Every artist knows in his heart that he is saying something to the public. Not only does he want so say it well, but he wants it to be something which has not been said before. He hopes the public will listen and understand - he wants to teach them, and he wants them to learn from him. What visual artists like painters want to teach is easy to make out but difficult to explain, because painters translate their experiences into shapes and colors, not words. They seem to feel that a certain selection of shapes and colors, out of the countless billions possible, is exceptionally interesting for them and worth showing to us. Without their work we should never have noticed these particular shapes and colors, or have felt the delight which they brought to the artist. Most artists take their shapes and colors from the world of nature and from human bodies in motion and repose; their choices indicate that these aspects of the world are worth looking at, that they contain beautiful sights. Contemporary artists might say that they merely choose subjects that provide an interesting pattern, that there is nothing more in it. Yet even they do not choose entirely without reference to the character of their subjects. If one painter chooses to paint a gangrenous(生壞疽的) leg and another a lake in moonlight, each of them is directing our attention to a certain aspect of the world. Each painter is telling us something, showing us something, emphasizing something---all of which mean that, consciously or unconsciously, he is trying to teach us.
1. All artists are common in that _____.
[A] they use shapes and colors instead of words
[B] they are trying to teach the public
[C] what they want to teach is difficult to explain
[D] they want to learn from the public
2. A painter chooses certain shapes and colors out of the countless billions possible because he believes they _____.
[A] are beautiful
[B] can bring delight to him
[C] are worth showing to the public
[D] are particular
3. Contemporary artists choose subjects _____.
[A] without reference to the character of their subjects
[B] that only provide an interesting pattern
[C] that there is no meaning in it
[D] partly for the meaning of the subjects
4. Comparing the painter who paints a gangrenous leg with the one who paints a lake in moonlight,we can draw the conclusion that _____.
[A] both convey the same meaning
[B] both show certain aspects of the world
[C] the latter is more meaningful
[D] the former is more meaningful
5. According to the passage,which of the follwoing statements is true?
[A] The public could share the artist's feelings through their choice of shapes and colors.
[B] The painter should not choose to paint ugly things.
[C] Contemporary artists are completely different from other artists.
[D] All artists are teaching the public consciously.
參考答案：B C B B A What are the specific traits that will assist executives to climb the ladder of success? Opinions vary widely. Given approximately equal qualifications and circumstances, some claim the success factor is largely a matter of luck — being in the right place at the right time. Others speak of an almost crazy devotion to work, combined with a degree of ruthlessness. One "expert" maintains that it's undoubtedly a matter of how much education your mother had.
To make it big, executives must possess four basic skills:
First, drive. Business success takes an unusual amount of energy. A successful executive—almost by definition—is a striver. He will get tense when he is not striving.
Second, people sense. Some say being able to judge people is more important than a high IQ. The skill can be instinctual(本能的), but in most cases it is painstakingly learned.
Third, communications ability. Different executives make themselves understood in different ways. Some transmit ideas best face to face; others are masters of the telephone call; still others are persuasive writers. One way or another, they all communicate clearly.
Fourth, calm under pressure. No businessman will get very far if he chokes up.
1. Some people claim that besides hard work,the success also requires _____.
[A] equal qualifications
[B] specific traits
[C] much education
[D] a degree of cruelty
2. According to the passage,a high IQ is _____.
[A] instinctual
[B] painstakingly learnt
[C] inborn
[D] more trivial than people sense
3. The successful executives must _____.
[A] transmit ideas face to face
[B] depend on telephones
[C] be persuasive writers
[D] express themselves distinctly
4. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
[A] Every businessman possesses these four skills.
[B] When a triver stops his devotion to work,he will feel quite at ease.
[C] These basic skills are not instinctual at all.
[D] Mother's education has undoubted effect on her child's success.
5. What's the main idea of the passage?
[A] Four skills for successful executives.
[B] Some opinions about the success.
[C] Specific traits for successful executives.
[D] Qualifications and circumstances for climbing the ladder.
參考答案：D D D D C
The kind of music, song, and dance a people generates, with its characteristic rhythm and beat, forms one of the best indexes of its cultural style, and in America, the dominant musical styles are blues, swing and jazz. The lyrics to this music are often foolishly sentimental and sometimes non-sensical, but frequently they embody a wild and earthy humor, or a sad and tragic strain. As distinguished from most American popular tunes, American hot music is not written to be danced to. Yet there is an internal beat in jazz which relates deeply to dance: the movements of the body interpret the music's intent better than words can. When there is dancing, however, the dances break away from a formal pattern and, at their bat, keep with the improvisation (即興) of the music. Unlike earlier American folk dances, which are collective, so-called ballroom dancing is performed by couples. Each couple is comparatively alone, not being well enough acquainted with the other couples on the dance floor to join them. But, in the swing dancing, as the music mounts the partners separate to execute complicated solo variations and then rejoin each other. As the music approaches one of its climaxes, the dancers pay the musicians the tribute(贊美) of gathering around to cheer them on. In popular dance and music, Americans come closer to reaching a native idiom of religious feeling than they do in any other aspect of their lives.
1. The main idea of the passage is that _____.
[A] popular dance and music are an important aspect of American life
[B] the American hot music is different from most American popular tunes
[C] modern dancing is different from earlier American folk dances
[D] all of the above
2. The difference between American hot music and most American popular tunes is that _____.
[A] the lyrics to hot music are nonsensical
[B] most American popular tunes are written to be danced to
[C] there is not internal beat in hot music
[D] hot music can not be interpreted by dance
3. According to the passage,the swing dancing _____.
[A] collective
[B] performed by couples
[C] individual improvising
[D] gathering around the musician
4. Which is the relationship between jazz and dance?
[A] Both the music and the dance have formal pattern.
[B] The dances always keep the music to interpret it.
[C] Jazz has nothing to do with dance.
[D] Jazz can be interpreted by dance,though not so well as by words.
5. In the swing dancing,the musicians _____.
[A] cheer the dancers on
[B] gather around the dancers
[C] execute complicated variations
[D] were gathered around by the dancers
參考答案：A B C D B
1. All artists are common in that _____.
[A] they use shapes and colors instead of words
[B] they are trying to teach the public
[C] what they want to teach is difficult to explain
[D] they want to learn from the public
2. A painter chooses certain shapes and colors out of the countless billions possible because he believes they _____.
[A] are beautiful
[B] can bring delight to him
[C] are worth showing to the public
[D] are particular
3. Contemporary artists choose subjects _____.
[A] without reference to the character of their subjects
[B] that only provide an interesting pattern
[C] that there is no meaning in it
[D] partly for the meaning of the subjects
4. Comparing the painter who paints a gangrenous leg with the one who paints a lake in moonlight,we can draw the conclusion that _____.
[A] both convey the same meaning
[B] both show certain aspects of the world
[C] the latter is more meaningful
[D] the former is more meaningful
5. According to the passage,which of the follwoing statements is true?
[A] The public could share the artist's feelings through their choice of shapes and colors.
[B] The painter should not choose to paint ugly things.
[C] Contemporary artists are completely different from other artists.
[D] All artists are teaching the public consciously.
參考答案：B C B B A What are the specific traits that will assist executives to climb the ladder of success? Opinions vary widely. Given approximately equal qualifications and circumstances, some claim the success factor is largely a matter of luck — being in the right place at the right time. Others speak of an almost crazy devotion to work, combined with a degree of ruthlessness. One "expert" maintains that it's undoubtedly a matter of how much education your mother had.
To make it big, executives must possess four basic skills:
First, drive. Business success takes an unusual amount of energy. A successful executive—almost by definition—is a striver. He will get tense when he is not striving.
Second, people sense. Some say being able to judge people is more important than a high IQ. The skill can be instinctual(本能的), but in most cases it is painstakingly learned.
Third, communications ability. Different executives make themselves understood in different ways. Some transmit ideas best face to face; others are masters of the telephone call; still others are persuasive writers. One way or another, they all communicate clearly.
Fourth, calm under pressure. No businessman will get very far if he chokes up.
1. Some people claim that besides hard work,the success also requires _____.
[A] equal qualifications
[B] specific traits
[C] much education
[D] a degree of cruelty
2. According to the passage,a high IQ is _____.
[A] instinctual
[B] painstakingly learnt
[C] inborn
[D] more trivial than people sense
3. The successful executives must _____.
[A] transmit ideas face to face
[B] depend on telephones
[C] be persuasive writers
[D] express themselves distinctly
4. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
[A] Every businessman possesses these four skills.
[B] When a triver stops his devotion to work,he will feel quite at ease.
[C] These basic skills are not instinctual at all.
[D] Mother's education has undoubted effect on her child's success.
5. What's the main idea of the passage?
[A] Four skills for successful executives.
[B] Some opinions about the success.
[C] Specific traits for successful executives.
[D] Qualifications and circumstances for climbing the ladder.
參考答案：D D D D C
The kind of music, song, and dance a people generates, with its characteristic rhythm and beat, forms one of the best indexes of its cultural style, and in America, the dominant musical styles are blues, swing and jazz. The lyrics to this music are often foolishly sentimental and sometimes non-sensical, but frequently they embody a wild and earthy humor, or a sad and tragic strain. As distinguished from most American popular tunes, American hot music is not written to be danced to. Yet there is an internal beat in jazz which relates deeply to dance: the movements of the body interpret the music's intent better than words can. When there is dancing, however, the dances break away from a formal pattern and, at their bat, keep with the improvisation (即興) of the music. Unlike earlier American folk dances, which are collective, so-called ballroom dancing is performed by couples. Each couple is comparatively alone, not being well enough acquainted with the other couples on the dance floor to join them. But, in the swing dancing, as the music mounts the partners separate to execute complicated solo variations and then rejoin each other. As the music approaches one of its climaxes, the dancers pay the musicians the tribute(贊美) of gathering around to cheer them on. In popular dance and music, Americans come closer to reaching a native idiom of religious feeling than they do in any other aspect of their lives.
1. The main idea of the passage is that _____.
[A] popular dance and music are an important aspect of American life
[B] the American hot music is different from most American popular tunes
[C] modern dancing is different from earlier American folk dances
[D] all of the above
2. The difference between American hot music and most American popular tunes is that _____.
[A] the lyrics to hot music are nonsensical
[B] most American popular tunes are written to be danced to
[C] there is not internal beat in hot music
[D] hot music can not be interpreted by dance
3. According to the passage,the swing dancing _____.
[A] collective
[B] performed by couples
[C] individual improvising
[D] gathering around the musician
4. Which is the relationship between jazz and dance?
[A] Both the music and the dance have formal pattern.
[B] The dances always keep the music to interpret it.
[C] Jazz has nothing to do with dance.
[D] Jazz can be interpreted by dance,though not so well as by words.
5. In the swing dancing,the musicians _____.
[A] cheer the dancers on
[B] gather around the dancers
[C] execute complicated variations
[D] were gathered around by the dancers
參考答案：A B C D B