1 . “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.

2. What is reflected in the notebooks of Picasso?

A．His life experience.	B．The love for his country.
C．The content of his books.	D．His education background.

3. Which of the following best describes Picasso according to his grandson?

A．Creative.

B．Diligent.

C．Optimistic.

D．Humorous.

4. What can we learn from the author’s words in the last paragraph?

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.

2 . Famous People Who Begin With Difficulties

Oprah Winfrey

Probably having one of the most famous success stories, Oprah was born into a poor family in Mississippi, raised by a single mother living on welfare. She was physically, and mentally abused during her childhood. Despite her initial struggles as a young girl, she turned herself into one of the most successful talk show hosts of our time.

Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey has been the star of some of the most successful movies of all time. But Carrey grew up extremely poor in Canada. When he was a teenager, his family took security jobs in a factory to help pay the bills. And during his first stand-up comedy performance, he was booed off （喝倒彩） the stage. Not shortly after, he made it big on In Living Color and then went on to star in Dumb & Dumber, The Mask, and Ace Ventura in the same year!

James Dyson

If you thought Thomas Edison’s failures were bad, let me introduce you to James Dyson, the famous inventor of the Dyson vacuums （真空吸尘器） you see all over the television. Dyson developed over 5,000 failed prototypes （原型） before finding the bagless vacuum brand. Not only that, he put his entire savings account into his prototypes over fifteen years! Luckily, the bagless vacuum worked.

Stephen King

Before Stephen King became known as a great living writer—having written over 60 novels, many of which have been adapted for film and television—King was rejected over and over again. In his memoir, On Writing, King describes how he used to post his rejection letters on the wall for inspiration. His first novel, Carrie, was rejected 30 times.

1. What do Oprah and Jim have in common?

A．They were abused by parents.	B．They grew up in poor families.
C．They were hired as comedians.	D．They found jobs in a factory.

2. What did James Dyson do?

A．He repaired the failed prototypes.	B．He developed over 5,000 brands.
C．He put all efforts into marketing.	D．He invented the bagless vacuum.

3. Who is a novelist?

A．Oprah Winfrey.

B．Stephen King.

C．James Dyson.

D．Jim Carrey.

3 . Works by George Balanchine, with the music of George Gershwin, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and Igor Stravinsky, the innovative genius of George Balanchine is brought to the forefront. The following is the introduction of the four artists.

Artist 1: George Balanchine

It is difficult to overlook the influence of choreographer (舞蹈编剧), George Balanchine. Called the Father of American Ballet, he combined the classical training he received as a boy in St. Petersburg with originality to modernism. He transformed ballet into a 20th century art form.

Artist 2: George Gershwin

George Gershwin was amongst one of the most significant and popular music composers for Broadway musicals. He wrote music for both Broadway and classical pieces that connected him to the wider public.

Artist 3: Igor Stravinsky

Igor Stravinsky was a Russian-born composer whose works had a revolutionary (革命性的) impact on musical thought. He was honored with the Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal in 1954 and the Wihuri Sibelius Prize in 1963.

Artist 4: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

The music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is the very foundation of classical ballet. Russian-born Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable melodies (旋律) and innovative harmonies make his music loveable. Ballet audiences are fortunate to hear not only the works he intended for dance, such as Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, but also a wide variety of pieces that have been created by great dance-makers.

1. Which of the following is the achievement of George Balanchine?

A．He made ballet an art form of the 20th century.

B．He was thought as the Father of World Ballet.

C．He was good at giving classical training.

D．He combined music with modernism.

2. What is special about Igor Stravinsky?

A．He was born in Russia.

B．He was a famous composer.

C．He influenced musical thought greatly.

D．He created music for Broadway musicals.

3. Whose music is the basis of classical ballet?

A．George Balanchine.	B．George Gershwin.
C．Igor Stravinsky.	D．Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

4 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Dean Stanton has been making art his entire life. A 1990 graduate of Alberta University of the Arts, Stanton has a huge following in Canada. His work is     1    (easy)recognizable and brings a smile     2     everyone who sees it.

I recently interviewed the     3    (art)in his studio in Calgary, Alberta. On the walls are reminders of his many colorful projects, including colorful murals (壁画)for schools, hospitals, and other public spaces. “Art     4    (be)magic,” he says.

Actually,     5     number of Stanton’s, murals begin with pre-outlined wood panels (板)that several individuals (个人)paint. The panels are then assembled (组合)into large murals. The goal of such projects is to get the community involved in art, allowing everyone     6    (work)together to create something     7    (amaze)and beautiful.

“Art can bring people together,” Stanton says, “by     8    (help)them to be able to express     9     they feel.”

Without Stanton’s brightly-colored murals in the heart of Calgary, the city would be gray. Stanton’s work can     10    (see)not just in Calgary, but also across Canada, as well as in the United States, Europe, and Australia.

“Everyone in the whole world can appreciate art,” Stanton says. “It’s free and easy to carry out.”