He was once referred to as the Picasso of poetry.Beloved by Chileans(智利人)of all classes，he is one of the most widely read and respected poets in history. And this year is the 100th birthday of Pablo Neruda(1940—1973)．

Born with the name Neftali Ricardo Reyes Basolto，he was a tall，shy and lonely boy.He loved to read and started to write poetry when he was ten.The American poet Walt Whitman，whose framed picture Neruda later kept on his table，became a major influence(影响)on his work.

However，his father did not like the idea of having a poet for a son and tried to discourage him from writing.To cover up the publication of his first poem，he took the pen name Pablo Neruda.

In 1924 Neruda gained fame with his most widely read work “Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair”．Yet his rich experience as a diplomat(外交官)and exile(流亡)made him go beyond the theme of love.His work also reflected the political struggle of the left and development of South America.He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971.

Neruda loved the sea which he saw as creative(创造性的)and forever moving.He found inspiration(灵感)in the power and freedom of the waves and the seabirds on the coast.“I need the sea because it teaches me”，he wrote，“I move in the university of the waves.”He loved how the sea forever renewed itself，a renewal echoed(回映)in his work.

1．The underlined word “Picasso” can probably be replaced by “______”．

A．most important person　　　　　　　　 B．famous person from Picasso

C．freedom fighter in Picasso　　　　　 　D．poem fan

2．Neftali Ricardo Reyes Basolto took the pen name Pablo Neruda because______.

A．literary greats usually used the pen name

B．his father encourged him to use the name

C．he wanted to prevent his father knowing the publication

D．he was greatly influenced by other poets

3．Which of the following is NOT the theme of his works?

A．Love.　　　　　　　　　　　　 B．Political struggle.

C．Social reform.　　　　　　　　 D．The development of South America.

4.The last paragraph mainly tells us ______.

A．the sea gave Neruda vast writing inspiration

B．the beautiful scenery along the Chile coast

C．Neruda’s poems were widely read overseas

D．Neruda loved to write his poems near the sea

5．Which is TRUE according to the text?

A．Young people especially love and respect Neruda.

B．The first collection of Neruda’s poems was published when he was ten.

C．Walt Whitman was Neruda’s most admired poet.

D．He became famous when he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.

 

HK’s Family Affair

　The 32nd Hong Kong Art Festival, to be held early next year, will be based on the theme of “family”.

　The art festival, considered to be Asia’s best, began in 1973.

　“We hope that people from Beijing and from all over the world will go to Hong Kong to enjoy the multiple performances in our art festival,”Douglas Gautier, the festival’s management director, said in a press conference in the capital.

　In the 29 days of the festival, which runs from February 8 to March 7, 2004, the audience can choose from 111 performances of 51 programmes staged by 700 foreign performers, 450 local artists and 160 actors from the mainland.

　Programmes vary from classical music, jazz, world music, Western and Peking opera, drama and dance to outdoor spectaculars.

　The programmes include Beethoven’s only opera Fidelio, Shakespeare’s drama Rromeo and Juliet, the ballet Mozartina and African dances, to name just a few.

　The lineup（阵容）includes the English Touring Theatre, Prague Chamber Orchestra, Zurich Ballet, The Spanish National Dance Troupe, as well as Europe Galante, the Petersen Quartet, pianists Angela Hewitt and Marc-Andre Hamelin, and saxophonist Jan Garbarek.

　In an effort to increase attendance, hotels and airlines are offering discount packages along with art festival ticket sales, most of which are at 20% and 30% discounts.

　　For more information, please check:

　　www. hk. artsfestival. org

1.The press conference must have been held ________.

A．in Hong Kong	B．in Europe
C．in Beijing	D．in England

2.By means of“discount packages”you can pay ________.

A．nothing for the cost

B．less than the usual cost

C．for the air ticket but not for the festival ticket

D．for the festival ticket but not for hotel rooms

3.According to the text, we do NOT have any information about ________.

A．who will perform on stage	B．what programmes there will be
C．when the 32nd Art Festival will be held	D．which theatres will put on performances

4.The main purpose in writing this text is ________.

A．to make the 32nd Art Festival known	B．to announce the plan of the art festival
C．to introduce the cost of the art festival	D．to sell a service during the art festival

 

HK’s Family Affair
　The 32nd Hong Kong Art Festival, to be held early next year, will be based on the theme of “family”.
　The art festival, considered to be Asia’s best, began in 1973.
　“We hope that people from Beijing and from all over the world will go to Hong Kong to enjoy the multiple performances in our art festival,”Douglas Gautier, the festival’s management director, said in a press conference in the capital.
　In the 29 days of the festival, which runs from February 8 to March 7, 2004, the audience can choose from 111 performances of 51 programmes staged by 700 foreign performers, 450 local artists and 160 actors from the mainland.
　Programmes vary from classical music, jazz, world music, Western and Peking opera, drama and dance to outdoor spectaculars.
　The programmes include Beethoven’s only opera Fidelio, Shakespeare’s drama Rromeo and Juliet, the ballet Mozartina and African dances, to name just a few.
　The lineup（阵容）includes the English Touring Theatre, Prague Chamber Orchestra, Zurich Ballet, The Spanish National Dance Troupe, as well as Europe Galante, the Petersen Quartet, pianists Angela Hewitt and Marc-Andre Hamelin, and saxophonist Jan Garbarek.
　In an effort to increase attendance, hotels and airlines are offering discount packages along with art festival ticket sales, most of which are at 20% and 30% discounts.
　　For more information, please check:
　　www. hk. artsfestival. org
【小题1】The press conference must have been held ________.

A．in Hong Kong	B．in Europe
C．in Beijing	D．in England

【小题2】By means of“discount packages”you can pay ________.

A．nothing for the cost

B．less than the usual cost

C．for the air ticket but not for the festival ticket

D．for the festival ticket but not for hotel rooms

【小题3】According to the text, we do NOT have any information about ________.

A．who will perform on stage	B．what programmes there will be
C．when the 32nd Art Festival will be held	D．which theatres will put on performances

【小题4】The main purpose in writing this text is ________.

A．to make the 32nd Art Festival known	B．to announce the plan of the art festival
C．to introduce the cost of the art festival	D．to sell a service during the art festival