A study of art history might be a good way to learn more about a culture than is possible to learn in general history classes. Most typical history courses concentrate on politics, economics and war. 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 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 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( 主观的 ): it reflects(反映) emotions and opinions. The great Spanish painter Francisco 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 abuse of power over people
In the same way, art can reflect a culture's religious beliefs. For 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 described people and stories from the Bible(圣经). Although most people couldn't read, they could still understand the Bible stories in the pictures on church walls.
1. More can be learned about a culture from a study of art history than general history because__________.
A. art history shows us nothing but the political values
B. general history only focuses on politics
C. art history gives us an insight ( 洞察力 ) into the essential qualities of a time and a place
D. general history concerns only religious beliefs, emotions and psychology
2. Art is subjective in that__________.
A. a personal and emotional view of history is presented through it
B. it only reflects people's anger or sadness about social problems
C. it can easily arouse people's anger about the government
D. artists were or are religious, who reflect only the religious aspect of the society
3. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. In history books subjective opinions of people are entirely presented.
B. Francisco Goya expressed his religious belief in his painting The Third of May, 1808.
C. Religious art was once almost the only type of art that existed in Europe.
D. For centuries in Europe, painters could paint only on walls of churches.
4. The passage mainly discusses__________.
A. the development of art history
B. the difference between general history and art history
C. what we can learn from art
D. the influence of artists on art history
Have you ever stayed in a hotel? Most Chinese hotels often provide guests with things like disposable (一次性的) toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo and slippers. Many guests like the idea because they don't have to bring their own. But, if you travel to Beijing, remember to bring your own things. Starting from June, some hotels in Beijing will no longer provide guests with these disposables. They want to ask people to use less disposable things.
Many disposable things are made of plastic(塑料). People throw them away after only using them once. It is a waste of natural resources and is very bad for the environment. Do you know, one Chinese person makes as much as 400kg of waste a year! Most of that waste comes from disposable things. In Beijing, people throw away about 19,000 tons of plastic bags and 1,320 tons of plastic lunch bowls every year! Plastic can take between 100 and 400 years to break down. So the less plastic we throw out, the better. So, wherever you travel, bring your own things and use them again and again.
Back at home and school, you can also do something to make our world a better place. Try to do these things in your daily life:
Use cloth shopping bags, not plastic ones.
After using a plastic bag, wash it out and let it dry. Then you can use it over and over again.
Do not use paper cups. At your school canteen(食堂), use your own bowl and chopsticks instead of disposable ones.Why do many hotels provide guests with some disposable things?
| A．Let their guests be convenient during their travelling. |
| B．Hope their guests use less disposable things. |
| C．Wish their guests to save money. |
| D．Want their guests to use more disposable things. |
Some Beijing hotels will no longer provide guests with ____.
| A．cheap food and drink | B．disposable things |
| C．good service | D．free TV programs |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Many disposable things are made of plastic. |
| B．Throwing disposable things away is a waste of natural resources. |
| C．Plastic is very bad for the environment. |
| D．Plastic breaks down easily. |
What can we do to make our world a better place at home and school?
| A．Use shopping bags made of plastic. |
| B．Do not throw away paper cups. |
| C．Use disposable plates, bowls and chopsticks. |
| D．Do not forget to reuse daily necessities(日用品). |
We can tell from the story that ____.
| A．people don't like disposable things at all |
| B．we can't use paper or plastic bowls at school |
| C．we should use less plastic things and protect our environment |
| D．hotels won't provide disposable things because they want to save money |
We all know the dangers of fires. It’s good and necessary for a family to learn how to prepare for a fire. Here are some suggestions.
Put a smoke alarm(火警) in the house. Smoke from a fire causes the alarm to go off. The alarm makes a loud sound. The sound tells everyone to leave the house at once.
Make escape plans. We should know all the ways out of the house. If there is a fire, everyone follows the plan to get out. Part of the plan is to check all the windows to make sure they can be opened easily.
Buy fire extinguishers(灭火器) in the house. Everyone in the family should know how to use them.
Practise for a fire. We do fire practice because we teach children about fire safety. Everyone in the family should know the following fire rules:
★Don’t open a hot door! The fire can grow more quickly if you open the door.
★Stay close to the floor! Smoke can be more dangerous than fire. The best air is near the floor because smoke rises.
★What will you do if your hair or clothes start to burn? First, stop! Don’t run! The fire burns faster because of more air. Drop! Fall to the floor. Then roll! Turning over and over will make the fire go out. Put a blanket(毯子) around you to keep air away from the fire that may still be on you.
There are many possible causes for fires. A wise family is ready all the time. If there is a fire, don’t forget to call 119 for help.When a smoke alarm rings at home, it means _________.
| A．you have to get up | B．water is running to the floor |
| C．something is burning | D．someone breaks your window |
The writer advises us to do the following to prepare for a fire except that _____.
| A．we practise for a fire | B．we make escape plans |
| C．we buy fire extinguishers | D．we use electrical cookers |
When a fire happens,____ if you open the hot door.
| A．the door will soon be on fire | B．the electricity will be cut off |
| C．the fire will grow more quickly | D．the house will fall down |
What are the right steps you should take when your hair or clothes catch fire?
| A．Stop, run, roll. | B．Stop, drop, roll. |
| C．Run, drop, roll. | D．Roll, drop, stop. |
What is the best title for this passage?
| A．Be Ready for a Fire. | B．The Causes of a Fire. |
| C．Learn to Use a Fire Extinguisher. | D．The Dangers of a Fire. |
A jobless man wanted very much to have the position of “office boy” at Microsoft. The HR manager interviewed him and then watched him cleaning the floor as a test. “You have passed the test,” he said. “Give me your e-mail address and I’ll send you the form to fill in and the date when you may start.” The man replied, “But I don’t have a computer, neither an e-mail.” “I’m sorry,” said the HR manager. “If you don’t have an e-mail, that means you are not living. And anyone who isn’t living cannot have the job.”
The man left with no hope at all. He didn’t know what to do with only $10 in his pocket. He thought and thought. Then he went to the supermarket and bought 10 kilos of tomatoes. He sold the tomatoes from door to door. In less than two hours, he had 20 dollars. He repeated the operation three times, and started to go early every day, and returned home late. Shortly, he bought a cart , then a truck, then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles(运货车队). Five years later, the man was one of the biggest food retailers (零售商) in the US.
One day, one of his friends asked him for his e-mail. He said, “I haven’t got one.” His friend couldn’t believe his ears. “Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an e-mail?” The man thought for a while and replied, “Yes, I’d be an office boy at Microsoft!”What did the man do for the test?
| A．He sent e-mails. | B．He did the cleaning |
| C．He sold computers. | D．He filled in forms. |
The man didn’t get the job because he_____________.
| A．disliked such a job |
| B．didn’t pass the test |
| C．didn’t have an e-mail |
| D．knew nothing about computers |
The man ______after he left Microsoft.
| A．went to look for another job |
| B．asked for food from door to door |
| C．thought of an idea to make monkey |
| D．bought a computer and got an e-mail |
Why could the man become one of the biggest food retailers in the US?
| A．Because he had many friends to help him. |
| B．Because he was smart and worked very hard. |
| C．Because he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles. |
| D．Because he wanted to show Microsoft he was living. |
What does the story want to tell us?
| A．Computers are very important in our daily life. |
| B．Everyone can make a lot of money with only$10. |
| C．The HR manager didn’t find the ability of the man. |
| D．Nothing in the world is impossible if we work hard. |
Tom was a poor boy. He made a living by cleaning leather shoes for others in the street. Tom was also a clever boy.
One day, a very rich man with the name Miser appeared in front of Tom. He watched his dirty shoes for a while, and then looked at Tom. Tom knew this kind of people well: they love money very much and hate to spend it.
Tom said, “Let me clean your shoes, sir.”
“For nothing?” the rich man asked.
“Only two pence, sir.”
Mr Miser shook his head and walked away.
Tom thought for a moment and then called out, “I’d like to clean it for nothing!” This time Mr Miser agreed. And soon one of his shoes was shining brightly.
When the rich man put his other shoe on the stool(凳子), Tom said he wouldn’t clean it for him unless he was paid two pence for his work. Mr Miser was very angry. He refused to pay anything and went away with a smile on his face.
But to his surprise, the well-cleaned shoe was so bright that it made the other one look even dirtier. Mr Miser took a look around. People in the street were laughing at him. He couldn’t walk on any further.
Finally the rich man returned and gave Tom two pence. In a very short time his two shoes shone brightly.The story happened___________.
| A．in a shoe shop | B．in the street |
| C．at the rich man’s house | D．near the boy’s home |
The boy called the man back and agreed to clean his shoes for nothing, because_______.
A.he was afraid of the rich man
B.B.he liked to clean shoes for rich men
C.he wanted to get something else instead of money
D.he was sure he could get his pay from Mr. MiserMr Miser smiled because________.
| A．he liked to walk with only one shoe cleaned |
| B．He had one of his shoes cleaned without paying for it |
| C．He thought his other shoe needn’t be cleaned at all |
| D．He thought he wouldn’t be laughed at by the people in the street. |
Which of the following is true?
| A．The boy was waiting for the rich man that day. |
| B．Mr. Miser didn’t want to have his shoes cleaned. |
| C．The rich man won at last. |
| D．The rich man had to pay the boy for his work. |
From the passage we know__________.
A.Mr. Miser was a generous man
B.B.the boy was fooled by the rich man
C.the boy was clever enough to have his work paid
D.it is good manners to have one’s shoes cleaned before he or she goes out.
Meeting people from another culture can be difficult. From the beginning, people may send the wrong signal. Or they may pay no attention to signals from another person who is trying to develop a relationship.
Different cultures emphasize (强调) the importance of relationship building to a greater or lesser degree. For example, business in some countries is not possible until there is a relationship of trust. Even with people at work, it is necessary to spend a lot of time in "small talk", usually over a glass of tea, before they do any job. In many European countries -- like the UK or France -- people find it easier to build up a lasting working relationship at restaurants or cafes rather than at the office.
Talk and silence may also be different in some cultures. I once made a speech in Thailand. I had expected my speech to be a success and start a lively discussion; instead there was an uncomfortable silence. The people present just stared at me and smiled. After getting to know their ways better, I realized that they thought I was talking too much. In my own culture, we express meaning mainly through words, but people there sometimes feel too many words are unnecessary.
Even within Northern Europe, cultural differences can cause serious problems. Certainly, English and German cultures share similar values; however, Germans prefer to get down to business more quickly. We think that they are rude. In fact, this is just because one culture starts discussions and makes decisions more quickly.
People from different parts of the world have different values, and sometimes these values are quite against each other. However, if we can understand them better, a multicultural environment will offer a wonderful chance for us to learn from each other.In some countries, eating together at restaurants may make it easier for people to _______.
| A．get to know each other | B．share the same culture |
| C．develop closer relations | D．keep each other company |
The author mentions his experience in Thailand to show that _________.
| A．the English prefer to make long speeches |
| B．people from Thailand are quiet and shy by nature |
| C．too many words are of no use |
| D．even talk and silence can be culturally different |
According to the text, how can people from different cultures understand each other better?
| A．By sharing different ways of life. |
| B．By recognizing different values. |
| C．By accepting different habits. |
| D．By speaking each other' s languages. |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Cross-Cultural Differences |
| B．Multicultural Environment. |
| C．How to Build Up a Relationship |
| D．How to Understand Each Other. |
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