1 . Monet gets his place in the art timeline because of his leading role in the impressionist art movement, and through the lasting appeal of his artistic style. The painting he titled Impression: Sunrise, done early in his career, may not seem one of Monet’s best paintings, but the big deal about it is that it was the painting that gave impressionism its name.

Done with oil paint on canvas, this painting is characterized by thin washes of rather mild colors, on top of which he painted short strokes of pure color. Monet gave depth and perspective to an otherwise flat painting by the use of aerial perspective (空间透视法). Look closely at the three boats, and you can see how these get lighter in the tone, which is the way aerial perspective works. The lighter boats appear to be further away from us than the darkest one.

Monet exhibited the painting in what we now call the First Impressionist Exhibition, in Paris. Monet and a group of about 30 other artists, frustrated by restrictions and politics of the official annual art salon, had decided to hold their own independent exhibition, an unusual thing to do at the time. They called themselves the Anonymous Society of Painters, Sculptors, Engravers, etc., which included artists who are now world famous such as Renoir, Degas, Pissarro, Morisot, and Cezanne. Monet said he’d called the painting “impression” because “it really couldn’t pass as a view of Le Harve”.

Louis Leroy, an art critic, in his review of the exhibition used the title of Monet’s painting as the headline, calling it the “Exhibition of Impressionists”. Leroy had meant it ironically as the term “impression” was used to describe a rapidly finished painting of an atmospheric effect, and artists rarely, if ever, exhibited pictures so quickly sketched. The label stuck. In his review published on 25 April, 1874, Leroy wrote,“Wallpaper in its embryonic (萌芽期的) state is more finished than that seascape.” Then in a supportive review published a few days later, Jules Castagnary was the first art critic to use the term “Impressionism” in a positive way.

1. What do we know about Monet’s Impression: Sunrise?

A．It was universally acknowledged as Monet’s best painting.

B．Leroy was deeply impressed by the painter’s remarkable skill.

C．The different tones of the three boats gave depth to the painting.

D．It was exhibited in the official annual art salon with 30 other artists.

2. What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 4 mean?

A．The label met strong opposition from other art critics.

B．The label was stuck to the surface of Monet’s painting.

C．The label was not regarded as a positive image.

D．The label stayed and became widely used after that.

3. Who is the first to use the term “Impressionists”?

A．Monet.

B．Leroy.

C．Renoir.

D．Castagnary.

4. What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．Impression: Sunrise gave Impressionism its name.

B．Critics had a disagreement over Monet’s painting.

C．Monet is a leading artist of Impressionism.

D．Impressionism is an appealing artistic style.

2 . Four Self-Portraits (自画像) by Famous Artists

Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino)—“Self-Portrait”, 1506

One of the beautiful self-portraits by famous artist Raphael was drawn at the age of 23. It measures around 45cm×33cm and is located at the world-famous Uffizi Gallery. The Italian painter used oil on board to draw his self-portrait, which was the clearest and the most recognizable self-portraits of Raphael himself.

Leonardo da Vinci—“Portrait of a Man in Red Chalk”, 1512

“Portrait of a Man in Red Chalk”is a self-portrait of da Vinci at the age of 60 and measures around 33.3cm×21.6cm, which is on display in Biblioteca Reale, Turin, Italy. It is drawn with red chalk on paper and represents the head of an elderly man in a three-quarter view. In the portrait, the length of the hair is uncommon in Renaissance (文艺复兴) portraits.

Rembrandt van Rijn—“Self-Portrait with Beret and Turned-up Collar”, 1659

Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn painted his self-portrait in 1659 when he was 53 years old. It shows his worried expression that clearly portrays the troubled condition of his mind at that point of his life since the year 1659 was a year of anxiety for him. This self-portrait found its place among the Benjamin Altman Collection, which has been exhibited in the Metropolitan Museum of Art since 1913.

Edgar Degas—“Degas Au Porte-Fusain’”, l855

Edgar Degas made this self-portrait only when he was twenty-one years old. It was one of the most remarkable of his fifteen self-portraits. Degas was seated as seemingly without fear and anxiety. The pose in the painting was formal and academic. The painting is located in the musée d’Orsay, Paris, France.

1. Where should visitors go if they want to admire Raphael’s self-portrait in 1506?

A．Uffizi Gallery.	B．Biblioteca Reale.
C．The musée d’Orsay.	D．The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

2. Which aspect of Portrait of a Man in Red Chalk was special during the Renaissance?

A．The red clothing.	B．The formal pose.
C．The long hair.	D．The worried expression.

3. Which painter was the youngest when painting the above-mentioned self-portraits?

A．Raphael.	B．Edgar Degas.
C．Leonardo da Vinci.	D．Rembrandt van Rijn.

3 . A Timeless Legacy 2022：Artists of Glacier, Past and Present

Exhibition time：August 27~October 29，2022

Since the first A Timeless Legacy exhibition in 2015, our beloved annual and now biennial (两年一次的) exhibition celebrating the history, life and works of Glacier National Park artists has taken many forms. For the 2022 exhibition，we feature works from both contemporary (当代的) artists working in and around Glacier National Park, as well as historic artworks from the Hockaday Art Museum’s collections.

Nancy Dunlop Cawdrey

Nancy Dunlop Cawdrey lives in a world of color. And she likes to paint that way as well. After living for some years abroad in England and Europe，she eventually returned to the United States and settled down in Montana.

Carole Cooke

Artist Carole Cooke writes, “When I paint on location in remote areas, I feel a sense of excitement beyond description. It is my hope that sharing images of the land, trees and waters will give the viewers a strong sense of connection to nature. ”

Michelle Grant

Born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Michelle Grant has been working professionally as an artist since 1994. She currently works in a contemporary realistic style. Her inspiration comes from owning horses and attending lots of horse-related events, which provide reference for her paintings.

Julie Jeppsen

Wildlife artist Julie Jeppsen is known for her paintings combining realism and atmosphere of wild animals in landscape. Julie is a self-taught artist, whose subject matter is a wide range of animals. She has been involved in art all her life and will continue doing it because it’s a major part of who she is.

1. When can people enjoy the exhibits in A Timeless Legacy 2022?

A．On August 25.	B．On October 28.
C．On November 29.	D．On December 30.

2. Which is Carole Cooke’s hope?

A．She can paint in urban areas.

B．She can return to the United States.

C．Her works can get people closer to nature.

D．Her inspiration can help with wildlife protection.

3. What do Michelle Grant and Julie Jeppsen have in common?

A．Their works focus on trees.

B．Their works are connected with animals.

C．They own horses.

D．They are self-taught artists.

4 . Kairo McLean was waiting for his mom to pick him up from school. She arrived with the car windows down, playing Kairo's song Easy Now as loud as the sound could go. That was when she informed him that he was nominated (提名)for the Juno Awards, one of Canada's most influential music awards, for Reggae Recording of the Year. At age 13, Kairo was the youngest artist ever nominated for Reggae Recording of the Year at the JUNOS. His Juno- nominated single Easy Now appears on his first-ever album(歌曲专辑)of the same title.

“I’m so glad that reggae music, which is originally from Jamaica(牙买加), is being rec- ognized and appreciated here in Canada, ”Kairo said in an interview. “It's really exciting that all my efforts have been recognized in spite of my young age, and it motivates me to keep struggling hard to realize my musical dream, ”he said.

“Kairo would try to play the keyboard before he was tall enough to reach it. He wanted to learn how to play the guitar before it could even fit on his lap, ”Kairo's mom recalled. “Listening to music from reggae music artists like Cocoa Tea, Yellowman and Bob Marley is a normal thing in our household. Apart from that, he really put many efforts in his interest, ” she added.

As a Canadian reggae artist outside of Jamaica, Kairo feels that music should spread a message about love and peace, not things like violence and hate. Kairo’s music is about bright light in the world, though we might be always caught in the darkness such as bullies(仗势欺人者)at school or crime in the society. “I bring up the injustices that I see in the world and I talk about them because they need to be spoken about and they need to be heard, ”said Kairo.

1. What was Kairo MeLean told in the first paragraph?

A．His first album came out successfully.

B．He was invited to receive Juno Awards.

C．He was likely to win a musical award.

D．His music was recognized in Jamaica.

2. How did Kairo McLean feel when he heard the news?

A．Calm.

B．Nervous.

C．Frightened.

D．Encouraged.

3. What do we know about Kairo McLean from his mother's words?

A．His gift mattered more than his efforts.

B．He showed his love for music as a child.

C．He could play various musical instruments.

D．His family didn't support his musical dream.

4. Which of the following is Kairo's music mainly about?

A．Spreading positive messages.	B．Focusing on school bullying.
C．Introducing Jamaican cultures.	D．Describing his own life stories

5 . Jan or Johan Vermeer was a Dutch Baroque painter from the “Golden Age of Dutch Painting”. He was obscure during his lifetime; but in the nineteenth century, his work was brought to light, and he is now regarded as one of the greatest figures of Baroque painting-with his focus on simple portraits and household scenes. He is admired for the ability to present everyday objects with great dignity（庄重）and light.

There is not much information about Jan Vermeer’s early life, He didn’t travel much outside Holland, and most of his paintings were bought by a local man. His father was a dealer of paintings and also a local inn owner. When his father died in 1652, Jan took over the business of selling pictures and ownership of a small inn. When his mother died in 1670, he also inherited her local restaurant, and he often worked there at night selling alcohol and dishes to customers.

In 1653, Jan married a young girl named Catherina Bolies. Together they had fourteen children, though four died soon. Jan did a significant portion of his painting within his large house. He liked to paint in his own studio, even though household life may have been noisy with 14 children and his mother-in-law, whom he often argued with.

Jan was a slow worker, producing only three paintings a year. This was partly due to his technique of granular（似颗粒状的）painting. He was careful in capturing the light and colour of his various subjects. Unusually for the time, Jan often focused on simple household scenes such as “The Milkmaid” or the “Music Lesson”.

An important aspect of Vermeer’s paintings were his portraits--often of women. The portraits capture a style of reassuring calm, dignity and contentment with everyday life. To Vermeer, they may have represented an idealized view of life and women, which did not always match reality. “The Girl With A Pearl Earring” is widely considered a Vermeer masterpiece-It is also regarded as one of the greatest portrait pictures ever painted and is sometimes referred to as the “Mona Lisa” of the North.

1. What does the underlined word “obscure” mean in paragraph 1?

A．Not clear.

B．Quite poor.

C．Not well-known.

D．Rather confusing.

2. What did his mother leave for him after her death?

A．A local inn.

B．A restaurant.

C．Several paintings.

D．A job of selling wines.

3. Which of the following may become a subject of his painting?

A．Hills around his town.	B．Children in the school.
C．A boat on the foggy sea.	D．A young woman in his house.

4. What is the text?

A．A novel about a painter.	B．A biography of a person.
C．An analysis of painting styles.	D．A review of Vermeer’s painting.

6 . There have been many great painters in the rich history of Chinese art. Here are four of the greatest painters from China.

Li Cheng (919-967, Five Dynasties and early Song Dynasty)

Li Cheng contributed greatly to one of the golden ages of landscape paintings in world history. During his time, he was considered the best landscape painter ever. He is remembered especially for the winter landscapes he created and for simple compositions of tall, old evergreens set against a dry landscape. Several of his paintings are in thin ink which gives them a foggy appearance.

Fan Kuan (990-1020 , Song Dynasty)

Fan Kuan began his career by modeling Li Cheng's work but later created his own style, claiming that the only true teacher was nature. His finest work Travelers among Mountains and Streams is a masterpiece of landscape painting and many future artists turned to it for inspiration.

Qi Baishi (1864-1957)

One of the greatest contemporary Chinese painters, Qi Baishi is known for not being influenced by Western styles like most painters of his time. He can be considered as the last great traditional painter of China. He painted almost everything from insects to landscapes. He is regarded highly in Chinese art for the freshness that he brought to the familiar types of birds and flowers, insects and grass.

Wu Guanzhong (1919-2010)

Widely considered as the founder of modern Chinese painting , Wu Guanzhong has painted various aspects of China, like its architecture, plants, animals, people and landscapes. Wu went on to combine Western and Chinese styles to create a unique form of modern art. In 1992, he became the first living Chinese artist whose work was exhibited at the British Museum.

1. What do we know about Li Cheng?

A．He loved landscape paintings.

B．He copied many artists' work.

C．His work gained worldwide recognition.

D．He was considered as Fan Kuan's teacher.

2. What is the main feature of Qi Baishi's paintings?

A．They have foggy appearances.

B．They lack diversity in the theme.

C．They come under Western influence.

D．They show advanced traditional painting skills.

3. What did the four Chinese painters have in common?

A．They were all modern painters.

B．They all created landscape paintings.

C．They were all impacted by Western art.

D．They were all pioneers in traditional art history.

7 . With smiling eyes, a quick wit and a good sense of humor, Jia Ling has long been a well-known female comedian.     1    

Jia, 39, starred in and directed the film, Hi, Mom, which by Feb 23^rd has earned more than 4 billion yuan. Jia became the top box office grossing female director in China and is on the path to becoming an international name in the filmmaking industry.     2    

One factor may be her passion for comedy. Jia graduated from Beijing's Central Academy of Drama in 2003. In the last 18 years she has performed crosstalk in various competitions and shows. She has also played comedic roles in many comedies on the big screen,     3     Showing her keen sense of comedy, Jia ensured that Hi, Mom hit home for those who needed a laugh. For example, when Shen Guanglin goes on a date with Li Huanying, Shen suffers from a case of diarrhea （腹泻）,leading to an awkward and humorous scene.

    4     Apart from funny scenes, Hi, Mom focuses on the pure and sincere relationship between mother and daughter. It was regarded as a "heartwanning comedy"   by Hollywood Reporter. China's New Year box office tends to reward titles with broad family fun - and sentimentality （多愁善感）rarely hurts.     5    

A．So what is the secret behind Jia's success?

B．Another factor is that the approach to the film also makes Jia's works stand out.

C．which ultimately led to the connection between the stage and film.

D．making her an outstanding comedian welcomed by many viewers.

E．This film truly breaks the happy atmosphere with its sentimentality.

F．But recently, she has gained another title.

G．Hi, Mom appears to have hit all the right notes.

8 . The British Museum's rich collection of ancient Chinese paintings has attracted many visitors. At the heart of this preservation and revival of Chinese art history is senior conservator (文物修复员) Qiu Jinxian.

Joanna Kosek, head of Pictorial Art Conservation at the British Museum, told the Times Publications that Qiu is considered one of the museum's most priceless treasures. "We let the treasure treat the treasure," Kosek said.

In 1987, Qiu was introduced to Mrs. Jessica Rawson, director of the British Museum. At the time there were no conservators specializing in ancient Chinese art at the British Museum. The large collection of Chinese ancient paintings and cultural relics in the museum was mainly repaired by Japanese and British methods and materials. As these methods were not suitable for Chinese paintings, the art collection was kept in storage for a long time instead of on pubic display.

Just before Christmas in 1987, Qiu Jinxian had her first appointment at the British Museum. She was asked to repair an ancient scroll (卷轴) by Fu Baoshi, which had been badly damaged by fire. Qiu's methods, which included washing with warm water to separate the glue in order to repair the paper, stunned people on the spot. Some of them even got out the camera to record her methods as they'd never seen this way of restoring ancient art. Mrs. Rawson was completely amazed by Qiu Jinxian's incredible skills. She immediately invited Qiu to join the British Museum.

Chinese ancient paintings are notoriously difficult to repair because of their large size, complex materials, diverse colors, and rich composition. The most important thing is to understand the long history, meaning and culture behind the painting. Repair is an extremely time-and-energy intensive process.Each painting normally takes several months from cleaning to restoration and drying. Since 1987, Qiu has repaired more than 400 artworks.

Oiu told the media that she is very proud of her work. She wants more people to understand and appreciate Chinese history and culture through art. Although the artworks originated from China, they now belong to the people of the world.

1. Why is Qiu considered a treasure at the British Museum?

A．She understands Chinese history well.

B．She is the only Chinese conservator there.

C．She repaired the Chinese scroll successfully.

D．She has special skills to repair the treasures.

2. What does the underlined word "stunned" in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Panicked.

B．Inspired.

C．Shocked.

D．Influenced.

3. What matters most for repairing Chinese artworks?

A．A deep understanding of the objects.	B．Incredible painting skills.
C．Strong determination.	D．A sound knowledge of Chinese history.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．The Well-known Chinese Conservator

B．The Protector of Chinese Treasures at the British Museum

C．The Chinese Treasures Repaired at the British Museum

D．The Ancient Chinese Artworks Exhibited at the British Museum

9 . “Sunday Morning”honored the creative, inspiring and newsworthy men and women who passed away in 2020, who'd touched our lives in unforgettable ways.

Pain and sorrow - the calling cards of 2020. “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers provided us reassurance（保证） that tomorrow may be better. Although Withers left us at 81, his notes of comfort helped during a year that wasn't even a month old before grief was already setting in.

The death of 41-year-old Kobe Bryant, along with his 13-year-old daughter and seven others because of an air crash, astonished everyone-basketball fans or not.

“My momma always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get". COVID was certainly the box we all wished we never got. But Winston Groom, who created Forrest Gump, reminded us through that character that challenges exist, to be overcome.

Dignity for Black Americans remained an unfinished struggle in 2020. The deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor-just to name a few-restarted a movement for equality and justice not seen since the 1960s.

Gender equality lost some of its superheroes, too. Helen Reddy, who was inspired to retire after “I Am Woman” became her most popular song in 1974, offered the soundtrack for the fight that she herself engaged in. But there were few champions for women as influential as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. In her 27 years on the Supreme Court，she expanded rights for women as well as men. Small in stature（个子）,a giant for us all. The only thing tougher than Justice Ginsburg was the cancer that took her at age 87.

While the sun isn't out just yet, the hope is that it's just over the horizon.

1. What did Winston Groom want to tell us through Forrest Gump?

A．Forrest Gump had a box of chocolates.	B．A person's character determines his fate.
C．We didn't expect to get Covid-19 in 2020.	D．We are living through difficulties in our life.

2. Who died of a serious disease?

A．Kobe Bryant.

B．Forest Gump.

C．George Floyd.

D．Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

3. What can be learned about Helen Reddy?

A．She was a racist.	B．She died from an accident.
C．She was a musician.	D．She didn't retire until her death.