1 . Workers at the National Galleries of Scotland recently experienced quite a surprise after they X-rayed a painting by Vincent van Gogh. Hidden on the back of the painting Head of a Peasant Woman, which Van Gogh completed in 1885, was a self-portrait (自画像) of the Dutch painter. No one had ever found it.
The hidden self-portrait had been covered by glue and cardboard that had been attached to the back of the painting. “It was absolutely exciting,” Lesley Stevenson, the museum’s worker, said about the discovery. “We weren’t expecting much of the little painting when we performed the scans,” she said. But museum experts quickly changed their expectations when they looked at the X-rays. “We didn’t see much of the peasant woman, but we saw the lead white that Van Gogh used for his face showing up after the X-ray went through the cardboard,” she added.
Van Gogh painted Head of a Peasant Woman as part of a series of works focused on the working-class residents of Nuenen, a small farming community in the southern part of the Netherlands where he lived briefly in the 1880s. The woman in the painting is Gordina de Groot, a farm worker. She wears a white headpiece. In a letter that Van Gogh penned about the series in 1885 to Anton Kerssemakers, a friend, he described his excitement at his working-class subjects. “I’m working with great pleasure these days, for I would rather paint people than paint anything else,” he wrote.
Van Gogh also loved creating self-portraits, producing about 20 paintings of himself by the end of his life while he was living in Paris. Recreating his own image was a cheap way for him to practice portraiture as he didn’t have to spend money hiring models, according to a report.
Art historians at the National Galleries hope that the hidden self-portrait may help us understand the life of the artist. The museum is currently considering how to best remove the unwanted protective materials without harming the painting.
1. What can be learned about the self-portrait on the back of the painting?| A．It isn’t in very good condition. | B．It describes a well-known woman. |
| C．It wasn’t known to exist for a long time. | D．It was sold to another artist by Van Gogh. |
| A．It was a wonderful surprise. | B．It failed to meet her expectations. |
| C．It was the result of her great efforts. | D．It deepened her understanding of Van Gogh’s life. |
| A．He was encouraged to try different subjects. |
| B．He was glad to find his love for figure paintings. |
| C．He was attracted by the lifestyle of people in Nuenen. |
| D．He wanted to improve the living conditions of the farmers. |
| A．X-rays can do harm to artworks |
| B．Van Gogh sent a secret message to his friend |
| C．Modern technology has a great influence on art |
| D．Van Gogh’s hidden self-portrait draws public attention |
2 . “Why do I live? Why do I wish for anything, or do anything? Is there anything in my life that will not be destroyed by my death?”
These are the words of the famous Russian writer Leo Tolstoy. Like Tolstoy, many people ask these difficult questions. And they struggle to find meaning in their life. Tolstoy spent his whole life trying to answer difficult questions like these. His search for answers influenced his writing.
On August 28th, 1828, Leo Tolstoy was born in the country of Russia.
As a child, Tolstoy was a member of the Russian Catholic Church. But as a young man, he began to question that faith. Tolstoy wanted to make his own moral decisions; he was tired of being told what to believe. He thought people could achieve a degree of perfection if they tried hard enough. So he worked very hard at being the best in everything he did. He thought that he would find meaning and truth in success.
In the 1850s, Leo Tolstoy wrote his first stories. He wrote about his experiences in the army. He also told stories about when he was a child. These works were published and Tolstoy became a well-known writer.
Tolstoy was finally successful. He earned the respect he always wanted. Many wealthy and intelligent men met and talked with Tolstoy. Some of the men were writers like him. They talked a lot about faith and the meaning of life. But soon Tolstoy recognized that these men were not perfect. Now he knew they could not answer his questions about faith.
So in the 1860s, Tolstoy tried a different way to find meaning. He opened a school for the children of his serfs—the people who worked on his land. These workers were very poor. He wanted to help them because he thought they were more honest than the wealthy people he knew.
Tolstoy learned many things from his workers. He respected how they worked hard to provide for their families.
He began to believe that marriage and family would give his life meaning. So in 1862, Leo Tolstoy married a young woman named Sonya Behrs.
The next 15 years were the best years of Tolstoy's life. It was during this time that he wrote his most famous books-War and Peace and Anna Karenina. Many literature experts say that War and Peace is one of the greatest books ever written.
Both War and Peace and Anna Karenina communicate Tolstoy's beliefs about the Russian nation, church and people. They also communicate what he thought was the answer to all his questions. Tolstoy believed humans were supposed to live a simple life and take care of their families. Tolstoy thought this would satisfy him and bring him happiness.
Leo Tolstoy is still a very respected writer today. His faith and writings have influenced many people.
Tolstoy's search for the meaning of life is something everyone can understand. His teachings still interest people all over the world.
1. Which shows the correct order of the following events?①Tolstoy served in the army ②Tolstoy got married ③Tolstoy wrote War and Peace
④ Tolstoy started a school. ⑤Tolstoy became a well-known writer.
| A．①②③④⑤ | B．⑤①③②④ | C．①⑤④②③ | D．⑤④①③② |
| A．Respect | B．Defend. | C．Support. | D．Comfort. |
| A．Leo Tolstoy: Living for writing | B．Leo Tolstoy: Influencing the world |
| C．Leo Tolstoy: Being the best in everything | D．Leo Tolstoy: Searching for the meaning of life |
Xu Xiake was born in 1587.
China has more famous explorers. There was: Zhang Qian, who traveled into Central Asia during the second century BC, opening a trade road that became
“On the surface, Xu’s travels can neither be classified as great affairs of state
Scholar Julian Ward agrees, describing the lonely Chinese wanderer like the Middle Kingdom’s version of John Muir: “Deep in love with nature and eager to find freedom
“The few coins
4 . Maya Lin, designer and sculptor, has created some of the most iconic works and spaces with the belief that art can address important issues. Her latest projects are no different, from museums to sculptures for Presidential centers.
Lin, 62, grew up in Ohio, the daughter of college professors who were Chinese immigrants. As a 21-year-old student at Yale University, she gained national prominence when her entry won a design competition for the new Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Her winning design — two black granite (花岗岩) walls engraved with the names of US service members who died in the Vietnam War (1954-1975) or remain missing — is considered one of the most influential in modern architecture.
Lin went on to design the 1989 Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, Alabama, and dozens of other projects globally, all with social and environmental justice in mind. She told The Wall Street Journal she uses facts in her art. She said, “I am going to present you with what the story is, but I am not going to draw the conclusion for you.” Currently underway is Lin’s plan for the new Museum of Chinese in America in New York City. Lin said she wants it to be a celebration of Chinese American stories and contributions to the country.
Lin is also designing a sculpture to honor former President Barack Obama’s mother, who died in 1995, at the Obama Presidential Center in Illinois. When Obama awarded Lin the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016, he called her work “physical acts of poetry, each reminding us that the most important element in art or architecture is human emotion.”
1. What is Maya Lin’s principle to make her creation?| A．Art is to lead to reputation | B．Art is a physical act of poetry. |
| C．Art is to create something distinguished. | D．Art can be a medium to approach affairs. |
| A．US soldiers’ sacrifice in the Vietnam War. |
| B．The influence of the Vietnam War on America. |
| C．The bloody and cruel scenes of the Vietnam War. |
| D．Vietnamese soldiers’ fearless fight in the Vietnam War. |
| A．Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. |
| B．Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, Alabama. |
| C．Museum of Chinese in America in New York City. |
| D．Obama Presidential Center in Illinois. |
| A．Designing with talents |
| B．Stirring up emotions in art |
| C．Becoming a great Chinese immigrant |
| D．Creating the most influential architecture |
5 . A16-year-old girl from Changsha, Hunan province, successfully reached the top of Qomolangma, known as Mount Everest in the West, on Monday morning, becoming the youngest Chinese female to conquer the world’s highest top from the southern slope (坡).
Xu Zhuoyuan is a first year high school student from Hunan province. On April 15, she left Changsha for Nepal. On April 21, she began her long walk from Lukla. 7 days later, she arrived at the base camp and started her altitude adaptation training at once. At 10 pm Beijing time on May 14, Xu Started walking from Camp 4 at an altitude of 7,950 meters on the southern slope of Qomolangma. After a punishing 10-hour climb, she successfully reached the summit.
Xu Zhuoyuan’s father, Xu Jianglei, was the first person from Hunan province to reach the top of Qomolangma. Xu Zhuoyuan has been exploring remote areas with him since she was very young. Despite her young age, Xu Zhuoyuan has already climbed five mountains over 5,000 meters in China. When she was 12 years old, she made a statement on Hunan TV saying, “I will climb Qomolangma.”
Four years later, she achieved her promise. Although Xu Zhuoyuan has rich climbing experience, she has been experiencing high-intensity professional training non-stop to conquer Qomolangma. Last year, she climbed Mount Muztagata, which stands 7,546 meters. “Human beings are small in the face of nature. We should respect nature and get closer to Qomolangma,” said Xu Zhuoyuan.
She brought the gloves her father used when he reached the top with her as a form of inheritance and to bear witness to her own dream coming true. After finishing her university studies, she hopes to continue climbing and achieve the “7+2” (7 tops plus the North and South Poles).
1. When did Xu Zhuoyuan arrive at the base camp?| A．On April 15. | B．On April 21. | C．On April 28. | D．On May 14. |
| A．Honest and sincere. | B．Clever and smart. |
| C．Caring and devoted. | D．Determined and brave. |
| A．To describe his achievements. |
| B．To show his impact on his daughter. |
| C．To recognize his support for the girl. |
| D．To stress girls should be taken good care of. |
| A．It’s better to be famous when you are young. |
| B．Qomolangma draws more and more people. |
| C．Great determination helps to conquer higher goals. |
| D．A great father is needed to shock the whole world. |
6 . Bill Gates was born in 1955. He grew up in Seattle, Washington. When he was young, he was good at science and maths. And he wanted to be a scientist.
Bill started to play with computers when he was 13. At that time, computers were very large machines. Once he was interested in a very old computer. He and some of his friends spent lots of time doing unusual things with it. In the end, they worked out a software program with the old machine. Bill sold it for 4,200 dollars when he was only 17.
In 1973, Bill went to Harvard University. He developed the Basic Language for the first microcomputer. In his third year, he left Harvard. Bill began his company in 1975 with his friend Paul Allen. They thought that the computer would be a very important tool in every office and in every home, so they began developing software for personal computers. They developed the software to make it easier for people to use computers.
In 1999, Bill wrote a book. In the book, he told people how computer technology could solve business problems in new ways. It was one of the best-sellers on The New York Times’ list. Bill Gates has many hobbies. He enjoyed reading very much. He also enjoys playing golf and bridge.
1. When did Bill begin to play with computers?| A．In 1968. | B．In 1966. |
| C．In 1965. | D．In 1972. |
| A．17 years old. | B．18 years old. |
| C．19 years old. | D．20 years old. |
| A．how to do unusual things |
| B．how to play computer games |
| C．how to work out a software program |
| D．how to solve business problems with the help of computers in new ways |
| A．Bill Gates developed the Basic Language for the first microcomputer. |
| B．Bill Gates enjoys playing computer games. |
| C．Bill Gates wrote many science books. |
| D．Bill Gates books are on the top of best-sellers. |
7 . Yue-Sai Kan was born in China. In 1972, she moved to New York. When Kan was a child, she was told by her father that she should always aim to (力争) be the first because no one remembered the second. What her father said has been a driving inspiration over the years for her to become a bestselling author and a successful businesswoman.
Her new book Be a Pioneer, which is the tenth she has written and her first Chinese-language autobiography (自传), was produced after three years, inspired by her father’s words.
When writing an autobiography, the biggest challenge is not how to present one’s life, but to remember it. To help with reconstructing her story, Kan asked many friends and colleagues she made over the years to write down their memories of her from earlier times. So besides featuring Kan’s own words, the new book is also filled with those of her friends’s, which gives Kan a new understanding of herself — a woman who works hard, studies hard. and the most important thing is that she is a woman filled with a sense of responsibility.
“My helper Stephanie mentioned that I was worried because we were running out of money for the company. My housekeeper reminded me that before the start of one of my events she found that I had fainted (晕倒) in the bathroom. I was so tired that I was getting sick. They know more about me than myself,” Kan says.
“Writing a book is a good business to be in, not so much to make money but to grow the brain. I believe what I do will benefit the world. All the things I have done in Be a Pioneer — my successes and my failures — can be a good example to young people in particular. That’s the main reason why I wrote the book,” adds Kan.
1. What can we know about Kan’s book Be a Pioneer?| A．It took her 10 years to finish. |
| B．It is full of her father’s words. |
| C．It was completed with her friends’ help. |
| D．It tops the tenth on the bestseller list. |
| A．Being short of money. | B．Having no supporters. |
| C．Having to write it in Chinese. | D．Remembering her past. |
| A．To tell Kan is weak in health. |
| B．To show Kan is a worried woman. |
| C．To report the path of writing is difficult. |
| D．To state how Kan’s story was reconstructed. |
| A．Setting an example. | B．Earning money. |
| C．Making herself popular. | D．Proving herself to her father. |
8 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
At first glance, the words alligator, bedroom, eyeball, gossip, hurry, and kissing may not have anything obvious in common,
More than four centuries after his death in 1616, Shakespeare’s plays remain
The collection of Shakespeare’s plays
When Lin Qiaozhi was 18 years old, she didn’t follow the traditional path of marriage like the majority of girls. Instead, she chose to go to Peking Union Medical College,
In 1941, Dr Lin became the first Chinese woman ever to be appointed director of the OB-GYN department of the PUMC Hospital. After
Dr Lin Qiaozhi played a key role in the medical field of our
Known as the “mother of ten thousand babies”, Lin Qiaozhi died on 22 April 1983,
Sugar, protein and fat: if you’re good at scanning those nutrition facts on food and drinks packages, it’s thanks in large part to Burkey Belser, who is a well-known American graphic designer (平面设计师). But his work extended far beyond groceries. If you’ve noticed the Drug Facts box on over-the-counter medicines seems to be like the food label, that’s because Belser designed it, as well. He also created the yellow Energy Guide box for home appliances.
Belser’s passion for design started at a young age. He studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and began a journey to become a graphic designer. His exceptional talent and skill quickly gained recognition, earning him numerous awards and accolades.
Belser’s work is seen on billions of products. The nutrition fact box has been copied around the world. Creating the official food information box was a complicated process, with input from business groups and health advocates, along with Food and Drug Administration( FDA) experts. The design team worked through 35 versions before the product came out, and it was a huge success. “ That is a masterpiece of information architecture, and quite a victory for social responsibility, ” commented one Italian designer.
The nutrition label reflects Americans’ evolving (演变) relationship with food, shifting from an emphasis on vitamins and minerals to addressing obesity (肥胖) and related conditions. Belser’s work not only made an impact within the industry but also played a crucial role in effectively communicating important messages to the public.
Speaking of his success, Belser said that luck had probably played a big role. But he added, “ I’d say the willingness to work hard sets the stage to take advantage of whatever luck comes your way.”
1. What can we learn about Burkey Belser from paragraph 1?| A．He worked in groceries. | B．He majored in medicine. |
| C．He designed package labels. | D．He updated home appliances. |
| A．Opportunities. | B．Degrees. | C．Suggestions. | D．Praises. |
| A．It helps fight Americans’ obesity. |
| B．It improves the public’s eating habits. |
| C．It makes information easily accessible. |
| D．It promotes the food industry’s images. |
| A．His good luck. | B．His determination. |
| C．Public donation. | D．Business cooperation. |
