When it comes to the most famous 20th century painters of the United States, Grandma Moses should be mentioned, although she did not start painting until she was in her late seventies. As she once said to herself, “I would never sit back in rocking chair, waiting for someone to help me.” No one could have had a more active old age.
She was born on a farm in New York State, one of five boys and five girls. At 12, she left home and was in domestic service until at 27 she married Thomas Moses, the hired hand of one of her employers. They farmed most of their lives, first in Virginia and then in New York State, at Eagle Bridge. She had ten children, of whom five survived; her husband died in 1927.
Grandma Moses painted a little as a child and made embroidery（刺绣) pictures as a hobby, but only changed to oils in old age because her hands became too stiff(僵硬的) to sew and she still wanted to keep busy and pass the time. Her pictures were first sold at the local drugstore and at a market and were soon noticed by a businessman who bought all that she painted. Three of the pictures were exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art, and in 1940 she had her first exhibition in New York. Between the 1930’s and her death, she produced some 2,000 pictures: careful and lively portrayals of the country life she had known for so long, with a wonderful sense of color and form. “I think really hard till I think of something really pretty, and then I paint it,” she said.
1. What can we learn about Grandma Moses?| A．She painted oils as a child. |
| B．Her marriage life was not happy. |
| C．She still led an active life when she was old. |
| D．She stopped painting in her late seventies. |
| A．Easy-going& active. | B．Hardworking& creative |
| C．Outgoing& confident. | D．Reserved& independent |
| A．Descriptions. | B．Stages. | C．Surveys. | D．Directions. |
| A．How she loves art since she was a little girl. |
| B．Why she began her career as a painter. |
| C．How she became a successful painter. |
| D．Why she was the most famous painter in the United States. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】The town of Paradise has suffered a camp fire, which lasted 17 days and caused a damage of $16. 5 billion. As a result, the beautifully named place lost its beauty.
Shane Grammer, a creative director for Disney's theme parks in Los Angeles, paid close attention to the news of the fire. He felt quite helpless when seeing the pictures shared by his childhood friend Shane Edwards in the town, in which Shane photographed his white chimney, the only part of his house left after the fire.
"I've got to paint that chimney," he said to Inside Edition. "I'm not trying to say anything. And it was an opportunity for me to express and be an artist, wasn't it?"
Grammer spent three hours spray-painting the image of a woman on the chimney, which is strikingly mysterious black and white, in the ruins. Perhaps it serves as a reminder of the beauty of life or just life itself. Then Grammer put the picture on Instagram. On seeing it, the victims of the fire could not contain themselves." Beautiful and impressive," one of them commented. And another said," You bring beauty and hope."
At this time, Grammer became aware that something deeper had been transformed by a purely artistic expression. "When the first mural moved so many people, I knew I had to come back up," he said to KRCR-TV. Grammer returned to Paradise eight times in three months, during which he completed 17 paintings of victims and other figures.
Today, Grammer's efforts have developed into a movement. He has also painted murals in dark places that seriously need some light around the world.
Ironically, the first painting, on the chimney in Paradise, existed for just several months, since the bulldozer is a merciless art critic. But Grammer couldn't be more pleased about it, which means the spirit of Paradise is rising again.
1. How did Grammer come up with the idea of painting the chimney?| A．From Disney's theme parks. |
| B．From his friend's description of the fire. |
| C．After learning about the news of the fire. |
| D．By looking at a picture of Shane Edward's remaining chimney after the fire. |
| A．They are inspiring. | B．They are mysteries. |
| C．They are entertaining. | D．They are just artistic expressions. |
| A．People's words. | B．People's inner feelings. |
| C．The background situation. | D．The meaning of the mural. |
| A．Paradise is recovering from the disaster. |
| B．The people in Paradise are all happy now. |
| C．Grammer is not happy for the destruction of his mural. |
| D．The bulldozer was so cruel that it destroyed Grammer's mural. |
【推荐2】In 2018, a major new exhibition opened at New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). The show brought together more than a hundred works by a single Brazilian artist: Tarsila do Amaral. Although widely celebrated in her native country, the artist was relatively unknown outside Brazil. So who was Tarsila?
Born in 1886, Tarsila do Amaral is considered the mother of modern art in Brazil. She first developed a love for art after her parents sent her to study in Spain. She returned to Europe a few years later, and settled in Paris. Several artists there, including Picasso, were beginning to experiment with new forms — less realistic and more abstract. The new approaches continued to influence Tarsila after she returned to Brazil.
Approaches to art in Brazil at that time were relatively conservative (保守的). Traditional European styles dominated, with works mainly featuring natural, religious, or historical scenes in soft colors. Tarsila decided to take a different direction: “I want to be the painter of my country,” she wrote. Her images began to reflect Brazil’s diverse identity — a mix of native, African, and European peoples. She used strong, vivid colors to paint real-life scenes of the nation’s farmers, countryside, and wildlife. This had never been done before in Brazilian art.
One of Tarsila’s most famous works is Abaporu (1928), which means “Man Who Eats People.” The painting has a playful quality, but its look and feel are distinctly Brazilian. The work later inspired a Brazilian art movement called antropofagia. Brazilian artists began to take in styles from other cultures and mix them with local influences. The result was something uniquely Brazilian.
Tarsila do Amaral died in Sao Paulo in 1973, age 86. But her artwork and legacy live on in her native Brazil. “For Brazilians, her recognition is off the charts,” says James Rondeau, director of the Art Institute of Chicago. “She is the Picasso of Brazil.” Now, with the MoMA exhibition, Tarsila’s art is being appreciated by a new audience of admirers around the world.
1. What can we learn about Tarsila’s experiences?| A．She was born in Brazil. |
| B．She did experiments in Paris. |
| C．She was taught by Picasso in Spain. |
| D．She worked for New York’s MoMA. |
| A．High quality and European styles. |
| B．Strong colors and real-life scenes. |
| C．Conservative style and natural scenes. |
| D．Religious background and historical topics. |
| A．Original. | B．Outdated. | C．Unbeatable. | D．Dynamic. |
| A．Tarsila do Amaral, the Picasso of Brazil |
| B．Antropofagia, a Brazilian art movement |
| C．The development of Brazil’s Modern Art |
| D．The MoMA exhibition of a Brazilian artist |
【推荐3】Music is a Universal Language
“Music is the universal language of mankind.” – Henry Longfellow
Everyone has the inborn ability to understand and enjoy music. There are many theories as to why this is, but it has become a part of human beings. Since the beginning, humans have expressed themselves through music. Simple tribal rhythms evolved into many types of more complex music, including classical, rock, jazz, and R&B. While the styles between these many types of music may vary, everyone is able to understand and relate to them.
What are the essential parts of a language? Every language uses vocabulary, or a set of words, to create sentences that convey messages. The tone and style of the sentences convey different feelings or emotions. Music is exactly the same way. Twelve tones, or notes, are combined to create phrases that also convey emotion. Music can even be written, like most other languages. Conversations even take place in music. Two saxophonists can play melodies back and forth, expressing different styles and feelings, building off of each other, responding to each other. Music changes over the years like other languages. Most people who speak fluent English cannot read one of Shakespeare’s plays because the language has changed so much. Music is also affected by time, and over a long period, many new types of music and instruments have emerged to create different sounds and convey different messages. There are so many similarities between vocal language and music that they must be same.
I recently had a chance to experience conversation through music. In 2008, I traveled to Manila, Philippines to participate in a high school jazz exchange where many students from all over Asia came together to share their talents. Everyone was mixed into different small groups to prepare for a concert at the end of week. Few people spoke fluent English so vocal communication was very tough. However, it wasn’t needed. Everyone seemed to understand each other simply through the music and there were few times where direct translation was needed. At the performance, every group played for a live audience. They all sounded phenomenal and it felt like they were in perfect time and harmony. During my group’s performance, I was able to improvise with a Korean boy who spoke very little English. But we managed to have a conversation through our instruments, building off each other’s riffs until we were creating our own melody on the fly. It was a great experience.
Because of the many similarities that music shares with other languages, it is a very effective way to communicate with others. Music brings us together, connects us with other people, and allows us to express ourselves in ways that are different from speech and writing. It has the ability to convey emotions and messages to the core of people, which is why Henry Longfellow is absolutely correct when he states that “music is the universal language of mankind.”
Music is a Universal Language
Introduction | ● Human beings have the ability to appreciate music since they were ● Despite the different types |
● The tone and style of the sentences convey different feelings or emotions, ● Like most other languages, music even has its ● Both language and music have gone ● Conversations even take place in music. ● Time also has a great | |
My chance of | I participated in a high school jazz exchange in Philippines in 2008, where students came from all over Asia. While there were language |
Conclusion | Music is a very effective way to communicate with others. Just as Henry Longfellow |
【推荐1】Experienced spelunkers (洞穴探险者)know that when it comes to exploring caves, one wrong step can cost you your life.
The Ogof Ffynnon Ddu cave system in Brecon Beacons is the third-longest complex in Wales. Some of the caves are miles below the surface of the earth, stretching more than 31miles through twisty tunnels. So when an experienced caver in his 40s had an accident and fell, it took a small army of rescuers to save his life.
After suffering an “incredibly unlucky” fall, the man had a host of injuries including a broken jaw, a broken leg, and a spinal cord injury. Unable to move on his own, his climbing partner called for help, and more than 250 volunteers from across the UK, showed up.
Of the UK’s 16 cave rescue teams, 10 sent people to help with preparing routes, bringing in supplies, and carrying the man’s stretcher (担架) over the rough, uneven underground tunnels. About 70 people went underground to help, taking shifts to manoeuver the stretcher both horizontally and vertically through the tight passages.
The injured man remained in good spirits throughout the 55 hours, which made it much easier for all. “We were chatting with him the whole time. We had to be realistic with him about how long it was going to take with keeping everyone’s spirits up at the same time,” said Dr Brendan Sloane of the British Cave Rescue Council, who spent about six hours with the victim. Despite in a lot of pain, the man kept a positive attitude that made a huge difference to his rescue workers!
The entire crowd cheered when the man was finally brought to the surface, where an ambulance was waiting. The spelunkers made history with heart-stopping 55-hour cave rescue. This mission will now go down in history as the longest cave rescue ever made in Wales.
“We often say in caving that an hour of caving is equal to 10 hours of carrying a stretch-er,” said Gary Evans of the South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team. “The main point is that the amount of effort that goes into training our rescuers really pays off for an instance like this.”
1. Why is the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu described?| A．To show the danger of the cave. |
| B．To show the difficulty of the cave rescue. |
| C．To show the importance of rescue training. |
| D．To show the popularity of cave exploration. |
| A．He called for help himself. |
| B．He got separated from his partner. |
| C．He stayed strong and calm during the rescue. |
| D．He was unconscious when the rescuers arrived. |
| A．Controversial. | B．Costly. | C．Tolerant. | D．Significant. |
| A．Many hands make light work. |
| B．Misfortunes never come singly. |
| C．All good things come to an end. |
| D．A friend in need is a friend indeed. |
【推荐2】In dreaming up the programme Tennis and Literacy for Youth, as a mother, I had hoped to share two of my passions, tennis and reading, with children. Throughout the year, I had advertised for participants at local elementary schools and recruited (招收) volunteers at local high schools. With the help of kind people, I applied for money. I was even able to secure a site for the program.
But on the first day of camp, in spite of my careful planning, things did not go the way I had hoped. Hector and Adrian exchanged blows with their racquet (球拍). Hector struggled to his feet moments later, covering a bloody nose with one hand. Georgie and Eduardo threw balls at each other. Then during reading time, I raced from joyless child to demanding child, unable to convince even one to open a book. They would rather be watching Nickelodeon at home, Eli told me, than “learning stupid tennis and reading boring books.”
I dragged myself home that afternoon. That evening, I called my volunteers together for a meeting, and redesigned the entire curriculum. We created a good-fellow system, where each volunteer paired with a camper to help him or her during reading time. To emphasize praise and progress, we established weekly prize ceremonies, presenting awards for most improved reading, tennis and behavior.
Then Mylea shut the book and asked me, “Can I take this to read it to my mom tonight?” Peering up at her eager face, I couldn’t help myself. I jumped to my feet and wrapped her in a hug, lifting her right off the ground. “It’s all yours!” I said.
Somehow, in the midst of the chaos and the schedule changes and the meetings, these children, in bad mood during reading time, untouched books in their laps, began to find joy in reading a story.
1. What happened the first day of the programme?| A．Participants watched TV at home. |
| B．The programme worked out badly. |
| C．Volunteers failed to do their duties. |
| D．The plan lived up to the expectation. |
| A．She recruited new volunteers. |
| B．She replaced the books used. |
| C．She made adjustments to the plan. |
| D．She established volunteers’ leading part. |
| A．She sensed something was wrong. |
| B．She thought Mylea needed comfort. |
| C．Mylea’s boredom in reading discouraged her. |
| D．Mylea’s great passion for reading amazed her. |
| A．An initiative of being volunteers. |
| B．An innovation to the teaching method. |
| C．An insight into helping kids overcome difficulties. |
| D．An experience of introducing reading and tennis to kids. |
“Can I see my baby?” asked the happy new mother. The bundle (婴儿包) was placed in her arms and when she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped—the baby had been born without ears. Time, however, proved that the baby’s hearing was perfect except his appearance.
One day when he rushed home from school and threw himself into his mother’s arms, he cried out bitterly, “A boy, a big boy…called me－a f... freak.” She sighed, knowing that his life was to be endless of heartbreaks.
He grew up, handsome for his misfortune. A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a gift for literature and music.
The boy’s father had a talk with the family doctor. Could nothing be done? “I believe we could graft (移植) on a pair of outer ears, if they could be donated (捐献) ,” the doctor decided. So the search began for a person who would make such a sacrifice (牺牲) for a young man. Two years went by. Then, “You’re going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it’s a secret.” said the father.
The operation was a brilliant success. His talents blossomed into genius. School and college became a series of successes. Later he married and entered the diplomatic (外交) service. “But I must know!” he urged his father. “Who gave so much for me? I could never do enough for him.”
“I do not believe you could,” said the father, “but the agreement was that you are not to know…not yet.” The years kept the secret, but the day did come...one of the darkest days that ever passed through a son. He stood with his father over his mother’s casket(棺材). Slowly and tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish-brown hair to let out the secret.
1. The story is mainly about ________.
| A．how a boy had new ears through an operation |
| B．what a devoted parent privately did for the child |
| C．how a disabled boy turned into a useful person |
| D．why a donator made a sacrifice to a bright boy |
| A．was determined to donate her ears to perfect her son |
| B．kept her husband unknown about the baby’s situation |
| C．felt shocked and disappointed to see her new baby |
| D．complained of her bad luck to have a disabled child |
| A．slow-acting person | B．ugly-looking child |
| C．badly-behaved student | D．strangely-shaped creature |
| A．The agreement was between the donator and the family. |
| B．The boy was so popular that he was made class president. |
| C．Finally the boy came to know who the donator was. |
| D．The mother donated her ears to her son after she died. |
| A．Real love lies in what is done unknown rather than what is done known. |
| B．It is parents’ responsibility to help their children heart and soul. |
| C．True beauty lies only in the heart not in appearance. |
| D．Young generations should learn to be grateful. |
【推荐1】Even as a child, the best-known North American woman painter, Frida Kahlo exhibited an independent, rebellious spirit and lack of restraint (克制) that often got her into trouble.
At the age of six, however, Frida’s life changed dramatically. She got polio (小儿麻痹症) and was confined to her bed for nine months. The disease left Frida’s right leg shorter and thinner than her left, and when she had recovered enough to return to school, she walked with a limp. She was often teased by her playmates, and although that was emotionally painful for her. She compensated by being outgoing and gained a reputation as a “character”.
A turning point occurred in Frida’s life in September, when she was involved in a near-fatal accident. The bus in which she was riding home crashed into a trolley car. The impact caused a metal rail to break loose, piercing Frida’s entire body with the steel rod. The Red Cross doctors took one look at Frida and put her with the hopeless cases. The doctors eventually treated Frida, and miraculously she survived. She suffered a broken spine and two broken ribs. Her right leg was broken in 11 places, and her right foot was smashed. From that point on, Frida Kahlo would never live a day without pain.
Although Frida recovered enough to lead a fairly normal life, the accident had severe psychological and physical consequences, and it was during this time that Frida began to paint. Some artists look to nature or society for their inspiration, but Frida looked inward. After her accident, Frida described her pain in haunting, dream-like self portraits. Most of her 200 paintings explore her vision of herself. The Broken Column (1944), a small deer with Frida’s head and a body pierced with arrows run through the woods.
When she was in her forties, her health seriously declined, but Frida always kept her lively spirit. By then she was internationally known. When a Mexican gallery wanted to have a major exhibition of her work, she arranged to have her elaborately-decorated, four-poster bed carried into the gallery so that she could receive people.
1. What happened to Frida at the age of six?| A．She caught a cold and was confined to bed. |
| B．Frida’s left leg was shorter and thinner than her right. |
| C．Frida had difficulty in walking and was laughed at. |
| D．She didn’t care about all the jokes and gossip about her. |
| A．She was nearly killed in a fatal accident. | B．Her life was hopeless because of the accident. |
| C．Her left leg was broken in 11 places. | D．Her right arm was broken. |
| A．She painted many beautiful landscapes. |
| B．She painted pictures showing pain and suffering. |
| C．She often used her experience as a subject for her creation. |
| D．Without any serious health problems, she kept painting. |
| A．Realistic. | B．Tough. | C．Pessimistic. | D．Aggressive. |
【推荐2】Born in Pennsylvania in 1894, Martha Graham was one of the most famous dancers in the world. She brought modern dance to a new level of popularity in American culture.
Earlier in her life, however, she did not know that she would become a dancer. Her family was very religious and were members of the upper class. She saw a dance performance accidentally when she was 16, and then decided to become a dancer. Martha’s parents, however, did not approve of her desire to dance. At that time, people saw American dance as a lower art form. Yet Graham chose to follow her dream in her early twenties, even though she was considered too old to begin dancing.
In school, Graham worked very hard to improve her ability to dance. She performed for several years before moving to New York City where she wanted to make greater experiments with dance. She cooperated with music composer L.H. until 1964.Later, Graham created “Chronicle,” one of her most significant dances. It was influenced by current events including the Great Depression and the Spanish Civil War. At that time, displaying strong emotions in dance was very rare. Graham also created dances based on ancient Greek tragic stories and famous heroines.
At first, people did not react well to Graham’s style of dancing for it was quite: distinct from European ballet, which was more commonly accepted. Graham’s dances were powerful, with strong and sharp movements. In 1951,Graham established the dance program at the Juilliard School in New York City. Many of her students became famous dancers. She also taught movement to many famous people, including singers, actresses and film directors.
Martha Graham received many awards during her lifetime. She was the first dancer to receive the country’s highest civilian honor. In 1998, Time magazine listed her as The “Dancer of the Century”. Her dances are still performed in New York and around the world.
1. Why did Martha’s parents oppose her dream to be a dancer?| A．Their religion forbade any art form. |
| B．It was too late for her to begin dancing. |
| C．Their family belonged to the upper class. |
| D．They didn’t consider dance as an art form. |
| A．It focuses on current events. |
| B．It conveys intense human feelings. |
| C．lt talks about ancient Greek heroines. |
| D．It was created by Graham and L.H. |
| A．They enjoyed popularity once they appeared. |
| B．They were well accepted by celebrities. |
| C．They were mainly designed at the Juilliard School. |
| D．They have common features with European dancing. |
| A．Not all that shines is gold. |
| B．Actions speak louder than words. |
| C．when in Rome, do as the Romans do. |
| D．Nothing is impossible to a willing mind. |
【推荐3】For the creatively minded, snow represents a large blank canvas (空白画布) for art. But often, it’s limited to snowmen or other snow statues. Simon Beck had a different idea, and over the course of a decade he has carved a path for himself in the snow art world. He creates large land art by walking across soccer-field-sized areas covered in untouched snow. Combined with light and shadow, his artistic designs can only be fully appreciated when viewed from above.
Beck, 59, a former map maker turned into a snow artist, thanks to his decision late in life to pursue his hobby.
“It started just as a joke one day really,” Beck explained. “After skiing one day, I decided to make a drawing on snow to seek pleasure…”
“I really had no idea how good it would look when I made that first drawing, but it really went beyond my expectation, he said of his first ever creation that he looked down on from a ski lift.
To create this work, Beck stepped his way through the snow using only snowshoes and a ski pole for measurement with nothing else but the image of a design idea in his head. It was not challenging at all due to his previous work experience. But as his designs developed and became more complex, Beck said he began to start drawing them on paper first.
Beck’s paintings have become a huge hit since his work was first shared.
“Most of the time I had been doing failed careers, and people around me are asking what’s the quickest way of getting rid of this person,” Beck said. “And for the first time, I felt people actually wanted me. I felt like a more valued member of society.”
1. Where does Simon Beck create art?| A．On maps. | B．On mountains. | C．On snowfields. | D．On soccer fields. |
| A．To prove his talent. | B．To have fun. |
| C．To entertain the skiers. | D．To develop a new hobby. |
| A．His experience of making maps. | B．His passion for skiing. |
| C．His competitive nature. | D．His dream to be an artist. |
| A．Travel. | B．Sports. | C．Geography. | D．Art. |
