How can something that represents nothing in particular be so eye-catching to look at? If you have once said, "That is easy to paint... Who would pay that significant amount of money for something that doesn't even relate to anything?", then chances are that you do not appreciate what Abstract Art really is. When looking at Abstract Art, you are seeing the most freely formed type of artwork an artist can create. 

____1____. You would think that when looking at art that is non-representational, it would be less interesting to view as you do not know what the artist is truly trying to depict in his or her artwork.

____2_____. This type of art is meant to grab your attention and pull an emotional response right from within you. Once you see that part of the painting...the part that keeps you drawn in and your mind thinking, it is then when you know you are analyzing something special...something called Abstract Art.

____3____. So what grabs your attention when seeing this particular piece of art? Well let's think...what gets your attention in any circumstance? Why is a stop sign bright red? That's right...Abstract Art, in most circumstances, is filled with colors of all sorts that are meant to turn heads. These characteristics, along with others such as the paintings texture and other elements, are what make this form of art one of the most popular styles collected today. The creativity involved with these pieces of art brings upon a new imagination that some viewers didn't know existed within them. This art is from the heart and soul, instead of what you see is what you get. With that being said, you can now see that Abstract Art is more than just a thoughtless mess put on a canvas.

____4____. While viewing the work of a very talented artist, Osnat Tzadok, I came across a quote of hers that states "Every time I pass near a blank canvas I feel something explode inside of me. It is not something I can explain or pass on to someone else...but it is, always, a beginning of a new creation". This quote of Osnat's perfectly portrays what we, the viewers, should feel when viewing an artist's abstract creation. Just as an artist gets this "explosion" that Osnat speaks of, we receive the same feeling when looking at their piece if we truly appreciate Abstract Art. The beauty of non-representational art is that we can create the story within the painting. We can ask ourselves, "Why do these colors interact with each other?" or "What does this symbolize?".... and with those questions our imagination brings about answers.

67. From the passage, we can know that____________.

   A. it is easy to paint Abstract Art for the author

   B. nobody wants to pay money for Abstract Art in Europe.

   C. it would not be interesting to appreciate art that is non-representational

   D. you can see the formed type of artwork an artist can create

68. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

   A. The beauty of non-representational art is that we can tell the history of the painting.     B. In most cases, Abstract Art is filled with colors of all sorts that are meant to turn heads.

   C. When watching Abstract Art, you will see the least freely formed type of artwork.

D. Abstract Art is from the heart and soul, instead of what you get is what you see.

69. Which of the following can best describe the writer’s attitudes towards Abstract Art?

   A. Appreciative       B. Compromising       C. Objective       D. Confused

70. Where can we most properly put the sentence “This is where the beauty of Abstract Art comes about”?

   A. 1                 B. 2                 C. 3               D. 4     

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

The sun shines brightly as I leave school, get into my car, and head for Bradley Hospital. This year, as a senior at Seekonk High School, I have been given the opportunity to leave the usual classroom setting once a week to volunteer.
I   1  to spend this valuable time working with mentally disabled children at Bradley Children’s Hospital. I work   2  a teacher in the outpatient/pre-school section, in a classroom with two children— a classroom very different from   3  I have ever known. The difference of this classroom is   4  the children have been diagnosed with a mental disease. One child is autistic and non-verbal（自闭和不说话的）, using supportive   5 . The other has a condition called PDD (one step above autism), and is   6  non-verbal. Both childrenrequire strong   7  and a lot of attention. This combination creates an atmosphere which is both demanding and sympathetic.
My   8  in the classroom is not only to help the teacher, but to become part of the children’s   9  experience. I work one-on-one completing academics with a student.   10 , we work as a group on such activities as cooking, artwork, abstract reasoning. Everyday activities, which may be taken for granted by others,   11  a lot of strength from the children. This has opened my eyes vastly.
One of the   12  reasons why I volunteer to take the work is that I desire to help those who are less   13 . However, it has also helped me to realize my competence. I now know that I have the   14  to work with the disabled. I have lost my fear, and I   15  myself a lot more.
It is true that my work is very   16 ; there are many days that I   17  Bradley exhausted emotionally and physically. There have been times when I have left on the edge of tears   18 . But pity doesn’t heal, love does. And I have grown to love these children in my own way,   19  I see them only once a week. This experience has been both rewarding and satisfying. I’ve learned also that I do have the ability to make a difference in their lives, no matter how small it may be. One smile makes it all   20 .

The sun shines brightly as I leave school, get into my car, and head for Bradley Hospital. This year, as a senior at Seekonk High School, I have been given the opportunity to leave the usual classroom setting once a week to volunteer.

I   1  to spend this valuable time working with mentally disabled children at Bradley Children’s Hospital. I work   2  a teacher in the outpatient/pre-school section, in a classroom with two children— a classroom very different from   3  I have ever known. The difference of this classroom is   4  the children have been diagnosed with a mental disease. One child is autistic and non-verbal（自闭和不说话的）, using supportive   5 . The other has a condition called PDD (one step above autism), and is   6  non-verbal. Both childrenrequire strong   7  and a lot of attention. This combination creates an atmosphere which is both demanding and sympathetic.

My   8  in the classroom is not only to help the teacher, but to become part of the children’s   9  experience. I work one-on-one completing academics with a student.   10 , we work as a group on such activities as cooking, artwork, abstract reasoning. Everyday activities, which may be taken for granted by others,   11  a lot of strength from the children. This has opened my eyes vastly.

One of the   12  reasons why I volunteer to take the work is that I desire to help those who are less   13 . However, it has also helped me to realize my competence. I now know that I have the   14  to work with the disabled. I have lost my fear, and I   15  myself a lot more.

It is true that my work is very   16 ; there are many days that I   17  Bradley exhausted emotionally and physically. There have been times when I have left on the edge of tears   18 . But pity doesn’t heal, love does. And I have grown to love these children in my own way,   19  I see them only once a week. This experience has been both rewarding and satisfying. I’ve learned also that I do have the ability to make a difference in their lives, no matter how small it may be. One smile makes it all   20 .

1.                A．promise        B．claim           C．bother   D．choose

2.                A．for            B．on             C．alongside D．besides

3.                A．it             B．one            C．the other D．which

4.                A．that           B．what           C．whether  D．how

5.                A．Transportation   B．communication   C．application    D．direction

6.                A．simply          B．completely      C．frequently D．naturally

7.                A．treatment       B．commitment     C．motivation D．sympathy

8.                A．choice         B．wish           C．decision  D．role

9.                A．agricultural      B．professional     C．technological  D．educational

10.               A．Additionally     B．Finally          C．Eventually D．Gradually

11.               A．get back        B．build up        C．call for    D．pick out

12.               A．chief          B．legal           C．awkward  D．vital

13.               A．unforgettable    B．fortunate       C．hopeless  D．active

14.               A．honor          B．opportunity     C．courage   D．ability

15.               A．believe in       B．laugh at        C．worry about    D．care for

16.               A．depressing      B．challenging      C．inspiring   D．relaxing

17.               A．approach       B．visit           C．leave D．desert

18.               A．as well         B．so far          C．in time    D．at all

19.               A．if only          B．even though     C．now that   D．in case

20.               A．amusing        B．enjoyable       C．costly D．worthwhile