When Frida Kahlo's paintings were on show in London, a poet described her paintings as “ a ribbon (丝带)around a bomb”. Such comments seem to suggest Kahlo had a big influence on the art world of her time. Sadly, she is actually a much bigger name today than she was during her time.
Born in 1907 in a village near Mexico City , Kahlo suffered from polio(小儿麻痹症)at the age of seven. Her spine (脊柱)became bent as she grew older. Then, in 1925, her back was broken in several places in a school-bus accident. Throughout the rest of her life, the artist had many operations, but noting was able to cure the terrible pain in her back. However, the accident had an unexpected side effect. While lying in her bed recovering, Kahlo taught herself to paint.
In 1929, she got married to Diego Rivera, another famous Mexican artist. Rivera’s strong influences on Kahlo’s style can be seen in her early works, but her later works from the 1940s, known today as her best works, show less influence from her husband.
Unfortunately, her works did not attract much attention in the 1930s and1940s, even in her home country. Her first one-woman show in Mexico was not held until 1953. For more than a decade after her death in 1954, Kahlo’s works remained largely unnoticed by the world, but in the 1970s her works began to gain international fame at last. What does the phrase “a much bigger name” in paragraph 1 most nearly mean?
| A.a far better artist | B.a much more famous person |
| C.a much stronger person | D.a far more gifted artist |
The terrible pain Kahlo suffered was caused by .
| A.back injuries | B.her bent spine | C.polio | D.the operations she had |
Kahlo’s style had become increasingly independent since the .
| A.1930s | B.1970s | C.1950s | D.1940s |
What is author’s attitude toward Kahlo?
| A.Devotion | B.Encouragement | C.Worry | D.Sympathy(同情) |
What kind of pets do people have in your country? Dogs? Cats? How about a duck, hippo or lion? Here are two cases of animal owners with unusual pets.
Barrie Hayman has a pet duck called Star. Barrie adopted (领养) him after his brothers and sisters stayed away from him at birth. Barrie, a duck breeder, realized the little duck needed special attention. So he began taking Star with him everywhere he went. “I would put him in my pocket while I did my shopping,” said Barrie. Now, at five months, Star is too big for Barrie’s pocket, but the two are still inseparable. They watch sports together and even share a drink together. Barrie said, “He is one fantastic duck. I’ve never known any like him.” Star even has his own Facebook page, with more than 2,000 Facebook friends.
Then there’s the case of Tonie and Shirley Joubert in South Africa. They live with their pet hippo, Jessica. Tonie saved Jessica from floodwaters when she was only a day old. Jessica lives outside their riverside house, but she knows how to open the kitchen door, and often goes there for a snack. Tonie recently said, “I don’t know whether Jessica sees me as a hippo or whether she sees herself as a human.” Shirley is more certain, “Jessica sees herself as our child and I see Jessica as my daughter. I can’t imagine my life without Jessica.” Jessica is free to leave, and often visits wild hippos that live nearby. But she always returns home at night. Jessica’s website notes that she has three hippo boyfriends, but one in particular, Fred, is her favorite. They often go grazing (吃青草) together and Fred has recently moved onto the Jouberts’ house as well.What’s the main idea of the passage?
| A.Some websites are set up to protect pets. |
| B.Some unusual pets are adopted by people. |
| C.People should take good care of their pets. |
| D.Pets sometimes can be very interesting. |
What does the underlined word “inseparable” in Paragraph 2 mean?
| A.Always together. | B.Always separated. |
| C.Always friendly. | D.Always healthy. |
Barrie took Star everywhere he went because .
| A.he had never seen a duck like Star |
| B.he set up a Facebook page for Star |
| C.he wanted to care more about Star |
| D.he needed Star to drink with him |
We can learn from the passage that Jessica .
| A.came to the Jouberts’ home when she was 5 months old |
| B.loves eating in the Jouberts’ kitchen |
| C.doesn’t see herself as a human being |
| D.has more than three boyfriends |
Three Boys and a Dad
Brad closed the door slowly as Sue left home to visit her mother. Expecting a whole day to relax, he was thinking whether to read the newspaper or watch his favourite TV talk show on his first day off in months. “This will be like a walk in the park,” he’d told his wife. “I’ll look after the kids, and you can go visit your mom.”
Things started well, but just after eight o’clock, his three little “good kids”—Mike, Randy, and Alex—came down the stairs in their night clothes and shouted “breakfast, daddy.” When food had not appeared within thirty seconds, Randy began using his spoon on Alex’s head as if it were a drum. Alex started to shout loudly in time to the beat(节拍). Mike chanted “Where’s my toast, where’s my toast” in the background. Brad realized his newspaper would have to wait for a few seconds.
Life became worse after breakfast. Mike wore Randy’s underwear on his head. Randy locked himself in the bathroom, while Alex shouted again because he was going to wet his pants. Nobody could find clean socks, although they were before their very eyes. Someone named “Not Me” had spilled a whole glass of orange juice into the basket of clean clothes. Brad knew the talk show had already started.
By ten o’clock, things were out of control. Alex was wondering why the fish in the jar refused his bread and butter. Mike was trying to show off his talent by decorating the kitchen wall with his colour pencils. Randy, thankfully, appeared to be reading quietly in the family room,but closer examination showed that he was eating apple jam straight from the bottle with his hands. Brad realised that the talk show was over and reading would be impossible.
At exactly 11:17, Brad called the daycare centre (日托所).“I suddenly have to go into work and my wife’s away. Can I bring the boys over in a few minutes?” The answer was obviously “yes” because Brad was smiling.When his wife left home. Brad expected to .
| A.enjoy his first day off work |
| B.watch TV talk show with his children |
| C.go out for a walk in the park |
| D.read the newspaper to his children |
Which of the following did Randy do?
| A.Drawing on the wall | B.Reading in a room |
| C.Feeding the fish. | D.Eating apple jam |
Why did Brad ask the daycare centre for help?
| A.Because he wanted to clean up his house. |
| B.Because he suddenly had to go to his office |
| C.Because he had to take his wife back |
| D.Because he found it hard to manage his boys at home. |
This text is developed _____________.
| A.by space | B.by time |
| C.by process | D.by comparison |
At first, Brad thought he would be __________ on his first day off .
| A.relaxed | B.embarrassed |
| C.bored | D.unhappy |
How I Turned to Be Optimistic
I began to grow up that winter night when my parents and I were returning from my aunt's house, and my mother said that we might soon be leaving for America. We were on the bus then. I was crying, and some people on the bus were turning around to look at me. I remember that I could not bear the thought of never hearing again the radio program for school children to which I listened every morning.
I do not remember myself crying for this reason again. In fact, I think I cried very little when I was saying goodbye to my friends and relatives. When we were leaving I thought about all the places I was going to see-—the strange and magical places I had known only from books and pictures. The country I was leaving never to come back was hardly in my head then.
The four years that followed taught me the importance of optimism, but the idea did not come to me at once. For the first two years in New York I was really lost—having to study in three schools as a result of family moves. I did not quite know what I was or what I should be. Mother remarried, and things became even more complex for me. Some time passed before my stepfather and I got used to each other. I was often sad, and saw no end to "the hard times."
My responsibilities in the family increased a lot since I knew English better than everyone else at home. I wrote letters, filled out forms, translated at interviews with Immigration officers, took my grandparents to the doctor and translated there, and even discussed telephone bills with company representatives.
From my experiences I have learned one important rule: almost all common troubles eventually go away! Something good is certain to happen in the end when you do not give up, and just wait a little! I believe that my life will turn out all right, even though it will not be that easy.How did the author get to know America?
| A. From her relatives. | B. From books and pictures. |
| C. From her mother. | D. From radio programs. |
Upon leaving for America the author felt_______.
| A.confused | B.worried |
| C.excited | D.amazed |
For the first two years in New York, the author _________.
| A.studied in three different schools |
| B.did not think about her future |
| C.often lost her way |
| D.got on well with her stepfather |
What can we learn about the author from Paragraph 4?
| A.She helped her family with her English. |
| B.She attended a lot of job interviews. |
| C.She paid telephone bills for her family. |
| D.She worked as a translator. |
The author believes that______.
| A.her future will be free from troubles |
| B.good things will happen if one keeps trying |
| C.there are more good things than bad things |
| D.it is difficult to learn to become patient |
In 1978, I was 18 and was working as a nurse in a small town about 270 km away from Sydney, Australia. I was looking forward to having five fays off from duty. Unfortunately, the only one train a day back to my home in Sydney had already left. So I thought I’d hitch a ride (搭便车).
I waited by the side of the highway for three hours but no one stopped for me. Finally, a man walked over and introduced himself as Gordon. He said that although he couldn’t give me a lift, I should come back to his house for lunch. He noticed me standing for hours in the November heat and thought I must be hungry. I was doubtful as a young girl but he assured (使……放心)me I was safe, and he also offered to help me find a lift home afterwards. When we arrived at his house, he made us sandwiches. After lunch, he helped me find a lift home.
Twenty-five years later, in 2003, while I was driving to a nearby town one day, I saw an elderly man standing in the glaring heat, trying to hitch a ride. I thought it was another chance to repay someone for the favour I’d been given decades earlier. I pulled over and picked him up. I made him comfortable on the back seat and offered him some water.
After a few moments of small talk, the man said to me, “You haven’t changed a bit, even your red hair is still the same.” I couldn’t remember where I’d met him. He then told me he was the man who had given me lunch and helped me find a lift all those years ago. It was Gordon. The author had to hitch a ride one day in 1978 because .
| A.her work delayed her trip to Sydney |
| B.she missed the only train back home |
| C.the town was far away from Sydney |
| D.she was going home for her holidays |
Which of the following did Gordon do according to Paragraph 2?
| A.He watched the girl for three hours. |
| B.He gave the girl a ride back home. |
| C.He bought sandwiches for the girl. |
| D.He helped the girl find a ride. |
The reason why the author offered a lift to the elderly man was that .
| A.she realized he was Gordon |
| B.she had known him for decades |
| C.she wanted to repay the favour she once got |
| D.she was going to the nearby town |
What does the author want to tell the readers through the story?
| A.Good manners bring about happiness. |
| B.Those who give rides will be repaid. |
| C.Giving sometimes produces nice results. |
| D.People should offer free rides to others. |
The underlined word “favour “in paragraph 3 is closed in meaning to “ ______ “.
| A.interest | B.money | C.wallet | D.help |
Students usually have two long holidays a year, but have you heard elephants have holidays?
The Indian elephants from a temple are sent on a north-long holiday with massages(按摩) and baths to relax. The 64 elephants will be fed with a lot of food, enough for them to put on 700~800 pounds.
A temple veterinarian said that those Indian elephants would be treated after spending a month walking on roads, living on leaves and bananas and giving shows during lots of temple festivals. Their daily diet includes special rice and other special food, which are very nutritious and can make them healthy and strong. All of these are made by professional people.
This treatment will also calm them down ahead of a busy work schedule in upcoming events later in the year where they are the main attractions. The special holiday has cost the temple about£12,500, but extra money is ready for being used to treat the animals.
Indians believe that doing something good to elephants can help them get wisdom and power. Having elephants is a traditional symbol of honor for temples across southern India. All temples, however, never buy their elephants. The elephants were donated by people. The Indian elephants can have a __________ holiday.
| A.day’s | B.week’s | C.month’s | D.year’s |
The elephants can do the following during their holiday EXCEPT_____.
| A.eating delicious food |
| B.giving performances |
| C.taking a shower |
| D.having a massage |
What does the underlined word “nutritious” in Paragraph 3 mean?
| A.大量的 | B.有营养的 | C.昂贵的 | D.美味的 |
People give these elephants a special holiday in order to ______.
| A.save a lot of money |
| B.make friends with them |
| C.make their temples famous |
| D.make them get ready for the coming work. |