1 . Making marks or signing names in the sand is a great fun for most travelers on a vacation beach. But for Dubai-based Filipino artist Nathaniel A. Alapide, it’s how he became a Guinness World Record holder.
Dubai’s 72 kilometers coastline, and the vast Arabian Desert, are Alapide’s canvas (画布). Using only a simple garden tool, he draws enormous lines across the beaches and deserts, making huge and complex designs. His average drawing is around 20 meters squared. When he includes a written message, the pieces can be more than 100 meters long.
Alapide’s sand art began in 2014, when he drew a tree in memory of his late grandmother on the beach, near Jumeirah Beach Hotel. The size of the drawing appealed to the hotel which offered him his first full-time job as a sand artist in 2015. Since then, he has decorated the sands with around 1,900 drawings. He’s been assigned by big brands, and he created a work for National Geographic for the program “The Emirates From Above”. In 2022, Alapide set a new record for the world’s largest sand image.
Though Alapide has crafted a career from the practice, he says creating an artwork from sand isn’t always plain sailing. “On the 20th day of creating the world-record piece, we were almost 70% done but there was this weather that happened,” he says. “It was raining, and the wind was so strong, which removed almost the whole piece.”
“I think where I find this kind of work interesting,” Alapide continues. He says that the temporary nature of his work reminds him that everything is in constant change. “And I think making sand art is a great way to connect with people,” he adds. “I like to watch how people interact with the work and I have found that the kids notice the drawings more than the adults. I think because they’re more aware of their environment.”
1. What does paragraph 2 mainly tell us about Alapide’s drawing?| A．Its origin. | B．Its size. |
| C．Its materials. | D．Its features. |
| A．By decorating a hotel as required. |
| B．By impressing a hotel with his work. |
| C．By transplanting a tree on the beach. |
| D．By creating works for big brands. |
| A．Challenging. | B．Worthless. | C．Influential. | D．Impractical. |
| A．A candle lights others but consumes itself. |
| B．He who makes no mistakes makes nothing. |
| C．Happiness lies not in things, but in ourselves. |
| D．The longest journey begins with the first step |
2 . Famous People Who Begin With Difficulties
Oprah Winfrey
Probably having one of the most famous success stories, Oprah was born into a poor family in Mississippi, raised by a single mother living on welfare. She was physically, and mentally abused during her childhood. Despite her initial struggles as a young girl, she turned herself into one of the most successful talk show hosts of our time.
Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey has been the star of some of the most successful movies of all time. But Carrey grew up extremely poor in Canada. When he was a teenager, his family took security jobs in a factory to help pay the bills. And during his first stand-up comedy performance, he was booed off （喝倒彩） the stage. Not shortly after, he made it big on In Living Color and then went on to star in Dumb & Dumber, The Mask, and Ace Ventura in the same year!
James Dyson
If you thought Thomas Edison’s failures were bad, let me introduce you to James Dyson, the famous inventor of the Dyson vacuums （真空吸尘器） you see all over the television. Dyson developed over 5,000 failed prototypes （原型） before finding the bagless vacuum brand. Not only that, he put his entire savings account into his prototypes over fifteen years! Luckily, the bagless vacuum worked.
Stephen King
Before Stephen King became known as a great living writer—having written over 60 novels, many of which have been adapted for film and television—King was rejected over and over again. In his memoir, On Writing, King describes how he used to post his rejection letters on the wall for inspiration. His first novel, Carrie, was rejected 30 times.
1. What do Oprah and Jim have in common?| A．They were abused by parents. | B．They grew up in poor families. |
| C．They were hired as comedians. | D．They found jobs in a factory. |
| A．He repaired the failed prototypes. | B．He developed over 5,000 brands. |
| C．He put all efforts into marketing. | D．He invented the bagless vacuum. |
| A．Oprah Winfrey. | B．Stephen King. | C．James Dyson. | D．Jim Carrey. |
3 . There’s no end to the work to do with improving diversity in children’s media, especially for storybooks. Children need to be able to see themselves in the characters of the stories they hear and read, at a stage where they’re building their understanding of the world around them.
Shachi Kaushik’s new book, Diwali in My New Home, brings the festival of lights to life for an immigrant community.
This picture book is for children aged 5 to 8. It speaks to Indian children’s experiences living abroad when they’ve experienced life in India. The story is about a girl, Priya, who loves being with family and friends to celebrate Diwali. But Priya and her parents began living in the United States this year, and no one seems to know about the holiday. Priya misses the traditions in India. As she joins the lights together and creates rangoli art(地画艺术), Priya introduces the festival of lights to her neighbors. And even though the celebration is different this year, it’s still Diwali.
Kaushik was a lawyer before she discovered the joy of telling stories to young children. Storytelling began when she volunteered in Texas, where she hosted a monthly storytime for children. Seeing the joy on the children’s faces inspired her to write children’s books.
When asked “What’s the secret to making children pay attention to stories?”, she said, “I would say the secret is to be present and not to be shy from acting, singing or dancing. Be a performer. While reading, use facial expressions and voice to add excitement to the story. Also try asking questions like ‘What do you think will happen?’. Let the little ones’ imagination flow. Lastly, try adding a finger play song and some dance moves to get those little ones into the mood.”
1. What is the function of the first paragraph?| A．To give explanation of diversity. | B．To explain the aim of the storybooks. |
| C．To show the importance of children’s media. | D．To lead in the introduction of Shachi Kaushik’s book. |
| A．A festival. | B．A country. | C．A community. | D．A character. |
| A．The joy from children listening to stories. | B．The job as a lawyer. |
| C．The experience of selling storybooks. | D．The money earned by hosting storytime. |
| A．To test if they are shy. | B．To attract their attention. |
| C．To encourage them to use facial expressions. | D．To teach them to be a performer. |
4 . The Chinese written language originated very early. However, people began to like the art of writing, and pay attention to the creator’s thinking and spirit since the period between the Late Han Dynasty and Wei Jin Dynasty. The Chinese calligraphy fonts(字体) gradually evolved from oracle, Chinese bronze inscriptions and silk manuscripts to the following five main schools:
| School | Representative Master | Feature |
| Seal Script | Li Si | There are Big Zhuan and Small Zhuan. The Big Zhuan includes all the ancient Chinese calligraphy fonts before Qin Dynasty. The Small Zhuan are the characters commonly used by officials after Qin united China. These characters feature balanced left and right parts and a bit complicated structures. |
| Official Script | Cai Yong | A simplified form of script since seal characters were too complicated for officials to use when copying documents. |
| Regular Script | Ouyang Xun, Yan Zhenqing, Liu Gongquan | Also named Zhenshu or Zhengshu, Kaishu is regular with a tight structure and fluent strokes. |
| Cursive Hand | Zhang Xu, Huai Su | Caoshu is characterized by sketchy, simplified forms of characters, often distorted or exaggerated to achieve an internal rhythmic appearance within the compositions of characters. |
| Running Hand | Wang Xizhi, Yan Zhenqing; Su Shi | Xingshu is something between the regular script and the cursive scripts in the initial period and now is between the official script and cursive(草写体的)hand. Chinese masters have always compared the three styles of writing, Kaishu, Xingshu, Caoshu to people standing, walking and running respectively. |
| A．the difficulty to write | B．their function in use |
| C．who often wrote them | D．how cursive they are |
| A．Official Script. | B．Running Hand. |
| C．Cursive Hand. | D．Regular Script. |
| A．Ouyang Xun. | B．Yan Zhenqing. |
| C．Zhang Xu. | D．Wang Xizhi. |
5 . In artist Roy Wang’s photos, mythical (神话的) creatures from The Classic of Mountains and Seas emerge in front of historical sites of Guangzhou.
The series of photographs is created by light painting in which the photographer uses light sources to produce different images which are captured by a camera, as if drawing on the photos. Roy Wang, the representative figure of light-painting photography in China, says, “What attracts me most about light painting is that, by using a simple light and against a dark background, I can paint in a free style.”
Wang was a professional athlete. However, his sports career ended in 2012 because of injuries. His travels led to his interest in photography. Once he saw light-painting photos by Spanish master Pablo Picasso online and was introduced to the technique. He began to try in this field.
In 2013, he started adding the dragon and other creatures from ancient texts to light painting. Wang’s work is inspired by mythical creatures that add a sense of mystery to his photography but at the same time it proves to be difficult to create such images with light.“The mythical creatures are as mysterious as light painting. They both emerge in the darkness, and without an exact shape or form, they are free. I let loose my imagination,based on the descriptions in ancient books,” said Wang.
To Roy Wang, the technique has a wide application in expressing different ideas. Apart from mythical creatures, he has been showing themes relevant to more recent events, such as a series in praise of medical workers during the outbreak of COVID-19.
Tradition will continue to be a creative force for Wang as he wants to add more Chinese elements in his works, including his next series, creating photos that have both aesthetic (美学的) and cultural values.
1. What is special about Roy Wang’s paintings?| A．They are made with light. |
| B．They are drawn on the photos. |
| C．They tell stories about ancient life. |
| D．They mainly show us historical sites. |
| A．Sudden injuries. | B．Travels with a master. |
| C．His sports career. | D．Photos by Pablo Picasso. |
| A．It needs a lot of light to draw the creatures. |
| B．There are few specific images of the creatures. |
| C．His technique is not suitable for the creatures |
| D．He has little knowledge of ancient books. |
| A．They will mainly praise medical workers. |
| B．They will express Wang’s ideas about art. |
| C．They will focus on important recent events. |
| D．They will contain traditional Chinese culture. |
6 . Growing up in rural Jiangsu Province, Yu Jigao showed a strong interest in fine arts at an early age and studied on his own for years. His hard work paid off later. In the early 1950s, he made his way to Nanjing Normal University, where he learned painting theories and techniques from some famous artists. It was then that Yu found his lifelong artistic passion for gongbi. Gongbi paintings usually describe birds and flowers, symbols of beauty and joy, in an artistic way with intense color.
After graduation from the art school in 1957, Yu began his professional career at the Chinese Painting Institute of Jiangsu. He has since published a series of art collections. Since 1959, Yu has contributed a series of works to many important sites. Yu’s works have also been displayed in a range of national and international exhibitions. From 1986 to 1997, he held his exhibitions in such places as Beijing, Guangzhou and New York. Both the themes and artistic techniques have won widespread praise in the past years.
While observing traditional rules, he uses accurate lines, powerful brush movements as well as the interplay between dark and light to represent the harmony of nature. Though he adopts a realistic style, he tries to enrich his works with spiritual beauty through his brush. Yu says, “That feeling turns into the images of singing birds and elegant flowers in my paintings.” Thanks to his careful observation of nature and artistic sensitivity, Yu is able to combine realistic description with artistic expression in his brushwork.
Now as deputy director of the Academy of Chinese Gongbi Painting of Flowers and Birds and a national top-level artist, Yu maintains a simple and easy-going style. In addition to artistic creation, Yu has devoted himself to promoting his painting style as the cultural heritage of China. “Art is part of my life,” Yu says. “I am proud to be a flower-bird painter. I hope to create a bright future for it through my efforts.”
1. Where did Yu discover his love for gongbi?| A．In Beijing. | B．In New York. |
| C．At Nanjing Normal University. | D．At the Chinese Painting Institute of Jiangsu. |
| A．His school life. | B．His painting techniques. |
| C．His contributions to the art school. | D．His artistic achievements in painting. |
| A．Adopting abstract objects. |
| B．Excluding plants and animals. |
| C．Combining traditional rules with a realistic style. |
| D．Representing the imbalance between nature and humans. |
| A．It will change a lot. | B．It will be passed on. |
| C．It will look more complicated. | D．It will reach the top international level. |
7 . 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. |
| A．His masterpieces. | B．His influence. |
| C．His painting subjects. | D．His painting style. |
| A．To popularize Chinese paintings. | B．To involve the youth in arts. |
| C．To shoulder more social responsibilities. | D．To earn international reputation. |
| A．Remarkable and admirable. | B．Passionate and confident. |
| C．Intelligent and generous. | D．Realistic and professional. |
8 . Wendo Musaly was born in Congo (DRC) on November 21, 1996. Two months after he was born, the situation in Congo went into a state of war causing unrest across the country. To keep their children, Wendo and his elder sister, safe, Wendo’s parents decided to flee to Tanzania, where they had to live in refugee (难民) camps, dependent on others for the basic necessities of life.
At 11, Wendo and his friends formed a music group. Guitars and drums were the only instruments they had to practice their music. After some time, they gained confidence in themselves and began performing in the street and even at parties. This was when Wendo realized that he had a talent in him.
After Wendo was hit with the realization that he was great with music, he began taking it more seriously. In 2016, when his family finally moved to the States, Wendo could see a future for himself. Although late, his parents got him and his sister in a high school to complete their studies in 2016. Wendo went to Winooski High School and completed his high school studies in 2020. All this time, he did not abandon his passion for music. Instead, he tried his hand at songwriting.
Musaly got his first break in August 2018 when he cooperated with Mr. Oli on a song named Pourquoi. As a newcomer, it was surprising for him to receive a positive response to his work, and this was just the beginning of his career. He started working on various projects and made tons of works produced by working with others. Wendo then released a song, Give Me That Eh, featuring Mr. Oli & Q-Boi and Tú’úndané featuring Lumiere. He also worked on some singles, including Kiboko WE and Je T’Aime.
Music was truly his talent, as he succeeded in each step that he took. Life has mysterious ways of rewarding people, and this was how Wendo Musaly was rewarded for his good spirit, positive attitude and perseverance (坚持不懈).
1. What was Wendo’s life like in Tanzania?| A．Comfortable. | B．Dangerous. | C．Promising. | D．Tough. |
| A．He’s kind-hearted. | B．He’s very determined. |
| C．He thinks highly of himself. | D．He has a gift for songwriting. |
| A．His struggle for life. | B．His extraordinary gift. |
| C．His attempts at success. | D．His musical achievements. |
| A．Parents are the best teachers. | B．Perseverance leads to success. |
| C．Opportunities favor the talented. | D．Suffering is the gateway to reputation |
9 . 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. |
10 . Zhao Yishen bends over, his eyes staring at the woodblock. Holding a chisel in his right hand, he guides it forward carefully and exactly across the woodblock using his left hand. To carve the woodblocks, the young craftsman has to hold this position for six hours. He has been carving woodblocks since 2012.
“It feels good and looks beautiful when a Chinese character slowly appears on the woodblock under your chisel,” says Zhao. Zhao is now the only full-time carver working at the Zhuyu Shanfang studio, a workshop that focuses on creating woodblock-printed books in Beijing. Each carved woodblock has ink applied and goes on to print a text onto hundreds of pieces of paper. Zhao carves around 20 Chinese characters each day, which means it takes him one year or even a longer time to complete a set of woodblocks fit for a whole book.
As a teenager he loved to read ancient Chinese books in the library, and the curiosity of how the books were made led him to get a job at the Guangling Guji ancient books woodblock printing studio in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, in 2011 after graduating as a law major from college.
Block printing was listed as a UNESCO World Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009. Zhao was introduced to one of the technique’s masters, Chen Yishi, in 2012 and started to learn the skill from him.
In Zhao’s mind, the inked woodblock is a work of art. After a year of learning from Chen, Zhao found a job at Zhuyu Shanfang in 2013, where he upgraded his carving skills. With his progress, his carved woodblocks have been used for more and more books over the past years.
“I have just learned the basic skills, but to master it, I still need years of practice,” says Zhao. “A good craftsman can carve an entire book with every single character lined evenly.”
1. What can we know about Zhao Yishen’s work?| A．It is a flexible part-time job. | B．It involves the printing work. |
| C．It needs much effort and time. | D．It includes creating characters. |
| A．The family influence. | B．His major in college. |
| C．The difficulty of finding a proper job. | D．His interest in ancient Chinese books. |
| A．Modest and hard-working. | B．Talented and knowledgeable. |
| C．Ambitious and clever. | D．Creative and confident. |
| A．The popularity of woodblocks. | B．A traditional block printing studio. |
| C．A craftsman with a traditional skill. | D．The development of woodblock-printed books. |
