1 . As a teenager working at part-time jobs in New York City in 1939，Stan Lee never expected to become a legendary talent behind some of the world’s most memorable super-heroes．
“I never looked that far ahead，”says Lee．“In fact，I never thought I’d get into the comic book business．I applied for a job at a publishing company and I thought they published regular magazines，which they did also．But the one place they had an opening was in the comic book department，so that’s where I went．”By the time the company became known as Marvel Comics，in the 1960s，he was art director and about to revolutionize comics．
Unlike the perfect comic book superheroes of other companies，Lee made Marvel’s new characters faulty，more human．“And I tried to show that even though they had super power，everything wasn’t perfect in their lives．They still had to worry about earning a living．About their relationship with other people，about their families and their health and so forth，”Lee says．The characters that Lee and the Marvel artists created are so popular，more than two billion comic books based on their adventures have been published，in 75 countries and 25 languages．
Looking back over his 70 years in comics，Lee sees other changes，too．“When we did the comics years ago，we tried to make them so they were suitable for every age．We had a lot of action，but we didn’t really have what we’d call violence，”he says．“I tried to write them，so they were intelligent enough for an older reader，but a young kid could also understand them and enjoy them．”
Interest in stories about Marvel’s superheroes is growing，especially in Hollywood．Next year，Captain America and The Mighty Thor will bring their adventures to the big screen．following in the super-footsteps of The X-Men and Spiderman．
Lee is no longer surprised at the popularity of the characters he helped create．“Now I expect it．In fact，if people talk about some of the great characters in the world today and they don’t mention Marvel’s characters，I get very upset”
1. What do we know about Stan Lee?| A．He is not satisfied with his characters． | B．He will appear on the big screen． |
| C．He is noted for the gift for comic artwork． | D．He wrote over two billion comic books． |
| A．Stan Lee happened to enter comics industry and made it． |
| B．Stan Lee applied for a job at a publishing company but failed． |
| C．Stan Lee got into the comic book department with large goals． |
| D．Stan Lee ran Marvel Comics and reformed comics in the 1960s． |
| A．were perfect comics heroes |
| B．1ed readers to live a perfect life |
| C．satisfied the taste of readers of all ages |
| D．exposed the violence and darkness of the world |
| A．Comic Superheroes of Marvel Comics |
| B．Comic Films Created by Marvel Comics |
| C．Superheroes Comics Company in Big Screen |
| D．Father of Greatest Comic Super Heroes—Stan Lee |
2 . Claude Monet was born on November 14, 1840, in Paris, but he spent most of his childhood in Le Havre, a city of southern France. By the time he was fifteen Monet had become popular as a caricaturist(漫画家). Through an exhibition of his drawings at a local frame shop in 1858, Monet met the French landscape painter Eugene Louis Boudin, who introduced Monet to outdoor painting, an activity that soon became his life’s work.
By 1859 Monet had devoted himself to a career as an artist and began to spend as much time in Pairs as possible. During the 1860s he met Edouard Manet. With other ambitious French painters, they formed the impressionist school.
Working outside, Monet painted simple landscapes and he began to have some success. As his style developed, however, Monet broke one traditional artistic convention(常规)after another. His experiments with bright color became more and more daring, and he seemed to cut himself off from the possibility of a successful career as a conventional painter supported by the art establishment.
In 1874 Monet and his friends decided to organize their own exhibition. They called themselves independents, but the press soon labeled them impressionists because one of Monet’s paintings had borne the title Impression: Sunrise. Then the name stuck.
By the mid-1880s , Monet , generally regarded as the leader of the impressionist school, had achieved recognition and financial security. In 1890 he was able to buy a house in the village of Giverny, not far from Paris, and there he began to build a water garden—a water lily pond with a Japanese bridge. Beginning in 1906, paintings of the pond and the water lilies occupied his mind for the rest of his life. His famous series Water Lilies, painted between 1990 and 1926, clearly shows the artist’s strong interest in color and produces a remarkable(不寻常的)visual effect. Despite failing eyesight, Monet continued to paint almost up to the time of his death, on December 5,1926, at Giverny.
1. We know from the passage that Monet _________ .| A．spend most of his childhood in Paris |
| B．devoted his whole life to painting people |
| C．mainly relied on traditional painting skills |
| D．was greatly influenced by Boudin |
| A．They formed an influential artistic school in the 1850s. |
| B．They got the name partly because of a painting of Monet’s. |
| C．They are conventional painters. |
| D．They are fond of using dark color. |
a. Monet bought a house in the village of Giverny.
b. Monet got to know Edouard Manet.
c. Monet became the leader of the impressionist school.
d. Monet began to paint his pond and water lilies.
| A．abdc | B．cbda |
| C．dbac | D．bcad |
| A．spent the rest of his life in Le Havre |
| B．changed his painting style many times |
| C．continued to paint when he became old |
| D．was unknown until many years after his death |
3 . In 1812, the year Charles Dickens was born, there were 66 novels published in Britain. People had been writing novels for a century—most experts date the first novel to Robinson Crusoe in 1719—
but nobody wanted to do it professionally. The steam-powered printing press was still in its early stages; the literacy（识字） rate in England was under 50%. Many works of fiction appeared without the names of the authors, often with something like “By a lady.”Novels, for the most part, were looked upon as silly, immoral, or just plain bad.
In 1870, when Dickens died, the world mourned him as its first professional writer and publisher, famous and beloved, who had led an explosion in both the publication of novels and their readership and whose characters — from Oliver Twist to Tiny Tim— were held up as moral touchstones. Today Dickens’ greatness is unchallenged. Removing him from the pantheon（名人堂） of English literature would make about as much sense as the Louvre selling off the Mona Lisa.
How did Dickens get to the top? For all the feelings readers attach to stories, literature is a numbers game, and the test of time is extremely difficult to pass. Some 60,000 novels were published during the Victorian age, from 1837 to1901; today a casual reader might be able to name a half-dozen of them. It’s partly true that Dickens’ style of writing attracted audiences
from all walks of life. It’s partly that his writings rode a wave of social, political and scientific progress. But it’s also that he rewrote the culture of literature and put himself at the center. No one will ever know what mix of talent, ambition, energy and luck made Dickens such a singular writer. But as the 200th anniversary of his birth approaches, it is possible — and important for our own culture—to understand how he made himself a lasting one.
1. Which of the following best describes British novels in the 18th century?| A．They were difficult to understand. |
| B．They were popular among the rich. |
| C．They were seen as nearly worthless. |
| D．They were written mostly by women. |
| A．his reputation in France |
| B．his interest in modern art |
| C．his success in publication |
| D．his importance in literature |
| A．To remember a great writer. |
| B．To introduce an English novel. |
| C．To encourage studies on culture. |
| D．To promote values of the Victorian age. |
4 . Have you ever been to France before? It is not only a country of great food, fashion and art. It’s also home to the most influential painters in the world.
Edouard Manet
He was one of the first artists to paint modern life. He began to paint in his own style, but still used some of Couture’s techniques like thick lines and dark colors. He was greatly influenced by Claude Monet and Berthe Morisot, which can be seen in his use of light shades. Most of his paintings had scenes of daily life on the streets of Paris. His works include Olympia and The Absinthe Drinker.
Camille Pissarro
In his early years, Pissarro painted scenes of a river or a path from memory. After meeting Claude Monet and Paul Cezanne, who painted in a more realistic style, he changed his course to Impressionism. During his career, he experimented with various styles, and finally formed his own one. His works include Old Market at Rouen and Sunset at St. Charles.
Vincent van Gogh
He had a huge influence on art in the 20th century. His early works were most painted in somber tones. However, influenced by Monet, Pissarro, and Bernard, he adopted brighter colors in his works, and started creating his own techniques. Although he had produced more than 2,000 works of art, the artist sold only one painting during his lifetime — Red Vineyard at Arles. His works include The Potato Eaters, Starry Night and Bedroom in Arles.
Claude Monet
He was the founder of the Impressionist movement and completely changed the French painting in the 19th century. Although he first started by selling charcoal caricatures（木炭讽刺画）in Paris, he soon started painting with oil after meeting Eugene Boudin, who taught him to use oil paints and also encouraged him to paint outdoors. And then he painted with his own style. His works include Impression, Sunrise and The Water Liles.
1. What can we learn about Edouard Manet’s paintings?| A．They reflected the changes of life. |
| B．They were mainly about daily life. |
| C．They were all painted in bright colors. |
| D．They were painted in Morisot’s style. |
| A．The Potato Eaters. |
| B．Bedroom in Arles. |
| C．Red Vineyard at Arles. |
| D．Starry Night. |
| A．All of them were given many awards in their life. |
| B．All of them were taught by some famous painters. |
| C．All of them had a good taste in delicious food. |
| D．All of them had their unique styles in painting. |
5 . At first sight, Alma Deutscher, a twelve-year-old girl from England appears to be like any other typical pre-teen. She loves to skip rope, read and play with her younger sister. But this modest youngster, who composed her first musical work at age six, first short opera at age seven, and first full-length opera based on Cinderella at age ten, is anything but average. Though her parents downplay her extraordinary talent, young Alma is being described as “little Mozart” by the music world
Alma's operatic take on the classic fairy tale, which she began writing at age eight, has a slight twist. Her Cinderella is a musician who meets her Prince Charming through a song. “In my Cinderella, she sings the beginning of a ballad — but at midnight she flees. Eventually, the prince finds her after asking all the maidens of the land to sing the end of the ballad.”
The opera was first performed in Vienna, Australia on December 29, 2016, where the then eleven-year-old skillfully switched between the piano and the violin and receives enthusiastic reviews. The young genius has since performed two new piano works, once in Australia and the other in China.
While this may appear to be a lot for someone so young, Alma is not worried. She says, “of course I have to work hard. But all children have to work hard for exams, and at least when I work hard, I work hard for something incredibly exciting, like seeing my whole opera put on stage.”
Alma's musical talent first came to light before she could even talk. Her parents recall that as an 18-month-old toddler, she was able to hum a pitch perfect version of the children’s rhyme
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.However, Alma’s abilities only gained international attention in 2012, after a family friend posted a video online comparing her to Mozart. The family was suddenly swamped with media requested and Alma became an overnight star, dubbed “little Mozart”. This nickname makes her parents unhappy because they believe it puts added pressure on the young girl. They would instead prefer her to be called “a composer and musician”.
Alma does not want to be compared to the famous artist either, saying, “There was only one Mozart, and I prefer to be little Alma.” Regardless of what she calls herself, the twelve-year-old is changing the world of music forever!
1. What do we know about Alma Deutscher?| A．She has shown great musical talent from a young age. |
| B．She comes from a famous musical family. |
| C．She regularly performs the classical music of Mozart. |
| D．She has adapted some famous works of classical music. |
| A．By performing on television |
| B．Through an online video |
| C．By putting on an opera |
| D．Through her parents’ promotion |
| A．She is still unsatisfied with her performance. |
| B．She is modest about her musical achievements |
| C．She is uncomfortable with so much pressure. |
| D．She is proud to have become a professional musician. |
| A．They are very well-educated people. |
| B．They have made a good life plan for Alma. |
| C．They have pushed Alma to take up music. |
| D．They are protective of their daughter. |
6 . Natalie Trayling is a famous street artist in Melbourne. At first, those who happened to pass by her and spare some change didn’t even realize what a musical genius was playing. The emotional tune was not only masterfully played but also composed by Natalie herself when she was only 14. Gradually, as long as she appears, people will stop, absorbed in her music. Her music makes you think about calmness, the good things in life, and never giving up.
But what people do not know is that behind the beautiful music of the old woman, it is full of bitterness. At the age of 12, she won a music scholarship at Santa Maria College. At 15 she knocked back a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in London because her parents couldn’t pay non-tuition costs. When she left school, she taught piano at Santa Maria. Later she met her husband, Denis. They had four children, but the two of them died. In 1984, Denis asked for a divorce. Natalie’s son, Nathan, was given medication for depression. Natalie lived either outdoors in Royal Park or in boarding houses for nine years. In late 2003 Natalie collapsed with anaemia(贫血) and was hospitalized for six months.
For half a century, Natalie has been teased by fate. But even so, she never gave up her love for music. When asked why the music was so important to her, she said: “Music is everything. I do feel part of it. The whole world is music.”
When Natalie went on the Internet, she became a sign of Melbourne. People are impressed by her persistence in dreams and the optimism of life. Now she is no longer wandering around. She can play the piano at any time, but as long as the weather is good, she will walk to the streets of Melbourne, and play a touching melody for the rush of the city.
1. Why is Natalie’s music so touching to the passers-by?| A．It is full of bitterness. |
| B．She composed it herself. |
| C．It’s a reflection of her own life. |
| D．It reminds of the beauty of life. |
| A．gave up |
| B．obtained |
| C．accepted |
| D．was awarded |
| A．It’s her hobby. |
| B．It’s the source of her misfortune. |
| C．It is part of her life. |
| D．It’s a way to earn a living. |
| A．Natalie is a musical genius. |
| B．Life is not easy for everyone. |
| C．Never give up halfway. |
| D．Natalie has a strong and brave heart. |
7 . Salvador Dali (1904-1989) was one of the most popular of modern artists. The Pompidou Centre in Paris is showing its respect and admiration for the artist and his powerful personality with an exhibition bringing together over 200 paintings, sculptures, drawings and more. Among the works and masterworks on exhibition the visitor will find the best pieces, most importantly The Persistence of Memory. There is also L’Enigme sans Fin from 1938, works on paper, objects, and projects for stage and screen and selected parts from television programmes reflecting the artist’s showman qualities.
The visitor will enter the World of Dali through an egg and is met with the beginning, the world of birth. The exhibition follows a path of time and subject with the visitor exiting through the brain.
The exhibition shows how Dali draws the viewer between two infinities (无限). “From the infinity small to the infinity large, contraction and expansion coming in and out of focus: amazing Flemish accuracy and the showy Baroque of old painting that he used in his museum-theatre in Figueras,” explains the Pompidou Centre.
The fine selection of the major works was done in close collaboration (合作) with the Museo Nacional Reina Sofia in Madrid, Spain, and with contributions from other institutions like the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg.
1. Which of the following best describe Dali according to Paragraph 1?| A．Optimistic. | B．Productive. |
| C．Generous. | D．Traditional. |
| A．One of his masterworks. | B．A successful screen adaptation. |
| C．An artistic creation for the stage. | D．One of the beat TV programmes. |
| A．By popularity. | B．By importance. |
| C．By size and shape. | D．By time and subject. |
| A．Artworks. | B．Projects. |
| C．Donations. | D．Documents. |
Though Lawrence has found great success through her big screen work, Lawrence wasn't sure what she really liked doing before the age of 14. She thought she'd go to college and maybe find a career as a doctor or a travel agent.
Lawrence's two brothers were star athletes and one of them was a straight-A student. Unlike them, she suffered through school, never quite finding where she belonged. However, during a trip to New York, Lawrence suddenly realized that she wanted to be an actress. When she was enjoying the beautiful city, a model seeker asked if he could take her picture, and the next day he called her in for an audition (试镜).
"I read the script and it was the first time I had that feeling like I understand this," Lawrence said. "Within 20 minutes, in the cab ride from the hotel room, I decided I didn't want to be a model. In fact, I wanted to be an actress." Having appreciated this young lady's performance, the agency was so impressed with her reading that they signed her on the spot. But she insisted on finishing high school so she could give her full attention to her acting career.
Lawrence burst onto the Hollywood scene last year with The Hunger Games, which established her as the highest-grossing (票房最高的) female action hero of all time. Rolling Stone called her “the most talented young actress in America".
1. What can we know about Jennifer Lawrence from Paragraph 3?
| A．Her parents were really strict with her. |
| B．She seemed not to fit in with her school days well. |
| C．Her school performance made her today's fame. |
| D．Her two brothers were doing well in all school subjects. |
| A．a model interview |
| B．her brothers' examples |
| C．the taxi-ride to her hotel room |
| D．the beautiful scenery of New York |
| A．confidence | B．ambition | C．independence | D．talent |
| A．Choosing Right | B．Acting Wisely |
| C．Winning Young | D．Following Dreams |
9 . George Gershwin, born in 1998, was one of America’s greatest composers. He published his first song when he was eighteen years old. During the next twenty years he wrote more than five hundred songs.
Many of Gershwin’s songs were first written for musical plays performed in theatres in New York City. These plays were a popular form of entertainment in the 1920s and 1930s. Many of his songs have remained popular as ever. Over the years they have been sung and played in every possible way — from jazz to country.
In the 1920s there was a debate in the United States about jazz music. Could jazz, some people asked, be considered serious music? In 1924 jazz musician and orchestra leader Paul Whiteman decided to organize a special concert to show that jazz was serious music. Gershwin agreed to compose something for the concert before he realized he had just a few weeks to do it. And in that short time, he composed a piece for piano and orchestra which he called Rhapsody in Blue. Gershwin himself played the piano at the concert. The audience were thrilled when they heard his music. It made him world-famous and showed that jazz music could be both serious and popular.
In 1928, Gershwin went to Paris. He applied to study composition (作曲) with the well-known musician Nadia Boulanger, but she rejected him. She was afraid that classical study would ruin his jazz-influenced style. While there, Gershwin wrote An American in Paris. When it was first performed, critics (评论家) were divided over the music. Some called it happy and full of life, to others it was silly and boring. But it quickly became popular in Europe and the United States. It still remains one of his most famous works.
George Gershwin died in 1937, just days after doctors learned he had brain cancer. He was only thirty-nine years old. Newspapers all over the world reported his death on their front pages. People mourned the loss of the man and all the music he might have still written.
1. Many of Gershwin’s musical works were ________.| A．written about New Yorkers |
| B．Composed for Paul Whiteman |
| C．played mainly in the countryside |
| D．performed in various ways |
| A．It attracted more people to theatres. |
| B．It proved jazz could be serious music. |
| C．It made Gershwin leader of the orchestra. |
| D．It caused a debate among jazz musicians. |
| A．He created one of his best works | B．He studied with Nadia Boulanger |
| C．He argued with French critics | D．He changed his music style |
| A．Many of Gershwin’s works were lost. |
| B．The death of Gershwin was widely reported. |
| C．A concert was held in memory of Gershwin. |
| D．Brain cancer research started after Gershwin’s death. |
| A．Talented and productive | B．Serious and boring |
| C．popular and unhappy | D．Friendly and honest |
