1 . Immersive Van Gogh
From the creators of the blockbuster show in Paris seen by over two million visitors and still wowing crowds in Toronto, the west coast premiere (首场) of the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit will bring the art of Vincent to life in Los Angeles.
Immersive art is not just a technical way to represent video and audio in huge spaces. The word immersive indicates a deep commitment of intentions which connect images and sounds in a way that the audience able to experience a different way of the art.
True to its name, this exhibition transforms the iconic (标志性的) paintings of Vincent Van Gogh into moving, wall-filling projections. “Immersive Van Gogh” promises half-a-million cubic feet of projections that pull from some of the post-impressionist’s most recognizable pieces, including The Bedroom, Sunflowers and, yes, The Starry Night.
You will experience art like never before — lose yourself in entrancing, moving images that highlight brushstrokes, detail, and color — truly illuminating (照亮) the mind of the genius.
LOCATION
The Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit is located at a secret place situated in the heart of Los Angeles. To be announced before the exhibit opens, existing ticket holders will receive an email with the place name and location once it is made public.
TICKET PRICES
| VIP TICKETS — $99.99 ●Priority access ●Van Gogh carpet (a gift for you) ●Limited edition poster | PREMIUM TICKETS — $59.99 ●Van Gogh carpet (rental) ●Limited edition poster |
| BASIC TICKETS — $54.99 ●Admission only | CHILD TICKETS — $29.99 ●Ages 6-16 (children 5 and under do not require a ticket) ●Admission only ●Child tickets are not subject to change of date fees |
Tickets are available online at www.vangoghla.com.
GIFT SHOP
Stop by our Exhibit Gift Shop to take the magic of Van Gogh home with you! From clothing and jewellery to home decor, children’s books, and so much more, you will find unique and thoughtful souvenirs at the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit. Also be sure to check out at our online store!
Experience the organic landscapes of Van Gogh’s imagination, and journey through his brilliance and madness in a completely new and unforgettable way.
1. According to the passage, the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit ______.| A．presents Van Gogh’s art in a modern way |
| B．begins a journey to Van Gogh’s hometown |
| C．displays Van Gogh’s paintings on moving walls |
| D．designs projects on Van Gogh’s learning experience |
| A．The gift shop. | B．A website. |
| C．The ticket office. | D．An email. |
| A．$109.98. | B．$154.98. | C．$184.97. | D．$114.98. |
| A．To attract audiences to visit the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit. |
| B．To introduce the historical significance of Vincent Van Gogh’s art. |
| C．To promote the sale of unique and thoughtful souvenirs to visit. |
| D．To provide a platform for artists to experiment with new technologies. |
2 . Music is a powerful thing. It awakens feelings and has the power to bring people together. But today, artists are not known for their music, but for how flashy their clothing is and how many times their wealthy relatives can get them out of jail (监狱). And thus, their music is lost.
Pop and rap music has developed into a shallow, image-addicted industry that lines up with what the public wants to hear and see, removing the focus on the actual music. Mainstream music is no longer composed of emotion, but instead, themes of money and fame. Photos and rumors fly while the music is ignored.
Not all musical groups or individual artists begin like this. Many of these artists are original and talented, but turn to the money side. Often their songs are written by experts who know what is appealing to a certain age group, and the musicians’ faces can be seen on countless magazine covers. Soon their supposedly new and improved songs can be heard blasting out of car windows. But these songs are totally empty, lacking creativity and the original thirst of the artist to make an impact or convey (传递) a message.
MTV is not helping. It plays only what the public wants to hear. And unfortunately, the majority seems interested in either sickly sweet, generic pop or stereotypical (刻板的), bleeped-out rap. Kids and teens everywhere are swimming in these songs, which are often degrading to women and minorities, and inappropriate.
Almost all the girls in my dorm are addicted to the same songs. This was the case the previous year, and the year before that. Whenever I try to play music I enjoy, or introduce them to some decent songs, they say that everyone except me likes their music.
Why do most teenagers only listen to pop and rap music when so many other types exist? Maybe it’s because everywhere we look, we are bombarded with (被……轰炸) the same music: on the radio, on TV, on the computer. At school, pop and rap are discussed all the time. Perhaps they have never listened to anything else. Or maybe peer pressure is part of it.
There is no solution to the “pop problem”. It’s called popular for a reason — many people enjoy it. There’s no easy way to change their views. My suggestion is not to buy music like this when you can explore something new. Expand your horizons. Dig up your parents’ old records and CDs. You never know what you might find.
1. The author probably prefers ______.| A．new pop songs meant for girls |
| B．original songs with deep meaning |
| C．catchy songs produced by popular singers |
| D．never-heard-before songs just recently discovered |
| A．Many artists trade creativity for wealth and fame. |
| B．The public is responsible for the existence of music. |
| C．MTV promotes the songs favored by women and minorities. |
| D．Musicians singing about money is an ineffective way to attract fans. |
| A．Try to respect your peers’ music tastes. | B．Deal with the “pop problem” patiently. |
| C．Expose yourself to various music styles. | D．Treasure the music from previous generations. |
| A．The Influence of Pop and Rap Music on Teenagers |
| B．The Decline of Musical Diversity in Youth Culture |
| C．The Impact of Mainstream Music Trends on Society |
| D．The Importance of Exploring Diverse Music Genres |
3 . Waste not, Want not
Today, I live in Manhattan with my husband, Alex. I’m an IT specialist and Alex is a lawyer. Life’s good, but sometimes I look at the way we live it and think of Ellie, my grandmother. Her favorite saying was “Waste not, want not.”
Such economy seems strange, even ridiculous, in our modern throwaway society, where everything is sold in boxes.
| A．Packaging is not only used to protect goods |
| B．My grandparents threw almost nothing away |
| C．In one week alone, we threw away five old magazines |
| D．We didn’t often go shopping and then cook meals at home |
| E．As young Manhattan professionals, we buy a lot of “convenience food” |
| F．But we pay a high financial and ecological price for our lovely packaging |
| G．If you placed all the cans used in the United States, in one year end to end |
4 . Growing Roots
When I was growing up, I had an old neighbor named Dr. Gibbs. He didn’t look like any doctor I’d ever known. When Dr. Gibbs wasn’t
The good doctor had some interesting theories on planting trees. He believed in “No pains, no gains”. He never
I used to pray for my sons that their lives will be easy. But lately I’ve been thinking that it’s time to
| A．valuing | B．sacrificing | C．enjoying | D．saving |
| A．watered | B．raised | C．loved | D．sheltered |
| A．against | B．beyond | C．within | D．from |
| A．harmful | B．favorable | C．tough | D．convenient |
| A．treasured | B．challenged | C．respected | D．favored |
| A．fondness | B．negligence | C．preference | D．devotion |
| A．harm | B．raise | C．benefit | D．hurt |
| A．attend | B．announce | C．change | D．maintain |
| A．hardships | B．worries | C．opportunities | D．careers |
| A．given | B．sent | C．broken | D．swept |
5 . The Life Cycle of a T-shirt
We all probably have a lot of T-shirts, but do you ever stop and think about the influence of a T-shirt on the planet? You’d probably be surprised to learn what’s involved in the life cycle of just one T-shirt.
There are 5 major stages: material, production, shipping, use and disposal. The material stage involves farming, irrigating, fertilizing, harvesting and ginning. While cotton is a natural fiber and not as harmful to the environment as man-made fibers, it still takes a toll in the material and production stages. Commercial cotton farming uses a large amount of water, and the use of pesticides (杀虫剂) is widespread across the globe, especially in cotton farming. Studies have shown that farmers spend around $4.1 billion on pesticides annually, of which 25% was spent on cotton crops in the US.
Once the cotton is grown and harvested, so begins the production stage: spinning, knitting, bleaching, dyeing, cutting, sewing, etc. — these processes also use a great deal of water and energy. Commercial dyes and bleaches are harmful pollutants and can eventually pollute groundwater.
After the T-shirt is produced, it enters the transportation stage. This often involves overseas shipping. Take a look in your closet. Chances are that most of your cotton garments (衣服) are made in China or India. Garments can be shipped via plane, ship or truck..., all of which spill CO2, into the atmosphere. Calculations show that CO2 emissions from light trucks alone amount to 1.15 pounds per mile.
Once the T-shirt reaches the retail market, it is purchased. This stage may seem like the least environmentally damaging part. But consider the number of times you’ve washed and dried your favorite T-shirt. Washing machines are certainly becoming more efficient. However, the average American household does 400 loads of laundry per year, using about 40 gallons of water per load. Such excessive water use is combined with the large amount of energy used by dryers.
The final stage of life is disposal. This releases harmful emissions, or involves a landfill where cotton takes years to break down. Current US records show that an estimated 15% of clothes and shoes are recycled, which means that consumers send a shocking 85% of these materials to landfill.
We all need new clothes every once in a while, but let’s all try to keep in mind what goes into the production of clothing. It has a real impact on the planet.
There are a lot of things you can do to help reduce your impact. Reuse and recycle clothes. If they’re too worn out to wear, cut them up and use them as cleaning rags. Donate them to charity or another organization that recycles textiles. When possible, make an effort to buy organic cotton. Turn down the thermostat on your washer, and line dry your clothes when the weather will allow it.
1. The underlined phrase “takes a toll” probably means .| A．wastes water | B．has a bad effect |
| C．consumes energy | D．takes a lot of time |
| A．pesticides in cotton farming cost over 4 billion dollars every year |
| B．CO2 emissions of land transport amount to 1.15 pounds per mile |
| C．about 16, 000 gallons of water is used annually by an average family on laundry |
| D．about 15% of the clothes and shoes are made of materials that are recycled |
| A．The production process may affect water safety. |
| B．The clothing cost is relatively low in China and India. |
| C．Cotton clothes are buried because they are hard to break down. |
| D．The use stage is the least environmentally harmful of the five stages. |
| A．To introduce the five stages in the life cycle of clothing. |
| B．To encourage people to donate clothes to charity. |
| C．To persuade people to purchase more organic cotton. |
| D．To promote eco-friendly actions related to clothes. |
6 . The biggest criticism (批评) of social networking is that our young people are losing their offline friends to online friends. In fact there is a lot of research that shows these criticisms are generally unfounded. Research by Allen et al. found that people are not replacing offline friends with online companions but are using them to support their offline relationships. They also found that our online friendships actually allow us to have discussions with a much more diverse set of people than in the real world and improve our psychological happiness.
However, there is one part of social networking that is deeply worrying. We find ourselves in a hyper-connected world where people access social media day and night, excited to make announcements about the tiniest details of their lives. Research is starting to show that this culture is negatively affecting not our friendships but our character.
Professor Larry D. Rosen, in his book iDisorder, presents evidence that social networking is turning us into narcissists (自恋者). He says that young people who overuse social networking sites can become vain, aggressive, and show anti-social behavior in their offline lives. But perhaps an even more disturbing effect is that one of our most basic emotions seems to be disappearing—empathy. This is the emotion that bonds us together; it allows us to see the world from our friends’ points of view. Without it, we are far less able to connect and form meaningful adult relationships.
Sherry Turkle, a professor of social sciences at MIT, suggests that people are no longer comfortable being alone. This is something confirmed by a study where 200 university students were asked to go without social media for 24 hours. Many admitted an addiction to their online social network; most complained that they felt cut off from family and friends. But being alone is a time, Turkle argues, when we self-reflect and get in touch with who we really are. It is only when we do this that we can make meaningful friendships with others. She believes, as is the title of her book, that we are simply “Alone Together”.
These potential changes in our characters are rather disturbing. If nothing is done, our young people could well be in trouble. Therefore, suggestions about ways to encourage our young people to avoid the problems of social networking should be made, so they can develop the kinds of friendships that are required to grow into well-adjusted and happy adults.
1. In this passage, the author mainly argues that ________.| A．internet culture causes various problems |
| B．we are losing some most important emotions |
| C．online friendships do good to offline friendships |
| D．social networking affects young people’s personalities |
| A．by getting in touch with online friends |
| B．by avoiding the problems of social networking |
| C．by reflecting and getting in touch with ourselves |
| D．by being alone then having discussions with a much more diverse set of people |
| A．social media have more advantages |
| B．young people will develop offline friendships |
| C．young people can’t go without social media |
| D．we are becoming unable to understand others well |
7 . What’s the first thing you remember doing? It could be playing with your friends at school, or going to a birthday party and eating amazing cake.
It’s a strange concept to grasp, but according to research, about four out of ten of us invent our first childhood memory. Rather than having experienced something, we could have fabricated a fake memory from videos or photos we’ve seen. We could have been influenced by a story recounted to us that spurs our minds on to adopt someone else’s memory as our own.
So why do we create fake memories? Some experts believe that there is a clear desire for a sense of self and having a cohesive (连贯的) story of our existence.
So, the next time someone says they have a clear memory from when they were one or even before just remember that while it could be true, there’s a chance they just invented it at some point in their lives.
| A．But why don’t we have clear memories from that age? |
| B．It happens to everyone no matter how educated he or she is. |
| C．This is possibly due to the rapid creation of brain cells in our early years. |
| D．We often talk about these memories with our families as if it were what happened yesterday. |
| E．Creating memories can fill in the gaps giving us a more complete structure for our early lives. |
| F．Most of us have a treasured early memory of our childhood, but can we really believe those vivid memories? |
| G．What it means is that memories of our younger years, especially before the age of two, may be inaccurate, or entirely false. |
8 . Beauty and Well-being Benefits of Handed Massage Guns
What are they?Originally beloved by athletes, massage guns are gaining popularity as a stress or pain-relieving tool. A quick and convenient alternative to a traditional deep-tissue massage, many offer detachable heads to target calves, ankles or the top s of shoulders, available in a range of sizes and speeds.
What are the supposed benefits?If you often find yourself aching after the gym or a long day of work, a massage gun may well be your new best friend. Sending pulses at a steady frequency that is difficult to achieve manually, they allow you to target a specific area of tightness, loosening lactic acid buildup muscle and allowing for greater mobility and muscle flexibility. Even if you’re not so physically active, a couple of minutes of regular massaging can do wonders for your complexion.
Through vibration frequency, the movement of a massage gun will encourage blood and lymphatic (淋巴的) circulation, giving a new vibrancy and comfort to skin as toxins (毒素) drain out and oxygen flows through. If you’ve been feeling heavy or struggling to unwind, massage guns are also thought to be a useful tool in the rehabilitation (康复) of depression, anxiety, digestive disorders and stress-related insomnia.
Do they actually work?Once you get used to the quiet humming noise, the swift, targeted relief a gun can offer more than justifies the initial spend. Leading the market is the Lola, a lightweight handheld gun in a sleek matte finish with four speeds that tucks easily into the pocket of an overnight bag. The key is to operate within your own comfort-be sure to fit the adjustable heads firmly and work through the speed functions slowly, building up to higher pressures only if necessary. While concerns about suitability for specific conditions or injuries should always be discussed with a doctor, the massage gun is certainly proof that both internal and external beauty can be achieved by listening that little bit closer to our bodies.
1. What is not the supposed benefits of handed massage guns?| A．To target a specific area of tightness. |
| B．To allow for greater mobility and muscle flexibility. |
| C．To encourage blood and lymphatic circulation. |
| D．To help lactic acid build up in muscles. |
| A．Many offer fixed heads to target diverse muscles. |
| B．The initial spend is too high to be justified by their functions. |
| C．They can help rehabilitate people with depression and anxiety. |
| D．Their suitability for specific conditions and injuries is certain. |
| A．To show the beauty and well-being benefits of handed massage guns. |
| B．To inform us the availability of different sizes of handed massage guns. |
| C．To share with us the popularity of handed massage guns among athletes. |
| D．To compare handed massage guns with doctors on suitability for injuries. |
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