1 . “In the future, everybody will be famous for 15 minutes,” said US artist Andy Warhol (1928-1987). And he is quite right. Now it seems that anybody can become an instant online celebrity.
Warhol is best noted for his paintings that represent celebrity faces and US consumer goods, like Coca-Cola bottles or Campbell’s soup cans. As a great influence on the twentieth century pop art movement, Andy Warhol rose to become a cornerstone in the contemporary art world, devoted to bringing his views on materialism, polities and economics to the art. Actually, the visual world Warhol created is directly connected to his background.
In the mid-1950s, the working class gathered a great deal of fortune. They wanted to achieve a higher status in society. “The consumer goods and Hollywood faces are a working-class-coded iconography (肖像) that is often misinterpreted as generally ‘American’.” Anthony E. Grudin, author of Warhol’s Working Class commented. Reproducing these themes in his work meant that people outside of the art world could immediately connect with Warhol’s pictures. Considered “a creature of transformation”, Warhol constantly explored with different forms of media to evoke resonance among people.
For example, in addition to being a painter, Warhol was, in the words of UK writer Peter Wollen: “A filmmaker, a writer, a photographer, a TV soap opera producer.” Warhol, in short, was what we might call a ‘Renaissance (文艺复兴) man’, even though he was a leader in pop or perhaps post-modern art.
In his later years, he founded Interview Magazine and wrote several books, including The Philosophy of Andy Warhol. But UK artist Gillian Wearing said, “Warhol left his mark in many more ways than his actual work.” Warhol’s works are all about “America, money, fame and death”, UK writer Jon Savage remarked. “He summed up, defined and in many ways symbolized the world in which we now live.”
1. What’s Andy Warhol’s purpose of creating his paintings?| A．To highlight Renaissance style. | B．To combine art with materialism. |
| C．To attain fame and higher status. | D．To challenge traditional art forms. |
| A．Popular drinks. | B．Average people. |
| C．Commercial products. | D．Living scenes of working class. |
| A．Constructive and multi-talented. | B．Conservative and realistic. |
| C．Optimistic and encouraging. | D．Creative and critical. |
| A．Health. | B．Sports. | C．Science. | D．People. |
2 . For the creatively minded, snow represents a large blank canvas (空白画布) for art. But often, it’s limited to snowmen or other snow statues. Simon Beck had a different idea, and over the course of a decade he has carved a path for himself in the snow art world. He creates large land art by walking across soccer-field-sized areas covered in untouched snow. Combined with light and shadow, his artistic designs can only be fully appreciated when viewed from above.
Beck, 59, a former map maker turned into a snow artist, thanks to his decision late in life to pursue his hobby.
“It started just as a joke one day really,” Beck explained. “After skiing one day, I decided to make a drawing on snow to seek pleasure…”
“I really had no idea how good it would look when I made that first drawing, but it really went beyond my expectation, he said of his first ever creation that he looked down on from a ski lift.
To create this work, Beck stepped his way through the snow using only snowshoes and a ski pole for measurement with nothing else but the image of a design idea in his head. It was not challenging at all due to his previous work experience. But as his designs developed and became more complex, Beck said he began to start drawing them on paper first.
Beck’s paintings have become a huge hit since his work was first shared.
“Most of the time I had been doing failed careers, and people around me are asking what’s the quickest way of getting rid of this person,” Beck said. “And for the first time, I felt people actually wanted me. I felt like a more valued member of society.”
1. Where does Simon Beck create art?| A．On maps. | B．On mountains. | C．On snowfields. | D．On soccer fields. |
| A．To prove his talent. | B．To have fun. |
| C．To entertain the skiers. | D．To develop a new hobby. |
| A．His experience of making maps. | B．His passion for skiing. |
| C．His competitive nature. | D．His dream to be an artist. |
| A．Travel. | B．Sports. | C．Geography. | D．Art. |
3 . “He is a giant of the 20th-century art, but that doesn’t mean he only did big paintings, said Lynn Miller, director of Rochester Central Gallery, in an interview last Thursday.
Entitled “Picasso and His Drafts”, a special exhibit marking 50 years since the death of Pablo Picasso is held at the gallery this month. Instead of his paintings, the notebooks on which the Spanish legendary artist drew drafts are shown to the public for the first time.
Matchbox covers, postcards, restaurant napkins all served as drafting notes for the artist at moments of inspiration. It is important to know that each of the 14 notebooks presented reflects what was going on in his life.
For example, a tiny notebook whose size is just 3 by 5 inches stands out among the exhibits. Inside the little book was a self-portrait of the artist finished roughly in pencil, with deep and thoughtful eyes. It was done in 1918 and Picasso, then in his mid-30s, had just got married. He produced big-sized artworks but he also kept this tiny notebook around, filling it with scenes of his wife, their friends, the beach and the town, and drafts of upcoming paintings. Actually, many of the draft drawings are early versions of famed paintings like Les Demoiselles d’Avignon (1907) and Dora Maar in an Armchair (1939).
“He is a great artist of the modern period, and we see practice and determination in his notebooks,” said Lynn Miller, referring to Picasso’s efforts in improving his skills through copious drawing. Bernard Ruiz-Picasso, a grandson of Picasso’s, remembered him always drafting until the last piece of paper available. “My grandpa was permanently drawing something,” Ruiz-Picasso said.
In a documentary film shown at the gallery, Picasso, shirtless and in shorts, was standing on a ladder to reach the top of his canvas (画布). It reminds visitors of the real size of his masterworks.
1. What are the key features of the recent exhibit at the gallery?| A．Notebooks for sale. | B．Picasso’s artworks. |
| C．Priceless artistic drafts. | D．Masterpieces of the 20th century. |
| A．His life experience. | B．The love for his country. |
| C．The content of his books. | D．His education background. |
| A．Creative. | B．Diligent. | C．Optimistic. | D．Humorous. |
| A．Picasso used to mind his appearance. | B．The gallery exhibits real masterworks. |
| C．The documentary movie is worth seeing. | D．Picasso’s artworks are actually of great size. |
4 . Top Piano Players in the World
Martha ArgerichMartha Argerich could be considered the next Beethoven, as she is one of the most outstanding pianists ever to play. Argerich preferred being on stage with others instead of performing solo; therefore, she has been performing in a concerto format since the 1980s. Argerich was not one for the spotlight, as she often avoided public appearances such as interviews; however, her great talent was all the publicity she needed, standing out during concertos and sonatas.
Leif Ove AndsnesKnown for his appealing performances of Edvard Grieg’s works, Andsnes has won praise for his performances at some of the world’s most famous concert halls. Andsnes has certainly made his mark in Norway, as he is the founding director of Norway’s Rosendal Chamber Music Festival. Because of his unique voice and interesting approach, he was praised by The New York Times as a “pianist of authoritative elegance, power, and insight.”
Alfred BrendelKnown for his beautiful interpretations of Beethoven, Haydn, Schubert and Mozart, Alfred Brendel was considered one of the greats. He played in various concertos throughout his career and became known for his interpretive coldness in recreating these works. Brendel was considered one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century, as he made his mark in the classical music industry. Brendel was self-taught and learned his love of piano at an early age.
Arthur RubinsteinArthur Rubinstein was certainly one of the greats. His career began in the early 20th century when he began to come into contact with some of the world’s most important composers, such as Maurice Ravel, Paul Dukas, and Jacques Thibaud. He made various trips worldwide and visited nearly every continent, where crowds met him with great praise and encouragement.
1. What does the female pianist focus on in her career?| A．Skills in hosting concertos and sonatas. | B．Cooperation with other musicians. |
| C．Close relationships with the media. | D．Unique ways to interpret music. |
| A．Martha Argerich. | B．Leif Ove Andsnes. |
| C．Alfred Brendel. | D．Arthur Rubinstein. |
| A．He was the director of a Norwegian festival. |
| B．He made a difference in classical music. |
| C．He was the best musician of the 20th century. |
| D．He got in touch with some famous composers. |
5 . “Believe in yourself, and there will come a day when others will have no choice but to believe with you.”
-Cynthia Kersey
Enur Pakashtica has been a(n)
Pakashtica started his
Pakashtica follows a
| A．inspiration | B．joke | C．image | D．lesson |
| A．mind | B．wealth | C．business | D．confidence |
| A．danced | B．performed | C．played | D．struggled |
| A．keep | B．lose | C．lack | D．regain |
| A．shape | B．puzzle | C．move | D．control |
| A．copied | B．collected | C． created | D．adapted |
| A．career | B．school | C．company | D．service |
| A．looked back | B．calmed down | C．turned up | D．signed up |
| A．feedback(反馈) | B．envy | C．sympathy | D．appreciation |
| A．everything | B．nothing | C．something | D．anything |
| A．correct | B．critical | C．aggressive | D．casual |
| A．patiently | B．perfectly | C．helplessly | D．carefully |
| A．policy | B．fashion | C．belief | D．requirement |
| A．choose | B．abandon | C．hesitate | D．struggle |
| A．challenge | B．adventure | C．wander | D．change |
Yu Rong, a Chinese artist, thinks of a new way to introduce
Hua Mulan,
For example, in 1998, Disney produced a film named Mulan, which
To better tell the story, Yu Rong takes inspiration from her several visits to sites of ancient battles and Henan provinces Yu Opera. After years of preparation she finally makes this extraordinary work.
The Lion Rock mountain stands not only as one of the most famous scenic spots in Hong Kong,
The Lion Rock spirit has also
Cui created Lion Rock in Hong Kong, a colored ink painting. In his painting, Cui depicts (描绘) the cliffs of the Lion Rock,
Charlie Chaplin, the master of comedy, was an iconic figure in the history of film. His unique brand of physical comedy and
His work continued to gain
Chaplin’s unique style of comedy has a constant influence on today’s comedians,
9 . Artist Tom Campbell has exhibited his work at Outlaw Studios at Marina Commercial Park. The exhibition is Tom’s largest one to date and includes affordable art. The interactive show is made up of drawings, paintings, sculptures and live performances. Throughout the exhibition, Tom is working, giving the public an opportunity to watch inside his studio and have their portraits drawn. People can also commission a piece of their choosing.
Wall painting is part of Tom’s output. He has created a wall painting for Electric Picnic, along with four other artists invited to take part in this commission. His wall painting has a special theme, portrayed by doves (鸽子). As well as his anti-war standpoint, he is doing something meaningful. Tom is a founding member of a tree planting project called Trees Please. The group has distributed 10,000 trees in about four years across Ireland.
Humour is also important for Tom in his art. He can treat heavy subjects with irony, often employing an aggressive combination of lively colors and animals with wistful expressions communicating the importance of respect, peace, understanding and love. He has done creative work for mental health charities.
Tom was born with a love for art. He enjoys playing musical instruments in public, like the violin. He gets lots of smiles from people. He also sings and has an online channel featuring his songs, which are very improvised (即兴的). All this creativity is a lifeline for him, who believes that art is a necessity rather than a luxury.
Art is something everybody can do. If creativity was embraced by people in an open way, it could transform society. Art can bring a lot of joy. Everyone is creative and enjoys creativity whether it’s music or visual art or whatever.
1. What do we know about Tom’s exhibition?| A．It is targeted at the rich. |
| B．It takes on a variety of forms. |
| C．It is the largest one throughout art history. |
| D．It offers an opportunity to practise drawing. |
| A．His sense of humor and creativity. |
| B．His effort to protect plants and animals. |
| C．His advice on painting and planting trees. |
| D．His passion for peace and the environment. |
| A．He has creative talent. | B．Art is a luxury. |
| C．Art has no boundaries. | D．He is popular in public. |
| A．Literature. | B．Finance. | C．Figure. | D．Society. |
Since an early age, I have developed an interest in art. I must admit that I am crazy about the paintings by Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890).
In 1890, at the age of 37, Vincent passed away. The only painting he sold during his lifetime. The Red Vineyard, was created in 1888. It is now
