?

A．The price.

B．The material.

C．The quality.

D．The purpose.

8 . Four Must-see Museum Exhibitions in 2024

LaToya Ruby Frazier, “Monuments of Solidarity”
Museum of Modern Art, New York
May 12 — September 7

Museum of Modern Art will present a range of works, including photography, text, and moving images, from the artist LaToya Ruby Frazier’s career. Frazier’s first museum show, the exhibition spans over 20 years and highlights her ongoing interest in revitalizing and preserving overlooked and erased stories from America’s post-industrial era, in particular, stories of gender, race, inequality and labor.

Jenny Holzer, “Light Line”
Guggenheim Museum, New York
May 17 — September 29

The museum is revisiting the artist’s influential practice with “Light Line”, an expanded version of the landmark show. The 2024 exhibition will include some of Holzer’s earliest and rarely shown works alongside new text that has been generated with AI, illustrating the artist’s continued interest in employing the latest tech innovations.

Anselm Kiefer, “Fallen Angels”
Palazzo Strozzi, Florence
March 22 — July 21

Bringing together new and historic paintings, sculptures and prints, “Fallen Angels” offers a comprehensive look at the influential German artist’s career. Kiefer, one of the most important figures in German art, draws from a range of sources, including religion, philosophy, collective memory and the history of war. The exhibition promises to explore the complexity of Kiefer’s works, showcasing a range of subjects and materials in the context of Palazzo Strozzi’s historic Renaissance (文艺复兴) architecture.

Caspar David Friedrich, “Infinite Landscapes”
Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin
April 19 — August 4

Celebrating the 250th anniversary of the birth of the great German artist Caspar David Friedrich (1774 — 1840), “Infinite Landscapes” joins two other major German exhibitions of the Romantic landscape painter’s works in Hamburg and Dresden. “Infinite Landscapes” will bring together nearly 60 paintings and 50 drawings, including several pairs of paintings that the artist created to explore the concepts of perspective (透视) and change.

1. What can you do at the exhibition in Museum of Modern Art?

A．Interact with Italian photographers.

B．Admire the latest tech innovations.

C．Watch films about various machines.

D．Learn about the overlooked side of America.

2. Which of the following exhibitions lasts the longest?

A．“Light Line”.	B．“Fallen Angels”.
C．“Infinite Landscapes”.	D．“Monuments of Solidarity”.

3. What do the last two exhibitions have in common?

A．They take place in three different places.

B．They celebrate two famous painters’ birthdays.

C．They focus on historic Renaissance architecture.

D．They display the works of artists from the same country.