Self-Portrait
Alia was disappointed to find herself in the drawing studio. She had been sick with the flu during the week when everyone else got to pick their classes. She had hoped for Astronomy or Marine Biology, but they were full by the time she got to choose. She loved everything about science, from the way it used facts and formulas to how it revealed the basic nature of things. But art was so un-scientific.
The first class project was self-portraits. Some students were drawing self-portraits using mirrors. Others were working from photographs. Alia glanced at the incomplete sketches, feeling like a cat in a dog show. But she had no choice. Hesitantly, she lifted a pencil, only to pause before the canvas. Confusion and reluctance were evidently written on her face; she had no idea how to proceed with her strokes.
The teacher came up to Alia’s easel (画架). Seemingly having noticed her trouble, he sat next to her.
“Every portrait begins with a circle,” he said. “Then you create a series of lines.”
To demonstrate, he drew a group of small, quick portraits. He began each one with a circle, some straight lines, and a triangle to determine where the eyes, nose, and chin should go. To Alia’s amazement, each portrait on the paper took form. Alia had never thought about it, but the features of everyone’s face were in the same spots. “Go ahead and give it a try.” The teacher handed the pencil back to her.
Taking a deep breath, Alia began her own self-portrait. She drew the basic form of a head, the way she had been shown. From there, she used lines to plot the features of her face. She had to take note of each detail, with each stroke, line and curve demanding her close attention. One wrong measurement could throw off the whole portrait.
注意:
1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
The process took patience and precision.
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Admiring her work, Alia suddenly realized drawing was just what she had hoped for.
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2 . Exhibitions of the British Museum in 2024
Legion life in the Roman army 1 Feb 2024-23 Jun 2024 Adults from E22, Members and under-16s free. | Admonitions of the instructress to the court ladies 8 July-18 August 2024 Free |
Experience Rome’s war machine through the people who knew it best. Expansive yet deeply personal, this exhibition transports you through the life and service of a real Roman soldier, Claudius Terentianus, from enlistment and campaigns to enforcing occupation then finally retirement. Objects include letters written on papyri and the Vindolanda tablets, revealing first-hand what daily life was like for soldiers and the women, children and enslaved people who accompanied them. | This masterpiece is considered a milestone in Chinese painting history. Traditionally attributed to Gu Kaizhi (about AD345-406), it probably dates to between AD 400 and700. Due to conservation precautions, it can only be displayed for six weeks a year. The Admonitions Scroll depicts a poetic text composed by an official Zhang Hua(about AD 232-300)aimed at correcting the behaviour of an empress. The Scroll carries inscriptions (题词) by later collectors including the Qianlong emperor. |
Gesture and line 5 October 2023-1 April 2024 Free Explore the work of four artists who spearheaded (引领) the practice of drawing in the post-war years. From the 1960s drawing assumed a prominent position among a rising generation of post-war artists in Germany and Austria. This exhibition examines works on paper by four of these artists, who are still comparatively little known in the UK. | Around the world in 90 24 Feb2024-24 Mar 2024 £ 14 Adults and children aged 12+ Explore some of the most famous objects on display at the Museum. Follow our knowledgeable volunteer tour guide on a journey of discovery around the galleries. See spectacular sculptures from ancient Greece, explore life and death in ancient Egypt and get closer to many more highlights from the collection. |
A.The rise and fall of the Roman empire. | B.The function of machines in the war. |
C.Daily objects used by Roman civilians. | D.Life records of a retired Roman soldier. |
A.It is on display every 6 weeks. | B.It changes the course of painting. |
C.It bears Qianlong’s handwriting on it. | D.It was created by official Zhang Hua. |
A.Gesture and line. |
B.Around the world in 90. |
C.Legion life in the Roman army. |
D.Admonitions of the instructress to the court ladies. |
3 . Christ Mocked, by the Florentine master Cimabue, was sold at auction(拍卖)for €24 million in 2019. But the Chilean buyers never got to include the work in their collection because the French government refused to give it an export licence.
Ministers declared the painting a national treasure, officially giving the Louvre 30 months to raise the funds for its purchase. The Louvre recently reached an agreement with the owners.
Laurence des Cars, the president of the Louvre, said it was a “great joy” to have acquired the painting, which “constitutes a crucial landmark in the history of art”. The museum did not say how much it had paid, nor who had sold the painting, which will be exhibited in 2025.
The painting was spotted four years ago by Philomene Wolf, an auctioneer, when she was asked to assess the content s of a house that was being cleared. The owner, in her nineties, thought it was a painting from Russia of no value and was preparing to put it in the dustbin.
Wolf was struck by its quality and guessed that it could be Italian. Experts using modern technology confirmed that it was by Cimabue, who is widely regarded as having opened the gateway to Renaissance art. It is believed to date from 1280. Christ Mocked is one of about 15 known Cimabue’s works.
The Louvre launched an appeal on Tuesday for donations to buy another painting, The Basket of Wild Strawberries by Jean Simeon Chardin, the 18th-century French still life(静物画)master. The work, which was first exhibited in 1761, was in a private collection from the 19th century until last year, when it was sold for €24.3 million to an American art museum at an auction in Paris.
Luckily, many groups and individuals donated two-thirds of the sum. The museum must pay the remaining € 8 million and is hoping that members of the public will help to ease the burden by responding to its appeal, which aims to raise € 1.3 million.
1. What can we know about Christ Mocked?A.It is a painting from Russia. |
B.It was discovered by Cimabue. |
C.It is seen as a treasure of France. |
D.It was taken away by Chilean buyers. |
A.Sums up. | B.Acts as. | C.Finds out. | D.Points out. |
A.She purchased it at auction. | B.Cimabue sent it to her. |
C.She got it from an old woman. | D.She found it when she cleaned up. |
A.The Painting Christ Mocked Was Sold |
B.The Louvre Was Appealing for Donation |
C.French Government Takes Back Its Words |
D.Painting Saved From Bin Was to Hang in the Louvre |
4 . Why is the museum of great significance?
A.It’s a museum for old art. |
B.It will be built on a small island. |
C.It’s the first of its kind in Indonesia. |
5 . Art comes in two main categories: realistic and abstract. Realistic art aims to show real-life scenes, people, and objects exactly as they appear. It involves paying close attention to details, making things look like photographs.
Realistic art is easy to understand. Viewers can easily recognize what is portrayed. Take the Mona Lisa, for example—it’s a realistic painting of a lady with a mysterious smile.
Unlike realistic art, abstract art is more about being creative.
As for personal preference, some people prefer the clear stories of realistic art while others are attracted to the mystery of abstract art, interpreting meanings in the shapes and forms. Together, the two kinds of art make the art world diverse and engaging.
A.Both types of art take skills to make |
B.Photographs preserve faces of folks from long ago |
C.Grasping abstract art demands more artistic training |
D.Both ways of creating art have their own value and beauty |
E.In contrast, abstract art focuses less on realistic appearances |
F.Artworks like this tell stories about history and everyday life |
G.Artists have the freedom to go beyond real-life representations |
6 . 听下面一段独白,回答以下小题。
1. Who is the speaker probably talking to?A.Art lovers. | B.Photographers. | C.University students. |
A.Taking Photographs for a newspaper. |
B.Teaching painting in a university. |
C.Writing a book about art. |
A.A host. | B.A teacher. | C.A writer. |
7 . It is frequently said that the best camera is the one you already have with you. Amazingly, the cameras on modern phones can take killer images without a professional camera. But if you’re struggling to get the quality you want, try a few of these helpful tips.
Pick the right time of day
There are a variety of lighting options that change throughout the day.
Pay attention to lighting
Look for subjects with natural motion like a waterfall, stream, flowers in the wind, etc., and set your shutter speeds to 20 seconds or more. It is vital to have a small secure support to ensure your camera is as perfectly still as possible during the shot.
Photo editing apps
Don’t limit your photos to what you can capture straight out of camera (SOOC).
A.Long exposure |
B.Consider composition |
C.Try to have access to many creative apps |
D.You can control whether the background is in focus |
E.Photography is often referred to as painting with light |
F.It provides an attractive tone for your subject and scenery |
G.Golden hour is the hour just after sunrise or just before sunset |
8 . It takes a lot of courage to make a painting or drawing. All your skills, or lack of them, are plain to see and open to praise or criticism. It’s hard and takes persistent courage to keep going when things are not going your way.
Everyone knows that it is a good thing to practice drawing and painting every day.
If you produce frequent small-scale paintings, you will learn much faster.
It is likely that the paintings which inspire you will have qualities that you feel are lacking from your own.
A.However, how many of us actually do it? |
B.Produce works that are in line with people’s taste. |
C.It’s a good idea to start by defining a clear achievable goal. |
D.In this way, you clearly know what you like and what you don’t. |
E.Imagine how much more you can learn from ten paintings than one. |
F.Drawing has many benefits and can improve our lives in a variety of ways. |
G.Besides, while learning, you will naturally seek out new artists and artworks. |
9 . Are you anxious about how to spend your holiday with your kids effectively? Are you at a loss due to not knowing how to stimulate your kids’ interest? Now just satisfy your teens’ desire for the unusual in Bristol with shopping and attractive art.
MAKING THEIR MARK
While it can be tough to persuade some teens to embrace art, you’ll find it easier in Bristol. You won’t have to rack your brains (绞尽脑汁) to encounter the handiwork of the city’s famous one, because there are more than 200-odd street artists in the city where The Wall offers a two-hour tour of the must-see works and Bristol’s 30 years of graffiti history. There are spray-painting workshops too, if your teens want to give it a shot.
A WHOLE NEW WORLD
If all that graffiti leads to a new-found interest in art, then the next step is Wake The Tiger, a new art experience. Through mysterious creative works, hidden forests and secret passageways, you and your family will enter the magic world. It’s perfect for teen fantasy fans.
ON LOCATION
Remember Skins? The 00s drama was a hit with teens for its realistic plot, and now a new one is discovering it on Netflix. Much of the show was filmed in Bristol and the Bristol Film Office has put together a map of all of the key locations. Visit Bristol and the Bristol Film Office have also mapped other hit shows, including Sherlock and Doctor Who.
VINTAGE FINDS
If your teens are keen to develop their vintage (复古的) rock style, take them to Park Street to discover the vintage shops, including Uncle Sam’s Vintage, perfect for everything from American varsity (校队的) jackets to Levi’s jeans, as well as The Vintage Thrift Store, Loot Vintage and Sobeys.
1. Why does the author recommend Bristol?A.Because it is easier to learn art here. |
B.Because artists here are more famous. |
C.Because there are numerous great artists and works. |
D.Because it has longer graffiti history than other cities. |
A.Buy vintage jeans. | B.Be exposed to maps of film. |
C.Encounter famous film stars. | D.Pay a visit to the splendid graffiti history. |
A.Artists | B.Parents | C.Teenagers | D.Fans of painting |
10 . Learning anything can be challenging, especially when it comes to figuring out how and what to practice. Repetition is usually essential. But you don’t want something that takes the joy out of you. I’ve been teaching myself to draw for a few years. I had improved a lot but for a long while was going nowhere. I’d tried lots of books and courses, and filled endless pages with boxes, parallel lines and figures. None of these seems to be working.
But something clicked when I started sketchbooking this year. The sketchbooks led to a shift in mindset. Rather than trying to practise, I was engaging in a practice — scribbling (涂鸦). The scribbles weren’t all good but they have become part of a whole. I’ve been absorbed ever since. I scribbled my breakfast, the fruit in the office, and other people on the train.
I spoke to Danny Gregory, a writer who blogs and makes videos about sketchbooking, to try to figure out why I had become so taken by my new practice.
“We think the practice in drawing is like that in piano, where you have to play through a series of musical notes step by step,” Gregory says. “But what if you think about practice in other terms — like a yoga practice or medical practice? With those kinds of practices, you’ve learned some stuff, right? Progress happens naturally. It’s not preparatory. So just follow the process and take pleasure in it. This is what matters.”
I have now filled two sketchbooks just with portraits — more than 100 scribbled over a couple of months. In them I challenged myself to include people on every page. Used to drawing ghost-town versions, the first few pages were a struggle. But I started varying my morning coffee routine to find new places where I could observe life.
My latest sketchbook will tackle the challenge of all my drawings — hands. I’ve always had problems drawing hands. It’s early days, but I’m not fearing it as I would have before because it isn’t just practice any more.
1. What was the challenge the author faced when learning to draw?A.Lack of interest in traditional practice methods. | B.Little progress despite extensive efforts. |
C.Difficulty in obtaining necessary resources. | D.Inability to master specific drawing techniques. |
A.Improving hand control. | B.Enriching creative expression. |
C.Grasping ways to paint details. | D.Accepting imperfections in art. |
A.Focus on specifics is essential. | B.Repetition is a fundamental key. |
C.The emphasis lies in enjoying the process. | D.The highlight is in well-organized exercises. |
A.Every beginning is difficult. | B.Tailored methods drive progress. |
C.Art is the language of the soul. | D.Integrating life enhances learning. |