Vincent Van Gogh，for whom color was the main symbol of expression，was born in Groot-Zundert，Holland in 1853.He was brought up in a cultured family. Vincent was highly emotional and wasn’t self-confident. Between 1860 and 1880，when he finally decided to become an artist，Van Gogh had two unhappy love stories and worked unsuccessfully in Belgium. He remained there to study art，and decided to give happiness by creating beauty. Of the works of his early Dutch period，the most famous is “The Potato Eaters”.
In 1886 he went to Paris to join his brother Théo ，the manager of Goupil’s gallery. In Paris，Van Gogh studied with Cormon ，later met Pissarro，Monet，and Gauguin，and began to lighten his very dark palette(调色板).His nervousness made him a difficult person to get along with and night-long discussions and painting all day undermined his health. He decided to go south to Arles where he hoped his friends would join him and help set up a school of art. Gauguin did join him but with bad results. Near the end of 1888,Van Gogh ran after Gauguin with an open razor(剃须刀),was stopped by him，but ended up cutting a part of his own ear off. It led Gauguin to finally leave Arles.
In the May of 1890，Van Gogh seemed much better and went to live in Auvers-sur-Oise under the eye Dr Gachet. Two months later he was dead，having shot himself “for the good of all”. During his life he had sold one painting. Van Gogh’s finest works were produced in less than three years. Vincent Van Gogh expressed himself in his works mainly _______.
| A．by shape |
| B．by color |
| C．with brush lines |
| D．with words |
Before Vincent Van Gogh started to learn art_______.
| A．he did a good job |
| B．he was popular with the other artists |
| C．he lived a frustrating life |
| D．he had no interest in art |
The underlined word “undermined” in the second paragraph could be replaced by “_______”.
| A．affected |
| B．protected |
| C．tested |
| D．changed |
Why didn’t Gauguin want to work with Van Gogh any longer?
| A．Gauguin hated to be a teacher. |
| B．Van Gogh didn’t like him at all. |
| C．Gauguin cut off a part of Van Gogh’s ear. |
| D．Something was wrong with Van Gogh’s mind. |
Which of the following about Van Gogh is TRUE?
| A．He was a confident boy when he was young. |
| B．He was born in Belgium and once worked in Holland. |
| C．He lost a part of his ear at the age of 35. |
| D．He had never sold any paintings during his life. |
Many immigrants(移民) to the United States find the decision to seek better lives for their families in America can have an unexpected and tragic consequence(后果). Deep differences with their children develop over language and culture.
“Many immigrants arrive here without much education. Their kids soon gain language skills and also street smarts(生存技能) on how to live in America, leaving the parents at a disadvantage,” Ileana , Roses, pastor of a Methodist church group operating in Virginia, said.
“Not only that but they find they cannot relate to children who quickly absorb American culture,” she said.
According to the US Census Bureau(人口调查局), the number of foreign born or first generation Americans reached 55 million last year, a record one in five of the total population.
A government survey of 922 immigrants in 2000 found that nearly 40 percent of those who had been in the United States for more than 15 years would still like to take English classes if they had the time.
Two thirds of low income households depended on their children for translation.
Psychologists(心理学家) and sociologists say parents can lose their position of authority(权威) in a family as a result and the effects of that can be far-reaching.
Children exposed to American pop culture that glorifies(颂扬) youth and sexuality(性感) often rebel when their parents try to impose the conservative values they brought with them.
“Americanization erodes(侵蚀) all important aspects of parenting,” said Richard Weissbourd, who teaches education at Harvard University.
“I feel a part of me is dying with my children. They don’t listen to my music. I have to play it on Sunday morning when they are not around,” said an immigrant.What troubles the immigrant parents most is ___________.
| A．that they can’t understand the English language |
| B．that they lose their position of authority in their families |
| C．that their children have lost sense of their own national values |
| D．how they can master the English language as soon as possible |
From the passage we can infer that the population of the states at present is about____.
| A．275 million | B．220 million |
| C．255 million | D．smaller than 250 million |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．All the immigrants had expected the troubles they would meet before they went to the US. |
| B．Two thirds of immigrant families are low income households. |
| C．American culture shows a spirit against conservative social and cultural values. |
| D．American pop culture puts the immigrant families at a disadvantage. |
Which of the following is probably the title of the report?
| A．The Result of the US Census |
| B．The Differences Between Parents and Children in the US |
| C．The Troubles of the American Immigrants |
| D．Role Reversal(颠倒) Troubles Many Parents and Children |
The Man of Many Secrets — Harry Houdini — was one of the greatest American entertainers in the theater this century. He was a man famous for his escapes — from prison cells, from wooden boxes floating in rivers, from locked tanks full of water. He appeared in theaters all over Europe and America. Crowds came to see the great Houdini and his “magic” tricks.
Of course, his secret was not magic, or supernatural powers. It was simply strength. He had the ability to move his toes as well as he moved his fingers. He could move his body into almost any position he wanted.
Houdini started working in the entertainment world when he was 17, in 1891. He and his brother Theo performed card tricks in club in New York. They called themselves the Houdini Brothers. When Harry married in 1894, he and his wife Bess worked together as magician and assistant. But for a long time they were not very successful. Then Harry performed his first prison escape, in Chicago in 1898. Harry persuaded a detective to let him try to escape from the prison, and he invited the local newspapermen to watch.
It was the publicity(宣传) that came from this that started Harry Houdini’s success. Harry had fingers trained to escape from handcuffs and toes trained to escape ankle chins. But his biggest secret was how he unlocked the prison doors. Every time he went into the prison cell, Bess gave him a kiss for good luck — and a small skeleton key, which is a key that fits many locks, pass quickly from her mouth to his.
Harry used these prison escapes to build his fame. He arranged to escape from the local prison of every town he visited. In the afternoon, the people of the town would read about it in their local newspapers, and in the evening every seat in the local theater would be full. What was the result? World-wild fame, and a name remembered today.According to the passage, Houdini’s success in prison escapes depends on _______.
| A．his special tricks and supernatural powers |
| B．his unusual ability and a skeleton key |
| C．his magic tricks and unhuman powers |
| D．his wisdom and magic tricks |
In the fourth paragraph, the underlined word “this” refers to _______.
| A．his first prison escape | B．the year 1898 |
| C．the publicity | D．Harry Houdini’s success |
It can be inferred from the passage that Houdini became famous _______.
| A．in 1894 | B．before he married |
| C．at the age of 17 | D．when he was about 24 |
It’s the place where smart people make smart machines work even smarter. It’s also in the heart of sunny California, a great place to start a family and raise kids. What could be better?
But something is happening to their children. Up until the age of two they develop normally. But then everything seems to go backwards. The children become locked into their own small world, unable to communicate at all.
They call it the “curse(诅咒) of Silicon Valley,” but the medical name for the condition is autism. It used to be thought that autism was a kind of mental illness. Now doctors are sure that it is a neurological disease passed down genetically. It seems that the people leading the communications revolution are having children who cannot communicate at all.
But even the parents have trouble communicating. Asperger’s Syndrome(综合症) is a mild version of autism（自闭症）. People who have it are highly intelligent and often brilliant with numbers or system but have no social skill. This very combination of symptoms makes Asperger’s sufferers into perfect computer professionals.
The Asperger’s sufferer has always been a well—known figure in popular culture. He or she was the abnormal but devoted scholar or the strange uncle or auntie who never married. But the high numbers of such people in Silicon Valley mean that they can meet others who understand them and share their interests. And while they might not be personally attractive, they can earn truly attractive amounts of money. They can get married and have kids. Unfortunately, many of the children of two Asperger’s parents seem to be developing serious autism.
There is little anyone can do. It takes hours of work just to make autistic child realize that anyone else exists. And there is no cure in sight. Some argue that no cure should be found. “It may be that autistics are essentially different from normal people, but that these differences make them invaluable for the evolution（进化）of the human race,” says Dr. Kirk Whilhelmsen of the University of California. “To get rid of the genes for autism could be extremely bad.”
It seems that the children of Silicon Valley are paying the price of genius.
What can we learn about autism according to the passage?
| A．They do not care about the presence of others. |
| B．People with autism can’t find people sharing their interests. |
| C．It is believed to be a kind of mental illness that can be cured. |
| D．They are a burden for the society. |
Why do people call autism “curse of Silicon Valley”？
| A．Because autistic people live in Silicon Valley. |
| B．Because people with autism will be driven out of Silicon Valley. |
| C．Because many people working in Silicon Valley have autism children. |
| D．Because people with autism are not personally attractive and not liked by others. |
What can we know about Asperger’s Syndrome according to the passage?
| A．Asperger’s sufferers never get married and have children. |
| B．Asperger’s sufferers are perfect computer professionals. |
| C．Asperger’s sufferers are ashamed of themselves and locked into their own world. |
| D．Asperger’s sufferers can be beneficial to society if they are cured. |
What does Dr Kirk Whilhelmsen think of autism?
| A．It is not completely a bad thing. |
| B．It is harmful to society. |
| C．It is a punishment to those working in Silicon Valley. |
| D．People with autism should never marry. |
“Aw, isn't it cute?”
That, right there, is the officially accepted response to any animal contact（接触） the world over. Animals are cute. They're there to be photographed, loved, and occasionally fed. But you know what? Not all animals are cute, or lovely, or even nice. Some of them are a real pain in the neck.
When you travel, you come into contact with all sorts of animals you’ve never heard of before. Some of them are amazing creatures that you'll talk about for the rest of your life. Some of them are just annoying. So, at the risk of causing anger among animal lovers around the world, here are some of the world's most annoying animals.
Vervet monkeys, South Africa
You'll immediately notice two things about Vervet monkeys: they have a bright blue bottom; and they'll steal any food that's not locked in a bank safe. I recently spent some time in South Africa, and watched as monkey after monkey dived in from the trees and stole everyone's food. Get your own food, Vervets! My sandwich was expensive!!
Kea parrots, New Zealand
I have never seen one of these birds before but from what I've been told they are more annoying than a spoilt kid. From biting the paint off your car doors to stealing people's passports, Keas are probably the most curious, and therefore annoying, animals in the world. And they're New Zealanders. That makes sense!
Kangaroos, Australia
Another well-known food-stealer, kangaroos are loved by tourists, eaten by Australians, and generally enjoy making trouble for others. Go on a camping trip anywhere in Australia, and watch how long your bags of food last. Turn your back for 15 minutes and the camp will look like thieves have turned the place upside down.
Grizzly bears, USA
They look pretty cute, grizzly bears. You almost want to go up and give them a hug. Unfortunately, it wouldn't end well. In fact, one of the world's most huggable creatures is also the one most likely to kill you just because it can. Oh, and it'll steal your picnic basket, too.
The author uses the underlined expression “pain in the neck” to suggest .
| A．these animals may bite you on the neck |
| B．these animals can cause people a lot of trouble |
| C．people should be fearful of these animals |
| D．these animals may cause some serious illness |
Which of the animals is the most dangerous according to the writer?
| A．Vervet monkeys. | B．Grizzly Bears. |
| C．Kangaroos. | D．Kea Parrots. |
Which of the following is not correct according to the passage?
| A．When people see the cute animals they might take photographs of them. |
| B．Sometimes people will feed the cute animals. |
| C．Australians eat kangaroos. |
| D．Spoilt kids are not annoying at all. |
About 18,000 refugees (难民) from Burma have come to the United States each year since 2007. Some have settled in Howard County, Maryland between Baltimore and Washington. A local school began teaching English to the children of the refugees. But while the children learned the language, their parents did not. That made communication with teachers arduous.
At present, almost fifty children from Burma attend Bollman Bridge Elementary School. Laurel Conran is a teacher there. She said, “The main idea is the global idea.” She teaches English to speakers of other languages. One of her students is Tha Neih Ciang. Another student is Tha Neih’s mother, Tin Iang. Ms. Conran practices English with Tin Iang at the mother’s workplace. Many refugees from Burma work at Coastal Sunbelt Produce, a supplier of fruits and vegetables to restaurants and other businesses.
Laurel Conran started classes at the company to help refugees from Burma learn English. Laurel Conran said, “The program is a six-week session. It’s once a week, on every Wednesday, from twelve to one o’clock. So every Wednesday I go to Coastal Sunbelt.” As the workers eat lunch, they also practice their new language skills.
Lisa Chertok has a child at Bollman Bridge. She is also a manager at Coastal Sunbelt. She helped Ms. Conran develop the lessons, which she says have really helped. Lisa Chertok said, “Well, when the Burmese employees got here, they were very, very shy. Now I find that they are more outspoken than before. They’re more communicative. As parents, they are also more involved in their children’s school.”
Jonathan Davis is the headmaster of Bollman Bridge Elementary School. Mr. Davis hopes the lessons will help these parents feel better about communicating with the school. He said, “Even as simple as making a phone call to say that their son or daughter is sick, even if that’s the amount of English that they have got from the program, that truly will help us.”
What does the underlined word “arduous” in Paragraph 1 mean?
| A．Interesting. | B．Necessary. |
| C．Difficult. | D．Surprising. |
When the refugees from Burma first arrived in Howard County, .
| A．neither the children nor the parents could speak English |
| B．the parents liked communicating with the teachers |
| C．the parents could help their children speak English |
| D．the children could speak very good English |
What can we learn about Laurel Conran from the passage?
| A．She mainly teaches English to the local children in a school. |
| B．She worked at Coastal Sunbelt Produce before being a teacher. |
| C．She teaches not only English but also other languages. |
| D．She often goes to the refugees’ company to teach them English. |
Jonathan Davis hopes that the lessons will .
| A．totally change the difficult life of the refugees |
| B．help the parents communicate better with the school |
| C．help the parents get along better with their children |
| D．encourage more refugees to send their children to the school |
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