1 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Was Air Pollution Monet’s Muse (灵感之源)?

Claude Monet was a French painter who lived at the turn of the 20th century, from 1840 to 1926. He is credited as the founder of impressionism, a painting style characterized by its use of many thin brushstrokes     1    (create) a dream-like quality. Impressionist paintings are celebrated for the way     2     seem to capture a sense of life in motion. Monet didn’t just simply paint landscapes; he wanted to convey the sensations he experienced when he saw them.

Many of Monet’s paintings portray the passage of time, like clouds     3     (drift) through the sky. The landscapes in his paintings often have a misty appearance,     4     fog is clouding edges, and concealing objects that are far away. Some researchers have suggested the mist of Monet’s landscapes     5     have actually been air pollution.

Monet was painting at a time when heavy industry was starting to seriously impact the environment. This was especially true in urban centers like London and Paris. The supposition is that Monet’s works reflect the increasing levels of air pollution that Europe       6     (witness) in the late 19th century and early 20th century.     7     Monet’s painting career progressing, background visibility in his paintings seems to gradually decrease.

In letters to his wife, Monet sometimes described the smoke and fog in London, for     8     he obviously had a preference. Evidence suggests that     9     significant number of Monet’s works were influenced, or even inspired, by the way air pollution affected light and vision.     10     air pollution was the muse for one of modern history’s greatest artists might be true.

2 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

Mi Fu, also known as Mi Fei, was a Chinese painter, poet, and calligrapher born in Taiyuan, Shanxi during the Song dynasty. In painting he gained     1     (recognize) for his style of painting misty landscapes. This style was considered as the “Mi Fu” style and involved the use of large wet dots of ink     2     (apply) with a flat brush. His poetry followed the style of Li Bai and his calligraphy that of Wang Xizhi.

He is best known for his calligraphy,     3     he is regarded as one of the four     4     (great) calligraphers in the Song dynasty. His style arises from that of calligraphers in earlier dynasties, but with a unique mark     5     his own.

As     6     famous calligrapher, Mi Fu was also noted as an eccentric (怪人). At times he    7     (call) “Madman Mi” because he was     8     (true) crazy about collecting stones. He even declared one stone to be his brother. He would bow to his “brother” rock     9     (show) the devotion given to older brothers. His son, Mi Youren, was also a famous painter in his father’s artistic style. Unlike his father, Mi Youren lived to be quite elderly,     10     (die) at the age of 79.

3 . A pencil drawing of a broken old man, head in hands, looking extremely exhausted, has been identified as a newly-discovered work by Vincent Van Gogh.

The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam said yesterday that it had _______ the authenticity (真实性) of the drawing. Senior researcher Teio Meedendorp described it as a(an) “_______” discovery, shining light on van Gogh’s early career as an artist in the Hague, a time less well-known than his years in Paris or the south of France.

The drawing has been titled Study for _______. It was drawn in late 1882s when the 29-year-old van Gogh was two years into his career as an artist. He was drawing as many studies of _______ as he could. He often recruited models from an almshouse for the elderly run by the Dutch Reformed church, _______ them a modest fee and gave them coffee.

He called these models his “orphan men” and “orphan women”. A favourite was the man in the newly discovered drawing, Adrianus Jacobus Zuyderland, the only one of these models whose name is known.

Van Gogh used a thick carpenter’s pencil on rough watercolour paper. The sheet _______ 48.8 cm by 30 cm.

Experts have _______ the drawing back to the end of November 1882, linking it to several other works made at the time.

Van Gogh talked about the two drawings in a letter to his brother, Theo. “Today and yesterday I drew two _______ of an old man with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.... Perhaps I’ll do a lithograph (平版印刷画) of it. What a fine _______ an old working man makes, in his patched bombazine (斜纹布) suit with his bald head.”

At the time Van Gogh was ________ to work as a magazine illustrator, so he could earn money in his own right and be less dependent on his brother.

The drawing, which has been in a ________ collection in the Netherlands since about 1910, goes on display at the Amsterdam museum from 17 September, 2021, until 2 January, 2022, after which it will be returned to the owner.

Meedendorp recalled his ________ on making the discovery: “I’ve worked with Van Gogh for a substantial part of my life, especially the drawings, and it is always a delight to have them in your hand and looking at them up close. These drawings from the Hague are ________ delightful to look at — you can follow the working process of Vincent so well... the way he ________ the pencil.”

“Whenever you have a ________ at drawings like this, you want to pick up a pencil yourself and start drawing.”

1.

A．denied

B．doubted

C．recognized

D．concealed

2.

A．expensive

B．extraordinary

C．impossible

D．useless

3.

A．Worn Out

B．Reach Out

C．Hands Up

D．On the Way

4.

A．animals

B．people

C．buildings

D．nature

5.

A．lent

B．protected

C．showed

D．paid

6.

A．costs

B．values

C．measures

D．weighs

7.

A．traced

B．favoured

C．displayed

D．withdrew

8.

A．squares

B．figures

C．triangles

D．servants

9.

A．design

B．scenery

C．sight

D．drawing

10.

A．talented

B．ambitious

C．modest

D．pessimistic

11.

A．fine

B．new

C．private

D．public

12.

A．annoyance

B．disappointment

C．excitement

D．indifference

13.

A．absolutely

B．barely

C．hardly

D．instantly

14.

A．ruins

B．classifies

C．handles

D．accompanies

15.

A．purchase

B．laugh

C．scream

D．peer

4 . That day when Ludwig van Beethoven died was one of the saddest of my life. I had stayed with him for more than twenty years and lived through many of his happiest moments and his triumphs as well as his most unhappy times.

He wasn’t, however, the easiest of men to work for. His moods were changeable so that he could be reasonable at one moment but most impatient and intolerant at the next. All these problems began in 1802 when he discovered his loss of hearing was not temporary.

The loss of hearing brought him to a crossroads in his life. It was then that he realized that his future lay in composing music. Luckily, although his deafness brought him fear and anxiety, he was able to use these emotions to inspire his work.

Dealing with his inner problems and worries, his music was obviously subjective, which was not the most popular type of its time. But people recognized his greatness. They did so even when they knew he could not acknowledge it. When he was conducting his ninth and last symphony on its first performance he was totally deaf. So he just didn’t realize that the music had finished and continued to conduct the orchestra. One of the singers had to turn him round so he could receive the cheers of the audience. From one angle it was a sad moment but from another it was an even greater triumph. That a man with such a condition could have written such dynamic music was overwhelming! It brought tears to my eyes to think that I had contributed in some small way by looking after him.

He dressed rather like a wild man himself. His hair was always untidy, his skin marked with spots and his mouth set in a downward curve. He took no care of his appearance and walked around our city with his clothes carelessly arranged. This was because he was concentrating on his next composition.

Helping him move house many times, preparing his meals and looking after his everyday comforts were my reward for a life living so close to such a musical genius. I consider myself a lucky man!

1. The author was most likely to be Beethoven’s _______.

A．student

B．doctor

C．servant

D．relative

2. What can be learned from this passage?

A．Beethoven’s music was underestimated at that time.

B．Beethoven’s work was inspired by his fear and anger.

C．Beethoven’s music stayed in step with the mainstream music of the time.

D．Beethoven lost his ability to hear when first conducting his ninth symphony.

3. Why did the author tear in Paragraph 4?

A．Because the performance was a complete success.

B．Because he played a part in Beethoven’s success.

C．Because Beethoven was completely deaf then.

D．Because the audience cheered for Beethoven.

4. According to the author, Beethoven could be described as ________.

A．intolerant but cheerful

B．stubborn but reasonable

C．changeable but dedicated

D．unsociable but easy-going

5 . 语义匹配

Tobias Le Compte, a 35-year-old Belgian musician, has become a _________sensation on social media for his excellent grasp of the main Shanghai dialect. In 2008, Le Compte, visited Shanghai for the first time in an arts festival. He _________was enchanted by the city right away, and returned the next year and enrolled as an undergraduate student at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Like most _________expats in China, Le Compte first studied Mandarin and spent about half a year teaching himself the language. It was not until 2021, when Le Compte was back in Belgium and _________confined to his home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that he started learning Shanghainese. He was also _________motivated by the 2021 hit movie B for Busy, a tale set in Shanghai starring local stars who speak their lines in the city’s dialect.

1.

A．wrestler

B．influencer

C．actor

D．conductor

2.

A．was capable of

B．was moved by

C．was impressed by

D．was eager for

3.

A．local people

B．native speakers

C．descendants

D．foreign residents

4.

A．joined to

B．limited to

C．addicted to

D．devoted to

5.

A．inspired

B．scared

C．discouraged

D．awarded

6 . Passing the Cities through the Lens (镜头) of Women, a solo exhibition by Swiss artist Catherine Gfeller, is being held at the Swiss embassy in Beijing.

Between 2016 and 2019, Swiss artist Catherine Gfeller embarked on a journey to a number of Chinese cities, weaving a narrative as she engaged with the stories of women from different backgrounds. Her vision of the women, the challenges they confront, and their distinctive spirit are the focuses of the artist’s subsequent explorations.

In the bustling streets of Guangzhou, Guangdong province, Hong Kong, Beijing and Kunming in Yunnan province, Gfeller found a means of exploring the essence of these urban landscapes by focusing her lens on women. On Saturday, the Swiss embassy in Beijing launched a solo exhibition, Passing the Cities through the Lens of Women, which spotlights the perspectives and voices of women with photographs, texts, and videos. Through her lens, Gfeller skillfully establishes a dialogue and builds a bridge between the narratives of the women and the liveliness of the cities they inhabit.

For Gfeller, women’s voices are very important in modern Chinese society. During shooting, she learned how the women perceive the new ways of life and how they find an anchor in their cities. “The moment I pressed the shutter, I felt like I became part of the city,” Gfeller says.

Ambassador of Switzerland to China Jurg Burri said at the opening ceremony, “Ms Gfeller cares very much about people, especially women in cities. Women’s issues are a global topic and I hope that more women’s voices will be heard.”

The exhibition is open to the public until the end of March. The 58-year-old artist is known for her focus on landscape photography. Using techniques like montage, collage, and superimposition, she creates unique photographic artworks.

1. Where is the passage probably taken from?

A．A leaflet.

B．A newspaper.

C．A brochure.

D．A research paper.

2. What does Catherine Gfeller’s exhibition focus on?

A．Chinese women’s viewpoints.	B．Chinese urban landscapes.
C．Chinese traditional roles of women.	D．Chinese women’s status in society.

3. Why does the author cite Jurg Burri’s words?

A．Jurg Burri is the Ambassador of Switzerland to China.

B．The theme of Catherine Gfeller exhibition is a global topic.

C．Jurg Burri is in favor of Catherine Gfeller’s means of exploring cities.

D．Catherine Gfeller attaches great importance to women’s perspectives.

4. What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To introduce an exhibition.	B．To educate readers.
C．To persuade readers.	D．To advertise an exhibition.

7 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What makes the man confused?

A．Why Roman Holiday was so famous.

B．Why Audrey Hepburn learned ballet.

C．Why so many girls adored Audrey Hepburn.

2. What prevented Audrey Hepburn from sticking to being a dancer?

A．Her physical condition.

B．Her interest in acting.

C．Her financial condition.

3. What was Audrey Hepburn like in real life?

A．Outgoing.

B．Shy and quiet.

C．Humorous and lovely.

4. Why did Audrey Hepburn love charity?

A．She was influenced by her roles.

B．She thought children were her hope.

C．Her family once got help from a charity.

8 . Joseph Bologne, also known as the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, is perhaps the most famous musician and composer you’ve never heard of.

Bologne was born in 1745 on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, son of an enslaved (使成为奴隶) Senegalese woman and a white plantation owner. Bologne’s father was eager for him to acquire a good education and he was sent to France to be schooled in literature and fencing. As well as showing great skill in sport, Bologne was intelligent and appealing.

As if being handsome, clever and a champion athlete wasn’t enough, Bologne was also a seriously skilled musician and composer. His main instrument was the violin, and in 1761, he was made a member of the Royal Guards as a soldier and musician. It is around this time that he became known as the Chevalier de Saint-Georges in recognition of his skill as a fencer and horseman. He was then invited to join the incredibly distinguished Concert des Amateurs as the first violinist and became its leader in 1773.

Although things were going very well for Bologne, he still experienced apparent racism. Some of the opera s leading women campaigned against having what they called “a mixed-race person” in charge of the opera. Despite this attempt to undermine his career, he fell into favour with the influential playwright Madame de Montesson, who put him in charge of her private theatre and introduced him to her husband, the Duke of Orleans. When the French Revolution (革命) broke out in 1789, Bologne sided with the revolutionaries. However, he was later imprisoned for 18 months and ultimately died in 1799 due to a severe leg injury.

Shortly after Bolognes death, Napoleon reinstated slavery in the French colonies and also banned Bologne’s music in an attempt to erase him from French history. However, Afro-Caribbean communities in France, and on Guadeloupe and Martinique have been working tirelessly to keep his legacy alive and Joseph Bologne is now enjoying a long overdue and richly deserved revival.

1. What can we learn from paragraph 2 about Bologne?

A．He was a man of determination.

B．He was passionate about literature.

C．He received great support from his father.

D．He had a difficult and troubled childhood.

2. What earned Bologne the name Chevalier de Saint-Georges?

A．His military service.

B．His exceptional athletic abilities.

C．His noble birth.

D．His musical achievements.

3. What did the campaign of some women in the opera imply?

A．Bologne faced significant discrimination.

B．Bologne’s talents were a threat to the opera.

C．Bologne shouldn’t have joined the private theatre.

D．Bologne’s leadership suffered from a lack of foresight.

4. What is happening to Bolognes music now?

A．It’s being recognized and celebrated.

B．It’s receiving conflicting opinions.

C．It’s leading to a revolution in music.

D．It’s still being overlooked in France.

9 . Isadora Duncan is considered by many to be the progenitor of modern dance. To Duncan, classical ballet, with its strict rules of posture and formation, was “ugly and against nature”. She refused to accept traditional ballet steps, preferring to emphasize improvisation(即兴创作), emotion, and the human form. She said, “I spent long days and nights in the studio seeking that dance which might be the expression of the human spirit through the body’s movements.” By making connections between human emotion and the movements of dance, Duncan hoped to make dance a form of high art rather than simple entertainment. She developed free and natural movements inspired by the classical Greek arts, folk dances, social dances and natural forces. She drew on a number of sports moves, including skipping, running, jumping, leaping, and tossing. The athleticism and classical roots of her style are reflected in her innovative costume choice of a Grecian tunic(束腰外衣) and bare feet, which allowed for a physical freedom that could not be achieved in the traditional ballet costumes and pointed shoes that limited dancers. With time, she gained a very wide following and set up several schools in Europe and the United States.

Duncan’s fame, however, did not bring her wealth. In the later years of her life, her financial situation worsened, and finally she had to live in apartments rented by friends and supporters. Duncan also received criticism for some of her personal opinions.

In spite of the problems, Duncan is remembered today for her artistic achievements: the creation of modern dance and its high place among the arts. While Duncan’s own schools no longer exist, her style of dance continues to be practiced. Her life inspired novels, ballets, and films, and her likeness was included in the sculpture created by Antoine Bourdelle over the entrance of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.

1. What does the underlined word “progenitor” Paragraph 1 probably mean?

A．Sponsor.

B．Originator.

C．Instructor.

D．Competitor.

2. What can we learn about Duncan’s costume choice?

A．It allowed dancers to move naturally and freely.

B．It included newly designed pointed shoes.

C．It was white and extremely simple.

D．It was introduced from Greece.

3. What is the main purpose of the second paragraph?

A．To explore the connection between art and wealth.

B．To characterize Duncan as a dishonorable person.

C．To prove Duncan was adored by friends and relatives.

D．To show Duncan lived a hard life in her declining years.

4. What is Duncan mainly famous for?

A．Her inspiration for artists.	B．The invention of a new-form dance.
C．Her special personal views.	D．The foundation of many dance schools.

10 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What did Peter learn from his grandfather?

A．How to appreciate art works.

B．How to deal with artists.

C．How to run a museum.

2. What did Peter do in Chicago?

A．He served in the army.

B．He studied at a college.

C．He worked in a gallery.

3. Whose works did Peter like best?

A．Rembrandt’s.

B．Botticelli’s.

C．Ruben’s.