1 . October 15, 1970 was declared International White Cane Safety Day(IWCSD)for the first time by the President of the International Federation of the Blind(IFB). This date was adopted at the first convention of the IFB, held in Colombo on October 4, 1969. The object of the exercise is to enable the general public to have a better understanding of blindness and visual handicap, and to make people more aware of the white cane as a mobility aid.
Peguillyd' Herbemont was born on 25th June 1888 into an old French noble family of the same name. In her youth she led the conventional and protected existence, lack of great activity, of a girl from a ''good family'', an existence reminding of the life of the aristocracy(贵族)before the French Revolution. She never visited a public school, but was educated by German and English governesses and nuns. Her movements were restricted and were mainly confined to the family positions in Paris and Belgium, but she spent most of her time at the castle of Charmois not far from Verdun.
In the process of helping individual blind people across the road, Peguillyd' Herbemont was made aware by narrow scrapes(刮擦)which almost led to accidents, of the dangerous situation of the visually impaired brought about by the steadily increasing traffic on the roads. She first spoke about measures to protect the blind against street hazards to her mother in 1930, but she was of the opinion that it was unfit for a lady of good society to create a public outcry and advised her to stick to the transcription of books, a popular pastime of ladies of rank at the time.
But the idea did not leave her. The urgent wish to encourage the integration(成为一体)of the blind into society by providing them with a means of moving about more freely. without endangering others, and at the same time attracting the attention of passers-by ready to offer assistance, caused her to take the unusual step of writing to the editor of the Paris daily Echo de Paris in which she suggested issuing the blind of the Paris region with white sticks similar to those used by the traffic police.
The editor took up the idea, published it in November 1930 and saw to it that the relevant authorities acted with a typical speed. Thus it was then that the white cane received official backing.
1. The underlined words ''the exercise'' here refer to ___ .| A．the founding of. the IFB | B．the declaration of IWCSD |
| C．the training in safety procedures | D．the first convention of the IFB |
| A．She led a typical aristocrat life when she was young. |
| B．Though she could travel around Europe, she spent most time at Charmois. |
| C．She was taught German and English at a public school. |
| D．She worried about street hazards for the blind, witnessing many traffic accidents. |
| A．Her concern about the dangerous situation for the blind caused by the increasing traffic |
| B．The accident she had when helping blind people across the road |
| C．The scrapes she got when crossing the road |
| D．Her urgent wish to integrate into society together with the blind |
| A．Peguillyd' Herbemont's achievements | B．how to care for the blind |
| C．how the white cane came into being | D．the function of the white cane |
2 . Mirroring China’s Past: Emperors and Their Bronzes
Chinese bronzes (青铜) of the second and first millennia BC are some of the most distinctive achievements in the history of art. These vessels (容器) were made to carry sacrificial offerings, to use in burial or to honor noble families in public ceremonies. When they were found by emperors centuries later, these spiritually significant objects were seen as signs of heavenly messages about a ruler or a dynasty and became prized items in royal collections. This exhibition—the first to explore these ancient objects throughout Chinese history—presents a rare opportunity to experience a large number of these works together in the United States.
Unlike Greek and Roman bronze sculptures of human and animal forms, most objects from Bronze Age China (about 2000 - 221 BC) were vessels for ceremonial use. Beginning with the Song dynasty (960 - 1279), emperors unearthed these symbolic works and began collecting them, considering them to be evidence of their own authority as rulers. In addition to impressive collections, the royal fascination with bronzes led to the creation of numerous reproductions and the comprehensive cataloguing of palace holdings. These catalogues are works of art themselves, featuring beautiful drawings and detailed descriptions of each object.
From the 12th century onward, scholars and artists also engaged in collecting and understanding ancient bronzes. Unlike emperors, scholars regarded bronzes as material evidence of their efforts to recover and reconstruct the past, and they occasionally exchanged them as tokens (象征) of friendship. Today ancient bronzes still occupy a primary position in Chinese culture — as historical objects and as signifiers of an important cultural heritage that inspires new generations, as seen in the works of contemporary artists on view in this presentation.
Mirroring China’s Past brings together approximately 180 works from the An Institute of Chicago’s strong holdings and from the Palace Museum in Beijing, the Shanghai Museum, and important museums and private collections in the United States. By providing viewers with a new understanding of ancient bronzes and their significance through time, the exhibition demonstrates China’s fascinating history and its developing present.
1. In what way are Chinese bronzes different from Greek and Roman ones?| A．They fascinated the royal family. |
| B．They took animal or human forms. |
| C．They served ceremonial purposes. |
| D．They were important cultural heritage. |
| A．Unreal. | B．Creative. |
| C．Artistic. | D．Necessary. |
| A．It is held in China. | B．It is arranged by time. |
| C．It is organized by scholars. | D．It includes modern artworks. |
| A．Viewers. | B．Collections. |
| C．Museums. | D．Art dealers. |
