1 . Top Piano Players in the World
Martha ArgerichMartha 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 AndsnesKnown 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 BrendelKnown 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 RubinsteinArthur 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. |
| A．Martha Argerich. | B．Leif Ove Andsnes. |
| C．Alfred Brendel. | D．Arthur Rubinstein. |
| 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. |
2 . Louis Wain’s Cute Cats
Louis Wain was one of the most popular illustrators (插画师) in the history of England. Born in 1860, Wain was well-known for his anthropomorphic (拟人化的) pictures of cats and his work helped to upraise the profile and popularity of our feline (猫科的) friends to extraordinary heights. Before Wain, cats in England were often thought of without respect but his work humanised them and helped to show them as something to be liked, admired and even loved. “He made the cat his own,” H. G. Wells once remarked. “He invented a cat style, a cat society, a whole cat world.”
In his early years, Wain aimed at becoming a press artist. He specialised in drawing animals and country scenes and had work published in several journals including the popular Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News. It wasn’t until 1884, when Wain was twenty-four, that he sold his first drawing of a cat to The Illustrated London News. Two years after this he got his first real taste of success when he was appointed to illustrate a children’s book. His illustrations seem a lot more traditional when compared to his later work. Yet even in these early examples, we can see signs of his ability to give a cat a personality and a playful nature.
Despite the happiness seen throughout his work, the tale of Wain’s interest in cats is sadly a heartbreaking one. In 1883, Wain married Emily Richardson. Not long after the couple married, Emily became unwell. Over the course of her illness, Wain drew their cat as a way to keep her spirits up. There must have been even more reason for joy when a few months later Wain was appointed again by The Illustrated London News to draw more illustrations based on their cat. His work, A Kitten’s Christmas Party was hugely popular and a great success. It set Wain on the road to artistic greatness and wealth but sadly he was unable to enjoy this achievement as a few months later Emily passed away.
The loss of his wife had a huge impact on Wain and he became increasingly more inward-looking. As his success went from strength to strength, he continued to struggle with anxiety and depression, and despite his professional accomplishments, his personal life was never quite the same again.
1. What did people in England think of cats in early times?| A．They thought cats were respectful. | B．They saw cats as their great friends. |
| C．They thought cats were like humans. | D．They regarded cats as negative creatures. |
| A．He created persons like cats. |
| B．He achieved his first success at the age of 26. |
| C．He had always dreamt of being a cat illustrator. |
| D．He drew animals and country scenes for The Illustrated London News. |
| A．She made Wain earn a lot of money. |
| B．Her death changed Wain’s mental state. |
| C．She married Wain because she liked his illustrations. |
| D．She became unwell after A Kitten’s Christmas Party was released. |
| A．Ability | B．fortune | C．emotion | D．personality |
3 . Charlie Watts of the British music group the Rolling Stones died on Tuesday at a hospital in London. Watts played the drums for the very successful band for almost sixty years. His publicist, Bernard Doherty, said the musician “passed away peacefully” surrounded by his family.
Watts was respected worldwide for his muscular style of drumming, which he combined with elements of jazz, a favorite music of the artist. He joined the band early in 1963, just a few months following its first public performance.
To the world, he was a rock star. But Watts often said that the experience was tiring, unpleasant, and even frightening. “Girls chasing you down the street, screaming... horrible!... I hated it,” he told The Guardian newspaper. In another media report, he described the drumming life as a “cross between being an athlete and a total nervous wreck (神经兮兮的人)”.
Charlie Watts was born in London on June 2, 1941. From childhood, he was crazy about music-jazz, especially. He fell in love with the drums after hearing the music of Chico Hamilton. Watts was not a rock music fan at first. He shared a home with the Stones’ leaders Mick Jagger and Keith Richards because he did not have to pay for the housing. “Keith Richards taught me rock and roll,” Watts said. “We’d have nothing to do all day, and we’d play these records over and over again.”
The Stones had searched for months to find a permanent drummer. Richards has spoken about how much the band wanted Watts to join. The guitar player said the band members cut down on expenses so they could pay Watts a good wage. Watts said he believed at first the band would be lucky to last a year. “Every band I’d ever been in had lasted a week,” he said. “I always thought the Stones would last a week, then a fortnight, and then suddenly, it’s 30 years.”
1. What does the underlined word “muscular” mean in Paragraph 2?| A．Aggressive. | B．Complex. | C．Fashionable. | D．Powerful. |
| A．He enjoyed the fame and attention. |
| B．He had a strong dislike for fans and music. |
| C．He found the experience exhausting and intolerable. |
| D．He considered himself lucky to be a part of the band. |
| A．To save accommodation costs. |
| B．To practice playing the guitar. |
| C．To learn rock and composition. |
| D．To be the drummer of the band. |
| A．Watts was unwilling to join the band for low wages. |
| B．The band’s success depended on a talented drummer. |
| C．A band usually lasted for a few months in those days. |
| D．The band’s popularity was beyond Watts’ expectations. |
4 . Do you have a hobby that you have loved for a long time? Carlos Santana does! Carlos Santana has loved music from a young age. Music has been his passion. At age 5, he started playing the violin. At age 8, he began playing the guitar. Santana worked hard to develop his musical talent, especially on the guitar. He became one of the most famous Mexican American musicians in history.
Santana grew up in Tijuana, Mexico, playing music in many bands. Even though his family moved to San Francisco in the 1960s, he visited Mexico often. He was inspired by Mexican blues music as well as American rock music. He combined many different types of music to create a unique style.
He got his big break in 1969 at the Woodstock music festival.Woodstock was a huge music festival that around 400,000 people attended. Many people did not know who Santana was before his performance. But they knew who he was after it! Many people said Santana was one of the highlights of the three-day festival. They said his guitar playing was incredible! It was full of passion and soul.
Santana and his band began producing hit after hit, including “Oye Como Va” and “Evil Ways”. The band’s songs show off a unique musical style, combining Latin and rock rhythms. Santana has won 10 Grammy Awards throughout his career. He has had or contributed to many great songs and impressive performances.
Carlos Santana wanted children to have the opportunity to discover their passions, like he did. He and his family created the Milagro Foundation, which helps children succeed by giving money to the arts, education, and health. Today, Carlo s Santana continues sharing his musical talent with people all over the United States and beyond.
1. Carlos Santana’s career began to take off after __________.| A．his family moved to San Francisco | B．the Woodstock music festival |
| C．he started to play the violin | D．he began playing the guitar |
| A．The band’s songs became very popular. |
| B．The band went through a lot of failures. |
| C．It took the band much time to produce songs. |
| D．The band’s performances were different from others. |
| A．To support children to succeed in education. |
| B．To help children explore their hobbies. |
| C．To share his musical talent with others. |
| D．To raise money for organizing music festivals. |
| A．Music: A Lifelong and Important Hobby |
| B．The Unique Musical Journey of a Guitar Legend |
| C．The Rise of Mexican American Music Talents |
| D．Milagro Foundation: Inspiring the Next Generation |
5 . Born in 1887 in a Russian-Jewish town, Chagall started painting at the age of 19. Disappointed with the colors of traditional Russian art, he loved to paint with strong blues, reds and yellows.
So in 1911, he moved to Paris, France, where artists from around the world were creating novel art forms and he acquired fresh ways of painting eagerly. He stayed true to his childhood memories. While others chose modern subjects, he painted scenes of fantasy based on an older, farmer-like way of life. Blue dogs, yellow skies and red trees were all creations of his imagination.
Chagall went through two world wars and personal sufferings. In 1941, because his family were Jewish, the Chagalls had to leave France to escape the Nazis during World War Ⅱ. In 1944 came another blow. Chagall’s beloved wife Bella died of an illness. Despite the hardships, his passion for painting never faded. In the 1950s, he returned to France and continued to make his dreamlike paintings.
One day, during a walk in a village, he discovered a 700-year-old church (教堂), where he saw a stained-glass (彩色玻璃) window that contained a green horse. It looked as if Chagall might have created it himself. Here was a sure sign, he thought, that he should create his own stained-glass windows.
Then Chagall devoted all his energy and time to the work. As we know, many stained-glass windows are made of flat colors, but Chagall used various techniques to create the effects he wanted. He made flexible use of bright colors, putting light into the works. He painted images on glass, then had them fired to high temperatures, making the lines and colors part of the glass.
Chagall created the stained-glass windows for churches and other buildings around the world until his death in 1985. He gave them as gifts to the world and often refused payment. Today, people are still amazed at how his stained-glass creations shine and change with the sun.
1. Why did Chagall choose to go to Paris?| A．To learn new painting skills. | B．To publicize his new ideas about art. |
| C．To experience the colorful local life. | D．To participate in modern art exhibitions. |
| A．Desire to let in more sunlight. | B．Intention to improve the quality of glass. |
| C．Encouragement from some famous artists. | D．Inspiration from an ancient church window. |
| A．Chagall’s working attitude. | B．The images Chagall created. |
| C．Chagall’s artistic experiences. | D．The features of Chagall’s works. |
| A．Imaginative and honest. | B．Generous and easy-going. |
| C．Creative and strong-willed. | D．Energetic and traditional. |
6 . This was going to be a year of great jazz centennials (百年纪念) for 1920 marked the birth of several jazz musicians who either changed the course of the music or deeply enriched it. So let’s raise a glass to some of them:
Charlie Parker(August 29, 1920-March 12, 1955)
Of all the jazz languages that coursed through the 20th century, no one did more than Parker, for he developed complex improvisational methods that transformed the way musicians understand harmony and dissonance. The fact that Parker also happened to be a most influential saxophone player broadened the scope of his achievements.
Dave Brubeck (December 6, 1920-December 5, 2012)
Early in his long career, pianist-composer Brubeck was laughed at by some jazz lovers. How could a musician so popular among the masses possibly have anything to offer those who considered themselves “masters”? The joke was on them, of course, as Brubeck’s music was filled with new ideas in rhythm, embracing elements of Western classical music. No one played the piano quite the way Brubeck did.
Clark Terry(December 14, 1920-February 21, 2015)
Some musicians are at least as important for the influence they have on others as for the music they create themselves. Trumpet masters such as Miles Davis have credited Terry for having encouraged them in the earliest days of their careers. Terry’s work on trumpet affected those trumpeters and uncounted others.
Peggy Lee(May 26, 1920-January 21, 2002)
Singer-songwriter Lee proved that a vocalist needn’t shout to be heard around the world. Her soft vocals delighted jazz devotees and brought the music to huge audiences across the decades, thanks to hit recordings such as “Fever” and “Is That All There Is?” There were no vocal skills involved. Instead, Lee taught the jazz world the beauty of saying everything with a few well-chosen notes.
1. Who changed the way musicians understand harmony and dissonance?| A．Charlie Parker. | B．Dave Brubeck. | C．Clark Terry. | D．Peggy Lee. |
| A．He played music for a longer time. | B．They didn’t recognize his excellence. |
| C．He played the piano in a traditional way. | D．They had nothing to learn from him. |
| A．Her unique piano playing. | B．Her great influence on others. |
| C．Her beautiful singing voice. | D．Her mixture of western music. |
7 . 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| A．Raphael’s works. | B．Artists. | C．Drawings. | D．Youngsters. |
8 . When Simon Beck creates artwork, he doesn’t use paint or pencils. Instead, he takes his snowshoes and compass (指南针) and walks to a wide-open area of fresh snow, making huge designs in the snow by walking and leaving snowshoed footprints in different patterns.
The idea to make a snow mural (壁画) came to him in 2004 after a day of skiing in Savoie, France. Mr. Beck noticed an inviting area of undisturbed snow and thought it would be fun to draw a star in it. Being a mapmaker and an expert at orienteering (定向越野赛), Mr. Beck was good with these skills to create in the snow.
Once he got to his site, he started in the center of the design. He then “drew” the primary lines while holding his compass to make sure he kept walking straight. Next, he added smaller lines, keeping track of their length by counting his footsteps. Finally, he filled in, or “shade”, some of the areas between the lines with more footsteps. The result looked impressive, especially when he viewed it from above on a nearby chairlift.
On average, a snow design takes Mr. Beck 10 hours to make. So far, Beck has created over 300 snow murals—the size of the biggest one is about 10 soccer fields. As Mr. Beck worked to build a collection of photos to publish in his book Snow Art, he posted some of his pictures on the Internet. His art started to gain more attention and companies began asking him to create snow artwork. Mr. Beck has been invited to make snow art all over the world, including Canada, the United States, Russia, and China.
It doesn’t worry Mr. Beck that his work will disappear with the next snowfall. Once he has photographed a design, he’s ready to think about the next one. “I can make another drawing in the same place when the weather improves,” he says.
1. Where did Beck’s idea to make a snow mural come from?| A．His love for artworks. | B．His skiing experience. |
| C．His mapmaking skills. | D．His painting collection. |
| A．Stop him from getting lost. | B．Find the right site to draw. |
| C．Finish drawing more quickly. | D．Create a better snow artwork. |
| A．Calm. | B．Annoyed. | C．Cheerful. | D．Worried. |
| A．Snow: Nature’s Most Beautiful Artwork |
| B．Snow Mural: A Cross Between Nature and Art |
| C．Simon Beck: An Artist Painting in the Snow |
| D．Snow Art: A Photo Collection of Snow Artworks. |
9 . You may have heard of Dude Perfect. They are 5 guys who make crazy trick (技巧) shots and have fun for a living! They are so good at what they do. They have one of the top 10 channels (频道) on YouTube. It all sounds good. But their real story is much deeper and better. It is a story of trust, friendship, hard work, passion and giving back.
Dude Perfect is made up of 5 best friends who met while at college at Texas A&M University. Their names are Coby, Cory Cotton, Garrett Hilbert, Cody Jones, and Tyler Toney. At college, they became friends through their love of sports. They enjoyed spending time with each other so much that they all became roommates.
One day, in their backyard, they said they could make a trick basketball shot. They started to take video of their crazy shots. Within one week, the video received over 200,000 views! Soon, they received a call from the TV show Good Morning America who wanted to interview them. That was their first interview, the one that started everything! As Dude Perfect started to catch on, they started to attract star athletes to shoot videos with them.
Despite all their success, they have never taken their eyes off their bigger goal to spread good worldwide. Their message of the power of faith and friendship is at the heart of what they do.
Their videos show the history of Dude Perfect and the values that drive them. There is a great example of how they use their fame (名声) to spread good. They also show how they invite children from the Make a Wish Foundation to be a “Dude for a Day”!
Dude Perfects tricks are so good that some people question whether they are real. Well, they are. The secret is simply hard work and persistence (坚持). Their videos show how they do what they do!
1. What is the key to setting up Dude Perfect?| A．The star athletes’ love for it, |
| B．The members’ common interest. |
| C．The popularity of social media. |
| D．The trust between different people. |
| A．Strong but shy. | B．Humorous but crazy. |
| C．Kind and hard-working. | D．Handsome and easy-going. |
| A．It is never too old to learn. | B．Never forget why you started. |
| C．You can’t judge a book by its cover. | D．Be prepared for danger in times of peace. |
| A．Dude Perfect, an amazing team | B．Dude Perfect’s tricks are real |
| C．Dude Perfect built on friendship | D．Dude Perfect achieved their goal |
10 . Eric Carle, the author and artist of over 70 books for children, passed away at the age of 91. Mr. Carle's lively, creative, and colorful work was loved by children around the world. The Very Hungry Caterpillar was Mr. Carle's best-known book. Since it was published in 1969, over 55 million copies of the book have been sold, and it has been translated into more than 70 different languages.
Mr. Carle was born in Syracuse, New York in 1929. As he was growing up, his mother died and Mr. Carle spent a lot of time with his father, who would take him out walking in nature. His father would show him small creatures, filling the young boy's head with wonder. Mr. Carle thinks this helps explain why so many of his books are about nature. At the age of 12, Carle began to study art in school, where, with his teachers' help, he drew many pictures for children's books.
In 1952, Mr. Carle got a job as an artist at the New York Times. Though he created pictures for books with other authors, he created many of his most well-loved books completely on his own. Most of Mr. Carle's books are meant for younger readers. He said that he wanted to help make school a fun, welcoming place. "I believe that children are naturally creative and eager to learn." he said.
Children around the world responded to Mr. Carle's work, and Mr. Carle responded to this enthusiasm. Mr. Carle worked hard to reach out to students and teachers. In 2002, Mr. Carle and his wife opened the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. The museum shows off picture books from around the world. It also puts on many art programs for students and teachers.
Mr. Carle will be missed, but his creative art and sweet, funny stories will continue to bring joy to very eager readers all around the world.
1. What inspired Eric Carle to be interested in nature when he was young?| A．His sad childhood experience. | B．The early instruction of his father. |
| C．The encouragement of the teachers. | D．His cooperation with other authors. |
| A．Learning is both fascinating and fun. |
| B．Reading can broaden their eyesights. |
| C．Drawing is the basic skills for students. |
| D．Writing represents one's love for nature. |
| A．To collect picture books from the world. |
| B．To show off his own books and art works. |
| C．To help students know more about art works. |
| D．To express his enthusiasm about picture books. |
| A．To discuss the meaning of our life. |
| B．To show his love for children works. |
| C．To remember Eric Carle, an active artist. |
| D．To introduce Eric Carle's popular books. |
