The World’s Most Popular Art Museums
Musee du Louvre in Paris, France
The largest and perhaps the most famous art museum in the world, this relic is best known for being the home of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.
On a regular day, the Louvre would host up to 15,000 guests and display as many as 380,000 precious objects—a truly symbolic institution that has remained beloved by artists, art critics, and art-lovers alike for over 228 years.
Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, USA
Informally referred to as “The Met,” this American art museum has 17 departments and over 2 million works within its permanent collection.
Opened in 1870, this slightly more contemporary museum contains works by the likes of Edgar Degas, Vincent van Gogh, Jackson Pollock, and Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze. It also houses the world’s oldest grand piano!
Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy
Before becoming a world-class art museum, Uffizi Gallery was a governmental building whose name means “offices” when translated to English.
Constructed between 1560 and 1580 and designed by Giorgio Vasari, this historic building houses Michaelangelo’s only free-standing painting, “Doni Tondo” and is visited by an average of over 2 million foreigners every year. If you ever find yourself there, don’t forget to search for the secret Vasari Corridor which stretches over the Ponte Vecchio river.
Tate Modern in London, England
Last but certainly not least on this list is the crowning glory of England’s art galleries, the Tate Modern where ever art lovers want to play Australian online games now. Founded by sugar businessman Henry Tate in 1897 Liverpool, the innovative (革新的) Tate displays symbolic works by more progressive artists such as Salvador Dali, Picasso, Rothko, Duchamp, and Parreno.
1. What is the most famous treasure in Musee du Louvre?| A．The Met. | B．Mona Lisa. | C．Doni Tondo. | D．Vasari Corridor. |
| A．Musee du Louvre. | B．Uffizi Gallery. | C．Tate Modern. | D．Metropolitan Museum of Art. |
| A．Learn to make sugar. | B．Enjoy traditional works. |
| C．Play online games. | D．Play the oldest piano. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】To tap into the delights in the snow and encourage winter sports and tourism, four winter tours have recently been launched.
Changbai Mountains
Across Northeast China’s Jilin province, this tour provides an amazing world in the Changchun Ice and Snow New World. In Jilin city, Songhua Lake Resort(旅游胜))is a dream destination for skiing fans. And the Changhai Mountains Resort shouldn’t be missed. Even beginners can also enjoy the excitement from the peak to the bottom of the hill.
Due North
In addition to the rich winter fun in Harbin, the tour takes travelers to the Songnen Plain to visit the Zhalong National Nature Reserve in Qiqihar, the world’s biggest habitat of wild red-crowned cranes(丹顶鹤). Travelers can then explore the country’s northernmost point of Mohe city and the favorite destination for tourists is Beiji Village, from which tourists can look out across the border with Russia.
Colorful Gansu
Gansu’s capital Lanzhou offers rich ski experiences, such as the Longshan international ski resort. Other highlights in Gansu include Jiayuguan, a pass at the western end of the Great Wall dating back to the Ming Dynasty and Mogao Caves in Dunhuang. In 1897, it was listed as one of world cultural heritage sites by UNESCO.
North of Xinjiang
Taking travelers north of Xinjiang, this tour offers various ski resorts in the city of Altay, Great views and a closeness to nature can be experienced at the Tianchi, which offers grand views of the surrounding snow-capped peaks. Also the Dushanzi Grand Canyon was listed as one of the most beautiful canyons in Xinjiang. Various winter tourism festivals will also be staged along the tour to heat up the cold air.
1. Which tour is the most suitable for a ski beginner?| A．Changbai Mountains. | B．Due North. |
| C．Colorful Gansu. | D．North of Xinjiang. |
| A．It offers great fun in snow and ice. |
| B．It offers a closeness to wildlife. |
| C．It offers cultural and historic sites. |
| D．It offers grand canyon scenery. |
| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
【推荐2】Great! You finally have a long holiday during which you can get to that corner of the world you’ve always wanted to visit. However, to make sure your trip goes as smoothly as you want, you need to make some preparations. Here are the steps you need to take to prepare for your trip.
Choose a destination
You can’t plan a trip when you’re not sure where you want to go.
Budget
Depending on your vacation destination, you might need some important documents such as a valid passport and visa. Make sure your passport hasn’t expired and if you don’t have one, apply in time, as visa applications are often a complex process that can take weeks to be approved.
Consider travel insurance
A car accident lawyer in Vancouver would advise you to take out travel insurance because it’s more than just medical protection.
Book your flight and accommodation
Booking the flight and accommodation should be one of the first things you should do. Book your flight months in advance because it’s more economical and you can save a lot of money.
| A．Get your documents in order. |
| B．It is necessary to bring enough money with you. |
| C．This will help you plan and enjoy your trip within limits. |
| D．It will also cover you if you lose your luggage or your flight is canceled. |
| E．Knowing your destination is crucial because it will give you a clear goal. |
| F．And arrange accommodation as early as possible, especially during the peak season. |
| G．You can use a real-time traffic monitoring app to find the quickest route to your destination. |
【推荐3】What’s on your travel list for 2022? If you ever have a chance to tour in the US, the following are unbelievably cheap private islands you can rent. And these cheap private islands across the USA can be rented for less than the cost of a hotel.
Juggler Lake, Minnesota
This cheap private island on Juggler Lake is a great place for bikers, with 18 acres of thick forest to explore. The house with three bedrooms seeps up to 10 people and has all the facilities including a fully-equipped kitchen. And the private island itself costs only $385 per night.
Hinesburg, Vermont
Named Dogatraz Island, this one-acre getaway is perfect for pets and their owners. Set on Lake Iroquois, it offers swimming, fishing, bird-watching, and fantastic sunsets. The two-bedroom house has all the facilities. This cheap private island can host 11 people for only $379 per night.
Gloucester, Rhode Island
The large house on this private island comfortably sleeps 11 people, so a big group might pay just $41 per person per night considering the beautiful sandy beaches, rowboat, beach chairs, and picnic table that come along with the rental. The island is kept natural and wild, so there’s no running water or electricity, but there are gas cookers.
Lake of the Woods, Minnesota
Blackbird Island, on Minnesota’s Lake of the Woods, is just one mile from Canadian waters and provides a perfect base for exploring the shoreline nearby. The private island’s charming house sees up to eight, and rental price just $243 per night.
1. What kind of people will most probably choose Juggle Lake, Minnesota?| A．Bird-watching lovers. | B．Swimming lovers. |
| C．Fishing lovers. | D．Hiking lovers. |
| A．Juggle Lake, Minnesota | B．Hinesburg, Vermont |
| C．Gloucester, Rhode Island | D．Lake of the Woods, Minnesota |
| A．Washing bands with running water. | B．Reading under the electric lamp. |
| C．Cooking with gas. | D．Using the picnic table for free. |
【推荐1】Free Online Drawing Classes
Drawing is a skill you can learn at any age. When you are ready, you can learn the basics of drawing by taking one or more of the free online drawing classes offered here. The websites all offer helpful instruction for beginning artists, and many of them offer classes at intermediate (中级的) or high levels. When you use the websites as your art instructors, you can log on to learn whenever you please.
Artyfactory
The Artyfactory Art Lessons Gallery offers free online art lessons that include basic drawing classes for pencil, ink and colored pencil. For visitors who want to expand their knowledge of art, the site also offers an Art Appreciation Gallery and a Design Lessons Gallery.
Academy of Art University
This free video class from the Academy of Art University called “How to Draw a Head” teaches you how to draw a head from a photo or from memory. The instruction is mainly on facial proportion (比例), expression and drawing basics.
How to Draw It
The How to Draw It website offers a simple approach to drawing animals and people. The animal tutorials (教程) are super easy to do, while the people lessons are a bit more difficult. All are free to visitors and making fast progress in your drawing skills is possible.
Free Online Art Classes
This site covers a range of art classes, but there are several free drawing tutorials for online learners, including: Learn Basic Drawing, Draw with Pen and Ink, and Learn Colored Pencils. Some of the classes are downloadable and some are in video form.
1. Where can you learn head drawing lessons from the passage?| A．Artyfactory. |
| B．How to Draw It. |
| C．Free Online Art Classes. |
| D．Academy of Art University. |
| A．They have different levels. |
| B．They focus on people and animals. |
| C．They are quite hard to learn. |
| D．They charge learners a little money. |
| A．They have art appreciation classes. |
| B．They provide download services. |
| C．They teach basic drawing skills. |
| D．They are both in video form. |
Fresco(壁画), one of the greatest of all art forms, is done with watercolor. It is created by mixing paints and water and applying these to wet plaster(灰泥). Of the thousands of people who stand under Michelangelo's heroic ceiling in the Sistine Chapel, very few know that they are looking at perhaps the greatest watercolor painting in the world.
The invention of oil painting by the Flemish masters in the fifteenth century made fresco painting go down-hill, and for the next several centuries watercolor was used mainly for doing sketches(素描) or as a tool for study. It was not until the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries that English painters put back watercolor as a serious art form. The English have a widely-known love for the outdoors and also small, private pictures. The softness of watercolor had a remarkably strong attraction for them.
The popularity of watercolor continued to grow until in the twentieth century. The United States passed England as the center for watercolor, producing such well-known watercolor artists as Thomas Eakins and Andrew Wyeth.
1. What is the passage mainly about?
| A．The gradual weakness of fresco painting. |
| B．Oils having more power or influence over watercolor. |
| C．The rediscovery of watercolor in England. |
| D．The start and development of watercolor. |
| A．early cave men |
| B．Italian fresco artists |
| C．Flemish masters |
| D．English artists of the 18th century |
| A．it was easy to use outdoors |
| B．it was a strong medium |
| C．it was extremely bright in color |
| D．it was well suited to popular tastes |
| A．the works of famous American watercolor artists. |
| B．The weakness of oils as popular paints. |
| C．Techniques of producing watercolor. |
| D．Modern American oil painters. |
【推荐3】What is art? That's an easy question to answer. Art is a painting, a drawing or a sculpture. Now there are new items to add to the list. Art is a dead shark in a glass case. Art is an unmade bed. Art is a video of a group of people standing completely still for sixty minutes.
A new group of young artists began to produce work that challenged the accepted idea of what art is and the role the artist should play in society. This group came to be known as the YBAs—the Young British Artists. The art of the YBAs does not just stick to painting and sculpture. It uses all kinds of different materials to express the feeling of the artist.
Damien Hirst is the most famous of the YBAs. The shark in the box is his work and is meant to express his own fear of dying. The shark stands for death. Right now, it is harmless. But eventually it will come for you. There is nothing to be done about it.
Traditionally, artists have a message. They use their skills to lead us to enlightenment (启迪). The message of the YBAs is that they cannot do this. They are just as mixed up and confused as everybody else. A journalist once asked Damien Hirst what his next idea was for an artwork. “I don't know what I'm going to do next. I never know what I'm going to do next,” he replied.
Another YBA, Tracy Emin recently produced a work called “Bed”. This is just her own bed with the sheets disarranged and dirty. And the message? “Look at me—I'm a mess.”
Some artists work with the public in producing their work. Gillian Wearing filmed a group of people dressed as policemen trying to keep still for 60 minutes while standing on top of a table. At the end of that time, the table falls apart and everyone falls to the floor. You can try to be a good citizen and a respectable member of the community. But don't try too hard or the pressure will be too much.
Art mirrors the state of society. In the work of the YBAs we can see a society on the threshold (开端) of the future—a bit worried, a bit excited and wondering what is going to happen next. The YBAs can't guide us, but they can make the journey more interesting.
1. What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 3 refer to?| A．The shark. | B．Death. |
| C．Damien's artwork. | D．Damien's fear of dying. |
| A．She needs to be taken care of. |
| B．She sees the world as a dirty one. |
| C．She compares herself to the bed. |
| D．She hopes for better living conditions. |
| A．The table. |
| B．The floor. |
| C．60 minutes. |
| D．The people dressed as policemen. |
| A．To explain what the work of the YBAs is like. |
| B．To show how the YBAs form ideas for their work. |
| C．To describe the YBAs as artists full of imagination. |
| D．To show the YBAs have made a great difference in art. |
You’re only three years old, and at this point in your life you can’t read, much less understand what I’ll tell you in this letter. But I’ve been thinking a lot about the life that you have ahead of you, about my life so far as I reflect on what I’ve learned, and about my role as a dad in trying to prepare you for the trials(磨难) that you’ll face in the coming years.
You won’t be able to understand this letter today, but somebody, when you’re ready, I hope you will find some wisdom and value in what I share with you.
You are young, and life has not yet to show a cold face to you, to throw disappointments and loneliness and pain into your path. You have not been worn down yet by long hours of thankless work, by the slings and arrows of everyday life.
For this, be thankful. You are at a wonderful time of life. You have many wonderful stages of life still to come, but they are not without their costs and perils.
I hope to help you along your path by sharing some of the best of what I’ve learned. As with any advice, take it with a grain of salt. What works for me might not work for you.
Life Can Be CruelThere will be people in your life who won't be very nice. They’ll tease you because you’re different, or for no good reason. They might try to bully you or hurt you.
There’s not much you can do about these people except to learn to deal with them, and learn to choose friends who are kind to you, who actually care about you, who make you feel good about yourself. When you find friends like this, hold on to them, treasure them, spend time with them, be kind to them, love them.
There will be times when you are met with disappointment instead of success. Life won’t always turn out the way you want. This is just another thing you’ll have to learn to deal with. But instead of letting these things get you down, push on. Accept disappointment and learn to persevere, to pursue your dreams despite pitfalls. Learn to turn negatives into positives, and you’ll do much better in life.
You will also face heartbreak and abandonment by those you love. I hope you don’t have to face this too much, but it happens. Again, not much you can do but to heal, and to move on with your life. Let these pains become stepping stones to better things in life, and learn to use them to make you stronger.
But Be Open to life AnywayYes, you’ll find cruelty and suffering in your journey through life, but don’t let that close you to new things. Don’t move back from life, don’t hide or wall yourself off. Be open to new things, new experiences, new people.
You might get your heart broken 10 times, but find the most wonderful woman the 11th time. If you shut yourself off from love, you’ll miss out on that woman, and the happiest times of your life.
You might get teased and bullied and hurt by people you meet, and then after meeting dozens of jerks, find a true friend. If you close yourself off to new people, and don’t open your heart to them, you’ll avoid pain…, but also lose out on meeting some incredible people, who will be there during the toughest times of your life and create some of the best times of your life.
You will fail many times but if you allow that to stop you from trying, you will miss out on the amazing feeling of success once you reach new heights with your accomplishments. Failure is a stepping stone to success.
Life Isn’t a CompetitionYou will meet many people who will try to do better than you, in school, in college, at work. They’ll try to have nicer cars, bigger houses, nicer clothes, cooler gadgets. To them, life is a competition—they have to do better than their peers to be happy.
Here’s the secret: life isn’t a competition. It's a journey. If you spend that journey always trying to impress others, to outdo others, you’re wasting your journey. Instead, learn to enjoy the journey. Make it a journey of happiness, of constant learning, of continual improvement, of love.
Don’t worry about having a nicer car or house or anything material, or even a better-paying job. None of that matters a whit, and none of it will make you happier. You’ll acquire these things and then only want more. Instead, learn to be satisfied with having enough—and then use the time you would have wasted trying to earn money to buy those things… use that time doing things you love.
Finally, know that I love you and always will. You are starting out on an unknown, tiring, scary, but badly wonderful journey, and always remember I will be there for you when I can. Godspeed
Love, Your Dad
1. According to the father, all of the following are trials the son has to face except ________.| A．disappointment |
| B．pain |
| C．failure |
| D．loneliness |
| A．eating something together with some salt |
| B．taking it for granted |
| C．not accepting something completely |
| D．believing something firmly |
| A．You are too busy to spend time with your parents. |
| B．You fail in the mid-term exam despite your hard work. |
| C．Your best friend betrays you by giving away your secrets. |
| D．Your classmates tease, bully or hurt you. |
| A．telling stories |
| B．making comparisons(作比较) |
| C．analyzing causes(分析原因) |
| D．asking and answering questions |
| A．share some important wisdom and value with his son |
| B．try to persuade his son to get along well with his friends |
| C．make his son realize failure is unavoidable and he should get ready for that |
| D．prepare his son for the challenges he will face in the future |
【推荐2】There is a huge variety of landscape a few hours away from London, in anyone of Britain’s largest areas of protected countryside, and its national parks.
The Cairngorms
The biggest is the Cairngorms in northern Scotland, with some of the country’s highest mountains and the best place for skiing. Pony-trekking, climbing and fishing are also popular, along with Scotland’s national game, golf. Wildlife enthusiasts are well rewarded — this is the home of the red deer, red squirrel and golden eagle.
The Lake District
Over the border in England is the Lake District, originally made famous by local Romantic poet William Wordsworth two hundred years ago. People have been traveling here since 1847 when a railway was built to its biggest lake, Windermere. Children’s writes have found inspiration here too, and the mountains make for excellent walking, with breathtaking views.
Snowdonia
Wales also has its fair share of impressive landscape — Snowdonia was one of the first national parks to be created, in 1951. You will find the road signs in two languages and hear Welsh spoken in the local shops. If mountain climbing is not your thing, try visiting a castle built by a 13th-century prince, or check out the nearby beaches.
The Giant’s Causeway
For the strangest coastal scenery of all, cross the Irish Sea to the Giant’s Causeway, a set of basalt(玄武岩) columns formed by volcanic activity sixty million years ago — or, as legend has it, built by warrior giant Finn McCool to walk from Northern Ireland to fight his enemy in Scotland. The stone ‘steps’ are not complete because the giant fell asleep.
1. Of all the places mentioned, where can you go skiing?| A．The Cairngorms. | B．The Lake District. |
| C．Snowdonia. | D．The Giant’s Causeway. |
| A．Local poets made them well-known. | B．Visitors began to travel there in the 19th century. |
| C．Travellers can enjoy climbing mountains. | D．They have old and historic castles. |
| A．warrior giant Finn McCool | B．the stone steps |
| C．the Irish people | D．volcanic activity |
【推荐3】Chocolate Factory Tours around the USA
Everyone has a favorite way of enjoying the sweet treat of chocolate. Let’s take a look at a handful chocolate factories throughout the USA to see how the sweet confection （糖果） is made.
Hershey’s Chocolate Tour
In Pennsylvania, the Hershey’s Chocolate Tour (free) at Hershey’s Chocolate World is an amusement ride that takes visitors through the production process, from harvesting cocoa beans in the tropical rainforest to the end result---Hershey’s Chocolate. You can taste a sample （样品） at the end of the tour.
Taza Chocolate Tour
The factory tour at Taza Chocolate ($6 per person) in Somerville, just outside of Boston, is offered daily and takes visitors on the journey from bean to bar through a unique, stone-ground （用细磨磨的） method using traditional Mexican stone mills.
Hoffman’s Chocolate Factory Tour
Hoffman’s Chocolate factory in Greenacres offers daily chocolate factory tours (free). The through-the-window observation tour includes the story of cocoa and the history of chocolate, as well as a personal experience with chocolatiers as they explain how their chocolate is made.
Askinosie Chocolate tour
The Askinosie Chocolate’s factory tour ($5 per adult, $4 per child/student) in Springfield lets visitors hear stories of farmer partners that Askinosie works with across the globe. All of the roasting, pressing, molding and packaging is done by hand, and Askmosie is one of the only craft chocolate makers pressing their own cocoa butter.
Seattle’s Theo Chocolate Tour
Seattle’s Theo Chocolate is a must-stop when visiting the Emerald City, and taking a tour of the factory ($10 per person) is an added treat. The one-hour tour begins with an educational part in which the different cocoa beans and areas are introduced, giving visitors insight into how different chocolates are cultivated （培育）.
1. David wants to go to a chocolate factory with his little sister Belle, but he only has 7 dollars in his pocket. Belle is eager to taste them. They can visit ______.| A．Hershey’s Chocolate World | B．Taza Chocolate factory |
| C．Hoffman’s Chocolate factory | D．Askinosie Chocolate factory |
| A．Hershey’s Chocolate Tour | B．Hoffman’s Chocolate Tour |
| C．Askinosie Chocolate tour | D．Seattle’s Theo Chocolate Tour |
| A．Pennsylvania | B．Greenacres | C．Springfield | D．Emerald |
