Being recognized by National Geographic (《国家地理》) is one of the highest aims for many photographers. 14-year-old middle school student Gong Zijie from Changsha, Hunan, received this honor in 2014.
Gong was the China winner of the 2014 International Photography Contest for Kids. It was hosted by National Geographic Kids. Gong got first place in the Wild Vacation theme section. He photographed a shadow(影子) of a weed(杂草) on the Forbidden City’s tall red walls. In famous photographer Li Shaobai’s words, “Black, red, blue; the three colors form a striking contrast(强烈对比) together. The picture is silent, which stands for past life in the palace.” So why did he choose to take this photo? “I just saw the weed and thought it looked lonely and helpless.” Gong said.
Gong has learned about photography from his father, a professional photographer who works for Hunan TV. Since the age of 4, he has been following his father to take pictures of nature and social phenomenon(现象).
Gong is a patient photographer. It took him nearly four days to take the most suitable shot of a sunset in his hometown. He spends a lot of time waiting for the perfect chance to capture the best shots.
Gong said he is worried about environmental problems. Some of his photos of the Liuyang River show serious water pollution. He plans to photograph this river at least once every year to call more attention to the river’s pollution.
1. What is one of the highest aims for many photographers according to the text?| A．To win a photography competition. |
| B．To be recognized by National Geographic. |
| C．To become well-known all over the world. |
| D．To have one’s own photographs published in a major magazine. |
| A．Past life in the Forbidden City. | B．Water pollution in the Liuyang River. |
| C．A shadow of a weed on the Forbidden City’s walls. | D．A beautiful view of the sunset near his hometown. |
| A．Take. | B．Show. | C．Develop. | D．Paint. |
| A．How Gong learned Photography | B．A Famous Photograph by Gong |
| C．The Prize Gong Earned with His Photo | D．What Made Gong a Successful Photographer |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Four Self-Portraits (自画像) by Famous Artists
Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino)—“Self-Portrait”, 1506
One of the beautiful self-portraits by famous artist Raphael was drawn at the age of 23. It measures around 45cm×33cm and is located at the world-famous Uffizi Gallery. The Italian painter used oil on board to draw his self-portrait, which was the clearest and the most recognizable self-portraits of Raphael himself.
Leonardo da Vinci—“Portrait of a Man in Red Chalk”, 1512
“Portrait of a Man in Red Chalk”is a self-portrait of da Vinci at the age of 60 and measures around 33.3cm×21.6cm, which is on display in Biblioteca Reale, Turin, Italy. It is drawn with red chalk on paper and represents the head of an elderly man in a three-quarter view. In the portrait, the length of the hair is uncommon in Renaissance (文艺复兴) portraits.
Rembrandt van Rijn—“Self-Portrait with Beret and Turned-up Collar”, 1659
Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn painted his self-portrait in 1659 when he was 53 years old. It shows his worried expression that clearly portrays the troubled condition of his mind at that point of his life since the year 1659 was a year of anxiety for him. This self-portrait found its place among the Benjamin Altman Collection, which has been exhibited in the Metropolitan Museum of Art since 1913.
Edgar Degas—“Degas Au Porte-Fusain’”, l855
Edgar Degas made this self-portrait only when he was twenty-one years old. It was one of the most remarkable of his fifteen self-portraits. Degas was seated as seemingly without fear and anxiety. The pose in the painting was formal and academic. The painting is located in the musée d’Orsay, Paris, France.
1. Where should visitors go if they want to admire Raphael’s self-portrait in 1506?| A．Uffizi Gallery. | B．Biblioteca Reale. |
| C．The musée d’Orsay. | D．The Metropolitan Museum of Art. |
| A．The red clothing. | B．The formal pose. |
| C．The long hair. | D．The worried expression. |
| A．Raphael. | B．Edgar Degas. |
| C．Leonardo da Vinci. | D．Rembrandt van Rijn. |
【推荐2】Around 28 years ago, when photographer (摄影师) Liu Shibin first came to the Shitan Village in She County of Anhui Province, he was deeply attracted to the sights there. The 800-year-old village has peaceful lanes, fine Hui-style architecture, water scenes, beautiful mountain s and a deep cultural base. After that, Liu came to the village almost every year and started to think about how to use his power to help the village get out of poorness.
Spring is the high season for photography tourism in the village. As to how to attract visitors during other seasons, Liu got an idea. As the sunflower scene in Qinghai Province was quite famous, Liu advised the local villagers to copy that and plant sunflowers. In April of 2009, the photographer bought some seeds and paid to villagers to try them out. After the successful attempt, Liu spread his sunflower photographs online and the local government then encouraged villagers to plant more fields of sunflowers. Thus, more and more photographers and tourists came to the poor village, which brought development to the local tourism.
When Liu first came to Shitan village, there was only one hotel for photographers, which could only admit 12 people. However, now the village can accommodate nearly 10,000 people per day at the tourist season of spring.
Over the past years, photographer Liu Shibin has also shot many photos for local villagers and sent them a copy for free. Liu has “shot” the small unknown village into a nationwide famous photography attraction, helping local people get on a road to wealth with his lens (镜头).
1. Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the Shitan Village?| A．Beautiful scenes. | B．Its rich culture. | C．Friendly villagers. | D．The style of buildings. |
| A．He planted sunflowers in the fields there. |
| B．He took photographs of the village in spring. |
| C．He encouraged the local government to develop tourism. |
| D．He helped villagers plant sunflowers and posted photos of them online. |
| A．Honest. | B．Helpful. | C．Skilled. | D．Knowledgeable. |
| A．A beautiful village found a way to develop local tourism. |
| B．A photographer managed to help the village get out of poorness. |
| C．The beauty of the Shitan Village attracted a famous photographer. |
| D．Planting sunflowers in the village could make beautiful photographs. |
【推荐3】Pablo Picasso, born in Spain in 1881, was one of the most famous artists of the 20th century. Picasso began painting when he was a small child and took advanced art courses when he was only fifteen. Between 1904 and 1947 Picasso lived in Paris. In 1947 he moved to Riviera, in the south of France.
Many people thought Picasso’s works were strange and unpleasant. Still, he had a great influence on artists in every country. Today, Picasso is regarded as a genius, and his paintings are in the museums all over the world.
In 1912, Picasso actually invented a new type of art. He painted a picture, and then he pasted bits of paper and something else on the picture. This picture of art is called collage(拼贴艺术).
Picasso was not only a painter, but also a sculptor (雕刻家) and a designer of scenery for plays. There are even some photographs of “light paintings” that he created. These paintings were produced by moving a light pencil, or a small flashlight in the air. Although the images could be seen only by people watching them happen, the camera was able to catch the images as they occurred.
By the time he died in France in April of 1973, he had created 22, 000 works of art.
When he was asked how someone could become an artist, Picasso would reply, “If you want to draw, you must shut your eyes and sing.”
1. After reading the text, we can learn that Picasso was a(n) .| A．French artist |
| B．Spanish artist |
| C．English artist |
| D．Australian artist |
| A．stuck | B．struck |
| C．drew | D．mixed |
| A．Although Picasso was a great artist, he was not clever at all. |
| B．Picasso didn’t leave Paris until he was 23 years old. |
| C．People didn’t like Picasso’s works at first. |
| D．Picasso was only good at collage. |
| A．How to Become a Great Artist |
| B．A Genius |
| C．Pablo Picasso:More Than Just a Painter |
| D．Picasso’s Life in France |
【推荐1】It was a sunny afternoon in June of 2023 when Anthony Perry stepped off the train at Chicago’s 69th Street station. The 20-year-old, who worked nights in a grocery store, was on his way to see his grandfather so they could go and look at a car Perry was thinking about buying.
On the platform, two men were fighting fiercely. The pair fell over the edge and onto the tracks. One man ended up on his back, starting trembling. The aggressor leaped backward, ran back up onto the platform and disappeared. The man had fallen atop the third rail, the conduit (导电管) for the 600 volts of electricity that powered Chicago’s L trains and trembled terribly as the current went through his body. Without hesitation, Perry ran quickly to the victim. The guy looked dead, his body still shaking, his head hitting against a steel rail.
Perry wondered how he was going to escape the situation he’d just put himself into. Putting his trust in God, Perry reached down and grasped the victim’s wrist. Instantly, he felt a blast of electric shock shoot through his body. Perry jumped back, reached down a second time, and was shocked again.
Perry was no expert, but for a few moments he worked on the man’s heart until the victim became conscious. Doctors and firefighters arrived. So Perry let the professionals take over. His heart still racing from the adrenaline (肾上腺素) and the electric shocks, he climbed back up onto the platform, grabbed his things and continued on to his grandfather’s. As planned, they went to look at the car he wanted to buy, but it had been sold.
The evening news reported the incident, crediting an anonymous hero with saving the victim’s life. After a friend posted his story on the media, Perry became the toast of Chicago. Just days after the incident, a local philanthropist (慈善家) rewarded him with a car. Perry was then recruited by the Chicago Fire Department and is now training.
1. What does Paragraph 2 mainly tell us about?| A．How scared the victim was. | B．How strong-willed Perry was. |
| C．How cruel the aggressor was. | D．How serious the situation was. |
| A．Brave and warm-hearted. | B．Adventurous and easy-going. |
| C．Determined and energetic. | D．Generous and cooperative. |
| A．To make us advocate heroic deeds. |
| B．To tell a story about a hero saving a life. |
| C．To appeal to readers to learn from Perry. |
| D．To teach people the way to become famous. |
| A．He was badly injured in the accident. |
| B．He cared little about his heroic behavior. |
| C．His grandfather had passed away before he arrived. |
| D．He had worked for the Chicago Fire Department before. |
【推荐2】I was 11 years old when I asked my mom for piano lessons in 2010. We were in the economic crisis. She said a polite “ no ”.
That didn’t stop me. I googled the measurements for a keyboard, drew the keys on a piece of paper and stuck it on my desk. I would click notes on an online keyboard and “ play” them back on my paper one—keeping the sound they made on the computer in my head. I spent six months playing without touching a real piano. Once my mom saw that I was serious, she borrowed money and bought me 10 lessons.
I still remember the first one. I was struck by how real the sound of the piano was. I sat my grade one after eight lessons. Once I started secondary school, we couldn’t afford lessons again. I passed grade three, and then grade five, practicing only on my piece of paper.
One evening, when I was about 13, my mom said she had a surprise for me; it was an electronic keyboard, bought with more borrowed money. It was the first time I’d played for her. She was in shock.
My school didn’t offer music A-level. I found the Purcell School for young musicians. But I had to pass a difficult test. Some of the questions involved an evaluation of the composer or when some piece was written. I felt stressed. To my amazement, I was offered a place.
At Purcell, I spent two years working as hard as I could. I performed to raise money and save enough to buy my first piano. When I left Purcell, I was awarded the senior piano prize and senior academic music prize. I am now at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London. I feel proud: it’s been 10 years since I drew my paper piano, and I’m at one of the world’s leading music schools.
The irony is that I continue to do a lot of my practice away from the piano---what we call mental practice. The paper piano helped arouse my curiosity about how music works, the building blocks that form the pieces.
1. Why did the author’s mom buy him 10 lessons at last?| A．She was shocked by his first performance. |
| B．She had no doubt about his talent for piano. |
| C．She realized that he meant what he said. |
| D．She suddenly made a fortune. |
| A．Honest. | B．Determined. | C．Humorous. | D．Optimistic. |
| A．surprised | B．proud | C．satisfied | D．disappointed |
| A．Mental Practice Matters |
| B．A Surprise from Mum |
| C．Learning An Instrument Costs Too Much |
| D．Stick to Your Dreams |
【推荐3】What a day! I started at my new school this morning and had the best time. I made lots of new friends and really liked my teachers. I was nervous last night, but I had no reason to be nervous. Everyone was so friendly and polite. They made me feel at ease. It was like I'd been at the school for a hundred years!
The day started very early at 7:00 a.m. I had my breakfast downstairs with my mom. She could tell that I was very nervous. Mom kept asking me what was wrong. She told me I had nothing to worry about and that everyone was going to love me. If they didn't love me, Mom said to send them her way for a good talking-to. I couldn't stop laughing.
My mom dropped me off at the school gate about five minutes before the bell. A little blonde (金发的) girl got dropped off at the same time and started waving (招手) at me. She ran over and told me her name was Abigail. She was very nice and we became close straight away. We spent all the morning together and began to talk to another girl called Stacey. The three of us sat together in class all day and we even made our way home together! Time went on so quickly. Our teacher told us that tomorrow we would really start learning and developing new skills.
I can't wait until tomorrow and feel as though I am really going to enjoy my time at my new school. I only hope that my new friends feel the same way too.
1. How did the author feel about her new school in the morning?| A．Tired. | B．Disappointed. | C．Worried. | D．Relaxed.(放松的) |
| A．Funny. | B．Clear. | C．Right. | D．Excellent. |
| A．She learned some new skills. | B．She had breakfast with his father. |
| C．She met many friendly and polite people. | D．She arrived at school very early. |
| A．She missed her home. | B．She got along well with the author. |
| C．She didn’t like sitting next to Stacey. | D．She has a boyfriend. |
【推荐1】Being compared to great people like Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein is not something that happens to the average person. At the age of just 23, Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski has already achieved much more goals than most of us ever will in our lifetime.
When she was only 14 years old, the Chicago girl made her own single engine airplane—by herself. She then flew it across Lake Michigan, becoming the youngest person to ever fly their own plane.
She graduated from Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) in 2010 and entered Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
At first, she had to wait to be accepted into the school, but once Professors Allen Haggerty and Earll Murman watched her video they had no doubt. Femalista quoted Haggerty as saying: After just three years at MIT she has already achieved the highest possible grade point average of 5.0.
She is now studying further at Harvard University, with full academic freedom. Once again she is only 23 years old.
What’s even more impressive is that she is no longer interested in building planes but has turned her attention to physics, namely black holes and how gravity (重力)affects space and time—that is why she is being compared to Einstein and Hawking.
Pasterski records all of her work on her website Physics Girl, but if you are a little shocked by her achievements, she has some words for you.
During an interview with Marie Claire earlier this year she said, “Being optimistic about what you believe you can do. When you’re little, you say a lot of things about what you’ll do or be when you’re older—I think it’s important not to forget those dreams.”
1. Why does the author mention Einstein and Hawking at the beginning?| A．To honour the two scientists. |
| B．To compare the two scientists. |
| C．To bring out the key character. |
| D．To introduce their achievements. |
| A．Pasterski had to wait three months. |
| B．He thought highly of Pasterski. |
| C．He had some doubt about Pasterski. |
| D．Pasterski had average grades at college. |
| A．She has full academic freedom at Harvard. |
| B．She records all of her work on her website. |
| C．She becomes the youngest person to fly a plane. |
| D．She is interested in some special fields of physics. |
| A．Independence and concentration. |
| B．Concentration and optimism. |
| C．Optimism and determination. |
| D．Friendliness and determination. |
【推荐2】Elizabeth Blackwell was born in England in 1821, and moved to New York City when she was ten years old. One day she decided that she wanted to become a doctor. That was nearly impossible for a woman in the middle of the nineteenth century. After writing many letters asking for admission( 录 取 ) to medical schools, she was finally accepted by a doctor in Philadelphia. She was so determined that she taught school and gave music lessons to get money for the cost of schooling.
In 1849, after graduation from medical school. she decided to further her education in Paris. She wanted to be a surgeon(外科医师) , but a serious eye problem forced her to give up the idea.
Upon returning to the United States, she found it difficult to start her own practice because she was a woman. By 1857 Elizabeth and her sister, also a doctor, along with another woman doctor, managed to open a new hospital, the first for women and children Besides being the first woman physician and founding her own hospital , she also set up the first medical school for women.
1. What main obstacle(障碍) almost destroyed Elizabeth’s chances for becoming a doctor?| A．She was a woman. | B．She wrote too many letters. |
| C．She couldn’t graduate from medical school. | D．She couldn’t set up her hospital. |
| A．Eight years | B．Ten years | C．Nineteen years | D．Thirty-six years |
| A．became the first woman physician |
| B．was the first woman doctor |
| C．and several other women founded the first hospital for women and children |
| D．set up the first medical school for women |
| A．England | B．Paris | C．the United States | D．New York City |
【推荐3】Wang Mengmeng uses volunteers at the Expo 2010 Shanghai as the subject for her third book on the work of volunteers in China. The 27-year-old writer, herself a volunteer, has decided that the last three books will be about those who contribute their time to the Expo. She said she would try to reflect what Expo volunteers had done to boost the image and statue of this world event. “I am deeply moved by what they have done for the event and I have a strong desire to document their work and achievements,” she said. The young writer said she was currently preparing to research the subject and interview Expo volunteers. Wang presented copies of her latest book, Mijiu, to more than 50 Expo volunteers at the Shanghai Book Fair.
Her book looks at the lives and work of volunteers protecting the environment and endangered animal species. “My new book about the Expo volunteers will be my last on volunteers,” she said at a ceremony. “Volunteers can play a big role in making the world harmonious,” she said. “It is my pleasure to present copies of my book to Expo volunteers.” “The theme I express in the book should accord with (与……一致) that of the World Expo, letting people live in a harmonious world.”
Wang has channeled her energy since her graduation from university in 2006 to volunteer work. She started as a volunteer teacher in a poverty-stricken area in Yunnan province. She then volunteered to work at the Natural Protection Zone in Yancheng, Jiangsu province. These volunteer experiences helped her complete the first two books on the work of volunteers.
Her first book describes the happiness and hardships teachers faced when they worked in the poverty-stricken mountainous areas. The second tells a story about two generations of Chinese and foreigners protecting the environment and wildlife in China. She suffered a lot when living and working with locals as a volunteer. But all this provided abundant material for her novels, she said. “Being a volunteer helps me learn a lot from the people. It helps me mature,’’ Wang said.
1. What subject is Mengmeng’s third book about?| A．Volunteers in the world. | B．Volunteers at the Expo 2010 Shanghai. |
| C．Volunteers in China. | D．Volunteers in remote regions. |
| A．She worked as a volunteer teacher. |
| B．She was a volunteer reporter at the Expo. |
| C．She became a volunteer before her graduation. |
| D．She liked to work at the Natural Protection Zone best. |
| A．Promising. | B．Aggressive. | C．Exciting. | D．Beneficial. |
| A．Volunteer work is a lifelong career |
| B．Volunteer work earns written praise |
| C．A volunteer teacher in poverty area |
| D．Three books about the Expo volunteers |
