Jean—Francois Millet (October 4,1814----January 20, 1875) was a French painter and one of the founder of the Barbizon School in rural France. Born of a peasant family, Millet was encouraged by his father to study art in Cherbourg, France. He can be categorized as part of the movement called “naturalism”(自然主义). His understanding of the peasant’ hard life was perfectly expressed in his choice of subject and natural preference for powerful but simple drawing and coloring.
One of the most well—known of Millet’s paintings, The Gleaners(《拾穗者》)，first came in a vertical composition(垂直式构图) painted in 1854,and then there came the horizontal version in 1856, which is now preserved in the Musee d’Orsay. It depicts women bending over in the fields to collect the leftover’s from the harvest, and it is a monumental composition devoted to the working class.
Previously, servants were depicted in paintings as obedient to a noble or a king, and picking up what was left of the harvest was regarded as one of the lowest jobs in Millet;s times. However, Millet offered these women as the heroic focus of the picture. Besides, in the painting, light lights up the women’s shoulders as they carry out their work. Behind them, the field that stretches into the distance is bathed in golden light, under a wide , magnificent sky. The forms of the three figures, standing against the lighter field, show balance and harmony.

1.
According to the passage , we can know that Millet________.
1. A.
  was born in rural France
2. B.
  belongs to neither naturalism nor realism
3. C.
  became famous for his love of the countryside
4. D.
  received his high school education in Barbizon
2.
As for the painting The Gleaners, ________.
1. A.
  it is originally a horizontal composition
2. B.
  it is based on the effort of Musee d’Orsay
3. C.
  it presents women in the field as the chief focus
4. D.
  it shows how women are stopped from working in the field
3.
In the painting, the viewer can appreciate Millet’s_________..
1. A.
  crazy interest in blue color
2. B.
  strong focus on the city life
3. C.
  absolute respect for the king
4. D.
  particular choice of main characters
4.
In which of the following books can we probably find this passage?
1. A.
  Kings and Nobles in France
2. B.
  A Guide to French Painting
3. C.
  French Agricultural History
4. D.
  The Founder of Musee d’Orsay

I learned about life from an ant farm.When I was seven years old, my family created one.First, we put clean sand in a thin glass box, and then we waited for the live ants to arrive.Shortly after the chilly ants were dropped into the glass structure, they got to work making tunnels.I was amazed that each one knew exactly what to do.After hours of staring, I realized that the ants had assigned jobs.With my mom ' s help, I kept a diary of what happened each day and named the ants.
One day a tragedy struck the ant farm.The pages of the diary, still wrinkled where tear drops fell, indicate the depth of the tragedy.'I had put my face so close to the structure that I accidentally tipped it over, caving in all the tunnels.Although the ants survived their earthquake, one by one they began to die.I was terrified as I watched them give up their tunnel-building to carry the bodies to a comer of the farm.My mother reported that the ants were dying of "frustration." They simply could not stand the reality that their tunnels had been destroyed.
Although much time has passed, I still think of that ant farm.Mom had hoped it would teach me about the natural world, but it taught me much more.Over the years, I came to realize the ants were a study in the benefits of teamwork.Working together, they were able to create an amazing world for themselves.I also learned that they should be admired for their hard work.Day in and day out, each labored at their task.The ant farm showed that teamwork and perseverance are indeed two key ingredients to success.But there was an even larger lesson that I did not realize until recently: Adversity （不幸、灾祸） is a natural part of life,and must be accepted.Unlike the ants, humans cannot give up when they face disappointment.Unlike the ants, we have to realize that if a tunnel caves in, we just have to build another.Giving up, I say, is not a choice.

1.
The family created an ant farm in a glass box because it was easy _____.
1. A.
  for the ants to live in
2. B.
  to get sun light in
3. C.
  to keep the sand clean
4. D.
  for the boy to observe
2.
What made the pages of the diary wrinkled?
1. A.
  The tears.
2. B.
  The earthquake
3. C.
  The ants.
4. D.
  The tragedy.
3.
What did the writer finally realize?
1. A.
  Perseverance is the only way to success.
2. B.
  Humans cannot give up when facing adversity.
3. C.
  People should admire anyone for their hard work.
4. D.
  His mother taught him much more.
4.
When did the writer draw a more important lesson from his experience?
1. A.
  Before he was seven years old.
2. B.
  When he was seven years old.
3. C.
  Immediately after the tragedy.
4. D.
  Many years after the tragedy

Many years ago, when I was fresh out of school and working in Denver, I was driving to my parents' home in Missouri for Christmas. I stopped at a gas station(加油站)about 50 miles from Oklahoma City, where I was planning to stop and visit a friend. While I was standing in line at the cash register(收款台), I said hello to an older couple who were also paying for gas.
I took off, but had gone only a few miles when black smoke poured from the back of my car. I stopped and wondered what I should do. A car pulled up behind me. It was the couple I had spoken to at the gas station. They said they would take me to my friend's We chatted on the way into the city, and when I got out of the car, the husband gave me his business card.
I wrote him and his wife a thank-you note for helping me. Soon afterward, I received a Christmas present from them. Their note that came with it said that helping me had made their holidays meaningful.
Years later, I drove to a meeting in a nearby town in the morning. In late afternoon I returned to my car and found that I'd left the lights on all day, and the battery(电池)was dead. Then I noticed that the Friendly Ford dealership - a shop selling cars - was right next door. I walked over and found two salesmen in the showroom.
"Just how friendly is Friendly Ford?" I asked and explained my trouble. They quickly drove a pickup truck to my car and started it. They would accept no payment, so when I got home, I wrote them a note to say thanks. I received a letter back from one of the salesmen. No one had ever taken the time to write him and say thank you, and it meant a lot, he said.
"Thank you" - two powerful words. They're easy to say and mean so much.

1.
The author planned to stop at Oklahoma City_________.
1. A.
  to visit a friend
2. B.
  to see his parents
3. C.
  to pay at the cash register
4. D.
  to have more gas for his car
2.
What happened when the author found smoke coming out of his car?
1. A.
  He had it pulled back to the gas station.
2. B.
  The couple sent him a business card.
3. C.
  The couple offered to help him.
4. D.
  He called his friend for help.
3.
The battery of the author’s car was dead because_______.
1. A.
  something went wrong with the lights
2. B.
  the meeting lasted a whole day
3. C.
  he forgot to turn off the lights
4. D.
  he drove too long a distance
4.
By telling his own experiences, the author tries to show______.
1. A.
  how to write a thank-you letter
2. B.
  how to deal with car problems
3. C.
  the kind-heartedness of older people
4. D.
  the importance of expressing thanks

Winter is dangerous for drivers because it’s so difficult to know what is going to happen and accidents take place easily. Bad weather can be waiting to meet you. Ice might be hiding under the snow, waiting to send you off the road. The car coming towards you might suddenly move across the road. Here are two rules for driving safely on icy roads:
Rule Number One is to drive smoothly. Irregular movements can make a car very difficult to manage. So each time you either turn the wheel, touch the brake or increase your speed, you must be as gentle and slow as possible. Just imagine you are driving with a full cup of hot coffee on the seat next to you. You should drive carefully enough in order that you wouldn’t get the coffee out of the cup.
Rule Number Two is to pay attention to what might happen. The more ice there is, the farther you have to look down the road. Test how long it takes to stop by gently braking. Remember that you may be driving more quickly than you think. Generally speaking, allow double your normal stopping distance when the road is wet, three times this distance on snow, and even more on ice. Try to stay in control of your car at all times, or you will get into trouble.

1.
Driving in winter is dangerous because _________.
1. A.
  drivers usually have too much coffee
2. B.
  people drive three times faster than usual
3. C.
  unexpected things may often happen
4. D.
  people drive more gently and slowly
2.
Rule Number One mainly tells us _________.
1. A.
  to drive fast on snowy roads
2. B.
  to increase the driving speed
3. C.
  to manage your car irregularly
4. D.
  to drive smoothly on icy roads
3.
Why does the writer mention “a full cup of hot coffee” in Paragraph2?
1. A.
  To explain the importance of careful and smooth driving.
2. B.
  To enjoy the driving with a cup of coffee.
3. C.
  Because drinks are important for drivers.
4. D.
  Because he wants drivers to have a rest.
4.
Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?
1. A.
  Winter Driving
2. B.
  Careless Driving
3. C.
  Traffic Accidents
4. D.
  Bad Weather
5.
Where do you think you might read such a passage?
1. A.
  In dictionaries.
2. B.
  In cookbooks
3. C.
  In advertisements.
4. D.
  In magazine

Few students would dream of getting a job as a shoe shiner working along the street. College students, in their own eyes and in the eyes of the public, are expected to get at least a proper job, if not working in a high-income or white-collar position.
Cai Yong’s decision to work as a shoe shiner shocked not only his parents, who had high hopes for him, but also his girlfriend.
“It is right for young graduates to be ambitious (有抱负的). But they have to start in a solid and down-to-earth way,” Cai said. Cai is not alone in making such a choice. The company has got 12 college students in all.
“I come for the 800 yuan monthly pay,” said Xiao Ji, who is a student from Nanjing University. “I have grown up and no longer live on my parents,” he said.
“Working as shoe shiners can mean a bright future,” Cai said.
Not everyone can accept this job choice. Cai’s girlfriend left him because she felt ashamed to be with a shoe shiner, and Cai accepted the fact. “This is the price to be paid for a job,” he said.
A former shoe shiner, Zhong Haibo, from a medical college, believes it was a good training for the rest of his life. “There is nothing I can’t do after working as a shoe shiner,” Zhong said, meaning that such kind of experience in early life is helpful in a future job.

1.
Cai Yong decided to work as .
1. A.
  a college teacher
2. B.
  a company manager
3. C.
  a shoe shiner
4. D.
  a medicine maker
2.
Why did Cai’s girlfriend leave him?
1. A.
  They didn’t get along well with each other.
2. B.
  Her parents didn’t like him.
3. C.
  She found it a shame to marry a shoe shiner.
4. D.
  Cai had got a new girlfriend.
3.
Most people think Cai’s choice .
1. A.
  unbelievable
2. B.
  nice
3. C.
  enjoyable
4. D.
  wonderful
4.
From the passage we know Zhong Haibo .
1. A.
  doesn’t like college life
2. B.
  thinks highly of working as shoe shiners
3. C.
  is a middle school student
4. D.
  is still a shoe shiner at the moment