Art robbery and art forgery (仿造) are both major themes in crime movies and literature.In the 2012 comedy movie Gambit, British actor Colin Firth plays an art curator who cheats his abusive boss into buying a fake Monet. In reality, art crimes are no less interesting and exciting.
According to The New York Times, over the past 15 years, Glafira Rosales fooled two local commercial art galleries into buying 63 false works of art for more than $30 million.She passed off fake paintings as works by 20th century modernist masters such as American artists Mark Rothko and Jackson Pollock.But in fact, these so called “newly discovered works” were all produced by a single man, a Chinese immigrant named Qian Peishen.
The art world was shocked by Rosales' deception.But to the public, it was amusing and most satisfying to see wealthy people get tricked.
So what decides the value of a piece of art? Is it beauty? Is it the artist's talent and craftsmanship? Or is it just because the artist is famous?
We should take beauty out. If the buyers were buying paintings only for their beauty, they'll be content displaying good fakes on their walls. They wouldn't be so upset when a forgery is exposed.
The art market claims that great artists are inimitable, and that this inimitability justifies the absurd price of their works. We can't deny that most famous artists are good at what they do, but forgers like Qian show that their works are imitable.Otherwise, the difference between the original and the copycats would be obvious and Rosales would not be able to fool anyone.
According to an article in the Economist, expensive paintings are what economists call positional goods. They are valuable because other people can't have them. With other goods, a higher price reduces demand.But art turns down the laws of economics. “When the goods that is really being purchased is evidence that the buyer has paid a lot, price increases cause demand to boom，” explained the article.
That's why scarcity and authenticity are so important in the art market. Artists sometimes forget this.Demien Hirst, the British pop artist, is famous for his spot paintings. But they dropped in value when it became clear that they had been produced in quantities so vast that nobody knew how many were out there.The art market lost faith in these paintings because no one could be sure which of them were authentic and which were fake.The first paragraph is meant to tell the readers that ________.
| A．movies and literature will be popular with art involved in them |
| B．art crimes are as interesting and exciting in reality as in movies |
| C．Gambit is a good movie with art forgery as the major theme |
| D．real art crime in reality can be adapted into popular films |
Who is amused and satisfied to see the rich buy forged works of art?
| A．The public. |
| B．Glafira Rosales. |
| C．Qian Peishen. |
| D．Mark Rothlo and Jackson Pollock. |
What kind of art buyers should not be unhappy with its high prices when a forgery is exposed according to the author?
| A．Those who buy only for its beauty. |
| B．Those who buy for its inimitability. |
| C．Those who 'buy for its authenticity. |
| D．Those who buy for its scarcity. |
What is the law of economics theory behind art goods according to the economists?
| A．They are valuable goods. |
| B．High prices reduce the demand of art goods. |
| C．High prices increase the demand of art goods. |
| D．They are produced in quantities to satisfy people. |
I made a promise to myself on the way down to the vacation beach cottage. For two weeks I would try to be a loving husband and father. Totally loving. No ifs, ands or buts.
The idea had come to me as I listened to a talk on my car radio. The speaker was quoting a passage from the Bible about husbands being thoughtful of their wives. Then he went on to say, “Love is an act of will. A person can choose to love.” To myself, I had to admit that I had been a selfish husband. Well, for two weeks that would change.
And it did. Right from the moment I kissed Evelyn at the door and said, “That new yellow sweater looks great on you.”“Oh, Tom, you noticed,” she said, surprised and pleased. Maybe a little puzzled. After the long drive, I wanted to sit and read. Evelyn suggested a walk on the beach. I started to refuse, but then I thought, “Evelyn’s been alone here with the kids all week and now she wants to be alone with me.” We walked on the beach while the children flew their kites.
So it went. Two weeks of not calling the Wall Street firm where I am a director; a visit to the shell museum though I usually hate museums. Relaxed and happy, that’s how the whole vacation passed. I made a new pledge to keep on remembering to choose love.
There was one thing that went wrong with my experiment, however. Evelyn and I still laugh about it today. On the last night at our cottage, preparing for bed, Evelyn stared at me with the saddest expression.
“What’s the matter?” I asked her.
“Tom,” she said in a voice filled with distress, “do you know something I don’t?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well…that medical checkup I had several weeks ago…our doctor…did he tell you something about me？Tom, you’ve been so good to me…am I dying?” It took a moment for it all to sink in. Then I burst out la
ughing.
“No, honey,” I said, wrapping her in my arms. “You’re not dying; I’m just starting to live.”From the story we may infer that Tom drove to the beach cottage __________.
| A．with his family | B．with Evelyn |
| C．all by himself | D．with his children |
During the two weeks on the beach, Tom showed more love to his wife because __________.
| A．she looked lovely in her new clothes |
| B．he could afford time to care for her |
| C．he was willing to be a good husband |
| D．she was seriously ill |
The author says, “There was one thing that went wrong with my experiment.” What was the one thing that went wrong?
| A．He praised her sweater, which puzzled her. |
| B．She insisted on visiting a museum, which he hated. |
| C．He knew something about her illness but didn’t tell her. |
| D．He was so good to her that she thought she would be dying. |
By saying “I’m just starting to live,” Tom means that __________.
| A．he is just beginning to understand the real meaning of life |
| B．he is just beginning to enjoy life as a loving husband |
| C．he lived an unhappy life before and is now starting to change |
| D．he is beginning to regret what he did to his wife before |
Boris Worm of Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada, led the international team that did the study. Professor Worm says species have recently been disappearing from oceans at increasing speed. At this rate, he says, all seafood species could collapse by 2048 and seafood supplies from the world’s ocean could be almost gone by then.
Other studies have also warned about the dangers of overfishing and the effects on ocean environments. But not everyone thinks the oceans are likely to be empty in fifty years. Some scientists said parts of the world do have problems, but others are doing a good job of protecting fish populations. Government officials in several countries with large fishing industries also questioned the research.
The study appeared earlier this month in Science magazine.
The researchers say damage to oceans affects not only fish populations but also the productivity of ecosystems. These complex systems help control water quality. The scientists say the loss of different kinds of sea life appeared to increase the risk of fish kills and beach closures from harmful algae growth.
The scientists examined the results of thirty-two experiments and observed forty-eight protected areas. They also looked at records of catches worldwide. They studied records from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization for nineteen fifty to two thousand three. And they examined archeological information and other historical records for twelve coastal areas. That research reached back over a thousand years.
Boris Worm says the findings were, in his words, "beyond anything we suspected." But he also said the situation is not too late to correct. He said that with good fisheries management, some species could completely recover in three to ten years. Which of the following isn’t the damage to the ocean?
| A．The species of fish in the ocean are reducing. |
| B．Sea water is polluted. |
| C．Sea water quality is improved. |
| D．Less productivity of ecosystem. |
The conclusion of the research led by Boris Worm is _________.
| A．unbearable | B．unbelievable |
| C．doubtful | D．Convincing |
The research led by Boris Worm _________.
| A．was conducted by scientists from Canada |
| B．referred to information of many countries |
| C．lasted from 1950 to 2003 |
| D．referred to records dating back to over 1,000 years ago. |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．It’s too late to take action to improve the situation. |
| B．Some species will recover with efforts. |
| C．Boris Worm hopes that people take the warning serious. |
| D．Boris Worm shows great concern about ecosystem. |
As the United States nears the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that killed more than 3,000 people, President Obama announced Sunday night that the al Qaeda（基地组织） leader and mastermind of that horrific day, Osama bin Laden, has been killed.
CNN reports that a senior government official confirmed that bin Laden was shot by a small team of U.S. soldiers while in a mansion with family members outside Islamabad（伊斯兰堡）. His body is now in American custody（拘押） and is being handled according to Islamic customs. Three other adult men were killed in the firefight, including a son of bin Laden's, who was a senior member of the terrorist organization.
"Justice has been done," the president announced, saying that the operation he ordered after receiving intelligence information is "the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat al-Qaeda."
The immediate reactions ranged from cautious to ecstatic. Crowds cheered outside the White House. But officials said a "worldwide caution" would be set for Americans in case of al Qaeda retaliation（报复）.
Will bin Laden's death be the justice Americans have sought for nearly a decade?
Gordon Felt, president of Families of Flight 93, said it does bring comfort.
"This is important news for us, and for the world. It cannot ease our pain, or bring back our loved ones. It does bring a measure of comfort that the mastermind of the September 11th tragedy and the face of global terror can no longer spread his evil," Felt said.
President Obama says this victory does not close the book.
"His death does not mark the end of our effort. There's no doubt that al Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must and we will remain cautious," he noted.The underlined word “ecstatic” most probably means _________.
| A．scared | B．extremely happy and excited |
| C．doubtful | D．amazed |
The author mentions all of the items listed below EXCEPT_________.
| A．Four people were killed in the firefight. |
| B．Families of the victims in the 9/11 attacks celebrated together. |
| C．President Obama thought highly of the Anti-Terrorist Military Action |
| D．Obama thought that al Qaeda will continue attack against the United States. |
It can be inferred from the text _________.
| A．The 9/11 attacks happened on September 11, 2001. |
| B．Osama bin Laden has three sons. |
| C．Some soldiers were injured in the firefight. |
| D．More than 3000 people were killed in the 9/11 attacks. |
From the last paragraph we can learn that _________.
| A．Osama bin Laden’s death will put an end to terrorism. |
| B．President Obama doesn’t think bin Laden's death is a victory. |
| C．The United States will make efforts to defeat the al-Qaeda |
| D．The al Qaeda has a new leader now. |
Even if he is not the most liked comedian in China today, his popularity certainly has risen the fastest within the last two months.
He's "Little Shenyang", who came into national fame overnight after his appearance on CCTV's Spring Festival Gala. With his funny cross-dressing, unique northeastern accent and superb imitative(模仿的) skills, Little Shenyang has obvious talent to support his rise to fame.
Hundreds of video clips of his shows have been posted on YouTube and other online video sites, and his performance fees reportedly grew 50-fold in just a few weeks. He has, at the same time, become one of the most controversial of entertainers.
Many have doubted his artistic potential, pointing out that his shows were repetitive and lacked creativity, a key to continued comedic success. Others belittle (轻视) the style of humor, saying it's too crude and appeals only to less-educated people. His defenders were just as up in arms. Many media commentators and bloggers said that his quick rise to star proved the broad appeal of his art form. He became a national champion not because of his "northeastern hick(乡巴佬)" humor, they argued, but because he represented something new on TV, something with a grassroots feel that appealed to millions of ordinary people.
Now, does Little Shenyang really deserve his star status? Some people belittle Little Shenyang’s humor because _________.
| A．He represents something with a grassroots feel. |
| B．The style of humor lacked creativity. |
| C．He speaks with a northeast accent. |
| D．He became famous overnight. |
What’s the secret of Little Shenyang’s success?
| A．His funny cross-dressing. |
| B．His unique accent |
| C．His super imitative skills |
| D．All of the above |
From the passage, we can infer that _________.
| A．Little Shenyang is the most popular comedian in China. |
| B．Few people like Little Shenyang’s performance. |
| C．Little Shenyang earns a lot of money now. |
| D．The author thinks little of Little Shenyang. |
Colleges may try to do a lot to prepare students for study abroad – telling about culture shock, warning about homesickness, recommending books about the country. But when it comes to adjusting to campus life when they return, schools haven't done as much, even though the transition is sometimes almost as difficult.
"They can feel disoriented and depressed. They find things are not exactly the way they were when they left," said Antonio Jimenez, director of the Center for International Affairs at California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, California, US. "They find that people don't care much about their experiences."
Some colleges are now rethinking their approach to study abroad, recognizing that students might need almost as much help adjusting to life back home as they did getting ready to leave: students experience a sort of reverse culture shock when they return to the US.
They might be troubled by the wealth and waste they see back home or they might feel homesick for their new country and its customs. And when they try to talk about their experiences, people quickly lose interest, especially if they haven't lived abroad themselves.
Down the road, they also might find it difficult to translate their time abroad into experience that an employer finds attractive.
Some California universities have organized conferences to help students make the most of their time abroad. During a one-day event, students learn how to adjust after living abroad, talk about their experiences and incorporate them into their lives and future careers.
Blythe Cherney, 22, a senior who has studied in Thailand and Britain, found the workshops helpful.
"Any experience abroad does have an effect on you," Cherney said. "When you come back, it's important to talk about it, especially with people who know what you've been through."
Yet most universities focus more on preparation than reorientation. When students return, they might have a welcome home reception. But for the most part, universities figure students can fend for themselves.Which of the following is NOT the trouble that students face when they return from studying overseas?
| A．Culture shock | B．Homesick for their new country |
| C．Losing interest in their homeland | D．Difficult transition |
The wrier is _________ the help colleges offer for the students when they return from studying overseas?
| A．pleased with | B．dissatisfied with |
| C．indifferent with | D．proud of |
The underlined word “workshops” refers to _________.
| A．conferences where people share their experiences |
| B．buildings where machines are made |
| C．shops where books are bought |
| D．labs where experiments are conduct |
After the students come back_________.
| A．They will easily find a good job. |
| B．People are very interested in their experiences. |
| C．They have to waste time and money. |
| D．They are confused and disappointed. |
What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Overseas students experience culture shock in foreign countries. |
| B．Some universities offer to help students in need. |
| C．Returned students find it difficult to translate their time abroad into experience. |
| D．Returning from studying overseas, students face more trouble than they expected. |