The artists of Dafen can paint like Van Gogh

The village of Dafen was once thought     1    (produce) the most oil paintings in the world every year.     2     (recognize) as the ”world’s art factory“, Dafen impressed visitors with its many workshops, in which painters created mock masterpieces by Van Gogh, Monet and Warhol. But the village was always seen more as a production line     3     a place of culture. Today the future of Dafen may depend on     4     it is able to earn respect of the art world.

Things started to change for Dafen in 2008,     5     the global financial crisis cut down overseas orders. With more demand     6     (come) from domestic market, artists began painting different subjects. New customers preferred Chinese styles, says     7    painter in Dafen. He learnt the art of Shan Shui which involves representing natural landscapes. In some ways Dafen reflected the broader economy. As exports start to decline as a share of GDP, domestic consumption plays a larger role in the     8     (grow).

China is the world’s second-largest art market,     9     it is not clear where Dafen fits in. Li Jinghu, an artist from nearby Dongguan, often visits the village hoping to discover new talent. But locals say the demand for their paintings     10     (decline) in the past two pandemic-struck years. ”Most people would probably be surprised that Dafen still exists. It does and it will, “ says Lisa Movius, a writer in Shanghai who covers art.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday praised China’s contribution     1     the global fight against COVID-19,     2     (add) that the Chinese people are making efforts for all of humanity.

The UN chief expressed     3     (he) thanks to all of the people in China who are sacrificing (牺牲) many aspects of their normal lives     4     (prevent) the virus from further spreading. By Monday, the WHO     5     (receive) reports of 2,074 cases and 23 deaths outside China,     6     was described as “deeply concerning.”

Bruce Aylward, senior adviser to the director-general of the WHO said: “The only     7     (success) measure we know so far to contain the COVID-19 is in China. We have to work with what we have. China’s     8     (method) are the only ones that we know work.”

“To the people of Wuhan, it     9     (recognize) that the world is in your debt. When this disease finishes,     10     (hopeful)we will have a chance to thank the people of Wuhan for the role they have played.” said Aylward.

Recent research by environmental scientists shows that humans are the most fearsome hunters who have the greatest impact on animal populations. Human activities have brought many animals close to     1    (extinct). In the last 500 years, over 300 species of animals     2    (go) extinct. Some activities directly harm animals,     3     other activities impact indirectly on animal populations.

Hunting and fishing have directly influenced the world’s animal populations. Some people hunt animals for food: whale meat     4    (eat) in some parts of the world. Some people hunt animals for fashion: animal skin is used to make coats and bags. Still others hunt animals just for fun: deer are tracked and shot by people who enjoy the excitement of the sport.

Human activities     5     effects on animals are indirect can be just as harmful. When     6    (build) farms or factories, we destroy animal habitats and leave many animals with nowhere     7    (live), or no food to eat. We can also put animals in danger     8     ever entering their habitats. Air, water, noise and light pollution can all have     9     deep and damaging influence quite far from their source. Partly due to pollution caused by ship traffic and other human activities, the dolphin population has dropped     10    (sharp). As the human population continues to grow, so does the effect we have on animals.