1 . Must-Visit Art Galleries In England
Tucked away in cities and countryside across England, there are some exceptional art galleries that should be on every art lover's radar. From classic collections to contemporary installations, here are nine must-visit art galleries in England.
1. Tate Modern, London
Situated on the banks of the River Thames, Tate Modern is Britain’s national gallery of modern art. Housed in a former power station, the gallery is home to an impressive collection of contemporary art, including works by Picasso, Warhol, and Hockney. With its iconic Turbine Hall and stunning views of London, Tate Modern offers a truly immersive art experience.
2. The Hepworth Wakefield, Yorkshire
Named after the renowned sculptor Barbara Hepworth, The Hepworth Wakefield celebrates modern and contemporary art in a stunning waterside setting. The gallery’s collection includes sculptures, paintings, and drawings by Hepworth and other British artists. With its award-winning architecture and vibrant exhibitions, The Hepworth Wakefield is a must-visit destination for art lovers.
3. The Baltic, Gateshead
In Gateshead, on the banks of the River Tyne, The Baltic is a modern art center that regularly hosts international exhibitions. The Baltic is a contemporary art gallery housed in a former flour mill. The gallery’s vast exhibition spaces showcase cutting-edge contemporary art from around the world, as well as innovative installations and events. With its iconic building and panoramic views of Newcastle and Gateshead, The Baltic is a must-visit destination for art lovers.
4. The Lowry, Manchester
Located in the heart of Salford Quays, The Lowry is a vibrant arts venue showcasing visual and performing arts. Named after the famous painter L.S. Lowry, the gallery houses the largest public collection of his work, as well as contemporary exhibitions and events. With its theatres, galleries, and waterfront setting, The Lowry offers a dynamic cultural experience for visitors of all ages.
These are just a few of the many exceptional art galleries waiting to be explored in England. Whether you’re a seasoned art enthusiast or simply curious about the world of art, these galleries offer a diverse range of experiences for visitors of all ages and interests.
1. What sets Tate Modern apart from other art galleries?| A．Its riverside location. | B．Its collection of European paintings. |
| C．Its focus on contemporary art. | D．Its association with famous artists like Turner. |
| A．The Baltic, Gateshead. | B．The Lowry, Manchester. |
| C．The Hepworth Wakefield, Yorkshire. | D．Tate Modern, London. |
| A．London. | B．Manchester. | C．Gateshead. | D．Brighton. |
| A．A performance. | B．An investment. | C．A film. |
| A．By bike. | B．By bus. | C．By running. |
4 . When instant cake mixes first appeared in the 1950s, American housewives were doubtful. These mixes, promising easy cake-baking, felt too easy. The manufacturers discovered that requiring the addition of an egg in the baking process was just enough to make the housewives happy with their work. The greater sense of effort gained from a little extra labor is believed to have been essential to the later success of the cake mix.
This reflects the IKEA effect (宜家效应), which is identified by psychologist Michael I. Norton and his colleagues, suggesting we place greater value on things we have worked to create. They conducted four studies in which they asked participants to fold paper cranes and frogs, assemble IKEA boxes, and build sets of Legos. They then asked the builders to bid (出价) for their creations, and compared the prices with bids from people who hadn’t built them. The builders consistently outbid the non-builders.
Interestingly, the IKEA effect works even when people have no opportunity to fully personalize their creations. While most participants’ folding skills left much to be desired, they loved their imperfectly personalized products all the more. Builders valued their wrinkled crane-like creations nearly five times as much as non-builders. Beauty, it seems, is in the eye of the builder.
Today, as cities are suffering from severe housing crises, the IKEA effect can give us insight into the well-being benefits of a self-building approach to housing development. Projects like WikiHouse and the “half-a-house” approach pioneered by Alejandro Aravena’s architecture company Elemental are working to make housing more affordable and sustainable by making it easier for people to build and personalize their own homes.
“The moment people are involved with their built environment, they have a totally different relationship to it,” WikiHouse co-founder Alastair Parvin explained. “When the roof starts leaking or a door starts creaking, they have the power to fix it themselves.”
1. What brought customers the joy of cake-baking according to paragraph 1?| A．A better taste. | B．An easy approach. |
| C．A detailed recipe. | D．An additional effort. |
| A．Creations are based on skills. | B．Extra labor increases perceived value. |
| C．Beauty is found through contrast. | D．Strict management brings good quality. |
| A．Critical. | B．Objective. | C．Doubtful. | D．Supportive. |
| A．To promote a brand. | B．To make a proposal. |
| C．To explain a concept. | D．To introduce a study. |
5 . When it comes to lowering blood pressure, studies have typically shown that aerobic (有氧的) exercises are best. Recent research suggests another type of physical activity is worth including as an effective tool to prevent and treat high blood pressure.
Exercises that engage muscles without movement, such as wall squats and planks, may be best for lowering blood pressure, according to a large study published in July, 2023 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
This type of training is known as isometric exercise, according to the Mayo Clinic. Isometric muscle action happens when muscles contract but do not visibly change length, and the joints involved don’t move, facilitating stability of the body. Isometric exercises can be done with weights or without, just relying on the body’s own weight.
“These findings provide a comprehensive data-driven framework to support the development of new exercise guideline recommendations for the prevention and treatment of high blood pressure,” said study coauthor Dr. Jamie O’Driscoll in a news release.
The researchers looked into randomized controlled trials that had reported the effects of exercise interventions, lasting two or more weeks, on blood pressure between 1990 and February 2023. From a review of 270 trials with 15,827 participants, the researchers found that among HIIT (high intensity interval training), isometric exercise, aerobic exercise, dynamic resistance training and a combination of the latter two, isometric exercise led to the greatest reductions in blood pressure.
It’s also important to note that there are other lifestyle changes as well as exercise that can benefit your blood pressure. These include keeping to a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, cutting down on salt, not drinking too much alcohol and ensuring that you continue to take any prescribed medication.
More research is needed to determine exactly why isometric exercises might be better for lowering blood pressure than other types of training, the authors said.
1. What does the underlined part “isometric exercise” in paragraph 3 refer to?| A．Exercise that is done with extra weights. |
| B．Exercise that involves visible muscle contraction. |
| C．Exercise that focuses on stability of the body. |
| D．Exercise that engages muscles without movement. |
| A．By providing statistics. | B．By interviewing experts. |
| C．By doing experiments. | D．By making comparisons. |
| A．Exploring the reasons for its effectiveness. |
| B．Demonstrating its influences on mental health. |
| C．Assessing its suitability for different populations. |
| D．Determining its long-term impacts on blood pressure. |
| A．The benefits of aerobic exercises. | B．The best exercise for blood pressure. |
| C．The effects of various types of exercises. | D．The importance of keeping a healthy lifestyle. |
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（/）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Anthony, a 11-year-old boy, became famous after a video of him dance in the rain outside his home in Nigeria was put on the Internet. He impressed people from his enthusiasm. An Oscar-winning actor saw the video of Anthony and put them on his social media. He wrote, “We can be greatly passionate despite of the great difficulties that have put in front of us.” Anthony is a student at a dance academy in a poor district in Africa. The academy gives freely lessons to poor children that have somewhere to practice. The academy’s founder said, “We are changing people’s attitude towards male dancers.” Anthony said, “There are not male ballet dancers like me here. While people see ballet, they think it is only for girls, but I want to tell them there are also male ballet dancers.”
7 . The 1973 horror film “The Exorcist” and “Silent Night, Deadly Night” released in 1984 were so scary that audiences left the theater up and out—throwing up and passing out, that is.
Based on this evidence after the release, it would seem to most people that horror movies are bad for people’s health. Yet experts actually argue exactly the opposite: The Halloween tradition of watching scary movies is actually good for your mental health.
“There is some research on this in psychology, but I think what’s basically been found is that there’s a benefit to recalling fears in your mind,” Matthew Strohl, the author of Why It’s OK to Love Bad Movies, told Salon. “You can gain a sense of distance from them. You feel you can conquer them through this sort of exposure, as it were, by repeatedly putting yourself in a position where you have to engage with them. But because it’s in a fictional (虚构的) artistic context, you can deal with them.”
Frank T. McAndrew, who has studied how places can “creep” people out (让人害怕)—researched on the science behind how horror movies are in many ways ideal as a specific vehicle for meeting this need to be scared.
“That is kind of born with us,” McAndrew pointed out. “We like stories. We like to learn through the experience of other people. We learn valuable lessons that might be kind of costly to learn on our own. So we are attracted by horror movies and horror experiences because by watching other people deal with scary things, we can mentally practice strategies that will make us better prepared for dealing with that ourselves in the future.”
Whether it is turning down the movie’s volume, covering your eyes, or reminding yourself that it is just a movie, McAndrew said “that kind of playful engagement with fear can not only help people avoid fainting from horror in face of a horror movie, but also handle the pressure and anxieties of the real world.”
1. How experts’ opinion differs from most people’s belief?| A．People like horror movies. | B．Horror films are actually beneficial. |
| C．Horror may cause physical discomfort. | D．Halloween tradition is watching horror movies. |
| A．Horror films can give people a sense of control. |
| B．Fears can keep people away from scary films. |
| C．Fears in life differ from those caused by scary films. |
| D．Not everyone can appreciate the beauty of fictional arts. |
| A．The appeal for a vehicle. | B．The need for fear. |
| C．The fear for some places. | D．The science behind horror. |
| A．Studying literature and art. | B．Writing film reviews. |
| C．Dealing with stress and anxiety. | D．Interacting with others. |
8 . The Mona Lisa is the famous Leonardo da Vinci painting of a woman with a mysterious smile. This week, the painting gave up a secret.
Scientists using X-rays to examine the chemical structure of a small part of the painting discovered a technique Leonardo used in the work. An oil paint used for it was a special, new chemical mixture, which suggests that the Italian artist was in an experimental mood when he worked on the painting in the 16th century.
“He loved to experiment, and each of his paintings is completely different technically,”said Victor Gonzalez, a chemist who has studied the chemical element (成分) of several works by Leonardo and other artists. The researchers found a rare lead compound (铅化合物) — plumbonacrite, in Leonardo’s first layer of paint. The discovery proved that da Vinci most likely used lead oxide to thicken and help dry his paint. The paint in the study is about the thickness of a human hair, lying in the top right area of the painting.
The scientists looked into its atomic structure using X-rays, moving particles at the speed of light, permitting researchers to look deeper into the paint structure. “ Plumbonacrite is really a fingerprint of his recipe, as it’s the first time we can chemically confirm it,” Gonzalez said.
Dutch artist Rembrandt may have used a similar mixture when he was painting in the 17th century. Gonzalez and other researchers have found plumbonacrite in his work, too. Leonardo is thought to have put lead oxide powder, which has an orange color, in the oil to make it thicker and dry faster. “What you will get is an oil that has a very nice golden color,” Gonzalez said. “It flows more like honey.”
But the Mona Lisa — said by the Louvre to be a portrait (肖像) of Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a Florentine silk businessman — and additional works by Leonardo still have other secrets to tell. “What we are saying is just a little brick in the knowledge,” Gonzalez said.
1. What’s the new discovery about the Mona Lisa?| A．A new explanation of the secret smile. |
| B．A new chemical element used in the painting. |
| C．The secret of the woman in the painting. |
| D．The structure of the paint da Vinci used. |
| A．Open secret. | B．Widespread use. | C．Hidden element. | D．Long-term dream. |
| A．It helps to make many things into paints. |
| B．It helps to make paints easy to deal with. |
| C．It helps to keep the paintings last long. |
| D．It helps to make paintings rich in color. |
| A．It has more secrets to tell the world. |
| B．It’s the portrait of a silk businessman. |
| C．It’s well kept in bricks in the Louvre. |
| D．It has a mixture of different art styles. |
9 . Ride a Wave of Weekend Music in New York City
Bill Saxton All-Stars
Sept. 9 — 10 at Bill’s Place, Manhattan
Honoring the spirit of Harlem jazz since opening in 2006, Bill Saxton is now part of the history it celebrates. Each weekend, Saxton, who grew up in the neighborhood packed with jazz in the mid-20th century, takes the stage with his Harlem All-Stars to tear through bop classics, spiritual jazz beauties and his originals with earthy power.
Tickets are at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. and $30 at www.billsplaceharlem.com.
An A24 Comedy
Sept. 9 at Littlefield, Brooklyn
The comedian Sarah Rachel shows her love for A24, an award-wining film, by hosting a celebration of dress party. Attendees are encouraged to dress up as their favorite A24 characters, with a prize for the best dressed.
Tickets, starting at 8 p.m., are $20 in advance, $25 on the day, and available at www.littlefieldnyc.com.
CMOM’s Art Festival
Through September 30 at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan
The museum is inviting visitors to celebrate summer in the city with storybook readings and craft activities, all devoted to New York themes. Grub Gallery offers two daylong workshops, where children can carve a refrigerator out of a cake as their treats.
All activities are included in museum admission, starting at $13, available at www.cmomsummerart.com
Burna Boy
Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. at Citi Field, Queens
Burna Boy, a famous Nigerian artist, heads to Citi Field, where the singer and rapper will perform on Saturday, combining sounds rooted in hip-hop, dancehall and more. Tickets for Saturday’s concert, part of his ongoing tour promoting “Love, Domini”, start at $54.50, available from Ticketmaster.
1. What do we know about Bill Saxton?| A．He will dress up to perform a character of A24. |
| B．His workshop offers special treats to children. |
| C．He grew up in a place filled with jazz music. |
| D．He is a Nigerian artist performing in New York. |
| A．Have a taste of the spiritual beauty of jazz. |
| B．Dress up as their favorite characters of a film. |
| C．Join the singer for a promotion of a rap tour concert. |
| D．Carve a fridge out of a cake supplied in the workshops |
| A．At Ticketmaster | B．At www.littlefieldnyc.com. |
| C．At www.billsplaceharlem.com. | D．At www.cmomsummerart.com. |
1. What kind of people are “early birds”?
| A．The people getting up early in the morning. |
| B．The people going to bed early at night. |
| C．The people going to bed late at night. |
| A．Around 9: 00 p. m. | B．Around 10: 00 p. m. | C．Around midnight or later. |
| A．One-fourth. | B．Two-fifths. | C．One-fifth. |
| A．Some intelligence tests. | B．Getting grades in school. | C．Getting good jobs. |
