1 . Explore the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, which offers a relaxing setting for you to enjoy works of modern sculpture.
Chair Transformation Number 20B, made in 1996 — by Lucas Samaras
Here, Samaras explores the double meaning of “flight”, referring to both the starlike form created by the stacked chairs, and the movement of a single chair moving through space. From different viewpoints, the sculpture appears to be upright, leaning back, or springing forward. From the side, it even appears like a zigzagging (之字形的) line.
Typewriter Eraser, Scale X, made in 1998 — by Coosje van Bruggen
The artist chose the typewriter eraser as his model for this work based upon childhood memories of playing with the object in his father’s office. Here the brush arcs (作弧形运动) back, conveying a sense of motion, as if the wheellike eraser were rolling down the hill and making its way towards the gate of the garden.
Moondog, model 1974, made in 1998
1999 — by Tony Smith
The title itself comes from two sources: Moondog was the name of a blind poet and folk musician who lived in New York City, and Smith has also compared this sculpture to Dog Barking at the Moon, a painting by Joan Miro. He first created Moondog in 1974 as a 33inch cardboard model and cast it in bronze as a garden sculpture in 1980. This version was designed by Smith, but it was not completed until after his death.
Cheval Rouge (Red Horse), made in 1964 — by Alexander Calder
During the last two decades of his life, Alexander Calder devoted his greatest efforts to largescale mobiles and stabiles (立式抽象派雕塑), many of which have become popular public landmarks in cities around the world. Here the silky legs and tensile (张力的) upthrust “neck” recall the power of a horse. This stabile reflects Calder's statement: “I want to make things that are fun to look at.”
1. Which was based on its creator’s early life?| A．Moondog. | B．Cheval Rouge (Red Horse). |
| C．Typewriter Eraser, Scale X. | D．Chair Transformation Number 20B. |
| A．It was originally intended for a garden. |
| B．It was the only work of its creator. |
| C．It was inspired by a modern painter. |
| D．It wasn’t completed by its designer. |
| A．Tony Smith’s. | B．Lucas Samaras’. |
| C．Alexander Calder’s. | D．Coosje van Bruggen’s. |
2 . In an ideal world, we would be able to devote as much time to sports as we feel we need. But in reality, with growing demands in both work and family, we can only jump at the chance for our physical exercise when we can. Making the most of that time to practice Yin Yang yoga, which mixes the dynamic and slow-paced elements of yoga, helps keep you active and relaxed.
Yin and Yang are the Taoist concepts representing a balance of opposite forces which are also interconnected. Yin is inactive, cooling, and negative, associated with the female force. Yang is active, warming, and positive, associated with action and movement. They are complementary to one another, as one cannot exist without the other.
Yin Yang yoga is a combination of high-energy movement which builds energy, increases strength and promotes stamina (耐力), followed by the more restful practice of Yin to give us a deeper stretch (拉伸) and calm the nervous system.
If you have a busy and active life you may feel more in Yang, so taking some cooler, slower Yin yoga practice into your routine may help you feel calmer and more balanced.
If you are practicing for an hour, divide the time in half, Warm up with sun salutations (拜日式瑜伽), continue into a dynamic flow and then move on to some standing postures. After half an hour your heart will be pumping, muscles tighten up and you are hopefully feeling energetic, but ready for a rest. Then pick five Yin postures to hold for 3-5 minutes, or even longer if you are enjoying them!
As ever with yoga, if you are a beginner or have health issues, always attend a class with a trained instructor first to guide you safely through the yoga practice and avoid injury.
1. What can be inferred from paragraph 1?| A．Most of our sports time should be spent on Yin Yang yoga. |
| B．We’d better devote as much time to physical exercise as we can. |
| C．Busy schedule makes it impossible for us to do any form of sports. |
| D．Yin Yang yoga can be a choice of physical exercise when time is tight. |
| A．Independent from one another. |
| B．Competitive against one another. |
| C．Similar to each other but unable to work together as a whole. |
| D．Different from each other but together making a good combination. |
| A．Relaxing muscles. | B．Building stamina. |
| C．Strengthening the body. | D．Quickening the heartbeat. |
| A．Hold each Yin posture for longer than 5 minutes. |
| B．Do not practice yoga when you are not in good health. |
| C．Start your yoga practice under the guidance of a trainer. |
| D．Spare half an hour for five Yin postures in every yoga practice. |
3 . When 62-year-old fisherman Kpana Charlie finished the day’s catch, he liked to settle into a wooden chair, thinking about his childhood. Back then, his life on Sierra Leone’s Nyangai Island seemed excellent. He spent endless hours playing with his friends on the island’s white beaches. Whenever he wanted to avoid having to do his housework, he could simply disappear into the forest that covered much of the island. He remembers as recently as ten years ago, it still measured some 2, 300 feet from end to end.
Today, Nyangai is disappearing before his very eyes, covered by the endless sea. The forests are gone. And the land on which Charlie’s family home once stood, has long since disappeared beneath the waves.
In fact, the local government has responded to the sharp increase of sea level by building a concrete (混凝土制的) seawall along the length of the town. But in the many smaller coastal towns and villages in the area, there simply aren’t the resources. Then, the government made a project to protect some of the settlements by planting trees, but this has had limited success. With the population relying on woods for building and smoking-fish, few trees lived longer than the project, which ended in 2021.
Sierra Leone has been identified as one of the world’s most weak countries to the effects of climate change, despite having little influence on global CO2 emissions (排放). “Weak countries should be getting some support from wealthy nations to strengthen their climate defenses (防御),” says Gabriel Kpaka, the head of the country’s Meteorological Agency. “But we’re not really seeing that.”
With global sea level expected to rise by anywhere between 1 and 3 feet by the end of the century, along with an increase in extreme weather events, the experience of this West African island offers an understanding of the possible future of countless other low-lying areas around the world.
1. Why does the author tell Charlie’s story in paragraph 1?| A．To describe his wonderful life at present. | B．To offer-readers-background information |
| C．To call on local people to protect the seen | D．To attract more visitors to Nyangai Island. |
| A．The reasons for the changes on the island. | B．The rich natural species in coastal areas. |
| C．The measures taken to deal with rising sea level. | D．The way to build a concrete seawall on the island. |
| A．Local government should build a stronger seawall. |
| B．Local people on the island limit their CO2 emissions. |
| C．Countries in low-lying areas work together for their rights. |
| D．Rich countries should offer support about climate defenses. |
| A．Concerned. | B．Doubtful. | C．Uncertain. | D．Positive. |
| A．Improving the judgment. | B．Avoiding judging by appearances. |
| C．Carrying out the real-name system. | |
1. What are the speakers mainly discussing?
| A．The weather. | B．The weekend plan. | C．Free-time activities. |
| A．Take some classes. | B．Go to karaoke at night. | C．Go camping with the woman. |
