1 . Most Famous Paintings in the World
Among the millions of paintings that are created and shown in galleries and museums all around the world, a very small number of them go beyond time and make history. Below are some examples.
The Persistence of Memory — Salvador Dali. Painted in 1931, The Persistence of Memory is one of the most recognizable pieces in art history. This work is known to make people reflect on their way of life and the way they spend their time, and it is also thought that Albert Einstein’s well-known Theory of Relativity gave Dali the idea for this wonderful painting.
Girl with a Pearl Earring — Johannes Vermeer. Considered by many to be “the Dutch Mona Lisa”, this beautiful painting features an unnamed young woman looking over her shoulder to stare directly at the viewer. It was completed in 1665 and is exhibited in the Mauritshuis in The Hague, the Netherlands.
Guernica — Pablo Picasso. The famous painting by Picasso was completed in 1937. It was painted in Paris following the bombing of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. The painting is on permanent display in the Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain.
Starry Night — Vincent van Gogh. Painted in 1889, Starry Night is one of the most famous paintings in modern culture, which is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It is based on van Gogh’s direct observations as well as his imagination, memories, and emotions and was the inspiration for the song Vincent (also known as Starry, Starry Night).
1. What do we know about The Persistence of Memory?| A．It was finished in the 1920s. | B．It centers on people’s lifestyle. |
| C．It reflects the painter’s memories. | D．It may be inspired by a famous theory. |
| A．The Persistence of Memory. | B．Starry Night. |
| C．Girl with a Pearl Earring. | D．Guernica. |
| A．They are everlasting artworks. | B．They share the similar theme. |
| C．They are on permanent display. | D．They give ideas for music creation. |
9 . If it had not been for Fan Jinshi and her team, the world cultural heritage at Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes in a remote Chinese desert might have long been destroyed by sand, weather or humans.
Born and raised in Shanghai, Fan has spent half a century fighting an uphill battle to preserve the ancient Buddhist wall painting at Dunhuang, in Northwest China’s Gansu Province. The 1 651-year-old Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes are a huge collection of Buddhist art—more than 2 000 buddha figures and 45 000 square meters of paintings spread among 735 caves. It is China’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Archaeologist Fan was sent to Dunhuang after graduation from Peking University in 1963. While in Dunhuang, a remote village in the desert then, Fan lived in an abandoned temple. At first, she did not even dare to go out to the toilet at night. To protect the treasures from sand and dampness, Fan and other workers put doors on the caves, planted trees and started monitoring temperature and humidity（湿度） in the caves. They also controlled the number of visitors.
In the late 1990s, with tourism booming nationwide since national holidays were extended, the local government planned to go public with Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, but found Fan firmly in their way. “The heritage would have been destroyed if it had been listed,” she said.
Dunhuang Academy has now photographed and cataloged（编入目录） online all the sculptures and paintings. “Despite our efforts to minimize damage, we can’t completely stop them from being eroded（侵蚀）. But the digital database will last. ”
Fan was grateful when her husband joined her in Dunhuang in 1986 after 19 years of separation. Her two sons grew up in Shanghai with their aunt. “I have not been a good mother or wife. With regard to my family, I’m full of guilt,” she said. Fan, 79, retired two years ago as the director of Dunhuang Academy but continues her efforts as a national political adviser.
1. Which of the following measures didn’t Fan Jinshi take to protect Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes?| A．Opening Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes to the general public . |
| B．Planting trees and stopping the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes being eroded. |
| C．Picturing and classifying all the sculptures and paintings online. |
| D．Putting doors on the caves and monitoring temperature and humidity. |
| A．In 1963. | B．In 1967. |
| C．In 1986. | D．In the late 1990s. |
| A．Go to a place. | B．Be in favor of something. |
| C．Reject something. | D．Give in to something. |
| A．Considerate and easy-going. | B．kind and intelligent. |
| C．Humorous and sweet-tempered. | D．Devoted and persistent. |
10 . Ways to make a great first impression
You’ve heard it a million times already. But it really does take but a few seconds to make that all-important first impression（印象）. Here are some easy ways for you to impress your classmates or teachers.
*
Before you shake hands with somebody, make sure that your hands are clean. The hand-shake should not be too strong or weak. Most people use their right hands, unless they have a reason to use the left.
*Be on time
When meeting someone for the first time, arriving on time is as important as breathing. You may have an excuse, but that will leave the person who hardly knows you with a bad impression.
*Introduce yourself and ask for names
Make sure you properly introduce yourself. Ask for their name in a polite way.
*Make good conversation
To get the most out of your discussion, try to find something common between the two of you.
| A．Use body language |
| B．Have a proper handshake |
| C．Repeat the name and use it later in conversation. |
| D．It could be a similar taste in clothes or a common hobby |
| E．As a general rule, plan to arrive about 30 minutes early. |
| F．You’ll be in serious trouble if you leave them with a bad impression. |
| G．However, don’t have your left hand in your pocked because this appears impolite. |
