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(移民)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(诱惑)--- 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(拍卖会), 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.

1.Why did Chen Xiao leave China for Australia in 1986?

A. To have an exhibition.

B. To seek artistic freedom.

C. To visit his friends.

D. To earn money.

2. What did Chen Xiao do to make ends meet?

A. He sold ice cream in a shop.

B. He drew portraits of people.

C. He worked with some new immigrants.

D. He sought help from people in the street.

3. How will Chen Xiao sell his works after the exhibition tour?

A. By advertising them. B. On the Internet.

C. Through an auction. D. Through shops.

4. What inspired Chen Xiao’s artwork?

A. The natural environment of New Zealand.

B. His experiences as an immigrant.

C. The exhibition tour.

D. His home country.

5.Which word can best describe Chen Xiao’s paintings?

A. Simple. B. Interesting.

C. Lovely. D. Colorful.

Jennifer’s Hurricane Experience

I have evacuated(疏散)lots of times in my life. To make sure everything is safe, my family have to move a lot of things. I usually help my mom and my brothers help my dad. Mom and I take all of the special keepsakes(纪念品)to low safe places. Another thing we have to do is to take our sailboat out into deep water and anchor it really well. When it’s time to anchor the sailboat, Scott, my father’s brother, comes over. I just need to wait in the car with my mom and brothers before we evacuate.

John’s Hurricane Experience

My family evacuated for hurricane Opal in 1995. We left two days early because we were going to my dad’s 35th High School Reunion(聚会). There was a lot of traffic getting out of town. But we didn’t get into trouble as we had arrived at the school. During hurricane Georges, I slept. But there was a lot of lightning, thunder and rain at that night. The next morning, there were a lot of branches, twigs and leaves everywhere.

Catherine’s Hurricane Experience

This year, we experienced two hurricanes, Earl and Georges. We did the same thing in both hurricanes. We would always be watching the news. There was a lot of rain … a whole lot of rain. The hurricane never really got close enough to do very much damage. I have never evacuated, and I don’t think that I ever will.

Ryan’s Hurricane Experience

I am a police officer on an island in the Texas Gulf Coast. I was directly affected by the violent weather throughout the hurricane season. Our department was ordered to stay on the island while all the other citizens were evacuating. I didn’t feel at all prepared for the situation. So I went to the grocery store and purchased some food. I thought a survival kit would have helped ease some of the tension in my mind.

1. Who fixed the sailboat with Jennifer’s father?

A. Jennifer. B. Jennifer’s mother.

C. Jennifer’s uncle. D. Jennifer’s brothers.

2.Which of the following is NOT true about the hurricanes?

A. Hurricane Opal hit in 1995.

B. Hurricane Georges hit at night.

C. Hurricane Opal hit on John’s way to the school.

D. Hurricane Georges blew down many branches.

3.When Catherine’s family heard hurricanes were coming, they ___________.

A. purchased some food

B. paid attention to the hurricanes news

C. took special keepsakes to low safe places

D. moved out of the place where they lived

4.What can we know about Ryan?

A. He was nervous before the hurricane.

B. He did little preparation for the hurricane.

C. He was confident to overcome the hurricane.

D. He was busy helping citizens evacuate before the hurricane.

5.Who didn’t evacuate before the hurricanes?

A. Jennifer and John. B. Catherine and John.

C. Jennifer and Ryan. D. Catherine and Ryan.

Climate change will bring greater extremes in weather, the Government’s chief scientific adviser has warned as he called for action to deal with global warming. Professor Sir John Beddington says the effects of climate change on the weather are already being felt in the UK.

“In a sense we have moved from the idea of global warming to the idea of climate change, and that is rather important. Temperatures are increasing and there are more changes in our weather,” he said.

Even if effective action is taken now on global warming, he says there will be great climate change over the next 20 to 25 years as a result of past global problems.

“We have serious problems in the world --- in 12 years there will be another billion people on the planet and we have big issues of food security, water security and energy security, and many people will start to be living in cities,” he said. “These are serious problem; climate change is just going to make it worse.”

He said there were some “uncertainties” in the analysis of climate and climate change. “But those uncertainties are completely unimportant in comparison(比较)with a great deal of evidence that shows it is happening in the sort of ways climate models would expect,” he said. “For example, the Arctic is heating up faster than other parts of the world --- this is exactly what the climate scientists are predicting.”

Sir John’s views were made as Britain experienced freezing cold weather and snow, with thousands of homes across the UK without power. England and Wales experienced 10 separate flooding events between April and December last year after widespread drought gave way to the wettest summer in a century, with unusually high rainfall totals and river levels around the country.

1.Which of the following is NOT one of the things that Sir John says?

A. We need more action to deal with global warming.

B. Climate change will make some big problems worse.

C. Climate change will bring greater extremes in weather.

D. England will experience more extremes in weather than Wales.

2.How long will it be before our planet has another billion people?

A. 25 years. B. 20 years

C. 12 years. D. 10 years.

3.What is Sir John’s attitude towards the Climate scientists’ prediction?

A. Puzzled. B. Trusting.

C. Uncertain. D. Doubtful.

4.In recent years, which of the following has the UK NOT experienced?

A. Widespread drought.

B. Many flooding events.

C. Freezing cold weather.

D. Several big earthquakes.

5.What is the main purpose of this report?

A. To call for effective action on climate change.

B. To introduce Professor Sir John and his opinions.

C. To prove that the UK has experienced a series of disasters.

D. To show how correct the climate scientists’ predictions are.

Ian Mercer doesn’t set an alarm clock. The former Microsoft senior manager doesn’t check the weather, either. He doesn’t turn on lights, water the yard, or adjust the thermostat(恒温器). He doesn’t open the curtains, answer the phone, or call his children for dinner. There’s something unique about Ian’s home. He has programmed it to do all these things for him.

Ian doesn’t live in a typical home or have a typical lifestyle. He spent over a decade designing the systems that feature in his unique home. He bought a home automation software package and then improved it.

Now there are 79 sensors and monitors, and 48 light switches in his home. Lights turn on automatically in rooms with people in them. Even being out, Ian can also control his home remotely using voice commands or his phone in any location. That is only the beginning of what this home has been programmed to do.

It connects with online calendars, caller ID, online weather services, online address boos, and email, among other things, to get Ian through his day. For example, if there is a meeting in Ian’s calendar, it will wake him up, open his bedroom curtains, start and set his shower to his desired temperature. It also informs Ian about traffic conditions.

There is plenty more this home has been programmed to do. It keeps him updated on his favorite sports teams and scores. It even monitors online activity to check that Ian’s children are doing their homework. The “dinner’s ready” command stops operation of their computers and TVs. This is easier than asking his children o shut them down.

Ian’s home is unique. Most homes are not this smart, but soon more homes will be technologically advanced.

1.What makes Ian’s home unique?

A. Having more furniture than usual

B. Being programmed with smart software

C. Creating a traditional atmosphere for Ian

D. Working automatically without Ian’s order

2.What can we learn about Ian?

A. He invented the home automation software

B. He devoted years to improving the systems

C. He is seeking to control his home remotely

D. He failed to monitor his children’s homework

3.What does the underlined sentence imply?

A. Smart homes are future trends

B. Ian’s home is far from satisfaction

C. Technology of smart home is too expensive

D. Homes smarter than Ian’s can be found everywhere

A tailgate party is a social event held on and around the open tailgate of a vehicle. Tailgating, which originated in the United States, often involves consuming alcoholic drinks and frilling food. Tailgate parties usually occur in the parking lots at stadiums, before and occasionally after games and concerts. People attending such a party are said to be tailgating. Many people participate even if their vehicles do not have tailgates.

The idea for eating out of the back of a car may have started in 1866 with Charles Goodnight, a Texas farmer. He noticed that the cowboys he employed needed a way to eat on the road, so he transformed a U. S. Army wagon(马车) into a mobile kitchen. There, hungry workers could eat, relax, and socialize after a long day of working.

Nowadays, people tailgate for lots of reasons, everything from college football games to Jimmy Buffet concerts. In schools and communities, some athletic departments, coaches and parents of student athletes rely on post-game tailgating parties to build community and support for their program and team.

What people consider essentials(必备)for tailgating spreads isn’t the same across the country. Different areas of the country have their own favorite foods for tailgating. While foods like burgers and chips may be common everywhere, some areas have specialties. For instance, those in Louisiana may consider jambalaya a tailgating must, while those in the Midwest simply can’t go without brats. And the West Coast? Don’t be surprised to see grilled fish or pasta. While dishes may differ from area to area, one thing is the same across the country: beer.

1.Why did Charles Goodnight invent a mobile kitchen?

A. To show off his cooking skills

B. To build a canteen

C. To celebrate the army’s victory

D. To attract more cowboys

2.What can we learn about tailgate parties?

A. They are usually held before concerts

B. They are mainly held for cowboys

C. They are also occasions to make friends

D. They are meant for football teams

3.What do people think a must for all tailgate parties?

A. Beer B. Sports

C. Music D. Vehicles with tailgates

4.What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A. The spread of tailgating

B. The popularity of jambalaya

C. Favorite foods on tailgate parties

D. Necessary equipment for tailgating

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