1 . A study of art history might be a good way to learn more about a culture than is possible to learn in general classes. Most typical history courses concentrate on politics, economics, and wars. But art history focuses on much more than this because art reflects not only the political values of a people, but also religious beliefs, emotions, and psychology. In addition, information about the daily activities of our ancestors ― or of people very different from our own ― can be provided by art. In short, art expresses the essential qualities of a time and a place, and a study of it clearly offers us a deeper understanding than what can be found in most history books.
In history books, objective information about the political life of a country is presented: that is, facts about politics are given, but opinions are not expressed. Art, on the other hand, is subjective: it reflects emotions and opinions. The great Spanish painter Franciso Goya was perhaps the first truly political artist. In his well-known painting The Third of May, 1808, he criticized the Spanish government for its misuse of power over people. Over a hundred years later, symbolic images were used in Pablo Picasso’s Guernica to express the horror of war. Meanwhile, on another continent, the powerful paintings of Diego Rivera, Jose Clements Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros ― as well as the works of Alfredo Ramos Martinez ― showed these Mexican artists’ deep anger and sadness about social problems.
In the same way, art can reflect a culture’s religious beliefs. Four hundreds of years in Europe, religious art was almost the only type of art that existed. Churches and other religious buildings were filled with paintings that depicted people and stories from the Bible. Although most people couldn’t read, they could still understand biblical stories in the pictures on church walls. By contrast, one of the main characteristics of art in the Middle East was (and still is) its absence of human and animal images. This reflects the Islamic（伊斯兰教的）belief that statues are unholy（不神圣的；亵渎的）.
1. Which of the following sentences is WRONG according to the passage?| A．Art history concentrates on religious beliefs, emotions and psychology only. |
| B．Art can provide information about the everyday activities of ancient people. |
| C．Information and facts about politics are given objectively in history. |
| D．Franciso Goya was perhaps the first truly political artist. |
| A．personal and emotional opinions are expressed through it |
| B．it will make the viewers angry and sad about history |
| C．it can help us understand historical facts better |
| D．opinions about facts are not expressed |
| A．art is subjective |
| B．artists are very similar even over a hundred years |
| C．art can reflect political life of a country |
| D．history books present objective information |
| A．Europe | B．America |
| C．Mexico | D．Middle East |
| A．the difference between general history and art history |
| B．the development of art history |
| C．the influence of artists on art history |
| D．what we can learn from art |
| A．Islamic artists focus on creating architectural decorations with pictures of flowers or geometric (几何) forms |
| B．history teachers are more objective than artists |
| C．it is more difficult to study art history than general history |
| D．people and stories from the Bible were painted on churches and other buildings in order to popularize the Bible |
2 . Abraham Lincoln, a self-taught lawyer, was elected 16th president of the United States in November 1860, shortly before the outbreak of the Civil War. Lincoln proved to be a smart military strategist and a competent leader: His Emancipation Proclamation (解放宣言) paved the way for slavery’s abolition, while his Gettysburg Address stands as one of the most famous speeches in American history. In April 1865, with the Union on the brink of victory, Abraham Lincoln was killed; his untimely death made him a hero to the cause of liberty, and he is widely regarded as one of the greatest presidents in U.S. history.
On January 20, 1981, Reagan took office. Only 69 days later he was shot by a would-be killer, but quickly recovered and returned to duty. His grace and wit during the dangerous incident caused his popularity to soar.
At the end of his two terms in office, Ronald Reagan viewed with satisfaction the achievements of his innovative program known as the Reagan Revolution, which aimed to motivate the American people and reduce their reliance upon Government. He felt he had fulfilled his campaign pledge of 1980 to restore “the great, confident roar of American progress and growth and optimism.”
When George W. Bush, at the age of 54, became the 43rd president of the United States, it was only the second time in American history that a president’s son went on to the White House. John Quincy Adams, elected the sixth president in 1824, was the son of John Adams, the second president. While John Adams had brought up his son to be president. George Bush, the 41st president, insisted he was surprised when the eldest of his six children became interested in politics, became governor of Texas, and then went on to the white House.
Barack Obama served as the 44th President of the United States. His story is the American story—values from the heartland, a middle-class upbringing in a strong family, hard work and education as the means of getting ahead, and the belief that a life so blessed should be lived in service to others.
With a father from Kenva and a mother from Kansas, President Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961. He was raised with help from his grandfather, who served in Patton’s army, and his grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle management at a bank.
| A．Abraham Lincoln. | B．Ronald Reagan. |
| C．George W. Bush. | D．Barack Obama. |
| A．he regretted having been elected President |
| B．he still had much to do for the country |
| C．he had kept his promise to the people |
| D．he was becoming more popular with the people |
| A．George W Bush. | B．John Adams. |
| C．John Quincy Adams. | D．George Bush. |
| A．Abraham Lincoln. | B．Ronald Reagan. |
| C．George W. Bush. | D．Barack Obama. |
| A．Abraham Lincoln. | B．Ronald Reagan. |
| C．George W. Bush. | D．Barack Obama. |
