Vincent van Gogh was the son of a pastor (牧师) in Holland. Around his early twenties he decided to become an artist. He felt that color was his main influence and he used it to express himself. The way he painted was very unusual during the late 1800s because he paid much attention to colorful abstract (抽象的) art. Van Gogh had many paintings that have changed the way we look at art. His paintings weren’t popular during his lifetime because of an illness that was possibly a mental disorder (精神混乱). However they are now considered to be the most popular forms of art in the world today. In what ways can we appreciate his paintings?

    Learn about the artistic style of expressionism. In van Gogh’s artwork, the style that he used was expressionism, which was the only one of this kind compared to other paintings.

    Look for key symbols that would help you understand his artwork better such as the background of the objects.

    Try to understand the artist’s aims. You can do this by watching the use of colors, angles (角度) and the subject. Knowing the artist’s aims, you will be able to understand why he created the work.

    Take what you have learned from the artwork and put it in your feelings to see how it affects you and is related to you. This will allow you to make a connection with the artist.

68.The article is mainly about _____.

A. how we should appreciate van Gogh’s paintings

B. why van Gogh wanted to become an artist

C. why van Gogh wasn’t famous in his lifetime

D. how van Gogh expressed himself in paintings

69.Van Gogh wanted to become an artist because _____.

A. his father was a famous artist

B. he grew up in a religious culture

C. he had a serious mental illness

D. he liked to express himself with color

70.According to the passage, which of the following about van Gogh is NOT true?

A. Expressionism was usually used to describe his work.

B. He was likely to have suffered from a mental disorder.

C. When he was alive, his artwork wasn’t popular.

D. There are a lot of ways that his artwork is different from others’.

71.In this passage, we are told that _____.

A. only after death can painters become famous

B. van Gogh’s illness helped him paint

C. van Gogh’s paintings were difficult to understand

D. we can’t understand van Gogh’s feelings from his artwork

Editor,

I’m now busy in preparing for the Postgraduate (研究生) Entrance Exam. A few days ago, I happened to see some new guidebooks for those who want to take next year’s exam. With too many hopes and without taking it into too much consideration, I bought several that were written by some known for helping candidates (应试者) for master’s degrees.

What made me really angry was the starting discovery that the contents of those books were almost exactly the same as some I had bought before. There were only superficial (外表的) changes in their covers, with more attractive new titles and better designs. The contents were the same.

People say that the publishing industry is in a state of chaos (混乱) these days but I used to be doubtful abut that. I was of the opinion that only people of noble character, prestige (威望), and exceptional talent would produce books for higher education. But these editors are caring little about their readers.

I hope that authors and publishing houses will be more responsible for their readers. Don’t destroy the image that you have with your readers.

68. The writer bought some guidebooks in order to ___________________________.

   A. write an essay on guidebooks          B. prepare for the entrance exam

   C. give his students a lecture             D. send them to his good friends

69. The writer was angry because _________________________________________.

   A. there were a lot of printing mistakes in the books that he had bought

   B. the books were so expensive that he couldn’t afford any of them

   C. he found the books he had bought were thin but of poor quality

   D. the books had the same contents as what he had bought before

70. In the writer’s opinion, publishers should be _____________________________.

   A. responsible      B. kind-hearted       C. hard-working      D. creative

71. It can be inferred (推断) from the letter that ______________________________.

   A. the writer used to think that the publishing industry is in disorder

   B. some publishers publish books only to make more money

   C. most publishers are very responsible for their readers

   D. the writer thought books could only be produced by experts

Some of the world’s most famous persons had suffered from a similar disability, such as Albert Einstein, the mathematician; Thomas Edison, the inventor; Auguste Rodin, the artist. What disabled these three famous men? Strange as it may seem, they all suffered from learning disabilities. They had great difficulty learning to read, write or use numbers. Almost always, there is a problem with one of the mental processes needed to understand or use written signs or spoken language. Yet he or she is unable to recognize difference in sizes, shapes or sounds that are easy for others to recognize. Learning disabilities are very common. They affect perhaps 10 percent of all children. Four times as many boys as girls have learning disabilities.
Since about 1970, new research has helped brain scientists understand these problems better. Scientists now know there are many different kinds of learning disabilities and that they are caused by many different things. There is no longer any question that all learning disabilities result from differences in the way the brain is organized.
You can not look at a child and tell if he or she has a learning disability. There is no outward （外部的） signs of disorder （混乱）. So some researchers began looking at the brain itself to learn what might be wrong. In one study, researchers examined the brain of a learning-disabled person who had died in an accident. They found two unusual things. One involved cells in the left side of the brain, which control language. These cells normally are white. In the learning-disabled person’s brain, however, these cells were gray . The researchers also found that many of the nerve cells were not in a line the way they should have been. The nerve cells were mixed together.
60. How can we learn whether a person has suffered from a learning disability or not?
A. By judging whether she or he sees or hears perfectly well.
B. By checking whether he or she is of normal or great intelligence.
C. By judging whether he or she is the world’s most famous person or not.
D. By judging whether he or she has any difficulty in recognizing the difference in sizes, shapes or sounds.
61. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. Among the children suffering from learning disabilities, girls are fewer than boys.
B. It is reported that many more girls have learning disabilities than boys.
C. All the world’s most famous persons have the chance to get the similar disorder. 
D. All the world’s most famous persons have suffered from learning disabilities.
62. Why did researchers examine the brain of a learning-disabled person who had died in an accident?
A. To try to look at the brain itself to find out the cause of learning disabilities.
B. To see if the person had any outward signs of disorder.
C. To check if the person is of normal or great intelligence.
D. To find out if the person suffered from a learning disability.
63. If someone has a learning disability, _______.
A. his or her nerve cells are in a line
B. he or she is able to recognize difference in sizes, shapes or sounds
C. he or she has no difficulty in learning to read, write or use numbers
D. his or her nerve cells in the left side of the brain are gray and are not in a line

Some of the world’s most famous persons had suffered from a similar disability, such as Albert Einstein, the mathematician; Thomas Edison, the inventor; Auguste Rodin, the artist. What disabled these three famous men? Strange as it may seem, they all suffered from learning disabilities. They had great difficulty learning to read, write or use numbers. Almost always, there is a problem with one of the mental processes needed to understand or use written signs or spoken language. Yet he or she is unable to recognize difference in sizes, shapes or sounds that are easy for others to recognize. Learning disabilities are very common. They affect perhaps 10 percent of all children. Four times as many boys as girls have learning disabilities.

Since about 1970, new research has helped brain scientists understand these problems better. Scientists now know there are many different kinds of learning disabilities and that they are caused by many different things. There is no longer any question that all learning disabilities result from differences in the way the brain is organized.

You can not look at a child and tell if he or she has a learning disability. There is no outward （外部的） signs of disorder （混乱）. So some researchers began looking at the brain itself to learn what might be wrong. In one study, researchers examined the brain of a learning-disabled person who had died in an accident. They found two unusual things. One involved cells in the left side of the brain, which control language. These cells normally are white. In the learning-disabled person’s brain, however, these cells were gray . The researchers also found that many of the nerve cells were not in a line the way they should have been. The nerve cells were mixed together.

60. How can we learn whether a person has suffered from a learning disability or not?

A. By judging whether she or he sees or hears perfectly well.

B. By checking whether he or she is of normal or great intelligence.

C. By judging whether he or she is the world’s most famous person or not.

D. By judging whether he or she has any difficulty in recognizing the difference in sizes, shapes or sounds.

61. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. Among the children suffering from learning disabilities, girls are fewer than boys.

B. It is reported that many more girls have learning disabilities than boys.

C. All the world’s most famous persons have the chance to get the similar disorder. 

D. All the world’s most famous persons have suffered from learning disabilities.

62. Why did researchers examine the brain of a learning-disabled person who had died in an accident?

A. To try to look at the brain itself to find out the cause of learning disabilities.

B. To see if the person had any outward signs of disorder.

C. To check if the person is of normal or great intelligence.

D. To find out if the person suffered from a learning disability.

63. If someone has a learning disability, _______.

A. his or her nerve cells are in a line

B. he or she is able to recognize difference in sizes, shapes or sounds

C. he or she has no difficulty in learning to read, write or use numbers

D. his or her nerve cells in the left side of the brain are gray and are not in a line

    Some of the world’s most famous persons had suffered from a similar disability, such as Albert Einstein, the mathematician; Thomas Edison, the inventor; Auguste Rodin, the artist. What disabled these three famous men? Strange as it may seem, they all suffered from learning disabilities. They had great difficulty learning to read, write or use numbers. Almost always, there is a problem with one of the mental processes needed to understand or use written signs or spoken language. Yet he or she is unable to recognize difference in sizes, shapes or sounds that are easy for others to recognize. Learning disabilities are very common. They affect perhaps 10 percent of all children. Four times as many boys as girls have learning disabilities.

Since about 1970, new research has helped brain scientists understand these problems better. Scientists now know there are many different kinds of learning disabilities and that they are caused by many different things. There is no longer any question that all learning disabilities result from differences in the way the brain is organized.

You can not look at a child and tell if he or she has a learning disability. There is no outward （外部的） signs of disorder （混乱）. So some researchers began looking at the brain itself to learn what might be wrong. In one study, researchers examined the brain of a learning-disabled person who had died in an accident. They found two unusual things. One involved cells in the left side of the brain, which control language. These cells normally are white. In the learning-disabled person’s brain, however, these cells were gray . The researchers also found that many of the nerve cells were not in a line the way they should have been. The nerve cells were mixed together.

60. How can we learn whether a person has suffered from a learning disability or not?

A. By judging whether she or he sees or hears perfectly well.

B. By checking whether he or she is of normal or great intelligence.

C. By judging whether he or she is the world’s most famous person or not.

D. By judging whether he or she has any difficulty in recognizing the difference in sizes, shapes or sounds.

61. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. Among the children suffering from learning disabilities, girls are fewer than boys.

B. It is reported that many more girls have learning disabilities than boys.

C. All the world’s most famous persons have the chance to get the similar disorder. 

D. All the world’s most famous persons have suffered from learning disabilities.

62. Why did researchers examine the brain of a learning-disabled person who had died in an accident?

A. To try to look at the brain itself to find out the cause of learning disabilities.

B. To see if the person had any outward signs of disorder.

C. To check if the person is of normal or great intelligence.

D. To find out if the person suffered from a learning disability.

63. If someone has a learning disability, _______.

A. his or her nerve cells are in a line

B. he or she is able to recognize difference in sizes, shapes or sounds

C. he or she has no difficulty in learning to read, write or use numbers

D. his or her nerve cells in the left side of the brain are gray and are not in a line