1 . “When I was young, I had so much energy and I loved building stuff. If I had an idea, I had to build it right away using whatever I could find around me.” says Danish recycle artist Thomas Dambo. When Dambo was just seven years old, he bought some materials from the local market to construct a game room in his parents’ basement. As a teenager, he built a “crazy” castle in his backyard.

Decades later, 42-year-old Dambo is proudly surveying his latest creation: a troll (巨人) called Little Lui. Towering at five meters tall, Little Lui is one of the six trolls hidden in secret corners of the Peel Region of Western Australia as part of Thomas Dambo Giants of Mandurah, an Australian-first exhibition, which will be on show for at least a year. Dambo has made many impressive trolls, which have found homes in the United States, Belgium, China, Denmark, South Korea and so on.

“For me, trolls represent the voice of nature,” Dambo says. This deep respect for the natural world is a central message of Dambo’s practice. Dambo’s troll are made almost entirely from locally sourced recycled wood: their faces from secondhand furniture and their hair from branches and leaves. Taking about 750 hours to complete, each troll is constructed out in nature.

“We are slowly turning the world into a landfill. I hope that by visiting the trolls, people will think of rubbish as a resource. I think it’s really important that the next generation is connected to nature.” Dambo says. “That’s why I tried to design the trolls to appeal to younger people. I want people to be inspired to play and experiment, and to realize they don’t need a lot to create something big and beautiful. Go out, go around the corner and take advantage of whatever is there — you will find a lot of adventure in your own backyard.”

1. Which of the following can best describe young Dambo?

A．Creative.

B．Generous.

C．Independent.

D．Courageous.

2. What do you know about Little Lui?

A．It is kept underground.	B．It is Dambo’s first creation.
C．It will be shown to the public.	D．It will be sent to foreign countries.

3. Which aspect of trolls does paragraph 3 highlight?

A．Their basic theme.	B．Their artistic value.
C．Their expensive materials.	D．Their building procedures.

4. What does Dambo intend to do with his trolls?

A．Inspire more people to take adventures.

B．Encourage the young to approach nature.

C．Help people spend less time playing games.

D．Call on the young to save natural resources.

2 . Must-see exhibitions of 2024

Cute at Somerset House, London

Explore the irresistible force of cuteness in contemporary culture. From emojis to Internet memes, video games to plush toys, cuteness has taken over our world, but how has something so charming and seemingly harmless gained such attraction? Somerset House brings together cultural ephemera and contemporary artworks, alongside a spotlight on Hello Kitty, to coincide with her 50th anniversary.

Tickets: £18.50 per person/Concessions (减价票) from £11 per person

25 Jan. 2024 — 14 Apr. 2024

Barbie at Design Museum, London

Running with 2023’s Barbie mania, and coinciding with Barbie’s 65th anniversary, London’s Design Museum will tell the icon’s story through a design lens in their major new show. The exhibition will trace the legacy that began in 1959 when Ruth Handler sought a new female narrative for her daughter, Barbara. It delves into Barbie’s evolution through fashion, architecture, furniture, and vehicle design.

Tickets:TBC

05 Jul. 2024 — 23 Feb. 2025

Brâncuşi at Centre Pompidou, Paris

The Centre Pompidou presents an unprecedented Constantin Brancusi exhibition, featuring nearly 200 sculptures, photographs, drawings, films, archives, tools, and furniture from his workshop. This unique showcase, coinciding with the workshop’s relocation during renovation, offers a fresh perspective on the art of this immense 20th-century artist. The workshop, a jewel of the museum’s collection since 1957, forms the core of this retrospective, enriched by major loans from international museums.

Tickets: From €15 per person/Concession from €12 per person

27 Mar. 2024 — 01 Jul. 2024

Michelangelo: The last decades at The British Museum, London

In 1534, Michelangelo left Florence for Rome, never to return. This exhibition explores his final 30 years in Rome, showcasing new reunions with close friends, and his major works. It features numerous preparatory drawings for the Last Judgement fresco, the restored Epifania cartoon, and studies for St Peter’s Basilica’s reconstruction. Contrasting today’s youth-centric culture, the exhibition highlights lifelong practice, mastery, experience, wisdom, and experimentation, embodying Michelangelo’s enduring legacy.

Tickets:TBC

02 May 2024 — 28 Jul. 2024

1. How much will a couple pay for the first exhibition at least?

A．£37.

B．£11.

C．£22.

D．£18.5.

2. Which of the following exhibitions lasts the longest time?

A．Cute at Somerset House, London.

B．Barbie at Design Museum, London.

C．Brâncuşi at Centre Pompidou, Paris.

D．Michelangelo: The last decades at The British Museum, London.

3. What can we know about Michelangelo?

A．He passed away in Florence.

B．His works will be exhibited with objects from international museums.

C．He completed the Last Judgement fresco effortlessly.

D．His later years were spent in Rome.

3 . Can you imagine a five-year-old boy writing and playing music on a child-sized violin? This was true of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart，a gifted boy who grew up to be one of the most creative composers (作曲家) of all time. Then you might think that the life of this child was easy all the time. Read on. Decide for yourself.

Mozart was born in January of 1756 into a musical family. His father, Leopold Mozart, knew the talent of his child and carefully taught him. Later, Mozart toured Europe, putting on concerts for the people of high social positions. He could listen to any piece of music once and then play it from memory. He could play the piano or the violin with his eyes covered. What’s more, music that Mozart wrote at the age of five was as good as works by many adult composers.

Mozart earned a living by selling his compositions, giving concerts and providing music lessons for the wealthy. Some of the operas Mozart wrote, such as The Marriage of Figaro, The Magic Flute and Don Giovanni, are still performed today. He composed 41 symphonies (交响乐). However, none of them earned him much money, and he spent far more than he was able to earn. Mozart often waited until the last moment to work on pieces that had been asked for.

By the spring of 1791, Mozart was ill and sad. He was deeply in debt (债务). His health, which had never been good, was becoming even worse. A stranger asked Mozart to write a musical piece for a funeral (葬礼). Mozart agreed, but then began to fear that it was being written for his own death. His fears turned out to be true. Mozart died in December of 1791, at the age of 35.

1. What is the purpose of the writer by saying “Read on. Decide for yourself ”in paragraph1?

A．To increase your reading interest.

B．To tell you it is your business to read it or not

C．To introduce that the child always led an easy life

D．To introduce the reason why you should read

2. Which of the following can’t show that Mozart was a born musician?

A．He could play any music wonderfully

B．He could write good works at an early age.

C．He held concerts for the people of high social positions

D．He could listen to any piece of music once and then play it from memory

3. We can infer from the paragraph 3 that________.

A．Mozart could support himself by working so hard

B．Mozart led a poor life although he wrote many pieces

C．Mozart’s compositions sold well and he made a lot of money

D．Mozart led a happy life because of much money

4. What’s the passage about?

A．Mozart’s lifetime

B．Mozart’s talent

C．Mozart’s works        B. Mozart’s father

4 . Chinese singer Gong Linna released her new song, titled Return Home, which describes the overseas Chinese people’s longing for their homeland.

Performed in Chaoshan dialect, the song is part of Gong’s music project, which has the singer perform songs in different Chinese dialects. “It is very challenging to sing in Chaoshan dialect, which is a new language to me, and thanks to the songwriter Danny Sim and the song’s producer Wesley Tan, who speak the dialect, I received intensive training and practised very hard,” says Gong. “The beauty of dialects lies in telling stories of different places. It’s like a music al map, allowing me to explore different places through dialects.”

The idea of the song came from Qiaopi, a unique form of mail that served as both a letter and a remittance (汇款) sent by overseas Chinese people to their families in provinces of Guangdong and Fujian in the 19th and 20th centuries. At that time, many of those emigrants, particularly from Guangdong and Fujian, sent money back home to support their families, as well as communicating with their beloved ones and expressing their longing to be reunited.

“Dialects are a source of knowledge, traditions and the country’s cultural heritage. When I listen to a song performed in a dialect, I feel the local culture instantly even though I never go there and know nothing about the place,” says Sim, who wrote lyrics for the song, adding that there are a growing number of musicians in China performing in dialects, which allow listeners to get an emotional touch.

“Chaoshan dialect links people from the region. However, like many languages, it’s dying. Many young people, especially children, rarely speak the dialect, which is a sad thing.” Sim says, explaining why he is keen on writing songs by using the dialect, “I love my hometown and by writing songs in the dialect, I feel close to my home. Maybe that is, culture identity.”

1. What difficulty did Gong face when performing the song?

A．She had the language barrier.	B．The culture was unfamiliar to her.
C．The song had to fit in with the whole project.	D．There were many unknown stories in the song.

2. What does paragraph 3 mainly tell us about the song?

A．Its history.

B．Its influence.

C．Its inspiration.

D．Its significance.

3. What can we infer about the songs performed in dialects according to Sim?

A．They are dropping in numbers.	B．They are seldom sung by young singers.
C．They can stimulate affective bond.	D．They help us know many unknown places.

4. What drives Sim to write songs in Chaoshan dialect?

A．A sense of duty as a song writer.	B．A sense of belonging to his hometown.
C．His eagerness to revive Chaoshan culture.	D．His addiction to the charm of the dialect.

5 . Young Artists to Watch This Year

Tafy LaPlanche

New York-based Afro-Latina artist Tafy LaPlanche first discovered her love for portraits (肖像) at 13 when she was hospitalized and drew people who passed by her room. Since then, LaPlanche has explored narratives (叙事) in her portraits, setting women up against bright backgrounds, and adding fruit to create a unique story in every painting.

Yan Xinyue

Thirty-year-old Chinese artist Yan Xinyue is one of the artists to watch at this year’s Frieze New York. Xinyue’s work looks at how everyday life is impacted by rapid urban development through her imaginative paintings. Constantly touching the line between fantasy and reality, Xinyue’s work explores society and the individual.

Narumi Nekpenekpen

The Nigcrian-Japanese artist’s layered (分层的) approach to sculpture caught the eyes of collectors during Art Basel Miami Beach design week. The deeply emotional pieces painted throughout her residency at Versailles have a “Sanrio” quality, which makes them seem both distant and friendly.

Emma McIntyre

Also featured at this year’s Frieze New York is New Zealand-born, Los Angeles-based artist Emma McIntyre. The self-aware abstract (抽象的) painter is sure to turn heads with her presentations of memory, weather, and the environment. McIntyre’s colorful style makes the viewer feel like they’re slipping into a different dimension and makes it difficult to turn away.

1. What element does Tafy LaPlanche often use in her paintings?

A．Fruit.

B．Sanrio.

C．Hospitals.

D．Weather.

2. Who explores the impact of rapid urban development in her work?

A．Tafy LaPlanche.	B．Yan Xinyue.
C．Narumi Nekpenekpen.	D．Emma McIntyre.

3. What is a distinctive feature of Emma McIntyre’s art?

A．Exploration of narratives.	B．Layered approach to sculpture.
C．Bright backgrounds in self-portraits.	D．Self-awareness in abstract paintings.

6 . Iris Apfel, the interior designer and fashion tastemaker, who found fame in her 80s, has died aged 102. “She was forward-thinking in every sense of the world and saw the world through a unique lens. She saw the world as a kaleidoscope (万花筒) of colour, a canvas of patterns and prints,” said Apfel’s agent, Lori Sale.

Born in 1921 in Queens, New York, Apfel studied art history at New York University and later attended art school at the University of Wisconsin. Her first job was as a copywriter at Women’s Wear Daily. She later worked for the interior designer Elinor Johnson and also the illustrator Robert Goodman. In 1948, she married Carl Apfel. Two years later they launched the textile company Old World Weaver s and ran it until they retired in 1992.

As an outstanding authority on old-fashioned fabrics (纺织物), Apfel gave guidance on restoration projects, including work at the White House. She was the subject of several museum exhibitions and more recently starred in campaigns for H&M, eBay, Citroen and even had a Barbie doll made in her likeness. Among those showing respect was the US designer Tommy Hilfiger, who praised Apfel as an “innovator and leader” in the world of textiles and style, saying “Iris Apfel has become a world-famous fashion icon because of her incredible talent and amazing effect on so many people with her huge heart and magic touch.”

In 2005, her personal collection of designer accessories (配饰) and clothes became the subject of an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It was the first time that the Met had focused on a living female who was more than a designer. In another first, Apfel dressed the mannequins (人体模型) herself, styling them in her own unique and magnificent manner.

When asked about aging in a 2018 interview, Apfel said, “I wouldn't want to stop the clock. No, that would be so boring. It would be like being caught in a time machine. I don’t like that. I think variety is the spice of life.”

1. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．Apfel saw the world through a lens because she was far-sighted.

B．Apfel set up the textile company Old World Weavers on her own.

C．Apfel offered suggestions on the way to restore the White House.

D．Apfel was the first to dress the mannequins for the design industry.

2. Why was Apfel called an “innovator and leader” in the world of textiles and style?

A．Because she was a talented film star.	B．Because many US designers praised her.
C．Because she had a great influence on people.	D．Because a Barbie doll was made on her looks.

3. What can be learned about Apfel from the last paragraph?

A．She believes aging is full of excitement.

B．She prefers being caught in a time machine.

C．She wants to experience different stages of fashion.

D．She thinks variety is significant for a meaningful life.

4. What’s the best title for the passage?

A．Aging with style	B．Growing with talent
C．Living with passion	D．Working with determination

7 . In the calm and traditional world of classical music, composer Tan Dun is something of a rock star. Born in 1957 in a village near Changsha, Tan Dun worked as a rice planter in his early years. While music was strongly discouraged within the rice-planting communities, Tan learnt to play traditional Chinese stringed instruments with his friends and eventually joined a local band.

But the transition from hobby to career came about through a tragic (不幸的) tum of events. After several members of a Peking Opera troupe (剧团) drowned in a boat accident, Tan was hired to work as an arranger and violinist. The time at the troupe proved successful and Tan got the attention of Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) where he was accepted as a student in 1977. Years later, he further studied at New York’s Columbia University.

Under the teaching of famous composers around the word, Tan launched his international career through a series of modern operas. With the knowledge of eastern and western classical music, he composed Marco Polo, an abstract retelling of the 13th-century Venetian explorer’s life through eastern and western instruments.

Tan has composed symphonies and operas that have been performed in some of the world’s most famous theaters. He has also contributed the scores (配乐) to six films, including 2000’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, as well as several experimental multimedia projects. Such achievements have brought him great rewards, including Oscar, Grammy and Bafta awards, as well as the honor of Composer of Year, presented by classical music magazine Musical America.

1. What was Tan Dun’s job in his early years?

A．Farmer.

B．Arranger.

C．Violinist.

D．Composer.

2. Why was Tan accepted into CCOM?

A．His study in New York.	B．His success in the troupe.
C．His achievement in scores.	D．His experience in Changsha.

3. How did the author develop the text?

A．By making comparison.	B．By making classification.
C．By following the order of space.	D．By following the order of time.

4. What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?

A．He contributed scores to four films.

B．He directed Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

C．He combined Eastern and Western musical styles.

D．He launched his international career through symphonies.

8 . As a child, Liu Wenwen disliked the suona, a “loud, high-pitched” traditional Chinese musical instrument, an ancestral heritage of her family that was to become her career.

Her peers at primary school laughed at her, saying her whole family was engaged only in “weddings and funerals.” Indeed, these are the two major occasions where the horn-like wind instrument is played in China’s rural areas. Liu felt ashamed. People admired things that were modern and international. “Suona, in comparison, was considered an art of the hillbilly.” Her father’s family has performed suona for seven generations.

The music is rooted in Liu’s DNA, but it takes time and hard work to become a skilled musician. The instrument was so loud that it annoyed the neighbors when she practiced at home. “So my parents would wake me up at 4 a.m. every day and take me to practice outside in a park.”

While she followed her parents to play the suona as a child, she only fell in love with the instrument at university. She found suona music beautiful for the first time in 2008, when she entered Shanghai Conservatory of Music to learn the instrument more systematically.

On China’s social media platforms, her name is often followed by a video of her live performance at a concert in Sydney, Australia, alongside award-winning composer Tan Dun in 2017. For her debut on the international stage, she was playing Hundreds of Birds Paying Homage to Phoenix, a masterpiece that often represents excellence in suona performance.

Liu promoted the “hillbilly” music to an international audience, thanks to Tan and his team, who recomposed the traditional music and arranged the piece into an orchestra. “It was a smooth dialogue between a Chinese instrument and a Western orchestra, loved by the musicians and audience alike,” she said. “I felt my hard work had paid off. I trained for over 20 years, probably just to win cheers and applause for traditional Chinese music on the international stage.”

1. What can we learn about Liu from the first two paragraphs?

A．She was born into a musical family.

B．She enjoyed playing the suona as a child.

C．She showed a talent for suona when she was young.

D．She felt ashamed of admiring modern and international things.

2. Why did Liu get up early to practice playing the suona?

A．To get more time for her practice.	B．To avoid disturbing the neighbors.
C．To spend more time with her parents.	D．To make practising the suona a habit.

3. What can we infer from the last two paragraphs?

A．Audience like Chinese instruments better than Western orchestra.

B．Liu’s performance at a Sydney concert got her recognized by the public.

C．Liu promoted traditional Chinese music to the whole world with her parents.

D．Social media is a major platform to carry forward traditional Chinese music.

4. In which part of the newspaper can we read the passage?

A．Technology.	B．Education.
C．People.	D．Entertainment.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A．Monet.

B．Leroy.

C．Renoir.

D．Castagnary.

4. What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．Impression: Sunrise gave Impressionism its name.

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

C．Monet is a leading artist of Impressionism.

D．Impressionism is an appealing artistic style.

10 . In Hollywood, few actors have experienced a career as diverse and prolific as Harrison Ford. From the fearless Indiana Jones to the charming Han Solo and the world-weary Rick Deckard, Ford’s portrayal (饰演) of iconic characters has left a permanent mark on cinema and pop culture. Yet, the irony lies in how many of his career-defining roles fell into this “late bloomer’s” lap by chance.

Born in Chicago, Harrison was discouraged from pursuing a career on the silver screen early on, having failed to land any significant parts. Instead, he turned to professional carpentry (木工) as a means to keep his family fed.

But fate had other plans. While working as a carpenter in Hollywood, Ford crossed paths with numerous celebrity clients such as Joan Didion and, most notably, director George Lucas, who hired him to build cabinets for his office. Little did Ford know that this chance encounter would lead to his breakthrough role as the charming Han Solo in Star Wars. Lucas was impressed by Ford’s presence and offered him the iconic role. In time, Ford rose to a star.

Ford’s next lucky moment came when he tried out for the role of Indiana Jones in a massive project by Lucas and Steven Spielberg, Raiders of the Lost Ark. Spielberg initially wanted Ford for the role, but Lucas was hesitant as he had already worked with Ford on Star War and 1973’s American Graffiti. Then the production team tried many other possibilities but without luck. Eventually, the role went to Ford, strengthening his status as a Hollywood legend.

The film series became a worldwide sensation, stimulating people’s imagination and inspiring a generation of future archaeologists. Over 40 years and four films later, Ford found himself completing the series with the fifth and final installment. Eighty-one-year-old Harrison received a five-minute standing ovation (鼓掌) at the Cannes Film Festival Premiere and picked up an honorary Palmed’ Or for his achievements.

Ford’s commitment to his career is evident as he said, “I love the work! My luck has been to work with incredibly talented people, to find my way into this crowd of geniuses.” Despite his legendary status in Hollywood, Ford’s humility shines through.

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

A．Productive.

B．Fruitless.

C．Hard-earned.

D．Promising.

2. What made Harrison discouraged in his early film career?

A．His lack of talent.	B．The uncertain prospect.
C．The dull industry.	D．His family opposition.

3. What is the factor highlighted in the passage in Ford’s landing the important roles?

A．His good fortune.	B．His convincing acting.
C．His fine reputation.	D．His big circle of friends.

4. Which of the following best describes Harrison?

A．A rising film genius.	B．A humble carpenter.
C．A Hollywood legend.	D．A fearless challenger.