B

Mandela Born-again as An Artist at 84

VAN Gogh. Picasso. Matisse. Mandela?

He may not quite fit with those legendary(well-known; famous)artists, but at age 84, revolutionary-turned-peacemaker Nelson Mandela has taken charcoal to canvas and transformed (changed completely) himself into a top-selling artist.

In just five months, the former South African president and Nobel Peace winner has sold more than 1, 000 lithographs (prints made using a stone or metal surface) of five charcoal and pastel drawings of his time as a prisoner at the brutal (cruel; savage), apartheid-era (南非种族隔离时代) Robben Island prison.

His pictures cut across cultures, people’s ethnic (racial; national) backgrounds and economic backgrounds, said Ross Calder, an art publisher.

Mandela’s new career in art began when Calder saw how John Lennon’s wife Yoko One was using his sketches to raise money for charity and decided Mandela could do the same thing to raise funds for his children’s charity. “I may be artistic, but it’s in the back, far recesses (remote or secret place) of my mind. It will take a lot to get that out,” Mandela said.

Mandela learned from Cape Town artist Varenke Paschke in the mysteries of composition (arrangement; layout) and colour. He decided to recreate his time on Robben Island, but not in a dark and gloomy (dark) way.

His simple charcoal and pastel pictures of the island are surprisingly cheery and bright. Even a view of Cape Town’s Table Mountain through the bars of his cell appears optimistic.

The bars are a cheery orange, and the vast distance between Mandela and the freedom of the mountain is a green field.

“I have attempted to color the island sketches in ways that reflect the positive light in which I view it,” Mandela said. “This is what I would like to share with people and, hopefully, project the idea that even the most fantastic of dreams can be achieved if we are prepared to endure life’s challenges.”

66. Nelson Mandela is ________ now.

A. a top-selling　　　　 B. a prisoner　　　　 C. an artist　　　　 D. a president

67. Mandela’s picture are ________.

A. simple charcoal and pastel pictures　　　　 B. about the view of the Robben Island

C. the mysteries of composition　　　　　　 D. the real reflection of his life and dreams

68. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT TRUE?

A.　 Mandela successfully changed himself into an artist after retiring.

B.　　 　It took a lot for Mandela to show his artistic talent far recesses of his mind.

C.　　 　Mandela convinced people that any dreams could be realized only if they were ready to suffer difficulties.

D.　 Mandela got a great deal of money as well as fame by selling his pictures.

69. What can we infer from the passage?

A.　 Mandela is the former South African president.

B.　　 Mandela is able to use colors and light in his pictures successfully.

C.　　 The life in the Robben Island prison was terrible.

D.　 Mandela used his sketches to raise money for the children’s charity.

70. Which of the following can best describe Nelson Mandela?

A. Foolish　　　　 B. Determined　　　　 C. Excited　　　　 D. Proud

A

It was not yet eleven o’clock when a boat crossed the river with a single passenger who had obtained his transportation at that unusual hour by promising an extra fare. While the youth stood on the landing place searching in his pockets for money, the ferryman lifted a lantern, by the aid of which, together with the newly risen moon, he took a very accurate survey of the stranger’s figure. He was a young man of barely eighteen years, evidently country bred, and now, as it seemed, on his first visit to town. He was wearing a rough gray coat, which was in good shape, but which had seen many winters before this one. The garments under his coat were well constructed of leather, and fitted tightly to a pair of muscular legs: his stockings of blue yarn must have been the work of a mother or sister, and on his head was a three-cornered hat, which in its better days had perhaps sheltered the grayer head of the lad’s father. In his left hand was a walking stick, and his equipment was completed by a leather bag not so abundantly stocked as to inconvenience the strong shoulders on which it hung. Brown, curly hair, well-shaped features, bright, cheerful eyes were nature’s gifts, and worth all that art could have done for his adornment. The youth, whose name was Robin, paid the boatman, and then walked forward into the town with a light step, as if he had not already traveled more than thirty miles that day. As he walked, he surveyed his surroundings as eagerly as if he were entering London or Madrid, instead of the little city of a New England colony.

61. The boatman was willing to take Robin across the river because_________.

A.　　　 he wanted to make extra money

B.　　　　 he saw that Robin was young and rich

C.　　　　 he was going to row across the river any way

D.　　　 he felt sorry for him because Robin looked poor

62. The stockings that Robin wore were obviously ________.

A. well worn　　　　 B. handmade　　　　 C. very expensive　　　　 D. much too big

63.From the way he looked, it was clear that Robin was ________.

A. a wealthy merchant’s son　　　　 B. a country boy

C. a soldier　　　　　　　　　　 　D. a foreigner

64. How did Robin appear as he walked into town?

A.　　　 He was cheerful and excited.

B.　　　　 He was tired.

C.　　　　 He seemed very sad.

D.　 　He seemed frightened by his strange surroundings

65. Which of the following can be close to the underlined word “abundantly” in meaning?

A. responsibly　　　　 B. fantastically　　　　 C. plentifully　　　　 D. neutrally

40. When the spaceship was in space, ________ new-looking earth appeared before us, ________ that we had never seen before.

A. a; one　　　 　　B. the; it　　　　 　　　　C. a; the one　 D. the; one

39. Eating too much fat can ________ heart disease and cause high blood pressure.

A. devote to　　　　 B. attend to　　　　 　　C. belong to　　 D. contribute to

38. Everybody thinks little of the film. In fact, there is no ________ of it being tried out in the film festival.

A. use　　　　 　　　B. sign　　　 　　　　C. possibility　　 D. doubt

37. Nobody ________ throw away rubbish everywhere!

A. can　　　 　　　　B. need　　　 　　　　C. shall　　　　 D. will

36.　　 In the Qiandaohu Scenic Site, Mr. Green was so struck by ________ beauty of ________ nature that he decided to stay there for another day.

A. /; /　　　　 　　　B. /; the　　　　 　　　C. the; /　　　　 D. the; the