1 . Norman Rockwell didn’t create his celebrated images using only brush and paint. They often took shape first as scenes that Rockwell literally acted out, not only for his editors at the Saturday Evening Post, but for his real-life models, too. “It was difficult,” he once explained, “but I felt it was the best way to get across my meaning.” And so he would enthusiastically play out his visions and ideas, a one-man show packed with just the right expressions, giving enough details of each character in the scene to inspire his models and more importantly, get his editors to buy his ideas.

Now, more than 30 years after his death, Rockwell is still acknowledged for skillfully documenting the best of 20th century American life with drawings of simple emotions inspired by everyday people. To create his detailed recollections of everyday American life, Rockwell worked much like a film director, not just acting out the scenes in his imagination, but looking for locations, casting everyday people from his town for particular parts.

The recognition he received strongly proves Rockwell’s superior skills as a storyteller and is the subject of another kind of one-man show: the upcoming exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C., titled Telling Stories: Norman Rockwell from the Collections of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. The exhibit, gathered together from the private collections of these two popular film directors, will feature rarely viewed pieces of Rockwell’s artworks.

That concentration of information as well as emotion is something essential in Rockwell’s art. Emotion certainly spoke to Steven Spielberg when he first saw one of his favorite Rockwell paintings, High Dive, the August 16, 1947 Post cover that describes a boy at the top of what must be a towering diving board. He crouches (蹲伏) high above a swimming pool, too afraid to either jump or climb back down. The painting hangs in Spielberg’s office at Amblin Entertainment because it holds a great deal of meaning for the filmmaker.

1. How did Norman Rockwell successfully influence his editors?

A．By performing his ideas.	B．By hiring more models.
C．By donating his paintings.	D．By drawing actual events.

2. What were the subjects of Rockwell’s works?

A．Film directors.	B．Folk storytellers.
C．Natural landscapes.	D．Ordinary citizens.

3. What may the boy in the painting High Dive inspire the viewers to do?

A．Develop artistic skills.	B．Learn how to act out.
C．Appreciate nature.	D．learn to swim.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To introduce an exhibit.	B．To recommend a painting.
C．To remember an artist.	D．To explain a cultural phenomenon.

2 . During one conversation with Frank Morrison, he told me that when he was a child his favorite pastime was drawing on the pieces of white and tan cardboard that came with his mother’s pantyhose (连裤袜) containers. Frank’s goal was to draw, and he found ways to make that happen. This example speaks to the determination he has demonstrated throughout his life so that he could follow his dreams, make a difference, and inspire others.

I first met Frank at a conference in 2015. I was working at Little Be eBooks at the time. I went over and introduced myself. I didn’t have a project in hand for him at the time, but I gave Frank some background information about Little Be eBooks and told him that I hoped he would consider working with us someday.

Several months later, I had the perfect manuscript (手稿) for him to illustrate: The Roots of Rap: 16 Bars on the 4 Pillars of Hip-Hop, written by Carole Boston Weatherford. The fabulous text was a love letter to the pioneers of hip-hop, and Frank was immediately taken with the manuscript because Carole, with whom he adored working, had written it; and Frank grew up with this culture.

The first time Frank and his brother heard rap music was in their grandmother’s backyard, via a one-speaker radio. Frank said that “the beats were impressive”. Up to this point they had been listening to what their parents listened to. They found familiar beats in hip-hop because it felt like are mix of their parents’ music. Looking through Frank’s books is like walking through an art gallery. He can transport you to another time or put you in the middle of a cultural movement, while making the connection between past and present.

1. What can be inferred about Frank from paragraph 1?

A．He dreamed of inspiring others.

B．He managed to find something to draw on.

C．He liked the pictures on pantyhose containers.

D．He was spoken highly of for his determination.

2. What did the author do in 2015?

A．He offered to join in Frank’s project.

B．He asked Frank to sign Little Bee Books.

C．He expressed his expectation to work with Frank.

D．He got some background information about Frank.

3. How did Frank like rap?

A．He liked it all the time.

B．He found its beats hard to bear.

C．He thought it less popular than hip-hop.

D．He considered it helpful for personal growth.

4. What can be learned about Frank’s illustrations from the last paragraph?

A．They are shown in a gallery.	B．They connect us with history.
C．They have started a cultural movement.	D．They changed people’s ideas about the past.

3 . For Vishwanath Mallabadi from Bangalore, India, there is no such thing as a useless object or “waste”. Give him anything—abandoned metal or plastic items, old devices, dysfunctional printed circuit boards — and he’ll create art out of it.

Vishwanath’s passion is particularly relevant in the current age, where India generates more e-waste than it can recycle. From 2019 to 2020, the country generated a total of more than 1 million tonnes of e waste. Of this, only 22.7 percent was collected, taken apart and recycled. The eco-artist has upcycled and transformed nearly 200 kg of e-waste into usable products and proposes eco-art as a means to deal with waste management.

Vishwanath’s father, D M Shambhu, was a famous sculptor and painter, but he wanted his son to choose medicine and become a doctor. However, Vishwanath, who was interested in upcycling second-hand objects right from childhood, decided to pursue a BFA in Applied Art. He later went on to work in a company as a high-level administrator and retired two years ago. “In my free time and during the weekends. I used to conduct experiments in e-waste and try to develop something unique,” he recalled.

So far, the eco-artist has created more than 500 objects. These include a six-foot tall sculpture made from upcycled computer keyboard keys, and a painting inspired by Vincent Van Gogh’s The Starry Night, using upcycled resistors (电阻器) on wood. Among his other artworks are a 42×38 inch figure statue created from upcycled keyboard keys on a sun board finished with plastics, a deer made of colorful used wires, plants and flowers from computer parts, and eco jewellery from upcycled digital wrist watch parts.

“The work involves selecting the e-waste objects—the texture, shape, and colour etc, and visualising and conceptualising the final product. It might take weeks and months for sculptures. However, sustainable initiatives and upcycled art are nowadays in demand in multinational companies opting for a sustainable culture,” he said.

1. What does the author try to convey in paragraph 2?

A．The seriousness of e-waste in India.

B．Vishwanath’s passion for environment protection.

C．The achievements of waste management in India.

D．Vishwanath’s attitude towards dealing with e-waste.

2. What did Vishwanath work as before retiring?

A．A passionate eco-artist.	B．A private doctor.
C．A famous sculptor.	D．A senior manager.

3. Which of the artworks were made of the same materials?

A．The deer and the plants.	B．The sculpture and the figure statue.
C．The painting and the flowers.	D．The deer and the eco jewellery.

4. What does Vishwanath think of his working on eco-art?

A．Exciting but unprofitable.	B．Creative but useless.
C．Demanding but worthwhile.	D．Efficient but costly.

4 . 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.

5 . Best of British:   Artists’ residences

Get up close with the inspiring places Britain’s most vibrant artists called home.

Red House, London

Nothing better represents the commitment of William Morris, the creative genius of interiors (内饰) to beauty than his striking home in London. From delicate patterns on the doors, to the decorated gardens, the Red House shows a strong medieval style.

The Mackintosh House, Glasgow

Located on the site of the former home of legendary architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife, the reconstructed Mackintosh House offers a rare insight into their private lives. Furnished with the couple’s own furniture, everything has been considered in order to recreate the original interior as faithfully as possible.

Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, Cornwall

Though she was born in Yorkshire, British sculptor (雕塑家) Barbara Hepworth moved to Cornwall and stayed there for the rest of her life. She claimed that there was a quality of inspiration to be drawn from the Cornish skyline and sea view that she simply couldn’t obtain from the city. It was Hepworth’s wish that her home would be turned into a museum of her work.

Henry Moore Foundation, Hertfordshire

Sculptor Henry Moore found his Muse in the beautiful Hertfordshire village of Perry Green and created many of his most famous works there. Unlike traditional galleries, visitors can get close with these impressive structures. Access to Moore’s home is through guided tours only. Visit on a sunny day, take a picnic, and experience the scenic village in person!

1. Which residence is influenced by medieval styles?

A．Red House.

B．The Mackintosh House.

C．Henry Moore Foundation.

D．Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden.

2. What do we know about the Mackintosh House?

A．It is the current residence of Mackintosh.

B．It is rebuilt to improve Mackintosh’s life.

C．It restores the interior design of the Mackintoshs’.

D．It reflects Mackintosh’s faith in original furniture design.

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

A．Both sculptors take inspiration from nature.

B．Both sites allow close contact with the designers.

C．Both residences will be turned into urban museums.

D．Both sites allow tours accompanied by the guide only.

6 . The Chinese written language originated very early. However, people began to like the art of writing, and pay attention to the creator’s thinking and spirit since the period between the Late Han Dynasty and Wei Jin Dynasty. The Chinese calligraphy fonts(字体) gradually evolved from oracle, Chinese bronze inscriptions and silk manuscripts to the following five main schools:

School	Representative Master	Feature
Seal Script	Li Si	There are Big Zhuan and Small Zhuan. The Big Zhuan includes all the ancient Chinese calligraphy fonts before Qin Dynasty. The Small Zhuan are the characters commonly used by officials after Qin united China. These characters feature balanced left and right parts and a bit complicated structures.
Official Script	Cai Yong	A simplified form of script since seal characters were too complicated for officials to use when copying documents.
Regular Script	Ouyang Xun, Yan Zhenqing, Liu Gongquan	Also named Zhenshu or Zhengshu, Kaishu is regular with a tight structure and fluent strokes.
Cursive Hand	Zhang Xu, Huai Su	Caoshu is characterized by sketchy, simplified forms of characters, often distorted or exaggerated to achieve an internal rhythmic appearance within the compositions of characters.
Running Hand	Wang Xizhi, Yan Zhenqing; Su Shi	Xingshu is something between the regular script and the cursive scripts in the initial period and now is between the official script and cursive(草写体的)hand. Chinese masters have always compared the three styles of writing, Kaishu, Xingshu, Caoshu to people standing, walking and running respectively.

1. The difference between Seal Script and Official Script lies in ______.

A．the difficulty to write	B．their function in use
C．who often wrote them	D．how cursive they are

2. Which school is compared to people walking according to the text?

A．Official Script.	B．Running Hand.
C．Cursive Hand.	D．Regular Script.

3. If you want to practice both Regular Script and Running Hand, who is a better choice to choose based on this article?

A．Ouyang Xun.	B．Yan Zhenqing.
C．Zhang Xu.	D．Wang Xizhi.

7 . This painting Spring Bouquet has a precise structure. The flowers spill over into the lower left-hand corner, with an imbalance as free and as wild as nature. But at once the artist responds to this unbalance. To the right of the vase, Renoir has developed a heavy shadow area, rich in purples and sharply contrasted with the light below it. The placing of the straight line in the lower right side is necessary. If the reader covers this line, he will see that the composition becomes unbalanced.

The Impressionist technique had not yet developed when Renoir painted this picture. Yet the painting with light and color indicates Impressionism is around the corner; there is something of that school in the feeling of the out-of-doors that Renoir has acquired. The texture (纹理) of the flowers is described. Above all, one can’t help saying the very nice smell of the flowers is there, too.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir was born in 1841. He began working as a young painter of porcelain and textiles. At age 21, Renoir entered the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and went on to study under the instructions of painter Charles Gleyre’s. Even though his paintings had been initially rejected by the Academy and the public, with time he became one of the most admired artists of his generation.

Unfortunately, in 1899, he was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (风湿性关节炎). It is a disease that causes a lot of pain. In addition, the person affected by it may also have deformities (畸形). Consequently, his movements became very limited and each movement was a big and certainly painful effort.

His son, Jean Renoir, writes in the book Renoir, My Father after his father passed away, the reaction of the people to the painting of the father, after seeing his hands:

Visitors who were unprepared for this could not take their eyes off his deformity. Though they did not dare to mention it, their reaction would be expressed by some such phrase as “It isn’t possible!” With hands like that, how can he paint those pictures? There’s some mystery somewhere.

1. What can readers see in the painting?

A．A vase in the left corner.	B．A shadow to the vase’s right.
C．A straight line at the bottom.	D．A natural light in the middle.

2. What seems quite special about this picture when people appreciate it?

A．The painting material.	B．The color choice.
C．The smelly flower taste.	D．The impressive feeling.

3. What does the underlined word “this” in the last paragraph refer to?

A．Renoir, My Father.	B．Spring Bouquet.
C．Rheumatoid arthritis.	D．Renoir’s bravery.

4. Which can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Patience Is a Lifetime Practice	B．Pain Passes, but Beauty Remains
C．Impressionism Is a Unique Technique	D．Work hard, and You Will Catch Up

8 . On a table at his home in Rosetta, a port city in northern Egypt, self-taught artist Ibrahim Bilal displayed a variety of his signature mini sculptures made with pencil tips.

With about 80 works featuring landmarks and famous people in Egypt and beyond, the 30-year old artist said he was inspired four years ago to thoroughly grasp the art form after watching videos of a Chinese artist carving pencil lead into sculptures.

Fond of ancient Egyptian icons (象征物), Bilal dedicated one of his earliest works to the world-famous Rosetta Stone, an ancient Egyptian relic unearthed in his city and kept in the British Museum. “Being the first Egyptian to master this kind of art, I wanted to present the Egyptian cultural relics in a modern way,” Bilal noted.

Bilal uses a microscope for an enlarged view, a set of pen cutters or carving detail knives, and quality pencils mostly made in Germany or China while working. Through his deft (灵巧的) hands，landmarks across the globe, including the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy, emerge on the pencil tips. The size of each sculpture is no more than 6 mm unless it’s a tower, and each takes an average of 10 hours to finish. Some may take him more than 40 hours like his dearest King Tut’s mask. These pieces are so delicate and fragile that has to be wrapped in tissues before sliding into a lab tube for temporary storage.

After graduating from law school, Bilal taught himself to be a painter professional enough to give painting classes to junior artists. He started taking part in exhibitions two years ago. “We use magnifying glasses (放大镜) to allow visitors to see the showcased works on display in detail without having to come too close to them.” Bilal said, noting the feedback from visitors has been awesome. “It was a pencil. But once I turned it into a sculpture, it has to be treated as art as well,” he said.

1. What is the author’s purpose in writing the second paragraph?

A．To introduce the origin of the art form.

B．To highlight the short history of the art form.

C．To reveal how to turn pencils into mini sculptures.

D．To show what made Bilal an artist of pencil tips.

2. What was Bilal’s goal after becoming Egypt’s first pencil tip artist?

A．To teach young artists about the art form.

B．To hold exhibitions of pencil tip sculptures.

C．To promote foreign landmarks through the art form.

D．To show the Egyptian icons with a modern technique.

3. What do we know about Bilal from the text?

A．Bilal got the inspiration from an Egyptian professional.

B．All of Bilal’s sculptures are around 6 mm.

C．The King Tut’s mask cost Bilal much longer time than the average.

D．Bilal’s sculpture display famous structures and people within Egypt.

4. What is the attitude of the people towards the exhibitions?

A．Favourable.

B．Objective.

C．Critical.

D．Indifferent.

9 . In artist Roy Wang’s photos, mythical (神话的) creatures from The Classic of Mountains and Seas emerge in front of historical sites of Guangzhou.

The series of photographs is created by light painting in which the photographer uses light sources to produce different images which are captured by a camera, as if drawing on the photos. Roy Wang, the representative figure of light-painting photography in China, says, “What attracts me most about light painting is that, by using a simple light and against a dark background, I can paint in a free style.”

Wang was a professional athlete. However, his sports career ended in 2012 because of injuries. His travels led to his interest in photography. Once he saw light-painting photos by Spanish master Pablo Picasso online and was introduced to the technique. He began to try in this field.

In 2013, he started adding the dragon and other creatures from ancient texts to light painting. Wang’s work is inspired by mythical creatures that add a sense of mystery to his photography but at the same time it proves to be difficult to create such images with light.“The mythical creatures are as mysterious as light painting. They both emerge in the darkness, and without an exact shape or form, they are free. I let loose my imagination,based on the descriptions in ancient books,” said Wang.

To Roy Wang, the technique has a wide application in expressing different ideas. Apart from mythical creatures, he has been showing themes relevant to more recent events, such as a series in praise of medical workers during the outbreak of COVID-19.

Tradition will continue to be a creative force for Wang as he wants to add more Chinese elements in his works, including his next series, creating photos that have both aesthetic (美学的) and cultural values.

1. What is special about Roy Wang’s paintings?

A．They are made with light.

B．They are drawn on the photos.

C．They tell stories about ancient life.

D．They mainly show us historical sites.

2. What inspired Wang to start his new career?

A．Sudden injuries.	B．Travels with a master.
C．His sports career.	D．Photos by Pablo Picasso.

3. What problem does Wang have in photographing mythical creatures?

A．It needs a lot of light to draw the creatures.

B．There are few specific images of the creatures.

C．His technique is not suitable for the creatures

D．He has little knowledge of ancient books.

4. What can we infer about Wang’s future works?

A．They will mainly praise medical workers.

B．They will express Wang’s ideas about art.

C．They will focus on important recent events.

D．They will contain traditional Chinese culture.

10 . Growing up in rural Jiangsu Province, Yu Jigao showed a strong interest in fine arts at an early age and studied on his own for years. His hard work paid off later. In the early 1950s, he made his way to Nanjing Normal University, where he learned painting theories and techniques from some famous artists. It was then that Yu found his lifelong artistic passion for gongbi. Gongbi paintings usually describe birds and flowers, symbols of beauty and joy, in an artistic way with intense color.

After graduation from the art school in 1957, Yu began his professional career at the Chinese Painting Institute of Jiangsu. He has since published a series of art collections. Since 1959, Yu has contributed a series of works to many important sites. Yu’s works have also been displayed in a range of national and international exhibitions. From 1986 to 1997, he held his exhibitions in such places as Beijing, Guangzhou and New York. Both the themes and artistic techniques have won widespread praise in the past years.

While observing traditional rules, he uses accurate lines, powerful brush movements as well as the interplay between dark and light to represent the harmony of nature. Though he adopts a realistic style, he tries to enrich his works with spiritual beauty through his brush. Yu says, “That feeling turns into the images of singing birds and elegant flowers in my paintings.” Thanks to his careful observation of nature and artistic sensitivity, Yu is able to combine realistic description with artistic expression in his brushwork.

Now as deputy director of the Academy of Chinese Gongbi Painting of Flowers and Birds and a national top-level artist, Yu maintains a simple and easy-going style. In addition to artistic creation, Yu has devoted himself to promoting his painting style as the cultural heritage of China. “Art is part of my life,” Yu says. “I am proud to be a flower-bird painter. I hope to create a bright future for it through my efforts.”

1. Where did Yu discover his love for gongbi?

A．In Beijing.	B．In New York.
C．At Nanjing Normal University.	D．At the Chinese Painting Institute of Jiangsu.

2. What does paragraph 2 mainly tell us about Yu?

A．His school life.	B．His painting techniques.
C．His contributions to the art school.	D．His artistic achievements in painting.

3. Which is Yu’s painting feature?

A．Adopting abstract objects.

B．Excluding plants and animals.

C．Combining traditional rules with a realistic style.

D．Representing the imbalance between nature and humans.

4. What does Yu expect of his painting style?

A．It will change a lot.	B．It will be passed on.
C．It will look more complicated.	D．It will reach the top international level.