Mark Rothko, one of the greatest painters of ...

Mark Rothko, one of the greatest painters of the twentieth century, was born in Daugavpils, Latvia in 1903. His father immigrated to the United States, fearing that his son would be drafted (招募) into the Czarist army. Mark stayed in Russia with his mother and elder sister; they joined the family later, arriving in the winter of 1913, after a 12-day voyage.

Mark moved to New York in the autumn of 1923 and found employment in the garment trade and took up residence on the Upper West Side. It was while he was visiting someone at the Art Students League that he saw students sketching a nude model. According to him, this was the start of his life as an artist. He was twenty years old and had taken some art lessons at school, so his initial experience was far from an immediate calling.

In 1936, Mark Rothko began writing a book, which he never completed about the similarities in the children’s art and the work of modern painters. The work of modernists, which was influenced by primitive (原始的) art, according to him, could be compared to that of children in that “Child art transforms itself into primitivism (原始主义), which is only the child producing a mimicry (模仿) of himself.” However, in this same work, he said that “The fact that one usually begins with drawing is already academic. We start with the colors.”

It was not long before his multiform developed into the style he is remembered for; in 1949 Rothko exhibited these new works at the Betty Parsons Gallery. For critic Harold Rosenberg, the paintings were a revelation. After painting his first multiform, Rothko withdrew himself to his home in East Hampton on Long Island. The discovery of his definitive form came at a period of great grief; his mother Kate died in October 1948 and it was at some point during that winter that Rothko chanced upon the striking symmetrical (对称的) rectangular blocks of two to three opposing or contrasting, yet complementary colors (对称). As part of this new uniformity of artistic vision, his paintings and drawings no longer had individual titles: from this point on they were simply untitled, numbered or dated. However, to assist in distinguishing one work from another, dealers would sometimes add the primary colors to the name.

1.Mark Rothko’s family have experienced all of the following except　　　　　　　　 .

A. a separation from his father B. the call up of the army

C. a temporary stay in Russia D. a 12-day voyage to the United States

2.What made Mark Rothko want to be an artist?

A. His move to the Upper West Side.

B. His visit to the Art Students League.

C. His sight of the students’ drawing.

D. His lessons took in art school.

3.Mark Rothko thought modern art share some similarities with child art because　　　　　　　　 .

A. they are both considered childish and academic

B. they are both ways of expressing primitivism

C. they are both a copy of the painters themselves

D. they ate both striking blocks and colors

4.Which of the following statements is true about Mark Rothko’s style?

A. It was inspired by Rosenberg.

B. It resulted from moving to Long Island.

C. It resulted from his grief.

D. It evolved (develop gradually) in 1948.

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

Grandma Moses is among the most famous twentieth-century painters of the United States, yet she did not start painting until she was in her late seventies. As she once said to herself: " I would never sit back in a rocking chair, waiting for someone to help me." No one could have had a more productive old age.

She was born Anna Mary Robertson on a farm in New York State, one of five boys and five girls. At twelve she left home and was in domestic service until, at twenty—seven, she married Thomas Moses, the hired hand of one of her employers. They farmed most of their lives, first in Virginia and then in New York State, at Eagle Bridge. She had ten children, of whom five survived; her husband died in 1927.

Grandma Moses painted a little as a child and made embroidery (刺绣) pictures as a hobby, but only changed to oils in old age because her hands had become too stiff to sew and she wanted to keep busy and pass the time. Her pictures were first sold at the local drugstore and at a market and were soon noticed by a businessman who bought everything she painted. Three of the pictures exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art, and in 1940 she had her first exhibition in New York. Between the 1930's and her death, she produced some 2,000 pictures: detailed and lively portrayals of the country life she had known for so long, with a wonderful sense of color and form. "I think really hard till I think of something really pretty, and then I paint it" she said.

1.According to the passage, Grandma Moses began to paint because she wanted to_______.

A. make herself beautiful

B. keep active

C. earn more money

D. become famous

2.Grandma Moses spent most of her life ________.

A. nursing         B. painting        C. embroidering    D. farming

3.The underlined word “portrayals ” means ________.

A. descriptions    B. expressions      C.explanations     D.impressions

4.From Grandma Moses' description of herself in the first paragraph, it can be inferred that she

was ________.

A. independent    B. pretty            C. rich            D. nervous

5.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A. Grandma Moses: Her Life and Pictures.

B. The Children of Grandma Moses.

C. Grandma Moses: Her Best Exhibition.

D.Grandma Moses and Other Older Artists.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

阅读理解。

Grandma Moses is among the most famous twentieth-century painters of the United States，yet she did not start painting until she was in her late seventies．As she once said to herself：" I would never sit back in a rocking chair，waiting for someone to help me．" No one could have had a more productive old age．

She was born Anna Mary Robertson on a farm in New York State，one of five boys and five girls．At twelve she left home and was in domestic service until，at twenty-seven，she married Thomas Moses，the hired hand of one of her employers．They farmed most of their lives，first in Virginia and then in New York State，at Eagle Bridge．She had ten children，of whom five survived；her husband died in 1927．

Grandma Moses painted a little as a child and made embroidery pictures as a hobby，but only changed to oils in old age because her hands had become too stiff to sew and she wanted to keep busy and pass the time．Her pictures were first sold at the local drugstore and at a market and were soon noticed by a businessman who bought everything she painted．Three of the pictures exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art，and in 1940 she had her first exhibition in New York．Between the 1930's and her death，she produced some 2，000 pictures：detailed and lively portrayals of the country life she had known for so long，with a wonderful sense of color and form．"I think really hard till I think of something really pretty，and then I paint it" she said．

1.According to the passage，Grandma Moses began to paint because she wanted to________．

A．make herself beautiful　　 　　　 B．keep active

C．earn more money　 　　　　　　　　 D．become famous

2.Grandma Moses spent most of her life________．

A．nursing　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　 B．painting

C．embroidering　　 　　　　　　　　　 D．farming

3.The underlined word “portrayals ”means________．

A．descriptions 　　　　　　　　 　 B．expressions

C．explanations　　 　　　　　　　　 D．impressions

4.From Grandma Moses' description of herself in the first paragraph，it can be inferred that she was________．

A．independent　　 　　　　　　　　　 B．pretty

C．rich　　　　　 　　　　　　　　 　　 D．nervous

5.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage？

A．Grandma Moses：Her Life and Pictures．

B．The Children of Grandma Moses．

C．Grandma Moses：Her Best Exhibition．

D．Grandma Moses and Other Older Artists．

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The greatest recent social changes have been in the lives of women. During the twentieth century there has been a remarkable shortening of the proportion of a woman's life spent in caring for the children. A woman marrying at the end of the nineteenth century would probably have been in her middle twenties ,and would be likely to have seven or eight children, four or five of whom lived till they were five years old. By the time the youngest was fifteen, the mother would have been in her early fifties and would expect to live a further twenty years, during which health made it unusual for her to get paid work.. Today women marry younger and have fewer children. Usually a woman's youngest child will be fifteen when she is forty-five years and can be expected to live another thirty-five years and is likely to take paid work until retirement at sixty. Even while she has to take care of children, her work is lightened by moder living conditions.

This important change in women's life-patterns has only recently begun to have its full effect on women's economic position. Even a few years ago most girls took a full-time job after they left school.. However, when they married, they usually left work at once and never returned to it. Today the school- leaving age is sixteen, many girls stay at school after that age, and though women usually marry older, more married women stay at work at least until shortly before their first child is born.　 Many more afterwards return to full-or-part-time work. Such changes have led to a new relationship in marriage, with the husband accepting a greater share of the duties and satisfactions of family life, and with both husband and wife sharing more equally in providing the money, and running the home, according to the abilities and interests of each of them.

1.At what age did most women marry around the 1890 according to the passage?

A. At about twenty-five　　　　　　　　 B. In their earl fifties

C. At the age of fifteen　　　　　　　　　 D. At any age from fifteen to forty-five

2.What happened to an ordinary family in about 1900?

A. The youngest child could live to fifteen.

B. Four of five children died after they were five.

C. Seven or eight children lived to be more than five.

D. Some children died when the were very young.

3.When she was over fifty , a late nineteenth-century mother ______.

A. was usaully expected to die fiarely soon

B. would expect to work until she died

C. would be healthy enough to take up paid jobs

D. was less like to find a job even if she wanted to

4.What do we know from the passage?

A. Husbands and wives share equal responsibilities at home.

B. More and more women are looked down upon by husbands.

C. Today women prefer to get married rather than get jobs.

D. A husband plays a greater part in looking after the children.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The greatest recent social changes have been in the lives of women. During the twentieth century there has been a remarkable shortening of the time of a woman’s life spent in caring for children. A woman marrying at the end of the nineteenth century would probably have been in her middle twenties, and would be likely to have seven or eight children, of whom four or five lived till they were five years old. By the time the youngest was fifteen, the mother would have been in her early fifties and would expect to live a further twenty years, during which health made it unusual for her to get paid work. Today women marry younger and have fewer children. Usually a woman‘s youngest child will be fifteen when she is forty-five and can be expected to live another thirty-five years and is likely to take paid work until retirement(退休) at sixty. Even while she has the care of children, her work is lightened by modern living conditions.

　This important change in women’s life-pattern has only recently begun to have its full effect on women‘s economic position. Even a few years ago most girls left schools at the first chance, and most of them took a full-time job. However, when they married, they usually left work at once and never returned to it. Today the school-leaving age is sixteen, many girls stay at school after that age, and though women usually marry younger, more married women stay at least until shortly before their first child is born. Very many more afterwards return to full or part-time work. Such changes have led to a new relationship in marriage, with the husband accepting a greater share of the duties and satisfactions of family life, and with the both husband and wife sharing more equally in providing the money, and running the home, according to the abilities and interests of each of them.

1.According to the passage, around the year 1900 most women married ________.

　A. at about twenty-five B. in their early fifties

　C as soon as possible after they were fifteen

　D. at any age from fifteen to forty-five

2. We are told that in a common family about 1900 _________.

3.When she was over fifty, the late nineteenth-century mother _________.

4.According to the passage, the women of today usually _________.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Many famous painters worked in Antwerp during the city’s period of greatest power but Peter Paul Rubens is undoubtedly the most famous one of them. Known as Rubens House, the palace-like residence(大宅) and studio where Rubens worked and lived from 1616 until his death in 1640 is now one of Antwerp’s most visited museums.

Almost all of the works Rubens and his students created in the Rubens House have been dispersed (分散) over major museums across the whole world, but there is still an impressive collection well worth the visit. Besides paintings form the master himself you will find other works of art and furniture of the 17th century as well as paintings from his students, including works by Jacob Jordaens and Anthony Van Dyck.

The Rubens House was not only a studio but also a meeting place for the rich and famous. His clients(委托人) included wealthy merchants, diplomats, and there were also many noblemen who often visited his studio to see how work progressed. The Rubens House even had a special viewing area which allowed visitors to see the artists at work.

Ruben bought the house at the beginning of the 17th century after his eight-year-long stay in Italy. Influenced by Italian architecture, he rebuilt the building into an Italian-styled palace with a beautiful garden and moved in the house in1616.

After his death the building was sold. New owners modified the building greatly and by 1937, when the building was purchased by the city of Antwerp, it hardly resembled the original structure.

The impressive entrance hall, which connected the studio and the residence, is one of the few parts that survived. Other parts have been carefully restored and reconstructed after original plans and paintings of the house.

1.As a museum, the Rubens House is popular because _______.

A. it lies in the famous city of Antwerp

B. it holds all the works by Rubens and his students

C. there are many people who enjoy visiting it

D. Rubens, a great artist, lived and worked there

2.We can learn from the third paragraph that _______.

A. the Rubens House was popular with upper-class people

B. the Rubens House was the best studio in its time

C. Rubens’s students included noblemen and diplomats

D. people were not allowed to view the artists working

3.What can be inferred from the text?

A. Thanks to its great painters, Antwerp became a rich city.

B. Ruben possibly showed strong interest in Italian buildings.

C. Antwerp must be a historical city in Italy.

D. The Rubens House was completely rebuilt before 1937.

4.Which of the following is TRUE, according to the text?

A. Rubens created his works by working with his students.

B. A beautiful garden was added to the Rubens House by new owners.

C. The Rubens House is decorated with furniture of the 17th century.

D. Today’s Rubens House looks like its original structure.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

From 1902 to 1904, Picasso, the twentieth-century’s greatest western artist, painted a series of pictures _______ the main color was blue.

A. when　　 B. that

C. where　　 D. which

高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

Soong Mei-ling was one of the most well-known Chinese women of the twentieth century.

Mei-ling was born in Hainan in 1898, the youngest daughter of Charlie Soong. At the age of 8, she was sent to the United States to go to school, where she did well. She graduated from Wellesley College in Massachusetts in 1917 with a degree in English Literature. Because of her education Mei-ling spoke excellent English.

After graduation Mei-ling returned to China and she met Chiang Kai-shek(蒋介石) in 1920. She married him in 1927 after his divorce. During the war against Japan, Mei-ling acted as her husband’s interpreter and translator. She worked hard to promote the Chinese cause during the war, especially in the United States. In 1943 she became the first Chinese national and only the second woman to speak before the US Congress(国会).

After the defeat(溃败) of her husband’s government in 1949, Mei-ling moved to Taiwan. She lived there until her husband’s death in 1975. She then emigrated to the USA and lived on her family’s estate(别墅) in Lattington, Long Island, near New York. She spent much of time painting.

Mei-ling died peacefully at her apartment in New York on October 23, 2003 at the age of 105.

1.Mei-ling was born in ______

A.  1920         B.  1927             C.  1917         D.  1898

2.After graduation Mei-ling_______

A.  went back to China               B.  studied English Literature

C..  lived in Massachusetts          D.  spoke little English

3.During the war against Japan, Mei-ling________

A.  was her husband’s interperter and translator

B.  toured the United States

C.  spent her time in Long Island

D.  lived in Tai’wan

4.Soong Mei-ling ______

A.  was the oldest Soong sister      B.  loved money

C.  died in the USA                  D.  married Dr Sun Yat-sen(孙中山)

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

One of the greatest contributors to the first Oxford English Dictionary was also one of its most unusual. In 1879, Oxford University in England asked Prof. James Murray to serve as editor for what was to be the most ambitious dictionary in the history of the English language. It would include every English word possible and would give not only the definition but also the history of the word and quotations(引文) showing how it was used.

This was a huge task, so Murray had to find volunteers from Britain, the United States, and the British colonies to search every newspaper, magazine, and book ever written in English. Hundreds of volunteers responded, including William Chester Minor. Dr. Minor was an American surgeon who had served in the Civil War and was now living in England. He gave his address as “Broadmoor, Crowthorne, Berkshire,” 50 miles from Oxford.

Minor joined the army of volunteers sending words and quotations to Murray. Over the next 17 years, he became one of the staff’s most valued contributors.

But he was also a mystery. In spite of many invitations, he would always decline to visit Oxford. So in 1897, Murray finally decided to travel to Crowthorne himself. When he arrived, he found Minor locked in a book-lined cell at the Broadmoor Asylum(精神病院) for the Criminally Insane.

Murray and Minor became friends, sharing their love of words. Minor continued contributing to the dictionary, sending in more than 10,000 submissions in 20 years. Murray continued to visit Minor regularly, sometimes taking walks with him around the asylum grounds.

In 1910, Minor left Broadmoor for an asylum in his native America. Murray was at the port to wave goodbye to his remarkable friend.

Minor died in 1920, seven years before the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary was completed. The 12 volunteers defined 414,825 words, and thousands of them were contributions from a very scholarly and devoted asylum patient.

1.According to the text, the first Oxford English Dictionary ____.

A. came out before Minor died

B. was edited by an American volunteer

C. included the English words invented by Murray

D. was intended to be the most ambitious English dictionary

2.How did Dr. Minor contribute to the dictionary?

A. He helped Murray to find hundreds of volunteers.

B. He sent newspapers, magazines and books to Murray.

C. He provided a great number of words and quotations.

D. He went to England to work with Murray.

3.Which of the following best describes Dr. Minor?

A. Brave and determined.            B. Cautious and friendly.

C. Considerate and optimistic.        D. Unusual and scholarly.

4.What does the text mainly talk about?

A. The history of the English language.

B. The friendship between Murray and Minor.

C. Minor and the first Oxford English Dictionary.

D. Broadmoor Asylum and its patients.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

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-wide fame and a name remembered today.

1. 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 inhuman powers

D. his wisdom and magic tricks

2. 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

3. 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

4.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A. A Skeleton Key                       B. A Man of Many Secrets

C. World-wild Fame                   D. Great Escape

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析