There’s a blue house in central Florida that’s hard to miss. It’s somewhat famous among people who live nearby — it’s painted to look like Starry Night”, the iconic painting by Vincent van Gogh — but not everyone is a fan of the larger-than-life artwork.
“We had not originally intended to paint the house like this,” Nancy Nemhauser, who lives there with her husband, Lubomir Jastrzebski, and their adult son, told TODAY. They started by painting the wall that runs outside of their home, because it was “in disrepair” and they wanted it to look nice. The couple said they even asked permission from the city to paint the wall, and were told it was OK.
“So we went ahead and started having the wall painted by an artist who has his work shown throughout South America,” Nemhauser said. They chose Van Gogh because their son, who has autism (自闭症), is a fan — and they hoped that the mural would come in handy if he ever wandered far from home.
“God forbid he were to be in a situation where he did not have the ability to tell people his address clearly. We’re hoping that he would have the ability to at least say that he belongs at the Van Gogh house,” Nemhauser said. The couple added that their son loves the look of the house. “There’s some magical connection I think between Van Gogh and autistic kids, because Van Gogh was possibly also autistic,” Jastrzebski said.
After the couple painted the wall, they got a citation (传票) from the city stating that the wall painting was considered graffiti (涂鸦), and that the wall must match the house. That’s when they decided to paint the entire house to look like “Starry Night” — knowing that’s not quite what the city had in mind, but confident that they weren’t breaking any law.
Since then, they’ve been fined $10,600. In February, they filed a federal lawsuit against the city, claiming the city is violating their right to freedom of expression.
Neither Mount Dora city officials nor their lawyer would comment on the issue. But in February, they did say in a statement that they were trying to preserve the residential character of our neighborhoods, and that the house “may present a distraction to safe vehicle operation along the street which fronts the home”.
Nemhauser and Jastrzebski add that many neighbors love the house, and thousands of people have signed an online petition (请愿) in support of keeping the painting. While both sides are in settlement talks, the fate of the mural is still up in the air. The family said they were ready to battle for what they believe in.
1.What was the couple’s initial intention to paint the wall?
A.To beautify the damaged wall.
B.To respond to the call of the city.
C.To assist an artist to show his work.
D.To express their son’s admiration to Van Gogh.
2.What does the underlined phrase “God forbid” in Paragraph 4 mean?
A.May God forgive us.
B.It’s forbidden by God.
C.Even God can’t help it.
D.We hope it does not happen.
3.What’s Mount Dora city officials’ attitude towards the unique house?
A.Supportive. B.Disapproving.
C.Ambiguous. D.Understanding.
4.What is the text mainly about?
A.“Starry Night” house in Florida arouses a heated debate.
B.Neighbors sign an online petition in support of “Starry Night” house.
C.The magical connection between Van Gogh and autistic kids.
D.Homeowners battle for their “Starry Night” house in Florida.
Jim McGee was once an Air Force pilot in Vietnam. In 2017, he was seriously ill because his kidneys(肾)were gone.
Jim immediately started dialysis(透析)，but a person of his age on dialysis usually lives only about four years. Transplants are a long-shot alternative. The National Kidney Foundation estimates that 13 people die every day while waiting for a donor with the right blood and tissue types. Jim’s wife, Shirley McGee, and some family friends offered but weren’t a match.
Desperate, Shirley had T-shirts made that said “I’m in need of a donor.” Her husband would wear one whenever he went to downtown Sarasota. No luck.
In early 2018, Jim didn’t feel like attending a reunion of some Air Force buddies in Monterey, California. "I said, ‘Is it really worth going to Monterey to sit in dialysis for two days?’”Jim recalls. "And my wife said, ‘ Yeah，come on. You really want to see your friends.’And I am glad I made that decision.”
In California, Jim reunited with six fellow airmen, including one he hadn’t seen in nearly 50 years: Doug Coffman. The two had met when they both were learning Vietnamese before they went overseas. Jim told Doug and his other comrades about his predicament(困境).
Doug, then 70, happened to have the right blood type and immediately decided to help. But could he? Shirley’s guess was that doctors would tell Doug what they had told her: You’re too old. He immediately had his doctor send his medical records to Georgetown Medical Center, where Jim was being treated.
Within a month, Doug was cleared for major testing. The testing revealed not only that Doug’s tissue type matched Jim’s but also that he had the kidneys of a 35-year-old. When the doctors gave him the OK to donate, Doug immediately called Jim, and asked for the first surgery date available. On September 18，2018，Doug went into surgery at 7:30 a. m.; Jim followed at 9:30 a. m. By noon, they were both in the recovery room. The transplant was a success.
1.Which of the following can best describe Shirley?
A.Knowledgeable and talkative . B.Reasonable and energetic.
C.Outgoing and thankful. D.Helpful and considerate.
2.How did Jim feel about his illness just before going to Monterey?
A.Discouraged. B.Satisfied. C.Ashamed. D.Nervous.
3.Why did Jim McGee decide to go to Monterey?
A.To seek help. B.To practice Vietnamese.
C.To meet his fellow airmen. D.To have a thorough examination there.
4.What can we know about Doug Coffman?
A.He was too old to help. B.He acted without delay in helping Jim.
C.He seldom visited his doctor. D.He was 35 years younger than his age.
Welcome to Princeton
Princeton University is a vibrant community of scholarship and learning that enrolls students of all background and interests. Established in 1746, Princeton is the fourth-oldest college in the United States. Princeton is an independent institution that provides undergraduate and graduate instruction in the arts and humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and engineering. As a world-renowned research university, Princeton seeks to achieve the highest levels in the discovery and spread of knowledge and understanding. Meanwhile, Princeton is distinctive among research universities in its commitment to undergraduate teaching.
Campus Life
A vast range of cultural, educational, athletic and social activities are available to Princeton students. Getting involved in campus life is the quickest way to become a part of the University community, and to create one's own Princeton experience. Campus life activities are built around the concepts of encouraging each community member to express his or her talents and to respect all members of our community.
Library
Princeton University Library consists of the Firestone Library and nine buildings across campus. The library's collections include more than 8 million books and impressive rare books, prints and other materials that require special handling. The library's extensive electronic resources include databases and journals, images and digital maps. Exhibitions from the library's rich collections are free and open to the general public.
Aid Program
Our aid program is designed to encourage all qualified students-regardless of financial circumstances-to consider applying for admission to Princeton. Any family, who feels they may need help to pay for a Princeton education is welcome to apply for aid.
For more information, please visit: http://www.princeton.edu.
1.What makes Princeton University outstanding among research universities?
A.Its long history. B.Its high level in discovery.
C.Its undergraduate teaching. D.Its wide range of institutions.
2.What can you enjoy as a Princeton University student?
A.Free undergraduate education. B.Access to rare books and databases.
C.Free membership of sports clubs. D.The quickest way to show talents.
3.The aid program of Princeton University is intended for_____.
A.any student from low-income families B.qualified applicants to pay for Princeton
C.every student admitted into university D.top students majoring in Finance
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.What did the speaker learn before taking up street dancing?
A.Ballet. B.Tap-dancing. C.Gymnastics,
2.How old are the speaker’s youngest students?
A.4. B.5. C.10
3.What does the speaker own?
A.An arts school. B.A dancing studio. C.A dancing workshop.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What will the woman do on Saturday?
A.Mark some tests. B.Attend a concert. C.Teach a class.
2.Which year of college is the woman probably in?
A.The second year. B.The third year. C.The fourth year.
3.What helps the woman get into the Education Program?
A.Her high marks. B.A reference letter. C.The master' s degree.
4.How does the man feel about the woman's weekend plans?
A.He is envious of her. B.He feels sorry for her. C.He is worried about her.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What do we know about Fig Tree?
A.Its clothes are very expensive. B.It usually gets crowded inside. C.It offers green tea.
2.Where is Le Magasin?
A.On East 73rd Street. B.On West 14th Street. C.On South 20th Street
3.Which store will the woman visit first?
A.Fig Tree B.Le Magasin C.Red Door.
