Lust for Life (《渴望生活：梵高传》) is a biographical (传记的) novel about the life of the famous Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh．
The novel traces Van Gogh’s life from his early years in the UK to his final days in France. Stone weaves together historical facts, and
Another strength of Lust for Life lies
In conclusion, this book is a well-deserved
2 . Cimabue, the greatest painter in medieval(中世纪的)Italy, was surprised one day when he came back from his lunch break and discovered a fly was under the nose of a character he had been working on. So he reached out to touch the insect. To his surprise, he found only wet paint. Turning around, he saw that his apprentice(学徒), Giotto di Bondone, was doing everything he could to keep from laughing. Giotto had painted the fly when Cimabue was away, and it looked so real that Cimabue had been completely fooled.
Giotto was born into a poor farming family. Legend has it that one day when Cimabue was walking around the countryside, he spotted a young shepherd(牧羊人)boy. The boy was not tending his sheep. Instead, he was drawing pictures of them, and the sheep he drew were so lifelike that Cimabue stopped to ask the boy his name. The boy replied that it was Giotto, and Cimabue immediately asked him to come to Florence so that the young shepherd could learn how to paint.
In the Middle Ages, an artist not only had to concern himself with things like design and technique, but he also had to learn how to make paints. Almost all artists were men, and they began their apprenticeships at an early age. An apprentice’s job was to copy his master as exactly as he could. The unfortunate result of this imitation(模仿)was a lack of new ideas.
In fact, art in the Middle Ages remained the same for hundreds of years. The people in paintings didn’t look like real people, and the symbolism of art was often so remote that it must have been difficult for viewers to connect with it on a personal level. Giotto used many techniques that were uncommon at the time to bring the paintings to life for viewers. He painted people the way he saw them, instead of the overly tall people that other artists painted. He created three-dimensional space by using perspective, something that had not been done since Roman times. Finally, he threw out parts of the symbolism associated with medieval painting.
1. Why does the author mention the fly event in paragraph 1?| A．To indicate Giotto drew better than Cimabue. |
| B．To indicate Giotto liked making fun of others |
| C．To show the fly painted by Giotto looked real. |
| D．To show Cimabue disliked painting flies very much. |
| A．He was taking a walk. | B．He was feeding sheep. |
| C．He was playing with a shepherd boy. | D．He was drawing pictures. |
| A．Lacking creativity. |
| B．Having an unhappy childhood. |
| C．Having a short period of apprenticeship. |
| D．Supporting themselves by making paints. |
| A．Giotto’s study on medieval painting. |
| B．The competition between medieval artists. |
| C．Giotto’s efforts to change art in the Middle Ages. |
| D．The most popular forms of painting in the Middle Ages. |
3 . In 1812, the year Charles Dickens was born, there were 66 novels published in Britain. People had been writing novels for a century—most experts date the first novel to Robinson Crusoe in 1719—
but nobody wanted to do it professionally. The steam-powered printing press was still in its early stages; the literacy（识字） rate in England was under 50%. Many works of fiction appeared without the names of the authors, often with something like “By a lady.”Novels, for the most part, were looked upon as silly, immoral, or just plain bad.
In 1870, when Dickens died, the world mourned him as its first professional writer and publisher, famous and beloved, who had led an explosion in both the publication of novels and their readership and whose characters — from Oliver Twist to Tiny Tim— were held up as moral touchstones. Today Dickens’ greatness is unchallenged. Removing him from the pantheon（名人堂） of English literature would make about as much sense as the Louvre selling off the Mona Lisa.
How did Dickens get to the top? For all the feelings readers attach to stories, literature is a numbers game, and the test of time is extremely difficult to pass. Some 60,000 novels were published during the Victorian age, from 1837 to1901; today a casual reader might be able to name a half-dozen of them. It’s partly true that Dickens’ style of writing attracted audiences
from all walks of life. It’s partly that his writings rode a wave of social, political and scientific progress. But it’s also that he rewrote the culture of literature and put himself at the center. No one will ever know what mix of talent, ambition, energy and luck made Dickens such a singular writer. But as the 200th anniversary of his birth approaches, it is possible — and important for our own culture—to understand how he made himself a lasting one.
1. Which of the following best describes British novels in the 18th century?| A．They were difficult to understand. |
| B．They were popular among the rich. |
| C．They were seen as nearly worthless. |
| D．They were written mostly by women. |
| A．his reputation in France |
| B．his interest in modern art |
| C．his success in publication |
| D．his importance in literature |
| A．To remember a great writer. |
| B．To introduce an English novel. |
| C．To encourage studies on culture. |
| D．To promote values of the Victorian age. |
4 . One of the greatest gifts one generation can give to other generations is the wisdom it has gained from experience. This idea has inspired the award winning photographer Andrew Zuckerman. He interviewed and took photos of fifty over sixty-five year-olds all over the world. His project explores various aspects of their lives. The photos and interviews are now available on our website.Click on the introductions to read the complete interviews.
Let us now have a culture of peace.——Federico Mayor Zaragoza, SpainFederico Mayor Zaragoza obtained a doctorate in pharmacy(药学) from the Complutense University of Madrid in 1958. After many years spent in politics, he became Director General of UNESCO in 1987. In 1999, he created the Foundation for a Culture of Peace, of which he is now the president. In addition to many scientific publications, he has published four collections of poems and several books of
essays.
Writing is a discovery.——Nadine Gordimer, South AfricaDue to a weak heart, Nadine Gordimer attended school and university briefly. She read widely and began writing at an early age. She published her first short story at the age of fifteen, and has completed a large number of works, which have been translated into forty languages. In 1991, Gordimer won the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Jazz is about the only form of art today.——Dave Brubeck, USADave Brubeck studied music at the University of the Pacific and graduated in 1942. After World War Ⅱ he was encouraged to play jazz. In 1951, he recorded his first album(专辑). Brubeck’s 1959 album has become a jazz standard. He received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996.For more figures CLICK HERE.
1. Why did Andrew Zuckerman choose the fifty elders for his project?| A．Because their wisdom deserves to be passed on. |
| B．Because they are physically impressive. |
| C．Because their accomplishments inspired him. |
| D．Because they have similar experiences. |
| A．has won many awards for his work in politics |
| B．has made achievements in different areas |
| C．has devoted all his life to the field of science |
| D．has served as the president of a university |
| A．Nadine Gordimer. | B．Federico Mayor Zaragoza. |
| C．Andrew Zuckerman. | D．Dave Brubeck. |
| A．To show Zuckerman’s awards. | B．To publicize Zuckerman’s project. |
| C．To celebrate the achievements of the three people. | D．To spread the wisdom of the three people. |
