1 . According to Gelb, although not everyone is born with the gifts and the capacities of Leonardo Da Vinci, it is possible for any person to use the fundamentals of Da Vinci’s approach to learning to guide us toward the realization of our inner Da Vinci. One typical fundamental is curiosity. Curiosity is “The desire to know is natural to good men.” — Leonardo Da Vinci

The young Leonardo loved being in nature, showed an early gift for drawing and was fascinated by mathematics. Young Leonardo’s Curiosity regarding education and mathematics especially often raised constant unsureness and difficulties for the teachers who taught him and continuously proved them to be wrong. Most children have in them endless amounts of curiosity and sense of wonder. Unfortunately for multiple reasons these qualities are lost as children reach adulthood, not Leonardo though. Perhaps one of his greatest characteristics was his willingness to question accepted knowledge. Leonardo’s Curiosity never faded and fueled the lake of his genius for his entire life. Leonardo’s motives were not money, women or loyalty to any church or person. His pursuits were pure: the long search for beauty and above all: truth.

Leonardo would wonder around asking questions he did not himself yet understand. He always carried a notebook with himself so that he could quickly write down hundreds of questions, ideas, thoughts, impressions and observations as they occurred. He was expectant and reliant only upon himself to answer his own questions. Being modest, he was not afraid to make mistakes and appear foolish. Leonardo accepted the feelings of unfamiliarity and foolishness.

His questions led him to designing a snorkel (水下呼吸器) as well as diving equipment and even a submarine and also inventing flying machines and a parachute. His curiosity took him under the water and into the sky.

1. What does the underlined words “Da Vinci” refer to?

A．Potential.	B．Curiosity.
C．Honesty.	D．Motive.

2. What was most typical of the young Leonardo?

A．Educating kids.	B．Seeking for love.
C．Appreciating nature.	D．Questioning his teachers.

3. What can be learned about Leonardo’s sense of curiosity from the text?

A．It fooled himself.

B．It made him independent.

C．It inspired his whole life.

D．It disappeared in his adulthood.

4. Which saying can best reflect Leonardo Da Vinci?

A．An idle youth, a needy age.

B．First come, first served.

C．Stay hungry, stay foolish.

D．Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

2 . 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.

3 . Pop art, which emerged in the '50s and rose in popularity throughout the '60s, sought to challenge the idea of fine art.

Andy Warhol (1928-1987)

Andy Warhol is probably the most influential figure of Pop Art. He became a famous celebrity himself. Understanding ‘star-culture’, advertisement and the effect of the media, he made these the core of his work. His screenprinted images of Marilyn Monroe, Soup cans, and sensational newspaper stories, quickly became synonymous(同义词) with Pop art.

Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997)

Roy Lichtenstein is one of the fathers of the Pop Art movement. In November 2015, Christie’s sold Lichtenstein’s ‘Nurse’ for a record $95.4 million. In this piece, as well as in other works, we can see how the enlarged imagery of adverts and comics with recognisable characters, highlights the ironic(讽刺好笑的) images and situations in every-day life.

Mimmo Rotella (1918-2006)

Italian artist Mimmo Rotella, was one of the most important figures of post-war European art. He combined pieces of adverts and posters in his works. For this technique he used a series of torn posters, gathering them to create a tremendously expressive and powerful aesthetic(美学). His works Sempre lei Marilyn (2002) and Viva America(1963) are easy to recognize.

James Rosenquist (1933-2017)

James Rosenquist can be considered one of the strongest and most influential modern Pop Art artists. His work dived deep into cinematography and advertising. He employed techniques which are conventionally used to create Commercial Art. His works appear as an overwhelming mixture of fragmented(成碎片的) images of current celebrities, everyday objects and popular foods - giant lipsticks or spaghetti. If you go to Centre Pompidou, Paris, you can see his work President-Elect.

1. What artwork will you turn to if you are interested in Andy Warhol?

A．Marilyn Monroe.	B．Nurse.
C．Viva America.	D．President-Elect.

2. Which artist creates his works by putting together cut and torn posters?

A．Andy Warhol.	B．Roy Lichtenstein.
C．Mimmo Rotella.	D．James Rosenquist.

3. What do the four pop art artists’ works have in common?

A．They are typical fine art.

B．They show ironic everyday life.

C．They employ traditional techniques.

D．They are somewhat related to commercials.

4 . Top Piano Players in the World

Martha Argerich

Martha 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 Andsnes

Known 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 Brendel

Known 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 Rubinstein

Arthur 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.

2. Who learned music by himself or herself?

A．Martha Argerich.	B．Leif Ove Andsnes.
C．Alfred Brendel.	D．Arthur Rubinstein.

3. How is Arthur Rubinstein different from the other pianists?

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 . The day before we met, Juliette Binoche was in the French Alps. Today , she’s sitting in her room in Berlin’s Hotel Marriott.“We arrived last night at 12,”she says, casually brushing off her tight schedule. It ‘s been this way for four decades now , ever since she became a real hit at the Cannes FilmFestival as a 21-year-old , starring in 1985’s Rendez-vous. The film was well received and“La Binochas the French call her , was born.

Almost immediately, people were deeply attracted by this charming young lady. “After Rendez-vous,when I started , somebody asked me about doing an autobiography of my life… when I was 21 !”she reveals , quite shocked at this absurd(荒唐的)idea.”Some people actually thought about it.”

Instead , Binoche concentrated on a constant rise through the ranks of world cinema. Rather than addicted to the fame and wealth brought by Hollywood,Binoche simply continued working with celebrated filmmakers from-around the globe ,developing a reputation as a risk-taker.“For me, the risk is to repeat myself or get into a comfort zone that is not opening my horizons(视野),”she says.

Now 58, there isn’t much this extraordinary artist hasn ‘t done. On stage, she starred with Akram Khan at London ‘s National Theatre in dance piece In-i.”When you’re not a dancer , then you see that you need courage , you need trust and you need magic that is inside you that is going to take place,”she says. She also sang in the show It ‘s Almost Nothing and would love to film a musical. Which one? “I would never answer that,”she smiles.“ A film is a connection of different people.”In other words,about creative magic.

1. What do we know about Juliette Binoche in Paragraph 1 ?

A．She stayed busy after gaining fame.

B．She acted as a film star in Rendez-vous.

C．She went sightseeing in European countries.

D．She was named“La Binoche”by the German.

2. What did Juliette Binoche do after Rendez-vous?

A．She wrote an autobiography.

B．She worked in her comfort zone.

C．She kept climbing the career ladder.

D．She sought more fame and fortune.

3. What does the author mainly intend to tell us in the text?

A．Youth time passes in an instant.

B．Fame and wealth make no sense.

C．Suffering is the best teacher of life.

D．Life needs challenge and innovation.

4. Where is the text most probably taken from?

A．A magazine.

B．A novel.

C．diary.

D．A guidebook.

6 . New England holds some special museums. They are devoted largely or entirely to the work of just one person. And they are the artists’ birthplaces or onetime homes. Here are four examples of such museums.

Cyrus E. Dallin Art Museum

The name Cyrus E. Dallin (1861-1944) might not be familiar, but several of the artist’s sculptures (雕塑) are, especially those related to Native Americans. A good example is his “Appeal to the Great Spirit” standing in front of the Museum of Fine Arts. Born in Utah, he lived in Arlington for the final four decades of his life. The museum is in the Jefferson Cutter House, an 1830 Greek styled building.

Norman Rockwell Museum

Rockwell (1894-1978) was America’s well-known artist. The museum, founded in 1969, moved into its present location, Robert A.M. Stern-designed building in 1993. Its 998 paintings and drawings are the largest single collection of Rockwell's artworks.

Kids 16 and under: free; adults: $20; the old: at a 10% discount (折扣)

Edward Gorey House

Edward Gorey (1925-2000) was an artist, but he was also an author and clothes designer. Gorey bought this 18th-century house in 1979 and lived there for the rest of his life. Edward Gorey House is also known as the Elephant House. Gorey had respect for animals. The activities of the house, from art education to exhibits, show Gorey's support of animal well-being.

Gibert Stuart Birthplace and Museum

Gilbert Stuart (1755-1828) is responsible for what may well be the most familiar work of any American artist, His drawing of George is the basis of the first president’s portrait (画像) on the dollar. Stuart painted more than a thousand portraits throughout his life.

1. What do we know about Cyrus E. Dallin?

A．He built the Jefferson Cutter House.

B．He lived in Arlington for half a century.

C．He was best known for his Greek styled sculptures.

D．He created famous works related to Native Americans.

2. How much will an old couple pay to enter Norman Rockwell Museum?

A．$36.

B．$40.

C．$60.

D．$72.

3. Where can visitors learn some history of American money?

A．Edward Gorey House.	B．Norman Rockwell Museum.
C．Cyrus E. Dallin Art Museum.	D．Gilbert Stuart Birthplace and Museum.

7 .

“By removing needless details in pursuit of perfection, Van Den followed in the footsteps of many great artists, writers, composers, and painters.”

Juhani Murros made an unexpected discovery during his visits to art galleries when he worked for an organization in Ho Chi Minh City in 1990. A small still life in an unnoticeable gallery commanded the Finnish physician’s attention. “It was not an eye-catching oil painting, yet its dark, mysterious colors and the emotional tension of its disciplined composition set it apart.” Thus began a long journey of discovering the art and life of Van Den, a Buddhist of mixed Chinese and Vietnamese ancestry who studied in Paris for less than two years during the first French Indochina War.

Murros’ biography is, by necessity, brief because there is limited knowledge of the artist, mostly in oral way by family and friends. Many of his paintings did not survive the damp Southeast Asian climate nor the political chaos of his lifetime. However, the author’s research appears to be extensive, as much a years-long spiritual examination of Van Den as a historical one. The artist’s love for country life is apparent in his work, and it is said by those who knew him that he preferred to paint countryside scenes close to his heart and worked as an outsider. He is uninterested in the more elegant work of academically recognized painters. Despite these limitations, Van Den won Vietnam’s most honorable art award in 1960.

Murros gives an in-depth look into the life of this little-known unsung master. The book introduces the readers to Van Den’s art with photographs of his paintings, accompanied by short stories behind them. The book is as quiet as the artist’s work, but it is a satisfying read. Each stroke of words in the book connects to the readers; the narrative awakens the artistic spirit in each one of us, encouraging us to follow our heart.

1. What of Van Den first impressed Juhani Murros?

A．His life story.	B．His painting style.
C．His birth place.	D．His emotional stale.

2. What can we learn about Van Den?

A．His works are rarely available today.	B．He showed great love for his country.
C．He works were of mysterious themes.	D．He ever travelled in China and Vietnam.

3. Why is Murros’ biography brief?

A．Van Den’s art wasn’t well accepted.	B．Murros had limited knowledge of art.
C．Murros had gained little primary data.	D．Van Den’s family kept everything back.

4. Which of the following can describe this book?

A．Amusing.

B．Detailed.

C．Objective.

D．Inspirational.

8 . To say that Spanish painter Pablo Picasso was a leader in Western art in the 20th century is to repeat an accepted fact, according to Time magazine. “No painter before him had enjoyed such a large following in his own lifetime.”

This year marks the 140th anniversary of Picasso’s birth. Born on Oct. 25, 1881, Picasso had created more than 20,000 paintings, drawings, sculptures and other pieces of art by the time he died at 91.

That’s a long time to paint! The result is not only a lot of art, but a lot of different phases in Picasso’s work. On its website, Christie’s auction (拍卖) house lists eight different periods in the course of his painting career.

Over a century ago, the painter once said that, “Every act of creation is first of all an act of destruction.” So the eight periods are all very different in their choice of subjects and yet unmistakably drawn by Picasso’s hands. Financial Express called his style unusual.

As his style changed over time, it became more simplistic. A common joke is that Picasso forgot how to paint. After all, he was classically trained at the School of Fine Arts in Barcelona.

Now he is best known for leading an artistic movement known as “Cubism (立体派)”. It used geometric shapes to create human and animal figures. With this method, Picasso tried to show his figures from multiple perspectives (视角) in two-dimensional space. For example, a person’s left eye may be shown from straight ahead while his right eye and nose are shown from the side. The result is strange and beautiful, frightening and funny.

Picasso often said that he admired primitive art and drawings made by youngsters. “When I was the age I could draw like Raphael, but it took me a lifetime to learn to draw like them,” he said. Maybe that’s why Picasso is still so popular. We look at his work and think, “Maybe I could do that!”

1. Which of the following best describes Pablo Picasso?

A．Productive.

B．Optimistic.

C．Traditional.

D．Generous.

2. Why did Financial Express call Picasso’s style unusual?

A．His act of creation was destructive.	B．He created a series of simple images.
C．His painting style remained unchanged.	D．He drew different subjects in different periods.

3. What is special about a cubist painting according to the text?

A．It is rather difficult to understand.	B．It shows figures from various perspectives.
C．It covers different subjects at the same time.	D．It reflects the relationship between humans and animals.

4. What does the underlined word “them” in the last paragraph refer to?

A．Raphael’s works.

B．Artists.

C．Drawings.

D．Youngsters.

9 . For more than 50 years, Sesame Street has been introducing children to a diverse group of characters, cast members and puppeteers (木偶师). Megan Piphus Peace is one of them: In late 2021, she became the show’s first full-time black woman puppeteer, playing a 6-year-old black girl named Gabrielle. Last month, she officially left her real estate career. “I always dreamed of working in television, but I never imagined myself being on Sesame Street,” she says.

Piphus Peace, now 29, grew up watching Sesame Street. As a young child, she considered the puppets to be her companions, not realizing until she was older that they weren’t real. She has been pursuing puppeteering since then. At Vanderbilt University, where she studied economics, she was known as the “Vanderbilt Ventriloquist (腹语表演者).” She even appeared on The Tonight Show in 2012 and America’s Got Talent in 2013.

One of Piphus Peace’s teachers, Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, who played the Sesame Street character Abby Cadabby in 2006, says that Piphus Peace is a gifted storyteller and natural leader. “To say that I was amazed by Megan would be an understatement,” Carrara-Rudolph says. “I was inspired by her loving heart, strength of character, humor, humanity and what an energetic creative force she is.”

Although Piphus Peace submitted her first video audition (试演) to Sesame Street in 2017, she didn’t hear back until 2020, when Matt Vogel, the puppet captain of the show, reached out to her. “She comes from a different kind of puppetry background than most of other Sesame Street puppet performers,” Vogel says. “We went to college to learn puppetry, or acting schools, etc., but Megan learned the art of ventriloquism by herself.”

1. What do we know about Piphus Peace?

A．She used to work in television.	B．She is now part of Sesame Street.
C．She was called Gabrielle at a young age.	D．She has been a puppeteer for over 50 years.

2. How did Piphus Peace look at the puppets in her childhood?

A．She thought they were unreal.	B．She considered them to be humorous.
C．She found it hard to distinguish them.	D．She regarded them as her friends.

3. What does paragraph 3 strongly stress?

A．Carrara-Rudolph’s impact on Piphus Peace

B．The striking characteristics of Sesame Street

C．Carrara-Rudolph’s opinion of Piphus Peace

D．The character Abby Cadabby in Sesame Street

4. Why is Piphus Peace different from most other performers according to Vogel?

A．She is a self-trained ventriloquist.	B．She is the most popular performer.
C．She has played many different characters.	D．She is the only female actress in the show.

10 . From woodworker to great artist—this was the course of Qi Baishi’s life. He achieved success by coupling talent with hard work. In 1953, he was honoured with the title “People’s Artist” by the Chinese government.

For most of the general public, his masterpieces are his paintings of shrimps. At the beginning, he painted these small animals by following ancient models. Later, he developed a personal style by using shades of black ink to show a shrimp’s body, giving it an almost real-life feel. Besides, his paintings of flowers and vegetables, indicating rich harvests (丰收), are famous as well. People love these nature-based paintings because the works remind them of the countryside and of their hometowns. The dove is another common image in Qi’s art during his later years, showing his wish for world peace.

Be it landscapes, birds, flowers or figures, Qi’s paintings are rich in expression and detail. Using heavy ink, bright colors and energetic strokes (运笔), he created works in a fresh and lively manner, expressing his love of nature and life. His art reflects an international trend (趋势) in modern art at the time, yet he expressed it in a typical Chinese way.

Qi was hard-working even in his 70s. He kept looking for higher goals, especially as he got older. While many other Chinese artists retire from public life at an old age, Qi actively took on more social responsibilities. He said: “I love my hometown, my country and all the lives there. In recent years, I have realized that what I run after is world peace.”

In 1956, he was awarded the International Peace Prize by the World Peace Council.

1. Why are Qi Baishi’s nature-based paintings popular?

A．They lift people’s spirits.	B．They touch people’s feelings.
C．They inspire people’s passions.	D．They reflect people’s wishes.

2. What does paragraph 3 focus on about Qi Baishi?

A．His masterpieces.	B．His influence.
C．His painting subjects.	D．His painting style.

3. Why was Qi Baishi still hard-working at an old age?

A．To popularize Chinese paintings.	B．To involve the youth in arts.
C．To shoulder more social responsibilities.	D．To earn international reputation.

4. Which of the following words can be used to best describe Qi?

A．Remarkable and admirable.	B．Passionate and confident.
C．Intelligent and generous.	D．Realistic and professional.