1 . Four Art Study Abroad Programs in 2024

Whether you love art history, dance, photography, writing, or beyond, here are the top art programs to attend in 2024.

The 6-week Gap Year Course in Italy | Art History Abroad
Program length: 6 weeks in summer
Price: $10,000

If you’re interested in studying artists, criticism, and painting techniques during periods like the Renaissance and styles like baroque, Romanesque, and modern art, then this program is for you. It prides itself on not simply teaching art but also culture and an appreciation of beauty.

Creative Internships (实习) in Australia with ABI | ArtBound Initiative
Program length: 1 month
Price: $3,250

If you’ve ever had an interest in pursuing a career in the creative industry, consider an internship opportunity with ArtBound Initiative. Interns can work in exciting overseas locations while getting one-on-one career coaching from professionals.

The Irish Arts and Culture Program | Irish Gap Year
Program length: 1 semester
Price: $17,000

Explore your own areas of interest as you work side by side with local Irish artists, photographers, writers, and musicians, learning about Ireland’s rich cultural and artistic heritage. Your hands-on experience goes hand in hand with day trips to galleries, museums, and castles, and at the end, you’ll have the opportunity to exhibit your works at the Le Cheile Art Expo.

Creative Semester in France | Berridge Programs
Program length: 1 semester
Price: $16,500

Whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced performer or artist, your interests and talents will be nurtured by industry professionals. During your time here, you will work on improving your skills which will end with a feature film or creative performance.

1. Where should you go to obtain career guidance according to the text?

A．France.

B．Australia.

C．Italy.

D．Ireland.

2. Which program enables participants to display their works?

A．The 6-week Gap Year Course in Italy.

B．Creative Internships in Australia with ABI.

C．The Irish Arts and Culture Program.

D．Creative Semester in France.

3. How much should an artist pay to improve his performing skills?

A．$3,250.

B．$10,000.

C．$16,500.

D．$17,000.

2 . In the northernmost edge of Colombia sits the coastal town of Acandí. Access to the town is only by water or air; there is no road that leads there. The residents there are faced with the struggles of balancing livelihoods while protecting biodiversity.

In the past, traditional community fishing methods, passed down by the elders, focused on the reasonable fishing and management of resources. However, the introduction of large-scale trawling vessels(拖网渔船) decades ago gradually depleted the area’s fishing resources, leading to damage to marine(海洋的) life seriously.

Jesús Antonio Julio Cuestas, who serves in the region’s conservation and management of marine resources, stresses the bad impact of these developments and calls for new fishing techniques. “Fishing and conservation co-exist as long as we have good management practices and reasonable use of our fishing resources,” says Cuestas. He and other officials actively monitor fishing activities in Acandí. Each morning, they visit the fish markets to gather data on fishery resources—including prices and sizes—to monitor the state of the local fishing industry.

Along with Cuestas, the fishers work to reduce their impact on the marine ecosystem. By changing fishing methods and adopting new practices, they aim for a more balanced approach to fishing. “This year the local fishermen have not used the trawl net s that were causing the death of the leatherback sea turtles,” explains Cuestas proudly. Changes include the efforts of boats to protect the seagrass that serves as feeding grounds for marine life and an end to fishers throwing net s where turtles lay their eggs.

This marine reserve in Acandí, Cuestas believes, is their greatest treasure. He attaches great importance to working together with local residents to improve the quality of life while preserving the marine ecosystem. By doing so, he imagines a picture where individuals from the fishing community can pursue various careers, such as engineers or lawyers, proudly stating that they are the products of the fishing tradition in Acandí.

1. What does the underlined word “depleted” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Reused.	B．Restored.
C．Explored.	D．Reduced.

2. Why does Julio Cuestas call for new fishing techniques?

A．To cut down on the costs of fishing.

B．To improve the income of local residents.

C．To promote the well-being of marine wildlife.

D．To spread traditional community fishing methods.

3. What is paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．The aim of the changes to fishing methods.

B．The efforts to preserve marine ecosystem.

C．The results the trawl net s have brought about.

D．The impact of fishers on the local environment.

4. What is Julio Cuestas’s attitude towards Acandí’s future?

A．Confident.	B．Uncaring.
C．Concerned.	D．Doubtful.

3 .

Chile (智利) is famous for its many attractions, including Torres del Paine National Park and Easter Island . If you’re planning a visit, be sure to add “Mano del Desierto” or “Hand of the Desert”to your must-see list.

Standing 11 meters tall and made of iron and cement (混凝土), this sculpture (雕像) of a hand emerges (出现) from the sand in the Atacama Desert , which is known as the driest desert in the world outside of polar regions. The sculpture was created by Mario Irarr á zabal in the early 1980s and was financed by a local nonprofit organization called Corporaci ó n Pro Antofagasta. The sculpture is not only famous for its size and design but also for the message it expresses. Many people believe that the hand represents the weakness and helplessness of human beings, as well as their strength and determination to overcome hardships.

If you’re interested in visiting the Hand of the Desert, take Route 26 or 28 from Antofagasta, a port city in northern Chile. The sculpture is located between mile markers 1309 and 1310. The desert’s flatness (平坦) makes it easy to spot the sculpture from far away. But some people mistake it for a mirage (海市蜃楼) caused by tiredness from driving a long way to the sculpture.

Visitors should take precautions (预防措施) before leaving , such as filling their gas tanks , taking plenty of water, and wearing sunscreen. They should also avoid driving too quickly, as many car accidents happen in the desert each year.

For those who are worried about driving alone, working with an agency (机构) like Plan South America is a good option. The founder of the agency, Harry Hastings, said that he always tries to join a visit to the sculpture with guests traveling to the desert.

1. What makes the Hand of the Desert a famous attraction?

A．Its material.

B．Its location.

C．Its designer.

D．Its size and design.

2. What can we infer from the third paragraph?

A．The sculpture attracts millions of visitors every year.

B．Tired travelers often see mirages in the desert.

C．The sculpture can be reached very easily.

D．The sculpture can be seen from far away.

3. What can we know about Harry Hastings from the passage?

A．He built the sculpture “Hand of the Desert”.

B．He gave the financial support to the sculpture.

C．His agency can help lonely travelers travel to the desert.

D．He can avoid driving accidents in the desert.

4. Which column does this passage belong to in a newspaper?

A．Travel.

B．Environment.

C．Culture.

D．Entertainment.

4 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答小题。
1. What did the man study in college?

A．Art history.

B．Medicine.

C．Business.

2. How do the speakers know each other?

A．They’re neighbors.

B．They’re salesman and customer.

C．They’re teacher and student.

3. What is the man’s advice for the woman?

A．Doing what her father suggests.

B．Exploring all the possibilities.

C．Making a decision as early as possible.

5 . 无论发生什么，我们都要合作来充分利用网络。
_______ _______, we will work together and_______ _______ ______ ______the Internet.

6 . 你要记住，高中是学生发展批判性思维的重要阶段。
Just remember that senior high school is an _______ _______ for students to_________ critical thinking.

7 . 听下面一段独白，回答小题。
1. What is the weather probably like?

A．Hot.

B．Dry.

C．Rainy.

2. Where did Matt begin his journey?

A．In England.

B．In California.

C．In Hawaii.

3. How many hours was Matt’s longest flight?

A．Fourteen hours.

B．Sixteen hours.

C．Sixteen and a half hours.

4. What will Matt do next?

A．Interview someone.

B．Share his experiences.

C．Plan on another journey.

8 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答小题。
1. How does the woman want to pay?

A．In cash.

B．By credit card.

C．With her smartphone.

2. What does the man think of PayPal?

A．It is free.

B．It is popular.

C．It isn’t very fast.

3. Where is Venmo accepted?

A．At many small shops.

B．At most large stores.

C．At a lot of restaurants.

4. What does the woman offer to do for the man?

A．Download the app.

B．Send him an invitation.

C．Lend him some money.

9 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答小题。
1. Why is the woman upset?

A．Her order isn’t ready yet.

B．The man forgot her order.

C．Some guests will be late.

2. At what time will the wedding start?

A．10:00.

B．10:30.

C．12:00.

10 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The crime drama, The Knockout(《狂飙》)was the biggest hit this year in China. Apart from the story itself, many people have praised the excellent acting of Zhang Songwen, an actor    1    was unknown to us before. He played a gang leader who used to be a fishmonger (鱼贩子). His amazing ability made viewers believe that he was not just playing a fictional bad guy.

His early years, in fact, were full of struggles. After entering the Beijing film academy, he was the hardest-working student in his class. But Zhang’s physical    2    (appear) was not so outstanding in show business. In the first 3 years after his graduation, he went over 800 different auditions (试镜) and failed     3    (get) the part in all of them.

But    4    (he) love for acting never died. In order    5    make a living, he accepted whatever acting roles that came his way. Although his pay was often quite low, the actor took every opportunity seriously. He studied each script carefully and     6    (think) hard about how he could perfectly bring the character to life on the screen. Slowly, he gained the favor of directors and     7    (invite) by them to play bigger roles. His successful performances in The Bad Kids and The Knockout show that all of his hard work had finally paid off.

We all want to be successful,     8    , we can’t realize our dream as    9    (quick) as we expect. All we can and should do is keep    10    (try).