1 . Most Famous Paintings in the World
Among the millions of paintings that are created and shown in galleries and museums all around the world, a very small number of them go beyond time and make history. Below are some examples.
The Persistence of Memory — Salvador Dali. Painted in 1931, The Persistence of Memory is one of the most recognizable pieces in art history. This work is known to make people reflect on their way of life and the way they spend their time, and it is also thought that Albert Einstein’s well-known Theory of Relativity gave Dali the idea for this wonderful painting.
Girl with a Pearl Earring — Johannes Vermeer. Considered by many to be “the Dutch Mona Lisa”, this beautiful painting features an unnamed young woman looking over her shoulder to stare directly at the viewer. It was completed in 1665 and is exhibited in the Mauritshuis in The Hague, the Netherlands.
Guernica — Pablo Picasso. The famous painting by Picasso was completed in 1937. It was painted in Paris following the bombing of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. The painting is on permanent display in the Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain.
Starry Night — Vincent van Gogh. Painted in 1889, Starry Night is one of the most famous paintings in modern culture, which is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It is based on van Gogh’s direct observations as well as his imagination, memories, and emotions and was the inspiration for the song Vincent (also known as Starry, Starry Night).
1. What do we know about The Persistence of Memory?| A．It was finished in the 1920s. | B．It centers on people’s lifestyle. |
| C．It reflects the painter’s memories. | D．It may be inspired by a famous theory. |
| A．The Persistence of Memory. | B．Starry Night. |
| C．Girl with a Pearl Earring. | D．Guernica. |
| A．They are everlasting artworks. | B．They share the similar theme. |
| C．They are on permanent display. | D．They give ideas for music creation. |
2 . It was a February afternoon in a Brooklyn classroom. Sixteen-year-old Taylor Engler came face to face with a cow. But it was all in her head. She was transported by a virtual reality (VR) headphone. It took the Berkeley Carroll School junior and eight other classmates to a northern New York farm. The farm was 250 miles away. For students, the technology means field trips are no longer kept within the length of a bus ride.
It's unknown how many classrooms have or will use the technology, but experts say few classrooms do or will do. Headphones that require a user's phone can cost as little as $20 or $30, but systems and software for classes run into thousands of dollars. The problem of not having good software is disappearing as more companies enter the market. But the rules for use haven't kept abreast of the development of the technology. In New York, for example, virtual reality lab experiments are not included in the state's hands-on lab time requirements.
Experts say science classes are where virtual reality holds promise for classrooms. “The biggest problem, I think, is going to be how closely it mimics the real world." That's according to David Evans, the director of the National Science Teachers Union. However, he said, “The ability to do dangerous things and to run many, many more cases in a virtual space as opposed to the real physical space stands for a huge learning chance.”
Lamb taught chemistry and he agreed. “Too often in schools, when you do experiments in labs, you mix these together, you mix those together and you get this result. And if you don't get that result, you have done something wrong. But we don't have enough resources for you to redo it, “he said. “In virtual reality, all I do is hit reset on the computer. I don't have to actually use chemicals.”
1. What was Taylor Engler doing?| A．Riding a bus. | B．Giving a lesson. | C．Designing a farm. | D．Experiencing VR. |
| A．Led to. | B．Focused on. | C．Caught up with. | D．Broken away from. |
| A．Helpful. | B．Troublesome. | C．Interesting. | D．Challenging. |
| A．To point out the importance of practice. | B．To introduce the use of VR in teaching. |
| C．To give information about modern schools. | D．To show the appearance of VR technology. |
3 . Music Moves Europe
ABOUT US
Music Moves Europe is the framework for the European Commission's initiatives and actions regarding the European music. The general goal of Music Moves Europe is to identify and support innovative（创新的）approaches to music education and learning through cooperation between music and education.
Music education can be beneficial in many ways: however, the range of Music Moves Europe will be limited to projects that contribute to promoting social inclusion to allow people to have access to musical education and learning. Social inclusion means in this context providing the necessary support to all learners according to their particular needs, including those from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds or those with special needs. It wants to test small projects with a European background and promote European music diversity.
FOR BRITISH APPLICANTS
Please be aware that following the entry into force of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement（PDF）on February 1 and in particular Articles 127（6）, 137 and 138, the references to natural or legal persons residing（居住）in the Member State of the European Union are to be understood as including natural or legal persons residing in the United Kingdom.
UK residents are therefore eligible（有资格的）to participate under this call.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Due to the exceptional circumstances of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Commission has decided to also accept applications sent by email. Please note that the same rules apply to an application sent by email, but it has to be complete with all supporting documents and sent within the deadline. If a document cannot be provided due to these exceptional circumstances, the burden of proof lies with the applicant.
1. What is the aim of Music Moves Europe?| A．To encourage new ways to teach music. | B．To find music talents at school. |
| C．To make students self-learn music. | D．To offer students financial support. |
| A．High status. | B．Social inclusion. | C．Healthcare reform. | D．Economic growth. |
| A．Enjoy free trips in the UK. | B．Seek help with their health. |
| C．Send applications by email. | D．Ignore supporting documents. |
4 . Pennsylvania-When Connie Beck and her husband awoke to strange noises last weekend, they thought high winds were rattling their home. What they found was even more unexpected: A deer was taking a bubble bath in their bathtub. “I wasn’t exactly dressed for company,” Mrs. Beck said. “We were just waking up.” The deer burst through the front door early on Saturday, ran past the couple’s bedroom and into the bathroom. Somehow he managed to turn on the water in the bathtub and knock over a bottle of bubble bath into the bathtub. He then got himself into the bubbly water. “You could hear the water running over the kicking,” Beck said. The Becks called State Game Commission officials, who arrived with tranquilizers and a lot of laughter. “A guy said, ‘There’s nothing wrong… he’s just in there taking a bubble bath,’” Mrs. Beck said. The animal was soon brought under control, removed from the house and released. “He was unharmed except for a little cut above the eye,” said Mrs. Beck. “We were also fortunate. There wasn’t much damage, except for the front door, some marks on the tub, and a few hoof prints on the floor.”
1. When did the story take place?| A．On the night of Friday. | B．On the late night of Saturday. |
| C．On the early morning of Saturday. | D．On Sunday evening. |
| A．was joking about the incident | B．meant she never liked people to visit |
| C．explained she was about to go to work | D．wished she could have new clothes |
| A．managed to cover himself with bubbles | B．kicked over the tub |
| C．began to swim in the tub | D．happened to turn on the bath taps |
| A．the deer was set free |
| B．the deer destroyed the tub and the floor |
| C．the officials made fun of the couple |
| D．the officials discovered the deer was badly injured in the eye |
5 . If you are currently learning English, 1 highly recommend you check out the apps below.
Quizlet
When learning English, you probably have to memorize a lot of words. If you want to grow your vocabulary as fast as possible, a flashcard app like Quizlet is a great shortcut. With Quizlet, you can create a set of flashcards with new English words you are trying to learn, and practice typing them out until you know them by heart. It's a simple concept, but it's highly effective.
Spotify
Spotify is not a language learning app. But chances are that you already use it or a similar app for listening to music or podcasts（播客）, and one of the effective ways to study is combining something you already use into your existing habits. If Spotify is already on your phone, you can subscribe to some podcasts for English learners or download playlists of songs for learning English, or make your own.
Beelinguapp
Beelinguapp makes reading in English as convenient as possible. It shows you a text in your own language with the English translation side-by-side. Texts are short enough so that you can really dig into every word. They cover topics from fairytales, to science, to current news articles. There's even a "karaoke" feature where you can read along to audio, which helps you match up the English pronunciation with the English spellings.
Tandem
Tandem is a language exchange app which connects learners from all over the world. It can help you find a native English speaker who is trying to learn your native language, so you can swap language skills. If you only have five minutes to spare, you can simply exchange messages with a native English speaker. If you have more time, you can have a longer, digital language exchange" by sharing voice notes, or using video chat. It's a great way to test your English skills out with real people.
1. What is Spotify intended to help people do?| A．Develop a good habit. | B．Listen to music or podcasts. |
| C．Learn a foreign language. | D．Memorize words with flashcards. |
| A．Learners can use their native language as a reference. |
| B．It's convenient for learners to translate voice notes. |
| C．It provides learners a chance to tell their own stories. |
| D．Learners can sing English songs along to the music. |
| A．Quizlet. | B．Spotify. | C．Beelinguapp. | D．Tandem. |
6 . Although Friends came to an end in 2004, it’s still considered one of the best sitcoms to ever make its way onto our screens. This show thrust the likes of Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, and Courteney Cox into the limelight (聚光灯), and everyone had their favorites. Women wanted to have their hair cut just like Rachel, many people wanted to be as confident as Joey, and others wanted to be able to sing just like Phoebe! However, it seems as though Lisa Kudrow’s experience on the set of Friends wasn’t as perfect as it seemed.
Recently, Lisa Kudrow was asked to speak on Marc Maron’s podcast (播客), and she opened up about her experiences with her own body image. She noted that, while working on Friends, she would often compare herself to her co-stars. She would look at Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox, and she would then see her flaws compared to their perfections. She would see them as extremely thin and beautiful women, but then she looked at herself on her screen and saw someone who was much larger.
Because she often felt as though she was less of a woman because she felt larger than her co-stars, Lisa would lose weight on purpose to feel better about herself. The more she lost weight, the more she received compliments from those who knew her, and complete strangers. This heightened the idea that she needed to be thin to be beautiful.
Now, Lisa has put weight back on and feels more beautiful than ever.
1. Who were most probably Matthew Perry and Jennifer Aniston?| A．Stars from Friends. | B．Characters from Friends. |
| C．Fans of Friends. | D．Coauthors of Friends. |
| A．Because she didn’t work well with other stars. |
| B．Because she thought she was too fat. |
| C．Because she wasn’t her audience’s favorite. |
| D．Because she was poor at playing her role. |
| A．Don’t think much of your appearance. |
| B．Don’t express your true feelings to your fans. |
| C．Don’t focus much on the comments of co-stars. |
| D．Don’t make too much comparison with others. |
| A．Dislike. | B．Comment. | C．Praise. | D．Requirement. |
7 . A national park is created for the purpose of conservation. Yellowstone National Park in the US was the first national park in the world. Here are some other national parks in the world.
Northeast Greenland National Park, Denmark
The national park is the largest one in the world. It covers an area of 927，000 km²，It is also the most northern national park in the world.
Around 5,000 to 15,000 musk oxen (麝香牛) as well as polar bears live in the park. Some of the birds also live there.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Australia
The park is the second largest national park in the world. It protects a large part of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef from being damaged in any way.
All commercial ships must stay on specific shipping routes that avoid the most sensitive areas of the park. The Great Barrier Reef has the world's largest number of corals and other sea life.
Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, Mozambique
This national park covers an area of 99,800 km².It joins some of the famous wildlife areas in southern Africa into a huge conservation area.
In 2006, the Giriyondo tourist access between the Limpopo and Kruger national parks was opened. There were 5,000 animals moving from Kruger to Limpopo National Park, including over 1,000 elephants.
Wood Buffalo National Park, Canada
The park was created in 1922 to protect the wood bison (森林野牛) whose population had dropped from 40 million in 1830 to less than 1.000 by 1900.
The park consists of 44,807 square kilometers of northern plains. It is also the world's only natural living place of the cranes (鹤).
1. Which of the following is the earliest national park?| A．Wood Buffalo National Park. | B．Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park. |
| C．Northeast Greenland National Park. | D．Yellowstone National Park. |
| A．Some sea animals. | B．A lot of polar bears. |
| C．Many cranes. | D．Hundreds of elephants. |
| A．It has an area of 44,807 km². | B．It is home to the wood bison. |
| C．It lies in southern Africa. | D．It is the largest national park. |
8 . There was once a boy who liked nothing more in the world than to win. He loved winning at whatever it might be: football, cards, video games….And because he couldn't stand losing, he had become an expert in all kinds of tricks. He could play tricks in every situation without being noticed, even in video games or playing alone. He could win without ever being caught.
He won so many times that everyone saw him as the champion. It meant that almost no one wanted to play with him. One person who did play with him was a poor boy. He was a bit younger. The champion really enjoyed himself by making the boy look foolish.
But the champion ended up getting bored. He needed something more, so he decided to apply for the national video games championship, where he would find some competitors worthy of himself. At the championship he was eager to show his skills, but when he tried using all those tricks he knew from a thousand different games, none of them worked. The judges had prevented any of the tricks from working.
He felt embarrassed: he was a good player, but without his tricks, he couldn't beat a single competitor. Finally, the judges announced the name of the champion. It was the poor boy whom he had always beaten!
The boy realized that the poor boy had been cleverer than him. It hadn't mattered to the poor boy if he lost or got a good beating, because what he was really doing was learning from each of his defeats. And from so much learning he had become a real master.
1. Why could the boy manage to win at everything?| A．Because he was good at playing tricks. |
| B．Because he knew every situation well. |
| C．Because he was cleverer than others. |
| D．Because he had better skills than others. |
| A．The judges praised the boy for his skills. |
| B．The judges stopped the boy from cheating. |
| C．The boy was quite proud of his own skills. |
| D．The boy defeated all his competitors easily. |
| A．Pride goes before a fall. |
| B．A good beginning is half done. |
| C．Failure is the mother of success. |
| D．Never judge a book by its cover. |
9 . Some 70 countries, mostly in the Americas and Europe, apply Daylight Saving Time during the summer months. Europe’s clocks will move forward once again this weekend. Yet last week the European Union voted to end this long-established practice from 2022.
In the 18th century, Benjamin Franklin came up with the idea of moving the clocks forward in the summer. But the practice really took hold during World War I and since then it has brought several benefits. It might increase consumer spending, as shoppers are encouraged to stay out later into the evening. It might even reduce crime. As the saying goes, “The longer the daylight, the less I do wrong.”
In spite of all that, clock-changing is unpopular. When the European Union ran a poll（民意调查）among its citizens, it got nearly 5 million responses. Over 80% want to scrap clock-changing, and for good reasons. Although it has not been proven eventually, many scientists think that changing the clocks messes up humans’ biological clock, which may increase the chances of heart attacks and strokes. It could cause car accidents to increase, as drivers who are used to going to work in the daylight, for example, suddenly have to do so in the dark. In addition, many businesses find it extremely inconvenient that countries change their clocks at different times.
So, will Europeans choose to stick with winter or summer time? This has not been decided. It could be that each country will choose for itself, though each is likely to take careful note of neighbors’ decisions. The benefit, it seems, is not so much in deciding how long the evening is, or how dark the morning. It is in keeping it consistent throughout the year.
1. What can we learn from paragraph 2?| A．Clock-changing has more benefits than expected. |
| B．People adopted clock-changing after World War I. |
| C．Clock-changing makes people sleepy in the day time. |
| D．People might spend more money after clock-changing. |
| A．Favor. | B．Stop. |
| C．Obey. | D．Delay. |
| A．People will continue to use it. |
| B．More changes will be added to it. |
| C．It remains to be seen whether to use it. |
| D．The countries will change their clocks at same times. |
| A．To recall the history of clock-changing. |
| B．To stress the benefits of clock-changing. |
| C．To show people’s opinions on clock-changing. |
| D．To introduce the bad effects of clock-changing. |
10 . With the development of science and technology, our daily life is becoming more colorful and more convenient.
The Book-less Library Can you imagine walking into a library and finding all books have turned into computers? The first book-less public library is planned to open in San Antonio, Texas. Computers will take the place of books soon. | Google Class Google Glass is a pair of glasses with a battery(电池) hidden inside the frame (边框). It can carry out many of the same tasks as smart phones. The glass has a hidden camera and a tiny screen. It is designed to takehands-freephotos or videos of anything people are doing. |
A New Kind of Shirt Hate washing clothes? You're going to love this kind of shirt made by an American clothing company, Wool & Prince. This shirt can be worn for 100 straight days without washing！The Wool & Prince shirt never needs ironing (熨烫). | An Underwater Hotel It looks like a spaceship but it is actually a picture of an underwater hotel .A company plans to build in the sea which is about 18 meters below the surface. The whole building is underwater and you can get to it by swimming and diving. |
| A．It can be used for drinking | B．It can read a book like a man. |
| C．It can take photos and videos. | D．It can order food |
| A．The Wool & Prince shirt. | B．The Nike Clothes. |
| C．The traditional clothes. | D．The beautiful clothes |
| A．You don't have hands at all. | B．Your hands don't cost money. |
| C．You don't need to use your hands. | D．Your hands are hurt. |
| A．New Inventions | B．New Problems |
| C．New Discoveries | D．New Clothes |
