Why do people buy art? To answer this question, ask yourself what your reasons are for thinking of getting a piece of art. An artwork can cost a large amount of money, but if it meets your needs, it’s worth every penny.
People buy art for many reasons. Many people buy an artwork simply because they like it, even if it is by an unknown artist. Art, as long as you enjoy it, is never a waste of money.
Art is for enjoyment. Art is meant to be shown. Don’t ever feel pressured into buying something you won’t enjoy looking at day after day, no matter what other people may say. Don’t buy something that doesn’t attract you just because it is trendy, or because the artist is famous, or because you have been advised that the artwork will make a good investment. If you don’t like the artwork at all, don’t buy it!
Art improves your environment. Have you ever noticed that all beautiful homes have art as an integral(必需的) part of the decoration? Art lends life and color to otherwise plain and ordinary walls. A well thought--out art collection will help create a unique atmosphere in your home and make it more attractive.
Art makes a statement. The kind of art you surround yourself with says much about your personality tastes and values. Art truly is a mirror of the soul.
Art enriches your life. Love--even the love of a work of art--contributes to healthier living and a longer lifespan (寿命). Art should enrich your life. Otherwise, why do you spend precious time and resources on it?
Just remember to select something which will appeal to your tastes, and keep to a sensible budget. Good art needn’t cost an arm and a leg.
Happy art collecting!What’s the purpose of the passage?
A.To advise us to buy an expensive artwork. |
B.To remind us to be sensible when buying an artwork. |
C.To teach us how to choose works of art. |
D.To explain the benefit of art to people. |
According to the author, what should you consider when buying a piece of art?
A.Whether it brings pleasure to you. |
B.Whether it is fashionable at present. |
C.Whether you can profit from it in the end. |
D.Whether it is created by a famous artist. |
Which of the following words best describes a work of art placed in a house?
A.ordinary | B.attractive | C.necessary | D.unique |
The underlined sentence in Paragraph 5 means that ____.
A.art can show what you look like |
B.art is an expression of yourself |
C.a mirror has a feature similar to art |
D.a mirror can be a piece of true art |
Five thousand years ago, people thought that illnesses were the result of evil living in human bodies. They also believed that gods and superior spirits were punishing people through diseases. The practice of magic and witchcraft (巫术) was popular among many tribes, and charms (符咒) and images of gods to drive away the evil spirits were often used.
People also started using herbal(草药的) medicine and by trial and error (反复试验,不断摸索) learned how to cure stomachaches and fevers. They had a witch doctor in the community. He would treat people with simple herbal medicine and magic. Early medicine was practiced the way north tribal Indians did hundreds of years ago and the way some tribes practice it today.
The ancient Chinese believed that the body was ruled by two forces, which they called “yin” and “yang”. The body would become ill if one force overcame the other and the balance between them was changed. Acupuncture (针刺疗法) was the way to bring back the balance between the two.
Also sand painting was an important part of Navaho medicine. The medicine man paints loosely upon the floor of an earth-covered house, where the ceremony takes place, or on a buckskin (鹿皮) or a piece of cloth, by letting the colored sands flow through his fingers with control and skill.
Ancient Mesopotamians believed that diseases come either from an evil spirit or a physical problem, such as worms. The doctor would decide from which source the illness has come from and send the patient either to a herbalist or to a witch doctor.
Egyptians had a very advanced medicine. They would sometimes rely on the god’s power to receive healing, but they also treated illnesses and operated on minor health problems like snake bites. They sucked the blood from the wound and bound the affected limb to stop the poison from spreading.
66. The practice of magic and witchcraft was popular in ancient times because________.
A. people could avoid being punished by gods and superior spirits by doing this.
B. people thought they could avoid getting diseases in this way.
C. people believed the evil spirits could be driven away in this way.
D. people often got diseases and this way was very effective.
67. How many places are mentioned where early medicine existed in the passage?
A. Three. B. Four.C. Five.D. Six.
68. From Paragraph 2 we can learn that ________.
A. people can cure lots of diseases by combining herbal medicine and magic.
B. herbal medicine is so effective that it can cure all kinds of diseases.
C. witch doctors treated people only with herbal medicine.
D. people tried lots of times to cure illnesses with herbal medicine.
69. Ancient Chinese people believed that ________.
A. diseases were the result of evil living in human bodies.
B. people would fall ill if the balance in human bodies was disturbed.
C. a medicine man could cure people’s diseases by sand painting.
D. diseases not only came from evil spirits but also were physical problems
70. The passage mainly tells us ________.
A. why ancient people became ill.
B. about the most advanced medicine in ancient times.
C. about the development of herbal medicine.
D. how ancient people cured their diseases.
About ten men in every hundred suffer from color blindness in some way. Women are luckier; only about one in two hundred is affected in this matter. Perhaps, after all, it is safer to be driven by a woman!
There are different forms of color blindness. In some cases a man may not be able to see deep red. He may think that red, orange and yellow are all shadows of green. Sometimes a person cannot tell the difference between blue and green. In rare cases an unlucky man may see everything in shades of green -a strange world indeed.
Color blindness in human beings is a strange thing to explain. In a single eye there are millions of very small things called “cones”. These help us to see in a bright light and to tell difference between colors. There are also millions of “rods”, but these are used for seeing when it is near dark. They show us shape but no color.
Some insects have favorite colors. Mosquitoes prefer blue to yellow. A red light will not attract insects, but a blue lamp will. In a similar way human beings also have favorite colors. Yet we are lucky. With the aid of the cones in our eyes we can see many beautiful colors by day, and with the aid of the rods we can see shapes at night. One day we may even learn more about the invisible colors around us.
1. The passage is mainly about _____________.
A. color and its surprising effects. B. women being luckier than men
C. danger caused by color blindness D. color blindness
2. According to the passage, with the help of the “cones”, we can_______________.
A. tell different shapes B. see in a weak light
C. kill mosquitoes D. tell orange from yellow
3. Why do some people say it is safer to be driven by women?
A. Women are more careful.B. There are fewer color-blind women
C. Women are fonder of driving than men. D. Women are weaker but quicker in thinking.
4. Which of the statements about the color- blind is true?
A. Not all of them have the same problem in recognizing color.
B. None of them can see deep red.
C. None of them can tell the difference between blue and green.
D. All of them see everything in shades of green.
5. We can attract and kill mosquitoes by using a _____________.
A. red light B. yellow light C. blue light D. green light
PART THREE READING COMPREHENSION ( 30 points)
Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage.
Young people can have problems with their minds. Some students become worried because they have to study very hard. Others have trouble getting on well with people like their parents and classmates.
Liu Wei, a Junior 2 student from Hefei, could not understand his teacher and was doing badly in his lessons. He became so worried about it that he started to cut his finger with a knife. Another student, 14-year-old Yan Fang from Guangzhou, was afraid of exams. She got very worried in the test, and when she looked at the exam papers, she couldn’t think of anything to write.
A recent report from Jiefang Daily says about 18% of Shanghai teenagers have mental (心理的) problems. Their troubles include being worried and very unhappy, and having problems in learning and getting on well with people. Many students who have problems won’t go for advice or help. Some think they will look stupid (愚蠢的) if they go to see a doctor. Others don’t want to talk about their secret.
Liang Yuezhu,an expert on teenagers from Beijing Anding Hospital has the following advice for teenagers.
1). Talk to your parents or teachers often.
2). Take part in group activities and play sports.
3). Go to see a doctor if you feel unhappy or unwell.
56.The students who often become worried or have trouble getting on well with others may have________.
A. mental problems B. a headache C. knives with them D. no parents
57. Liu Wei cut his finger with a knife because__________.
A. he was afraid of his teacher B. he wanted to frighten his parents
C. he was so worried about his study D. his finger was badly hurt
58. Yan Fang’s problems happened whenever _________.
A. she studied very hard B. she had exams
C. she talked with her parents D. she thought of something
59. Students who have problems won’t ask others for help because _________.
A. they won’t let others think they are stupid.
B. they don’t think doctors can help them.
C. they don’t want to tell their secret to others.
D. both A and C.
60. Liang Yuezhu’s advice tells us that__________.
A. it’s better for the students who have mental problems to join others.
B. it’s unnecessary for them to be with others.
C. only group activities and sports can help them.
D. teachers and parents can’t do anything about mental problems.
The year is 2094.It has been announced that a comet (彗星) is heading towards the Earth.Most of it will miss our planet , but two pieces will probably hit the southern half of the Earth.
On 17 July , a piece four kilometers wide enters the Earth’s atmosphere (大气层) with a massive explosion.About half of the piece is destroyed , but the remaining part hits the South Atlantic at 200 times the speed of sound.The sea boils and a huge hole is made in the sea bed.Huge waves are created and spread outwards from the hole.The wall of water , a kilometer high , rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometers an hour.Cities on the African coast are totally destroyed and millions of people re drowned.
Before the waves reach South America , the second piece of the comet lands in Argentina.Earthquakes and volcanoes are set off in the Andes Mountains.The shock waves move north into California and all around the Pacific Ocean.The cities of Los Angeles , San Francisco and Tokyo are completely destroyed by earthquakes.Millions of people in the southern half of the earth are already dead, but the north won’t escape for long.Because of the explosions , the sun is hidden by clouds of dust , temperatures around the world fall to almost zero.Crops are ruined.The sun won’t be seen again for many years.Wars break out as countries fight for food.A year later , no more than 10 million people remain alive.
Could it really happen ? In fact , it has already happened more than once in the history of the Earth.The dinosaurs were on the Earth for over 160 million years.Then 65 million years ago they suddenly disappeared.Many scientists believe that the Earth was hit by a piece of object in space.The dinosaurs couldn’t live through the cold climate that followed and they died out.Will we meet the same and ?
72.What is mainly described in the passage ?
A.A historic discovery. B.An event of imagination
C.A research on space. D.A scientific adventure.
73.When the first piece hits the South Atlantic , it causes.
A.an earthquake B.damages to cities
C.an Earth explosion D.huge waves
74.Why can’t the northern half of the earth escape for long ?
A.Because the land is covered with water
B.Because the light and heat from the sun can not reach the earth.
C.Because people there can not live at the temperature of zero.
D.Because wars break out among countries.
75.By giving the example of dinosaurs , the author tries to prove.
A.animals could not live in the cold climate
B.what happened 65 million years ago was an invented story
C.the human beings will die out in 2094
D.the Earth could be hit by other objects in space
How would you like an easy way to earn 2,500 dollars? All you have to do is to sit around and wait for your meals.There’s catch, however.You have to stay in a chicken cage with a stranger for a whole week.There are no books or television or radio for amusement.You can’t leave until the week is up.And a camera will be recording your every move.
Two people actually took the joB.The idea came from Rob Thompson, a video artist.He wanted to make a film about the way animals are treateD.His goal was to raise people’s awareness of the living conditions of animals that are raised for fooD.He decided to pay $ 5000 out of his own savings to two people who were willing to lie like chicken for a week.
To Rob’s surprise, quite a few people answered his advertisement.He had interviews and selected Eric, a 24-year-old restaurant worker, and Pam, a 27-year-old chemist.The plan was for them to spend seven days together in a chicken cage that was six feet long and three feet wide.A camera would record their experience, which would take place in an art museum.
The week was long and difficult.They slept on a hard wooden floor.They couldn’t stand up without banging(重击)their heads.They ate vegetarian mash(土豆泥)and drank water from a garden hosepipe(水龙头软管).Their only privacy was a toilet surrounded by a curtain.There were no sinks, mirrors, or toothbrushes in the cage.Their only inspiration was the two framed checks that hung on the wall outside the cage.Visitors who came here were warned, “Do not food the humans.”
Finally it was over, Pam and Eric emerged from their cage.They had survived the week, and they each had a $2,500 check in their hands.When Rob Thompson opened the cage, Eric came out, changed into clean clothes, and ate a chocolate bar right away.“It’s great to be able to stand up,” he saiD.Pam just changed her clothes and left.After a week of visitors and reporters watching her, she didn’t want to talk to anyone.
68.What kind of person is Rob Thompson?
A.He is curious about people’s personal life.
B.He is kind-hearted to animals.
C.He hates people around.
D.He likes to help poor people.
69.What made it most difficult for the two to stay in the cage?
A.They didn’t know each other.
B.They couldn’t lie down to sleep in the cage.
C.They didn’t have meat to eat.
D.They had to do almost everything under others’ eyes.
70.Rob offered the money because he wanted________.
A.to see if there were any people who would like to live in a cage
B.to show the public how bitter animals’ life could be
C.to make more money by publishing the recorded video tapes
D.to improve housing conditions of working people like Eric
71.Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
A.Easy Way to Earn $ 2 500. B.Do Not Feed the Humans.
C.Living Like a Chicken. D.Getting Along Well Anyway.