The history of modern art begins with Impressionism, a movement started in Paris in the mid-1800’s. At that time many artists painted in a very traditional way that involved spending hours in a studio, painstakingly (辛苦地) creating paintings that were extremely detailed. These paintings were sometimes of people or landscapes or historical events. In 1863, Edouard Manet exhibited his painting “Dejeuner sur l’erbe” at the Salon des Refuses. The painting caused a commotion (骚动), thus starting the Impressionist movement. Although Edouard Manet is the declared leader and founder of the group, he was not present at the first group exhibition or any of the other eight collective Impressionist shows. The movement gained more attention in the April of 1874 when Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, and Jean-Frédéric Bazille formed Society of Artists, Painters, Sculptors, Engravers and began exhibiting outside of the official salon. The same year, the term Impressionism was invented by criticizing (批评的) journalist Louis Leroy to describe their paintings, who worked for the magazine Le Charivari.
The Impressionists often paint out of doors and want to show how light and shadow fall on objects at particular times of the day. Their works are sometimes described as “captured moments” and are characterized by short quick brushstrokes (笔) of colour which, when viewed up close looks quite messy and unreal. If we step back from the Impressionist paintings, the colours are blended together by our eyes and we are able to see the painters’ subjects which often show colourful landscapes, sunlight on water as well as people busy with outdoor activities.
1.Before Impressionism, the works of artists were .
A. quite abstract B. very confusing
C. very detailed D. quite controversial
2.Who first started Impressionism? ___________
A. Claude Monet. B. Edouard Manet.
C. Auguste Renoir. D. Alfred Sisley.
3.The works of the Impressionists are best viewed .
A. with imagination B. at a distance
C. outdoors D. in a studio
4.The second paragraph is mainly about ______.
A. the painting style of the Impressionists
B. how to describe the Impressionist paintings
C. the influences of the Impressionist paintings
D. the subjects of the Impressionist paintings
Most of us are used to seasons. Each year, spring follows winter, which follows autumn, which follows summer, which follows spring. And winter is colder than summer. But the earth goes through temperature cycles over much longer periods than those that we experience. Between 65,000 and 35,000 years ago, the planet was much colder than it is now. During that time the temperature also changed a lot, with periods of warming and cooling. Ice melted during the warm periods, which made sea levels rise. Water froze again during the cold periods.
A new study from Switzerland, sheds light on where ice sheets melted during the ice age. It now seems that the ice melted at both ends of the earth, rather than just in either northern or southern regions.
This surprised the researchers from the University of Bern. Scientists have long assumed that most of the ice that melted was in the Northern hemisphere(半球) during the 30,000-year long ice age. That belief was held because the North Pole is surrounded by land, while the South Pole is surrounded by the Antarctic Ocean. It is easier for ice sheets to grow on land. If surrounded by sea the ice can easily just slip into the ocean instead of building up.
The researchers used a computer model to look at ways the ice could melt and how it might affect sea levels. They compared these results to evidence of how temperatures and currents actually changed during that time. The model showed that if it was only in the Northern hemisphere that ice melted, there would have been a bigger impact(影响) on ocean currents(洋流) and sea temperatures than what actually happened. Studies suggest that melting just in the Southern hemisphere would have been impossible, too. The only reasonable conclusion, the scientists could make, was that ice melted equally in the North and the South.
It is still a mystery as to what caused the temperature changes that caused the ice to melt.
1.The North Pole is surrounded by land, while the South Pole is surrounded by the Antarctic Ocean. So scientists thought that ________.
A. most of the ice melted in the Northern hemisphere
B. most of the ice melted in the Southern hemisphere
C. The North Pole is colder than South Pole
D. The South Pole is colder than North Pole
2.We can infer from the passage ________.
A. the ice can easily just slip into the ocean
B. volcanoes caused the ice to melt
C. melting just in the Northern hemisphere would have been impossible
D. researchers often use the computer models help their research work.
3.The scientists are not sure ________.
A. how long the ice age lasted
B. where ice sheets melted during the ice age
C. what caused the temperature changes
D. what the earth is made up of
4.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. A computer model
B. Studies show ice melted equally in the North and the South during the ice age
C. Most of the ice melted in the Northern hemisphere during the 30,000-year long ice age.
D. A survey result
It was a cold winter day that Sunday. The parking lot to the 1 was filling up quickly. I noticed, as I got out of my car, fellow church members were 2 among themselves as they walked in the church. As I got 3__, I saw a man leaning up against the wall outside the church. He was almost lying down 4 he was asleep. His hat was 5 down so you could not see his face. He wore shoes that looked 30 years old, too 6 for his feet, with holes all over them and his toes 7 out. I guessed this man was 8 and asleep, so I walked on 9 through the doors of the church. We all talked for a few minutes, and someone 10 the man lying outside. People whispered but no one took 11 to ask him to come in, 12 me. A few moments later church began. We were all waiting for the Preacher (牧师) to take his 13 and to give us the Word, _14 the doors to the church opened. In 15 the man walking down the church with his head down. People gasped（喘息）and whispered and made _16 . He made his way down the church and up onto the pulpit (讲坛) where he took off his hat and coat. My heart 17 .
There stood our preacher… he was the “homeless man”. The preacher took his Bible (圣经) and 18 it on his stand.
“ 19 , I don't think I have to tell you what I am preaching about today. If you ＿20＿ people by their appearance, you have no time to love them.”
1.A. school B. lecture C. park D. church
2.A. arguing B. whispering C. stating D. speaking
3.A. closer B. clearer C. lower D. farther
4.A. even though B. so that C. as if D. even if
5.A. dragged B. pulled C. dropped D. pushed
6.A. big B. bad C. ugly D. small
7.A. reached B. went C. stuck D. ran
8.A. homeless B. helpless C. hopeless D. careless
9.A. out B. by C. across D. from
10.A. invited B. mentioned C. took D. called
11.A. pleasure B. measure C. courage D. trouble
12.A. except B. besides C. without D. including
13.A. turn B. place. C. time D. seat
14.A. when B. before C. as D. after
15.A. rushed B. hurried C. came D. entered
16.A. decision B. choices C. faces D. jokes
17.A. sank B. fell C. broke D. failed
18.A. threw B. set C. laid D. folded
19.A. Brothers B. Folks C. Supporters D. Members
20.A. judge B. hate C. treat D. test
If he takes on this work, he will have no choice but ______ an even greater challenge.＿
A. meets B. meeting C. meet D. to meet
This restaurant wasn't that other restaurant we went to.
A. half as good as B. as half good as
C. as good as half D. good as half as
With so much work _______his mind , he almost broke down .
A. fill B. filling C. filled D. to fill
