What is art? According to one definition, it is the creation of something that appeals to our sense of beauty. This definition may include painting, drawing, sculpture, and architecture, or performing arts such as music and drama. Cultural and historical influences, as well as one’s own consciousness of what is aesthetically(审美地 )pleasing, play a role in what one believes to be art. To some people, art is the description of an object--- a painting or sculpture of a person, for example. For others, art may be a blank canvas, or a piece of chalk.
In order to talk about the different artistic styles that have existed over time, art historians have classified these styles into different periods and organized them in chronological order. The works of art produced within each period mirror the culture and events of that time.
The earliest forms of art, from the prehistoric era(时代), include simple cave paintings and figures made from stone. These were followed by the sculptures and carvings of Ancient Civilizations era. Styles of the later Classical era (800 B.C. to 200 A.D.), reflect the culture of the time--- one that favored simplicity and balance. The period of the Middle Ages followed, and was succeeded by a revival(复兴) of classical styles in the Renaissance era, beginning around 1400. Well-known artists of this time include Michelangelo and da Vinci. One hundred years of Baroque style, and then fifty years of Rococo followed the 200-year Renaissance. The start of the nineteenth century saw the rise of the Premodern era, followed by the Modern era, a period that lasted until 1945. This was followed by Postmodern era that characterizes the present day.
In addition to differences in artistic styles between eras, there are also differences within each era. The Postmodern era, for example, has featured innovative(创新) artistic styles such as Pop Art ( which includes work by Andy Warhol), Minimalism, and Conceptualism. Since the 1960s, Conceptualism has grown in popularity. This style focuses more on the idea or ‘concept’ of art using realistic objects, rather than on art that is created using traditional materials such as paint, canvas, stone, or clay. Whereas Warhol used a can of beans as the basis for a painting, for example, a conceptual artist might say that the can itself is a work of art.
Conceptualism has become an increasingly controversial(有争议的) art style, particularly as result of numerous conceptual artists winning the Turner Prize. This £20,000 award is presented annually to a British artist under the age of fifty, in recognition of an outstanding work. Sponsored by the Tate Gallery of Britain, it is recognized as one of Europe’s most prestigious awards for visual arts. Its aim is to promote discussion about contemporary British art. In 2002, pop music icon Madonna presented the Turner Prize to conceptual artist Martin Creed. One of the artistic styles that many people today discuss and arguing about is ______.
A.classic style | B.Conceptualism | C.Pop art | D.Baroque style |
Which statement is NOT true according to the passage?
A.Pop Art, Minimalism and Conceptualism are styles that developed in the Postmodern era. |
B.Some of the world’s earliest art was created in caves. |
C.History, culture and one’s concept of beauty affect what a person believes to be art. |
D.Art historians refer to today’s artistic period as the Modern era. |
According to the passage, art historians have classified these styles into ____ periods.
A.7 | B.8 | C.10 | D.12 |
If the passage continues, the following paragraph will be probably about_________.
A.Martin Creed’s winning works | B.Madonna’s outstanding art style |
C.the status of Conceptualism | D.the conclusion of art |
To most of us,school means classes,teachers,schedules,grades,and tests.But for the children at Sudbury Valley School in Massachusetts,school is very different.
Firstly,there are no lessons.All the children,aged between 4 and 19,do whatever they want.There are no teachers—only “staff members”.The idea behind this is that you do not need to make children learn,because children want to learn anyway.“You do not need to say to a three yearold,‘Go explore your environment.'You can't stop them!” says Daniel Greenberg,a founder of the school.“But if you make children do what you want all day,they will lose all taste for learning.”
At Sudbury Valley School,you will permit children to talk,read,paint,cook,work on computers,study French,play the piano,climb trees or just run around.Two boys spent three years just fishing!
The other way that Sudbury Valley School is different is that the children can decide the rules.Every week,there is a school meeting where both children and staff have one vote each—even the fouryearolds.They decide the school rules,how to spend the school budget,and even which staff they want and do not want any more.
When the school first opened in 1968,people said it would never work.But today,the school has 200 students,and 80%of its students go on to college. Even the two boys who went fishing all the time have successful careers today.One of them is a musician and the other is a computer scientist.What is the main topic of the article?
A.An unusual school. | B.Children's hobbies. |
C.A school without rules. | D.Education in the US. |
What does the school believe?
A.Teachers cannot teach children Well. |
B.Children learn best when they do what they want to do. |
C.Learning is for adults—children should only play. |
D.Children should only learn about one thing at a time. |
What does Daniel Greenberg say about threeyearolds?
A.They love learning. |
B.They are very naughty. |
C.They want to be outside all the time. |
D.They are too young to learn anything. |
Who has the most power in the school meetings?
A.The older children have more power than the younger children. |
B.A child has more power than an adult. |
C.The younger children have more power than the older children. |
D.Everybody has equal power. |
JANE AUSTEN(1775—1817)is often regarded as the greatest of English women novelists on the strength of her six completed novels.Known particularly for their social comedy and accurate description of human relationships,they are still as widely read today as they have ever been.
The seventh child of a country priest(牧师),Jane Austen was born on 16 December 1775 at Steventon in Hampshire.Her father ,the Reverend George Austen,was an intelligent and sensitive man who encouraged Jane in her love of reading.From an early age she was familiar with the works of Henry Fielding,Sir Walter Scott,Richardson,Frances Burney and the poet George Crabbe.Her early attempts at writing include burlesques(滑稽作品)of popular romances.When her father retired in 1801 the family moved to Bath,which was later to feature in her novel Northanger Abbey(published in 1818).After his death in 1805 the family moved first to Southampton and then in 1809 to Chawton in Hampshire.where Jane Austen is known to have written her last three novels:Mansfield Park(1814),Emma(1816)and Persuasion(also published in 1818).Although her other novels were written much earlier ,it was not until 1811 that Sense and Sensibility was first published.Pride and Prejudice,which followed in1813,features Jane Austen’own favourite hero,Elizabeth Bennet.
Surrounded by her lively and warm family and wholly buried herself in her writing and housework,Jane Austen led a life often known for its lack of events.She did,however ,attract several admirers and even accepted a proposal of marriage from one admirer-only to change her mind the following morning.Jane Austen’s independent life often seems reflected in her novels,which seem to display the world in miniature(缩影).Sir Walter Scott praised Jane Austen for‘that unique touch which makes ordinary commonplace things and characters interesting’,while Somerset Maugham claimed that she had at her command ‘the most precious gift a novelist can possess’s that of keeping the reader’s interest.Jane Austen died in 1817.The underlined word“touch” in the third paragraph is closest in meaning to
A.style | B.contact | C.taste | D.attitude |
Which of Jane Austen’s novels were published after her death?
A.Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park. |
B.Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. |
C.Pride and Prejudice and Emma. |
D.Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion. |
We can infer from the passage that Jane Austen had a gift for
A.attracting admirers |
B.reflecting her own life in all her novels |
C.making dull things and characters interesting |
D.holding the readers’ interest |
This passage is most probably a
A.collection of women novelists and their works |
B.comment on Jane Austen and her works |
C.brief introduction of Jane Austen |
D.description of Jane Austen’s road to success |
The stars have come together for the 2014 QUT Classic fun run on Sunday, May 4! This year's fun run around central Brisbane not only promises a fantastic family day out--it also happens to be International Star Wars Day.
Hundreds of serious一and not so serious一participants will contest a choice of scenic l km , 5km or l0km routes around QUT (Queensland University of Technology), South Bank and the CBD on Sunday, May 4.
May 4 has become Star Wars Day for fans around the globe一the date being chosen as a play on "May the Force (fourth) be with you"
To celebrate, Yoda will make a special guest appearance at the QUT Classic at 7:20am to help kids warm up for the l km event while the Indie Chamber Orchestra does a live performance of the Star Wars theme. The special visit has been organized by Healthstream QUT, who operate the university's pools and gyms.
Classic organizer Cheryl Goodwin from QUT Student Engagement said the second annual event would also be combined with a buskers(街头艺人)festival, ensuring plenty of entertainment around Gardens Point and along the route.
"The Classic Buskers Festival is being organized by the QUT Music Society and will Feature some of Brisbane’s best buskers and bands as well as QUT talent.There's going to be a mix of music,dance,circus and comedy."she said.
The QUT Classic will also raise funds for QUT’s Learning Potential Fund,which provides scholarships for low income students.About 1200 people registered for last year’s event and organizers are hoping for a similar--if not bigger-turnout in 2014.
The race will begin and end at QUT Gardens Point,where breakfast will be available for purchase.Both the 5km and 1 0km events will begin at 8:00 am,with the l km event starting at 7:30 am.
QUT Classic registration costs$25 for the l km event,$30 for 5km and$35 for 10km.
People can register as individuals or in teams.One of the biggest teams is expected to be the Learning Potential Fund team,which is open to QUT staff ,students and the general public.
Participants who register before 30 April will receive a race pack.The first 1 000 participants will also receive a free 1imited edition QUT Classic T-shirt.
QUT Running is offering all registrants free training sessions in the six weeks leading up to this event.
For more information on the QUT Classic,contact Cheryl Goodwin on 07 3138 9447 orc.goodwin@qut.edu.au.
Media contact:Mechelle McMahon,QUT media,media@qut.edu.auThe purpose of the passage is to introduce______.
A.a fun run around central Brisbane |
B.an international Star Wars Day |
C.a buskers festival in QUT |
D.QUT’s learning Potential Fund |
According to the 3rd paragraph,May 4_____.
A.plays an important part in Star Wars Day |
B.can be understood in different ways when read |
C.used to be a festival for fans around the world |
D.means the same as“May the Force be with you” |
Which of the following will be free for all the participants?
A.Breakfast. | B.A race pack. | C.T-shirt. | D.Training session. |
If you want to know more about QUT Classic,you can contact .
A.Healthstream QUT | B.Cheryl Goodwin |
C.QUT Music Society | D.Mechelle |
The sound of a mosquito can mean trouble in many parts of the world. The bite of the mosquito can be deadly. The insects carry serious diseases like malaria. It is estimated that almost 630,000 people died from malaria and malaria-related causes in 2012, and most of these cases were in African countries.
In the United States, a group of California scientists is working to develop a more effective and less costly substance(物质)to protect people from mosquitoes. The researchers are investigating the sense of smell in mosquitoes. They found the insects use the same receptor(感受器)for identifying carbon dioxide in human breath as they do for the smell of our skin. Anandasankar Ray, who is leading the investigation, says scientists tested more than a million chemical compounds(化合物)until they found a substance called Ethyl pyruvate. He says Ethyl pyruvate makes the mosquitoes' receptor inactive. ”When we apply Ethyl pyruvate to a human arm and offer it to hungry mosquitoes in a cage, very few of the mosquitoes are attracted to the human arm because only a few of them are able to smell it out,” said Ray.
Genevieve Tauxe, a member of the research team, says it was not easy to find the neurons (神经元)of nose cells that recognise both the smell of human breath and skin. "With the device used to examine mosquitoes, we are able to insert a very small electrode(电极)into the part of the mosquitoes' nose, where its smelling neurons are and where the smell is happening," said Tauxe.
Anandasankar Ray says a product based on Ethyl pyruvate may cost less to produce than DEFT,the most effective chemical treatment now in use. He says DEFT is too costly for most people who live in areas affected by malaria.
“Perhaps by finding smells that can attack other target receptors, we will be able to improve upon DEFT and finally have the next generation of insect behavior control products," said Ray.The best title for the passage is most probably _______________________________.
A.Scientists Find New Substance to Fight Mosquitoes |
B.A New Generation of DEET Has Been Developed to Kill Mosquitoes |
C.Malaria一a Serious Disease Causing 630,000 Deaths |
D.Ethyl Pyruvate一an Insect Behavior Control Product |
According to the passage, Ethyl Pyruvate can_______________________________.
A.kill the mosquitoes' smelling neurons |
B.cause the mosquitoes to lose their sense of smell |
C.result in the inactiveness of the mosquitoes' receptor |
D.make the mosquitoes uninterested in human breath and skin smell |
Through the passage, the writer aims to_______________________________.
A.inform readers of the new development in fighting mosquitoes |
B.praise the achievements made in the battle against malaria |
C.introduce a cheaper product in fighting mosquitoes |
D.tell the differences between Ethyl Pyruvate and DEET |
This passage most probably appears in_______________________________.
A.the column of newspaper ads |
B.the health column of a magazine |
C.a textbook of medical schools |
D.a collection of doctors' essays |
Different Kinds of Birds
Avocets
There are 4 different species of Avocet found around the world-Pied Avocet , Red-necked Avocet, Andean Avocet, and American Avocet. This bird is found in North and South America, Europe, and even Australia. This long-legged bird has webbed feet and an upturned, thin bill.
Bald Eagles
The bald eagle is found in wetlands and near coastlines. They have very large and broad wings, with a broad tail. The head and tail are white in color, which is the major distinguishable factor of the bald eagle. The long, hooked bill is yellow in color. They feed on fish, ducks, rabbits, geese, etc.
Eastern Bluebirds
These are around 61/2 inches in length .Such birds are found mainly in gardens woodlands, and orchards with the arrival of spring. Male Eastern Bluebirds are bright blue on the upper half and have a white belly. Female Eastern Bluebirds have a grayish head with shades of blue as well. New York and Missouri have named this creature as their state bird.
Flamingos
These pink-bodied birds with a unique beak, are generally found in large groups. The beaks are capable of removing mud before they can eat their food. Flamingos can be found in many African countries, areas of Florida, and one particular type of species is found only in the Andean highlands.
Kingfishers
There are over 90 various species of Kingfishers found in the woodland areas as well as wetlands across the world. They are excellent divers when it comes to catching fish in the rivers. Their pointed bills are what help them bag the catch. Kingfishers have good eyesight whether they are in air or underwater. ____ most probably mean the same.
A.Bill and beak | B.Head and beak | C.Bill and belly | D.Leg and feet |
Which of the following is true?
A.Eastern Bluebirds are all blue in color. |
B.Avocets can be found around the world. |
C.The white head and tail make Bald Eagles distinguishable. |
D.More Kingfishers can be found in wetlands than in the woodland areas. |
Birds that can be found only in the Andean highlands are ________.
A.Bald Eagles |
B.Female Eastern Bluebirds |
C.Andean Avocets |
D.one special type of Flamingos |
It can be inferred from the passage that what Bald Eagles and Kingfishers have in common is their____.
A.habitats | B.shapes | C.ability to catch fish | D.eyesight in air or under water |