Vincent Willem van Gogh (30 March, 1853---29 July, 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist artist. He is considered one of the greatest artists with great influence on the greatest artists with great influence on the 20th-century art.
Van Gogh spent his early adult life working for a firm of art dealers. After a brief period as a teacher, he became a missionary (传教士) in a very poor mining region. He did not begin his career as an artist until 1880; however, during the last ten years of his life, he produced more than 2,000 pieces, including around 900 paintings and 1,100 drawing and sketches (素描). He worked only with somber colours until he met Impressionism and Neo-Impressionism in Paris. Van Gogh used their bright colours and style of painting in a uniquely recognizable style. Most of his best-known works were produced during his final two years, when he was suffering from serious mental illness.
In 1890, at the age of 37, van Gogh shot himself in the chest. He died two days later, with Theo, his brother and his best friend, at his side, who reported his last words as “The sadness will last forever”. It would not take long before his fame grew higher and higher.
Van Gogh’s mother threw away quite a number of his paintings. The only painting he sold during his lifetime, The Red Vineyard, was created in 1888. It is now on display in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, Russia. Several paintings by van Gogh rank among the most expensive paintings in the world. On March 30, 1987 van Gogh’s painting Irises was sold for a record of $53.9 million at Southby’s, New York. On May 15, 1990 his Portrait of Doctor Gachet was sold for $83.5 million at Christie’s, thus setting a new price record.
【小题1】When did van Gogh begin his career as an artist?

Vincent Willem van Gogh (30 March, 1853---29 July, 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist artist. He is considered one of the greatest artists with great influence on the greatest artists with great influence on the 20th-century art.

Van Gogh spent his early adult life working for a firm of art dealers. After a brief period as a teacher, he became a missionary (传教士) in a very poor mining region. He did not begin his career as an artist until 1880; however, during the last ten years of his life, he produced more than 2,000 pieces, including around 900 paintings and 1,100 drawing and sketches (素描). He worked only with somber colours until he met Impressionism and Neo-Impressionism in Paris. Van Gogh used their bright colours and style of painting in a uniquely recognizable style. Most of his best-known works were produced during his final two years, when he was suffering from serious mental illness.

In 1890, at the age of 37, van Gogh shot himself in the chest. He died two days later, with Theo, his brother and his best friend, at his side, who reported his last words as “The sadness will last forever”. It would not take long before his fame grew higher and higher.

Van Gogh’s mother threw away quite a number of his paintings. The only painting he sold during his lifetime, The Red Vineyard, was created in 1888. It is now on display in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, Russia. Several paintings by van Gogh rank among the most expensive paintings in the world. On March 30, 1987 van Gogh’s painting Irises was sold for a record of $53.9 million at Southby’s, New York. On May 15, 1990 his Portrait of Doctor Gachet was sold for $83.5 million at Christie’s, thus setting a new price record.

1.When did van Gogh begin his career as an artist?

2.The underlined word “somber” in Para. 2 means         .

3.What’s the right order of van Gogh’s life experience?

a. worked as a teacher

b. took up drawing

c. worked in an art firm

d. worked as a missionary

4.Which of the following can best describe van Gogh’s final two years?

5.What can we learn from the passage?

Vincent Willem van Gogh (30 March, 1853---29 July, 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist artist. He is considered one of the greatest artists with great influence on the greatest artists with great influence on the 20th-century art.
Van Gogh spent his early adult life working for a firm of art dealers. After a brief period as a teacher, he became a missionary (传教士) in a very poor mining region. He did not begin his career as an artist until 1880; however, during the last ten years of his life, he produced more than 2,000 pieces, including around 900 paintings and 1,100 drawing and sketches (素描). He worked only with somber colours until he met Impressionism and Neo-Impressionism in Paris. Van Gogh used their bright colours and style of painting in a uniquely recognizable style. Most of his best-known works were produced during his final two years, when he was suffering from serious mental illness.
In 1890, at the age of 37, van Gogh shot himself in the chest. He died two days later, with Theo, his brother and his best friend, at his side, who reported his last words as “The sadness will last forever”. It would not take long before his fame grew higher and higher.
Van Gogh’s mother threw away quite a number of his paintings. The only painting he sold during his lifetime, The Red Vineyard, was created in 1888. It is now on display in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, Russia. Several paintings by van Gogh rank among the most expensive paintings in the world. On March 30, 1987 van Gogh’s painting Irises was sold for a record of $53.9 million at Southby’s, New York. On May 15, 1990 his Portrait of Doctor Gachet was sold for $83.5 million at Christie’s, thus setting a new price record.

1. 1.

   When did van Gogh begin his career as an artist?

   1. A.
      At the age of 17.
   2. B.
      At the age of 27.
   3. C.
      In his early adult adult life.
   4. D.
      In his early childhood.
2. 2.

   The underlined word “somber” in Para. 2 means         .

   1. A.
      colourful
   2. B.
      different
   3. C.
      dark
   4. D.
      bright
3. 3.

   What’s the right order of van Gogh’s life experience?
   a. worked as a teacher
   b. took up drawing
   c. worked in an art firm
   d. worked as a missionary

   1. A.
      c, a, b, d
   2. B.
      c, a, d, b
   3. C.
      b, c, a, d
   4. D.
      b, a, c, d
4. 4.

   Which of the following can best describe van Gogh’s final two years?

   1. A.
      Sand and boring.
   2. B.
      Normal and peaceful.
   3. C.
      Happy but fruitless.
   4. D.
      Painful but productive.
5. 5.

   What can we learn from the passage?

   1. A.
      Van Gogh didn’t become famous until he dies.
   2. B.
      Van Gogh sold many paintings in his life.
   3. C.
      Van Gogh had become famous as an artist when he was alive.
   4. D.
      Irises was the most expensive among van Gogh’s paintings.

How much can environment affect intelligence? In one study, striking increases in IQ occurred in 25 children who were moved from an orphanage(孤儿院) to more stimulating（使人兴奋的，使人振奋的） environments．The children, who were all considered mentally retarded and unadoptable, were moved to an institution where they received personal attention from adults．Later, these supposedly retarded children were adopted by parents who gave them love, a family ,and a stimulating home environment．The children gained an average of 29 IQ points．For one child, the increase was an amazing 58 points．A second group of initially less "retarded" children, who stayed in the orphanage, lost an average of 26 IQ points.

    Other encouraging results can be found in early childhood education programs, which provide stimulating intellectual experiences for disadvantaged children．In one study, children from low-income families were given enriched environments from early infancy(婴儿期) through preschool．By age 2 their IQ scores were already higher than those in a control group．More important, they were still 5 points higher seven years later．High-quality enrichment programs such as Head Start can prevent children from falling behind in school.

    A particularly striking environmental effect is the fact that 14 nations have shown average IQ gains of from 5 to 25 points during the last 30 years．These IQ boosts, averaging 15 points, occurred in far too short a time for genetics to explain them．It is more likely that the gains reflect environmental forces, such as improved education, nutrition, and living in a technologically complex society.

What's the main idea of this passage

    A．Retarded children cannot improve their IQ's.

    B．Orphanages are full of mentally retarded children.

    C．Environmental factors influence a child's IQ.

    D．Early childhood education programs are important.

The author is in favor of _____________ according to the passage.

    A．putting retarded children into institutions

    B．providing early childhood education programs

    C．keeping children in orphanages

    D．keeping retarded children with others like themselves

Which of the following is NOT mentioned as an environmental factor that affects IQ       .

    A．Good nutrition．     B．Improved technology.

    C．Better education．       D．Food pollution.

What can we conclude from the passage ?

    A．Attention from parents has little effect on a child's IQ.

    B．Head Start programs are a waste of money.

    C．Increases in IQ have happened in the US more rapidly than elsewhere.

    D．Genetics are less important than environment in gaining one's IQ.

It was the district sports meet. My foot still hadn’t healed(痊愈) from a(n) ___36___ injury. I had___37___ whether or not I should attend the meet. But there I was, ___38___for the 3,000-meter run.

“Ready…set…” The gun popped and we were off. The other girls rushed ___39___ me. I felt ___40___ as I fell farther and farther behind.

“Hooray!” shouted the crowd. It was the loudest___41___ I had ever heard at a meet. The first-place runner was two laps（圈）ahead of me when she crossed the finish line.

“Maybe I should___42___, I thought as I moved on. ___43___, I decided to keep going. During the last two laps, I ran ___44___ and decided not to ___45___in track next year. It wouldn’t be worth it, ___46___my foot did heal.

When I finished, I heard a cheer--___47___ than the one I’d heard earlier. I turned around and___48___, the boys were preparing for their race. “They must be cheering for the boys. ”

I was leaving ___49___ several girls came up to me. “Wow, you’ve got courage!” one of them told me.

“Courage? I just ___50___a race!” I thought.

“I would have given up on the first lap,” said another girl. “We were cheering for you. Did you hear us?”

Suddenly I regained___51___. I decided to ___52___ track next year. I realized strength and courage aren’t always ___53___ in medals and victories, but in the ___54___we overcome(战胜). The strongest people are not always the people who win, ___55___ the people who don’t give up when they lose.

36. A. slighter B. worse  C. earlier D. heavier

37. A. expected      B. supposed    C. imagined    D. doubted

38. A. late      B. eager  C. ready  D. thirsty

39. A. from behind B. ahead of     C. next to       D. close to

40. A. ashamed      B. astonished  C. excited       D. frightened

41. A. cheer    B. shout  C. cry     D. noise

42. A. slow down   B. drop out     C. go on  D. speed up

43. A. Therefore     B. Otherwise   C. Besides      D. However

44. A. with delight B. with fear    C. in pain       D. in advance

45. A. play     B. arrive  C. race    D. attend

46. A. even if  B. only if       C. unless D. until

47. A. weaker B. longer C. lower  D. louder

48. A. well enough B. sure enough       C. surprisingly enough   D. strangely enough

49. A. while    B. when  C. as       D. since

50. A. finished       B. won    C. passed D. lost

51. A. cheer    B. hope   C. interest       D. experience

52. A. hold on B. turn to       C. begin with  D. stick with

53. A. measured     B. praised       C. tested  D. increased

54. A. sadness B. struggles    C. diseases      D. tiredness

55. A. or B. nor     C. and     D. but