A study of art history might be a good way to learn more about a culture than is possible to learn in general classes. Most typical history courses concentrate on politics, economics, and wars. But art history focuses on much more than this because art reflects not only the political values of a people, but also religious beliefs, emotions, and psychology. In addition, information about the daily activities of our ancestors ― or of people very different from our own ― can be provided by art. In short, art expresses the essential qualities of a time and a place, and a study of it clearly offers us a deeper understanding than what can be found in most history books.
In history books, objective information about the political life of a country is presented: that is, facts about politics are given, but opinions are not expressed. Art, on the other hand, is subjective: it reflects emotions and opinions. The great Spanish painter Franciso Goya was perhaps the first truly political artist. In his well-known painting The Third of May, 1808, he criticized the Spanish government for its misuse of power over people. Over a hundred years later, symbolic images were used in Pablo Picasso’s Guernica to express the horror of war. Meanwhile, on another continent, the powerful paintings of Diego Rivera, Jose Clements Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros ― as well as the works of Alfredo Ramos Martinez ― showed these Mexican artists’ deep anger and sadness about social problems.
In the same way, art can reflect a culture’s religious beliefs. Four hundreds of years in Europe, religious art was almost the only type of art that existed. Churches and other religious buildings were filled with paintings that depicted people and stories from the Bible. Although most people couldn’t read, they could still understand biblical stories in the pictures on church walls. By contrast, one of the main characteristics of art in the Middle East was (and still is) its absence of human and animal images. This reflects the Islamic（伊斯兰教的）belief that statues are unholy（不神圣的；亵渎的）.
1.Which of the following sentences is WRONG according to the passage?
A.Art history concentrates on religious beliefs, emotions and psychology only.
B.Art can provide information about the everyday activities of ancient people.
C.Information and facts about politics are given objectively in history.
D.Franciso Goya was perhaps the first truly political artist.
2.History books are objective because _____.
A.personal and emotional opinions are expressed through it
B.it will make the viewers angry and sad about history
C.it can help us understand historical facts better
D.opinions about facts are not expressed
3.The two pictures The Third of May, 1808 and Guernica mentioned in paragraph 2 show that _____.
A.art is subjective
B.artists are very similar even over a hundred years
C.art can reflect political life of a country
D.history books present objective information
4.In paragraph 2, the underlined “another continent” refers to _____.
A.Europe B.America
C.Mexico D.Middle East
5.The passage is mainly discussing _____.
A.the difference between general history and art history
B.the development of art history
C.the influence of artists on art history
D.what we can learn from art
6.It may be concluded from this passage that _____.
A.Islamic artists focus on creating architectural decorations with pictures of flowers or geometric (几何) forms
B.history teachers are more objective than artists
C.it is more difficult to study art history than general history
D.people and stories from the Bible were painted on churches and other buildings in order to popularize the Bible
I have had just about enough of being treated like a second-class citizen, simply because I happened to be that put-upon member of society ― a customer. The more I go into shops and hotels, banks and post offices, railway stations, airports and the like, the more I’m convinced that things are being run just to suit the firm, the system, or the union. There seems to be a new motto for the so-called “service” organization ― Staff Before Service. How often, for example, have you queued for what seems like hours at the Post Office or the supermarket because there aren’t enough staff on duty at all the service counters? Surely in these days of high unemployment it must be possible to increase counter staff. Yet supermarkets, hinting darkly at higher prices, claim that bringing all their cash registers into operation at any time would increase expenses. And the Post Office says we cannot expect all their service counters to be occupied “at times when demand is low”.
It’s the same with hotels. Because waiters and kitchen staff must finish when it suits them, dining rooms close earlier or menu choice is lowered. As for us guests (and how the meaning of that word has been cut away little by little.), we just have to put up with it. There’s also the nonsense of so many friendly hotel night porters having been gradually withdrawn from service in the interests of “efficiency” (i.e. profits) and replaced by coin-eating machines which supply everything from beer to medicine, not to mention the creeping（慢慢加剧的） threat of the tea-making set in your room: a kettle with teabags, milk bags and sugar. Who wants to wake up to a raw teabag? I don’t, especially when I am paying for “service”.
Our only hope is to repeat our anger whenever and wherever we can and, if all else fails, restore that other, older saying ― Take Our Custom（买卖） Elsewhere.
1.The author feels that nowadays customers are _____.
A.not provided with proper service
B.considered to be lower members of society
C.not worthy of special treatment
D.regarded as privileged
2.In the author’s opinion, the quality of service is changing because _____.
A.more consideration is given to the staff than customers
B.customers are becoming more demanding
C.customers are unwilling to be satisfied with
D.the staff are less considerate than employers
3.According to the author, long queues at counters are caused by _____.
A.deliberate（故意的）understaffing
B.lack of cooperation among staff
C.the reducing supply of good staff
D.inefficient staff
4.The disappearance of old-style hotel porters can be attributed to the fact that _____.
A.the personal touch is less appreciated nowadays
B.few people are willing to do this type of work
C.machines are more reliable than human beings
D.self-service provides a cheaper alternative
5.The author’s final solution to the problem discussed in the passage is _____.
A.to put up with whatever service is provided
B.to fully use all kinds of coin-eating machines
C.to make strong complaints wherever necessary
D.to go where good service is available
As I jogged over the bridge and round the corner on my regular early morning run, he was standing opposite the jeweler’s, looking extremely suspicious. But the moment he saw me, instead of trying to avoid me, he came straight across the road as I drew level with the jeweler’s. Halfway across he began addressing me: “I thought you were going to…” — but his voice trailed away as he received no reply and no sign of recognition from me. It was quite obvious that he had mistaken me for someone else. But he started up again as if nothing had happened．“Good morning, ” he said．“Nice to bump into someone so early. Someone to talk to. I’ve taken to talking to myself on this job.”
I hate meeting people when I’m out early, and I was almost out of breath, so I just paused in my stride, nodded in a friendly manner, and went on up the road. The stranger had spoken quietly, and quite slowly. And I had noticed that he was well dressed, too. But if he looked suspicious dressed like that at that time of the morning, what about me? I was in a track suit, with an old sweater round my shoulders and a cap on my head．As to his odd remark about “talking to himself on this job”, I hadn’t paid any attention to it, although now it began to worry me. Was he perhaps a plain clothes policeman? At the time I somehow felt he was.
I had just turned the corner into the High Street when I heard the sound of breaking glass somewhere behind me, and I thought the sound came from the street I had just left. I stopped dead and almost without thinking looked back around the corner. The stranger was not there, but almost immediately an alarm bell in the jeweler’s began ringing furiously.
I found out later that a burglar had broken into the jeweler’s shop and stolen watches and rings worth about ￡5,000. The police are still looking into the matter, but I’m afraid to go and tell them what I know now because they might even suspect me of committing the crime, and it might be difficult for me to prove my innocence. After all, I haven’t offered my assistance as a witness, and the only other person around that morning was the “stranger” who had spoken to me.
1.From the passage we can infer that the author _____.
A.always goes past the jeweler’s
B.didn’t like talking to the strangers
C.meets a few people every morning
D.saw a plain clothes policeman that morning
2.Why did the stranger talk to the author?
A.Because the stranger took the author as someone else.
B.Because the stranger loved talking to people.
C.Because the stranger recognized the writer.
D.Because the stranger took a job of talking to himself.
3.Why did the stranger seem suspicious?
A.He was about to go into the jeweler’s.
B.He was far too friendly.
C.He was dressed too well for that time.
D.He talked to himself a lot.
4.If the writer had been on the spot, _____.
A.he might have been badly injured
B.he would have seen what happened
C.he wouldn’t have heard the alarm bell
D.the stranger wouldn’t have broken the window
5.What idea does the author convey in the last paragraph?
A.he thinks the stranger is innocent
B.the burglar didn’t steal very much
C.he might commit the crime to the police
D.he hesitates whether to report to the police about what he knew
Fitness Center Timetable
Body Power: This class uses weights and aerobic movements (a form of very active physical exercise) to increase strength while burning fat. It is suitable for all levels for fitness.
Aerobics: This is a low to middle level of difficulty aerobic class. It is good for beginner to average levels of fitness.
Beginner Aerobics: This class has a low level of difficulty and simple aerobic movements. It is mainly for people who have not exercised before or who are just returning after a long break or injury.
Body Stretch (hold your arms or legs out straight and tighten your muscles): This is a relaxation class which stretches all the muscle groups. It is suitable for all levels of fitness. People who exercise regularly or have a stressful lifestyle would also greatly improve their health in this class.
Body Burn: This is a high level of difficulty aerobic class that mainly aims at fat burning. It is only for those people with a very high level of fitness.
1.On Wednesday the fitness class at 6: 30 p. m. is _____.
A.Aerobics B.Body Power
C.Body Burn D.Beginner Aerobics
2.The two classes that are suitable for all levels of fitness are _____.
A.Aerobics and Body Power B.Body Burn and Aerobics
C.Body Power and Body Stretch D.Body Stretch and Beginner Aerobics
3.Lena wants to go to the City Gym on Friday. She has not exercised for a long time. The best time for her to go would be _____.
A.3:00 p.m. B.5:30 p.m.
C.7:15 a. m. D.12:30 p.m.
4.The main goal of the Body Burn is to _____.
A.reduce fat B.reduce stress
C.increase strength D.increase muscle size
With his leg lame and his teeth uneven, the boy thought of himself as the most unfortunate child in the world. He _________played with his classmates, and when asked to answer questions, he always _________his head without a word.
One spring, his father brought home some saplings (树苗).______of his children would plant a sapling and he promised, "Whoever ________ his sapling best shall get a gift." The boy certainly wanted to get the gift.______seeing his brothers and sisters watering the trees, he_______ an idea: he hoped the tree he planted would die soon. So watering it once or twice, he never_______ it.
Several days later, he was _________ to find it not only didn't die, but also grew so many fresh ________. Compared with those of his brothers and sisters, his appeared greener. His father kept his _______, bought the boy a gift and said he would become an outstanding________ after growing up.
From then on, the boy slowly became_____ and confident. One evening, he suddenly________ his biology teacher once said that plants ________ grow at night. Why not go to see the tree?
When he came to the courtyard, he found his father working near the tree! Immediately he ________: Father had been secretly ________ his tree! He returned to his room, tears in his eyes.
Decades passed. The boy didn't become a botanist. ________, he became the U.S.__________. His name was Franklin Roosevelt.
________ is the best nourishment (滋养品) of life. ________ it is just a bucket of water, it can make the tree of life grow well!
1.A.seldom B.ever C.still D.often
2.A.held B.raised C.lowered D.covered
3.A.Both B.Each C.One D.None
4.A.likes B.protects C.watches D.grows
5.A.But B.So C.Or D.And
6.A.came up with B.got rid of C.cared for D.put forward
7.A.contributed to B.attended to C.got used to D.turned to
8.A.amused B.frightened C.disappointed D.surprised
9.A.roots B.branches C.leaves D.seeds
10.A.opinion B.balance C.agreement D.word
11.A.teacher B.gardener C.botanist D.president
12.A.satisfied B.upset C.independent D.optimistic
13.A.remembered B.believed C.repeated D.knew
14.A.hardly B.generally C.recently D.probably
15.A.doubted B.admitted C.wondered D.understood
16.A.cutting B.watering C.decorating D.fertilizing
17.A.Therefore B.Besides C.Instead D.Moreover
18.A.lawyer B.doctor C.president D.teacher
19.A.Love B.Water C.Disability D.Father
20.A.So long as B.If only C.Now that D.Even though
—Tony _______ what I did annoying though he didn’t say anything.
—So you think you will have to make an apology?
A. could find B. should have found
C. might find D. must have found
