For many years, artists have flocked to Paris, France, to paint or to learn to paint. Perhaps artists first went there because of the city′s beauty. They went to paint pictures of the broad, tree-lined streets, the great churches, and the graceful river bridges.
The artists felt comfortable in Paris because the people of the city had always enjoyed art. Paris had great art museums, filled with famous paintings and statues(雕像)from many countries. And the people of Paris had always welcomed new ideas. In this city, artists felt free to experiment with new ways of painting.
As soon as famous artists painted in Paris, students came to learn from them. People came to buy paintings. People called  art dealers set up galleries where paintings were bought and sold. Others kept shops that sold artists′ paints and supplies.
Students and artists who were not yet famous could live in Paris for very little money. They learned by studying great art in the museums, and they learned from one another. They held art fairs, hanging their paintings outdoors along the streets.
Today, New York City and Florence, Italy, are also famous art centers. But the world’s main art exhibits are still held in Paris. Important judges of art live there. Most of the new ways of painting that have started in the last hundred years began in Paris. So artists and art dealers still go to Paris because it is the world′s leading art center.
【小题1】The story does not say so, but it makes you think that.

A．Paris is famous for its artists’ paints and supplies

B．there is more than one way to paint

C．art fairs are held in galleries

D．Florence is the center of world art exhibits

【小题2】Which of the following statement is not a reason why so many artists prefer to stay in Pairs?

A．Pairs is a beautiful city.

B．The French are willing to accept any new things.

C．All the museums are free of charge in Pairs.

D．Artists can make an easier life in Pairs.

【小题3】On the whole, this story is about.

A．the world′s most famous art center

B．how to buy a painting in Paris

C．the famous art centers of New York and Florence

D．where to set up galleries

The following are four books that will help you change your mind and change your life.

1) You Can Heal Your Life, Louise Hay: A groundbreaking book when it was released in 1982. It is still the book that I turn to when I have physical unrest that requires deeper understanding. Louise Hay is the pioneer in looking at the connection between the physical unrest that we have in our body and the emotional connection. At the time that she wrote the book many people scoffed at this idea, but it is now widely accepted and millions of people refer to it on a daily basis.

2) The Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz: Maintaining a sense of reliability and faith is developed through understanding to The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz written in 1997. We are faced with rules and regulations; don’t do this, don’t do that, watch what you are doing, be kind, loyal, faithful etc. The four agreements represent a simple system of maintaining your own inner authority while practicing being a true person with other people.

3) Slowing Down to the Speed of Life, Richard Carlson and Joseph Bailey: This is a new one in my “bedside collection” and one that has made the biggest impact on me lately. Written in 1997, it is even more relevant today than it was when it was written. The idea of “slowing down” to get there faster was extremely hard for me to understand. As a human species we seem to enjoy moving fast and expecting quick results, especially from ourselves. I should be successful now, I should be slim now, get me to my destination now—in contrast to “in the fullness of time” when I am ready.

4) The Game of Life and How to Play It, Florence Scovel-Shinn: A classic book that was first published in 1925 and remains one of my favorite books of all time. Scovel-Shinn understood the power of our words to express either our deepest desires or our most horrible nightmares.

So where does this leave you? The way I see it is if you want to ‘Heal Your Life” then you had better learn how to play “The Game of Life” by learning how to “Slow Down to the Speed of Life” and keep the “Four Agreements”. The solution may not be easy to do but it is simple. In fact, most solutions are pretty simple, and it is us humans that want to complicate it.

1.According to the author, people who are lacking in personal freedom should read______.

A. You Can Heal Your Life

B. The Four Agreements

C. Slowing Down to the Speed of Life

D. The Game of Life and How to Play It

2.Which of the following books did the author read most recently?

A. Slowing Down to the Speed of Life

B. The Four Agreements

C. You Can Heal Your Life

D. The Game of Life and How to Play It

3.In which part of a magazine would you probably find this passage?

A. Arts & Entertainment   B. Reference & Education

C. Book Reviews    D. Self Improvement

4. In the author’s opinion, the four books _______.

A. offer four ways to change our life and mind    B. represent four stages of life

C. represent four attitudes                     D. tell us four interesting stories

 

For many years, artists have flocked to Paris, France, to paint or to learn to paint. Perhaps artists first went there because of the city′s beauty. They went to paint pictures of the broad, tree-lined streets, the great churches, and the graceful river bridges.
The artists felt comfortable in Paris because the people of the city had always enjoyed art. Paris had great art museums, filled with famous paintings and statues(雕像)from many countries. And the people of Paris had always welcomed new ideas. In this city, artists felt free to experiment with new ways of painting.
As soon as famous artists painted in Paris, students came to learn from them. People came to buy paintings. People called  art dealers set up galleries where paintings were bought and sold. Others kept shops that sold artists′ paints and supplies.
Students and artists who were not yet famous could live in Paris for very little money. They learned by studying great art in the museums, and they learned from one another. They held art fairs, hanging their paintings outdoors along the streets.
Today, New York City and Florence, Italy, are also famous art centers. But the world’s main art exhibits are still held in Paris. Important judges of art live there. Most of the new ways of painting that have started in the last hundred years began in Paris. So artists and art dealers still go to Paris because it is the world′s leading art center.
【小题1】In Pairs artists can make progress in art by doing lots of things except .

A．painting the beautiful scenes of Pairs.

B．visiting museums, churches and fairs.

C．trying out their new ideas in the way of painting.

D．buying or selling paintings in the fair.

【小题2】The story does not say so, but it makes you think that.

A．Paris is famous for its artists’ paints and supplies

B．there is more than one way to paint

C．art fairs are held in galleries

D．Florence is the center of world art exhibits

【小题3】Which of the following statement is not a reason why so many artists prefer to stay in Pairs?

A．Pairs is a beautiful city

B．The French are willing to accept any new things.

C．All the museums are free of charge in Pairs.

D．Artists can make an easier life in Pairs.

【小题4】On the whole, this story is about.

A．the world′s most famous art center

B．how to buy a painting in Paris

C．the famous art centers of New York and Florence

D．where to set up galleries

In many African countries, the care of orphans has been mainly led by foreign donor organizations. However, Sister Florence has changed all that. Using her own resources, Sister Florence is leading the work of raising orphans from different backgrounds. Sister Florence Wanjala’s biggest motivation to start the orphan program was when she saw a little boy whose parents had died. The boy was living with a cruel grandparent and he would visit the grave of his mother, crying for support. Sister Wanjala wanted to give a helping hand and give him hope. From that time, she started feeling the call to help a larger number of orphans.
She opened an office with a few friends and coordinated (协调）a program to help the orphans. All the registrations were done in the office and the program so far has 8000 children. Sister Wanjala said, “My dream is to help the orphan to live a holistic (完整)life and be a good Kenyan citizen to help this country. Many people think that the way to support orphans is to put them in an institution（孤儿院）. Others support them up to the age of eighteen, but here, we do it very differently.” For Sister Wanjala, putting a child in an institution is normally her last choice. She prefers the orphans to live in a foster(寄宿的) home.
She said, “I’m so encouraged and happy to see the orphans succeeding. When they come first or second in class, it shows how the program has helped them, and that’s encouraging to me as I continue to coordinate the program.”Through her charity work, more than 1000 orphans have been able to find a home. Sister Wanjala, as a mother, takes care of her own family.
【小题1】What inspired Sister Wanjala to start the orphan program?

A．Her preference for kids.	B．Her own similar experience.
C． A sad story about an orphan.	D．Her successful charity work.

【小题2】Sister Wanjala opened an office mainly to ______.
A. set up as many institutions as possible for orphans
B start a program to offer orphans a foster family
C.  provide school education for those orphans
D.  raise more money for the homeless kids
【小题3】What does the underlined sentence probably mean?

A． She didn’t want orphans to live in an institution.

B． She preferred to put orphans into an institution.

C． She had no choice but to put orphans in institutions.

D． She sent orphans into an institution in the end.

【小题4】What can we learn from the text?

A． Sister Wanjala finally adopted the little boy.

B． Sister Wanjala found foster homes for 8000 orphans.

C． Sister Wanjala was too busy to care for her own family.

D． Sister Wanjala was not alone in helping orphans.

Are you looking for something different this summer? We’ve lined up a list of some unusual camps.

   Learn to fly a jet(喷气式飞机)

   This is the real training that all fighter and test pilots have. Learn the cockpit(驾驶室) and how to put your plane through its paces . Finally, you fight a mock battle with your teammates.

   It’s held at the US Space &Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alaska. There are both weekend and summer camps for anyone 9 and up. Kids 7 to 12 also can pair with a parent. The cost is $749 for kids-only camps and $349 each for parent /child camp.

Be Steven Spielberg

   At Film Camp, you will get to write, direct, shoot and edit your own movie.

Run by the New York Film Academy, you can choose from a variety of camp locations: New York, Disney-MGM Studios in Florida, Universal Studios in Los Angeles, Harvard University, Paris or Florence, Italy.

   Everyone helps one another by working behind the camera. Tuition for a one-week camp is $1,500, while a four or six week training run $5,900 to $6,900.

   Join the circus

   At Circus Smirkus you can learn how to ride a unicycle, and throw a pie in someone’s face . Kids 8 to 16 can choose between one—or two-week sessions, with the two-week camp ending in a circus show for the families.

   The camp is located in Craftsbury Common, Vermont. The cost is $825 for one week ($300 extra with a parent ) and $1,500 for two weeks ( $ 500 extra with a parent).

   Live the ultimate (终极的)summer fantasy

   Learn to ride the waves this summer and tour one of the world’s only sea turtle hospitals at Surf Camp. The week long camp also includes trips to local islands.

   Surf Camp is located at Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.The cost is $475 per week for kids 8 to 12, $595 per week for teens 12 to 18. Check it out at wbsurfcamp. Com.

   Strike a chord(弦)

   At Power Chord Academy, teens 12 to 18 will be placed in a band that best meets their age, experience and style. You will lead the life of a band member: recording in a studio, playing a concert and making a video.

1.Which camps can you join if you want your father to be able to take part?

A. Circus Smirkus and Surf Camp

B. The Power Chord Academy and Film Camp

C. The camp at the US Space & Rocked Center and Film Camp

D. The camp at the US Space &Rocket Center and Circus Smirkus

2.How much do you have to pay if you want to attend a 2- week circus camp with your mom?

    A. $ 2000           B. $ 1500           C. $ 3000           D. $ 2250

3.Surf Camp can provide the following for campers EXCEPT______.

    A. care for sea turtles                B. surfing

    C. meeting with lovers of surfing      D. travel to local islands

4.What does the underlined word “mock” mean ?

    A. real         B. fierce          C. pretended        D. shooting