The world, in painter Chen Xiao's eyes, is as colorful and sweet as ice cream. At the opening of his latest exhibition, Colorful World in the Eyes of Sean Chen, at the National Museum of China recently, the artist told his story. Chen left China for Australia in 1986 to seek artistic freedom, and like many new immigrants then, he had little money in his pocket. To make ends meet, he drew portraits of people in the street. Every day, he saw people buy ice cream from a shop. Chen couldn't help wondering: "It must taste great, that's why so many people buy it." But he didn't buy one for himself because he had to save money to support his studies. After four months of painting there and watching people eat ice cream, Chen didn't resist the temptation --- he bought an ice cream. "The first bite took me to heaven," Chen recalls while laughing. "You know, as a poor young man in a new country, an ice cream was too expensive then." Since then, he kept the taste of the ice cream in his heart and included the happy feelings in his paintings, which turn out to be colorful and sweet. His current exhibition is part of his nationwide tour that began at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing in 2011. He plans to take his artworks to 24 cities around China by 2016. The exhibition at the National Art Museum of China will last until April 22. After the exhibition tour, he will sell his works through an auction , and all the money will be donated to protection of the environment in China. "The natural environment of New Zealand has inspired my artwork and brought me enjoyment. I hope people in my home country can enjoy the same beautiful environment as I do," says Chen, who has made New Zealand his home for the last 26 years. Which word can best describe Chen Xiao's paintings? A) Simple. B) Interesting. C) Lovely. D) Colorful.
D
(Question)
This year some twenty-three hundred teenagers (young people aged from 13 to 19) from all over the world will spend about ten months in US homes. They will attend US schools, meet US teenagers, and form impressions of the real America. At the same time, about thirteen hundred American teenagers will go to other countries to learn new languages and gain a new understanding of the rest of the world. Here is a two-way student exchange in action. Fred, nineteen, spent last year in Germany with George's family. In turn, George's son Mike spent a year in Fred's home in America. Fred, a lively young man, knew little German when he arrived, but after two months' study, the language began to come to him. Schools were completely different from what he had expected--much harder. Students rose respectfully when the teacher entered the room. They took fourteen subjects instead of the six that are usual in the United States. There were almost no outside activities. Family life, too, was different. The father's word was law, and all activities were around the family rather than the individual . Fred found the food too simple at first. Also, he missed having a car. "Back home, you pick up some friends in a car and go out and have a good time. In Germany, you walk, but you soon learn to like it." At the same time, In America, Mike, a friendly German boy, was also forming his idea."I suppose I should criticize American schools," he says. "It is far too easy by our level. But I have to say that I like it very much. In Germany we do nothing but study. Here we take part in many outside activities. I think that maybe your schools are better in training for citizens . There ought to be some middle ground between the two. After experiencing the American school life, Mike thought _ . A) German schools trained students to be better citizens B) A better education should include something good from both America and Germany C) American schools were not as good as German schools D) The easy life in the American schools was more helpful to students
(Answer)
B
Ques: You can find language pollution whenever you open a newspaper or turn on your TV set, listen to a popular song at various advertisements. Language pollution exists almost everywhere and can be seen in the following places; 1. Chinese character are written in the complex form. Although simplified Chinese characters were accepted for use many years ago, it seems that more and more people like Chinese characters written in the complex form. 2. Many goods are produced in China but carry foreign names, which sound strange and have no meaning at all. 3. Words and expressions being used have a bad meaning. "Ba" , which means bully in Chinese, is one example. Now there are a lot of goods, restaurants, even factories or firms, with "Ba" in their names. 4. There are too many incorrect grammatical expressions. Some films have strange names and incorrect grammatical structures . "Ai ni mei shang liang", which means "I love you without consulting", is grammatically incorrect and this kind of expression is now becoming popular. Some language experts point out that language pollution must be _ which is an idea shared by many others and myself. . What the writer wants to say is that _ . A) great difference exists between the Chinese characters written in the complex form and simplified form B) language used by our newspapers, TV programs, pop songs and advertisements are getting polluted C) many people agree with the experts on language pollution in China D) some film writers haven't studied Chinese grammar
Ans: B
It's no secret that doing good makes others happy - but did you know it can make you happy as well? According to a study, people participating in meaningful activities were happier and felt that their lives had more purpose than people who only engaged in pleasure-seeking behaviors. Try giving these four things to others to start your journey to a happier and healthier lifestyle. 1. Your Time With a busy life, it can be hard to find any time to give away. However, volunteering your time has great benefits, including making new friends and connections, learning new skills and even advancing your career. According to a paper about the link between health and volunteering, volunteering is connected with lower instances of depression and reduces the risk of dying by 22 percent. 2. Your Attention Most of us think we're good listeners, but according to psychologist Paul Donoghue, most people are aware that others don't listen as well as they could. In addition, they're not fully aware that they themselves aren't listening. When practicing mindfulness meditation , you focus on what you experience in the moment and let your thoughts and emotions pass through without judgment. Did you know that giving someone your undivided attention helps you also? When done well, active listening strengthens your focus-which is a major part of good meditation. 3. Your Compassion The psychological meaning of compassion is the ability to understand another person's emotional state. Compassion differs from empathy in that those who experience compassion not only put themselves in another person's shoes, but also want to reduce that person's suffering. A brain-imaging study showed that the brain's pleasure centers are equally active when we give money to the poor as when we receive money ourselves. 4. Your Money According to an experiment, those who spend money on other people are significantly happier than those who spend the same quantity of money on themselves. Whether or not you can offer other gifts, donating money helps make real... Which of the four gifts matters most according to the author? A) Time. B) Money. C) Attention. D) Compassion.
B