1 . Top Exhibitions to See in London in 2023

Architectural: Vanishing Points

While we like to think of architecture existing purely in the real world, emerging designers and architects are using platforms like Instagram to create structures in the virtual world. This collection of works, which range from the practical to the fantastical, are all by architects who have gathered significant social media followings.

In the Digital Universe at ROCA London. 8 February—31 July, free.

Flowery: Orchids

This annual festival is back in bloom (开花), this time inspired by the beauty and biodiversity of Cameroon. Just like previous years, the orchids are spread throughout the various zones of the Princess of Wales conservatory and accompanied by sculptures that are just as colourful as the flowers on display.

At Kew Gardens. 4 February —5 March, &16.50—entrance to the gardens included.

Female Abstraction: Action, Gesture, Paint

Art history has often shone a light on the men of Abstract Expressionism, such as Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko. Well, now’s the time to let the most important women of the movement take the limelight in an exhibition that includes works by American artists such as Lee Krasner and Helen Frankenthaler, but spreads the net wider to include the female abstract artists from Europe, Asia and the wider world, with whom most of us will be unfamiliar.

At Whitechapel Gallery. 9 February—7 May, £ 16.50—concessions available.

Powerful Portraits (肖像): Alice Neel

The largest UK exhibition to date of American painter Alice Neel’s work will bring together her figurative pieces from across her 60-year career. Neel went against the popular grain by painting figures when abstract works were most popular, and she painted subjects that other artists ignored — pregnant women, labour leaders, black children, civil rights activists and strange performers. It’s high time we had a major show of her work in London, and the Barbican has duly provided.

At Barbican Art Gallery. 16 February—21 May, & 18.

1. Which of the following exhibitions is held once a year?

A．Flowery: Orchids.

B．Powerful Portraits: Alice Neel.

C．Architectural: Vanishing Points.

D．Female Abstraction: Action, Gesture, Paint.

2. When can visitors appreciate Lee Krasner’s works?

A．On February 8.

B．On January 7.

C．On April 7.

D．On May 8.

3. What can we learn about the artist Alice Neel?

A．She is 60 years old now.

B．Her works didn’t follow the trend.

C．She often ignored some common subjects.

D．She is the most popular American painter in the UK.

2 . We offer a programme of lectures by members of the MCLL community and other lifelong learning organisations, as well as university faculty members who have been invited to share their research with us on a variety of topics. View Instructions on How to Register Online.

Lecture 1: Social Media and Misinformation
Time: Friday, June 9, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Richard Harris
Attendance: Online

A retired American IT professional, Richard Harris, will take us deep into a social media’s business model, its differences from traditional media, recent examples of its use for misinformation and possible solutions that respect freedom of expression. A lively round-table discussion not to be missed!

Lecture 2: Global Mental Health
Time: Friday, June 16, 1:00 p.m.
Presenter: Marc Laporta
Attendance: Online

Mental health was known to the public quite late. Many countries are finding ways to reduce its impact, but many factors get in the way. However, progress is visible, and hope is justified. Mare Laporta will discuss different aspects of mental health and exchange ideas about ways to improve the situation.

Lecture 3: The Silk Road
Time: Friday, June 23, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: George Lapa
Attendance: Online

The Silk Road refers to a network of routes, covering over 6,400 km, used by traders from the Han Dynasty of China who opened trade in 130 BCE until 1453 CE. The exchange of information gave rise to new technologies and innovations that changed the Western world. Topics such as gunpowder, the compass (指南针), paper-making and printing will be presented.

Lecture 4: South to Textile Factories
Time: Friday, June 30, 10:00 a.m.
Presenter: Muriel Herrington
Attendance: In person

Between 1840 and 1930 a million French-Canadians left Canada to work in the United States. Many were employed in textile (纺织品) factories in the New England states. In these areas they set up communities where they maintained the French language and culture. In this lecture Muriel Herrington will describe their working and living conditions and show their impact.

1. What will the audience attending Lecture 1 do?

A．Build a social media’s business model.

B．Exchange ideas with each other.

C．Enjoy more respect and freedom.

D．Contact the presenter in advance.

2. Who will talk about the great inventions of ancient China?

A．Marc Laporta.

B．Richard Harris.

C．George Lapa.

D．Muriel Herrington.

3. In which lecture will the audience have face time with the presenter?

A．The Silk Road.

B．South to Textile Factories.

C．Global Mental Health.

D．Social Media and Misinformation.

3 . Creating Young V&A

When the V&A Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green was founded in 1872, it was East   London’s first public museum. Today, we are transforming this beloved building into a new national museum of design and creativity dedicated entirely to children.

Relaunching later this year as Young V&A, the museum will be a place to imagine, play, create, debate and design. Young V&A will help children to develop abilities such as creative thinking, problem-solving and collaboration through imaginative, hands-on gallery displays and creative programming for schools, families and community groups.

How you can help

In a climate of growing inequality and reduced funding for the arts, it is vital that we young people’s creative development. We rely on your generous donations and are thankful for   your support. Whether you can give E 25 or f 25,000, all donations will help to complete this project.

25 could buy books for the new Reading Room.

75 could buy sensory materials to help bring the collection to life for young visitors

150 could conserve and display an international object in the permanent galleries

5000 could help furnish the new creative studios in the Learning Centre.

Ways to give

*To pay by debit, credit card, use the QR code, visit www.vam.ac.uk appeal or call 020 7942 2905 to speak to a member of the Development team.

*Return a completed donation form or post a cheque directly to the museum or hand it in all the V&A Membership Desk or the Members’ Room.

*To find out about donating by bank transfer, making a regular monthly donation, or to make a larger gift, please email the Development team at appeals@vam.ac.uk.

1. Who are the target visitors of Young V&A?

A．The general public.

B．Seniors.

C．Art lovers.

D．Children.

2. What can a donation of 75 do for the project?

A．Repaint the Reading Room.	B．Help bring the collection to life.
C．Conserve an inspirational object.	D．Furnish the new creative studios.

3. How can people donate by cheque?

A．Scan a QR code.	B．Send a cheque to the museum.
C．Call 020 7942 2905.	D．Email the Development team.

4 . Photo Retouching Services

Fixthephoto offers online photo retouching (修图) services. Today we provide professional online retouching services of the highest level. Our retouchers make any kind of Photoshop work. Simply upload photos, write your requirements, and we’ll take care of the rest.

Photo Editing (编辑) Services We Provide:

Figure

Only $6 per photo. We will make portrait (肖像) photos look good and professionally edited. Our retouchers will improve body shapes and remove all unwanted imperfections.

Services included: color adjustment, skin smoothing, spots removal, and make-up correction.

Wedding

Only $0.25 per photo. Give a romantic feel to your photos. Our team will add highlights, adjust colors and improve the background fast.

Services included: color correction, smoothing out wrinkles on the skin and clothes and fixing lighting issues.

Product

Only $2.50 per photo. We will help you appeal to more customers. Our experts will skillfully edit your product photos and make them attractive.

Services included: background replacement, color correction, editing out shadows and noise reduction.

Jewellery

Only $5 per photo. Make your jewellery photos shine and look perfect. We will enhance jewels, replace background, make color correction and remove any unwanted objects.

Services included: background replacement, making the jewels look shiny, color enhancement, reflection removal and making metal surfaces smoother.

Use our online photo editing service, following just 4 simple steps:

1. Create an account and upload your photos.

2. Write detailed instructions and attach sample photos.

3. Get your edited photos back.

4. Accept the work or request changes.

Our photography retouchers will meet all your needs. You take photos, we edit.

1. How much will you spend if your portrait photo needs make-up correction?

A．$0.25.

B．$5.

C．$2.50.

D．$6.

2. Which two services provide background replacement?

A．Figure and Wedding.	B．Figure and Product.
C．Product and Jewellery.	D．Wedding and Jewellery.

3. What is the first thing you must do if you want to edit your photos?

A．Open an account on this website.	B．Upload your photos to retouchers.
C．Give a detailed self-introduction.	D．Take down your own requirements.

5 . On the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), red tourism has gained popularity among tourists who flood in to visit historic sites with a modern revolutionary heritage.

Jinggangshan

This is one of the most crucial and splendid chapters of history of establishing Red China as well as a unique and wonderful ecosystem, which is covered with rich forest, rugged peaks and several memorials to the Red Army. The best time to visit is between April and October, with the most temperature timing April and May when the large azaleas (杜鹃花) bloom.

Open: 8:00-17:00 (Feb. 16-Nov. 15). 8:00-16:30 (Nov. 16-Feb. 15)

Xibaipo

It is an old revolutionary base where the leadership of the Communist Party of China was stationed, drawing up the blueprint for a new country. A memorial hall was built to honor the memory of this site. The lake and the hill here add brilliance and beauty to each other and form pleasant scenery.

Open: Tuesdays to Sundays 9:30-17:00 (Xibaipo Memorial Hall)

The Nanhu Revolutionary Memorial Hall

A new exhibition is held with updated display approaches, including phantom imaging (全息影像) and oil painting, which are used to improve visitors' experiences. The exhibition shows four stages of the CPC from its establishment to its achievements.

Open: Tuesdays to Sundays 8:30-18:00 (closed on Mondays)

Former Site of the Editorial Department of New Youth

New Youth started the New Culture Movement and spread the influence of the May Fourth Movement. The site was briefly based in Beijing but moved back to Shanghai in 1920 and also served as the office for the Communist Party of China Central Committee in the 1920s.

Open: Thursdays to Tuesdays 9:00 - 11:30, 13:30 - 16:30 (closed on Wednesdays)

1. Where would visitors learn more about the history of the Red Army?

A．Jinggangshan.

B．Xibaipo.

C．The Nanhu Revolutionary Memorial Hall.

D．Former Site of the Editorial Department of New Youth.

2. What do we know about the Nanhu Revolutionary Memorial Hall?

A．It focuses on Chinese achievements in art.

B．It mainly advertises the coming anniversary.

C．It applies modernized methods to the exhibition.

D．It briefly introduces the rise and fall of Nanhu.

3. When can tourists visit Former Site of the Editorial Department of New Youth?

A．At 1:00 p.m. on Mondays.	B．At 9:00 a.m. on Wednesdays.
C．At 2:00 p.m. on Fridays.	D．At 5:00 p.m on Sundays.

6 . The UNESCO World Heritage List is a prestigious honour awarded to sites of outstanding universal value around the world. Did you know there are 1,157 UNESCO World Heritage Sites spanning across 167 countries? We’ve picked out our top 4 for you to visit below.

The Acropolis, Greece

The Acropolis is an ancient castle that stands proud in the Greek city of Athens. Back in the fifth century BC after battle with the Persians, the plans of Pericles came to life under the influence of Pheidias, the sculptor. It then became a place for thought and art to flourish, where symbols of classical spirit and civilisation came alive.

Historic centre of Rome, Italy

According to Roman mythology, the Eternal City was founded in 753 BC and became the capital of the mighty Roman Empire. Rome is home to a number of attractions including the Forum, the Pantheon and the Colosseum! This World Heritage site contains the whole historic centre within the city walls and reflects the influence of the Renaissance and Baroque periods in making it one of Italy’s most popular cities.

Ayutthaya Historical Park, Thailand

The historic city of Ayutthaya in Thailand was founded around 1350 and was subsequently destroyed in the 18th century by the Burmese. What’s left today is the ruins and some key highlights include the Buddhist temples of Wat Ratchaburana, Wat Mahathat and Wat Phra Sri Sanphet. The area is home to the remains of tall prang (reliquary towers) and should not be missed.

Cultural landscape of Bali, Indonesia

The landscape in Bali is unlike anything else on Earth. Consisting of five rice terraces (梯田) and water temples covering 19,500 hectares, the cultural landscape takes your breath away. This site gains honour through an ancient farming ceremony dating back to the 9th century known as subak. This concept reflects the spirit, the human world and nature, also known as Tri Hita Karana.

1. What might have happened in Greece in the 5th century BC?

A．Greece became famous for its castles.	B．Pheidias became a sculptor.
C．Greece fought against Persians.	D．The Greek spirit disappeared.

2. What is subak?

A．A rice terrace.

B．A cultural landscape.

C．A water temple.

D．An agricultural ceremony.

3. Which of the following has the longest history?

A．The Acropolis.

B．The Eternal City.

C．Ayutthaya.

D．Tri Hita Karana.

7 . Summer Programs are available to students upon application. Please consult individual course descriptions for restrictions and requirements.

Intensive Beginning Swahili

Intensive Beginning Swahili is a summer abroad course for students who have no prior proficiency (熟练) in the Swahili language. The course is taught in Swahili and focuses on acquiring beginner-level skills to perform basic communication functions in the culture of Swahili speakers.

Open to current first year undergraduates, sophomores (大学二年级学生) and juniors.

Dates: 25 June—20 August

Intermediate Chinese

This course is a four-week summer intensive language course, conducted in person at Princeton Theological Seminary. Students work on developing a strong foundation for modern spoken and written Chinese, with emphasis on the reading of contemporary Chinese dialogue.

Enrollment by application or interview.

Dates: 10 July—6 August

Studies in Spanish Language and Style

This is an intensive, full immersion (沉浸) course in Spanish language and Argentine history, culture and art. Students develop advanced language skills while studying language in context, through the exploration of the city of Buenos Aires, its architecture, museums, and cultural and political life.

Open to students who have completed the Spanish language requirement.

Dates: 18 July—20 August

Accelerated Summer Study

Taught at the Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa, Italy, the course will be team-taught by a resident Princeton faculty and an SNS faculty member. The course is designed to increase students’ writing and speaking language proficiency levels and enable students to understand Italian culture, history and literature while exploring the foreign city.

Not open to Seniors.

Dates: 24 July—24 August

1. Which course begins earliest?

A．Intermediate Chinese.	B．Accelerated Summer Study.
C．Intensive Beginning Swahili.	D．Studies in Spanish Language and Style.

2. What can the students taking Intermediate Chinese do?

A．Attend online lectures.	B．Practice spoken Chinese.
C．Develop people skills.	D．Learn classical Chinese.

3. What do the last two courses have in common?

A．They follow the idea of learning by doing.	B．They are taught in the same target language.
C．They last for the whole month of July.	D．They are open to any college student.

9 . Flowers We Love Photo Contest

TERM

Flowers We Love Photo Contest is an annual contest that takes place during spring. This year’s Flowers We Love Photo Contest begins on April 15, 2023 and ends on August 30, 2023 at 11:59 pm. The purpose of the contest is to inspire people to pay attention to their surroundings and find out the beauty of life around them.

ELIGIBILITY(资格)

Flowers We Love Photo Contest is open to all amateur and professional photographers. Participants must be between the ages of 18 to 50.

REQUIREMENTS

Follow all requirements carefully to prevent disqualification.

·Required information, including name , address, telephone number, email address, and photo caption (说明文字) must be provided.

·There is no limit on the number of entries per person. Each entry must comply (遵从) with our term and official rule.

·The photographs need not be taken with a digital camera; scans of negatives or photographic prints are acceptable.

·All digital files must be 20 megabytes or smaller, must be in JPEG or jpg format.

·Photographs must have been taken within two years before the date of entry.

JUDGING

Photo Contest entries will be judged based on whether the content is creative and genuine. Judging will be conducted by editors at Artcentron.

1. What’s the purpose of the contest?

A．To help people learn more about flowers.

B．To encourage people to discover the beauty of life.

C．To improve people’s skills in photography.

D．To make people get ready for the coming of spring.

2. Who can take part in the contest?

A．A 30-year-old photographer.

B．A 17-year-old student.

C．A 55-year-old worker.

D．A 60-year-old retired teacher.

3. Which of the following will result in disqualification?

A．Emailing a 30 megabytes photo.

B．Sending 20 photos as entries.

C．Using your phone to take pictures.

D．Submitting photos taken within one year.