Most painters discover a style of painting that is fit for them and stick to that, especially if people admire their pictures. But Picasso, the great Spanish painter, was like a man who had not yet found his own particular style of painting. He kept on struggling to find the perfect expression till his death in 1973.

Some of Picasso's paintings are rich, soft colored and beautiful. Others are ugly, cruel and strange. But such paintings allow us to imagine things for ourselves. They force us to say to ourselves, “What does he see that makes him paint like that?” And we begin to look under the surface of the things we see.

Picasso painted thousands of pictures in different styles. Sometimes he painted the natural look of things. Sometimes he seemed to break them apart and throw the pieces in our faces. He showed us what the mind knows as well as what the eyes see. At the age of 90, he remained as curious about the world as he had been when he was young. That is why people have called him “the youngest painter in the world.”

21. The ugly, cruel and strange paintings by Picasso _______.

A. force us to question anything we see

B. allow us to ask questions about them

C. make us try to notice something latent (隐藏) in the things

D. cause us to think what Picasso saw was different from what we see

22. The sentence “Sometimes he seemed to break them apart and throw the pieces in our faces” means _____.

A. sometimes he tore his pictures into pieces

B. things in some of his pictures seem to be in disorder

C. sometimes he showed some broken pictures to others

D. he broke something he was painting and threw them away

23. Why have people called Picasso “the youngest painter in the world” ?

A. Because he observed things with the eye and the mind.

B. Because he looked young when he was old.

C. Because he never stopped painting when he was old.

D. Because he never gave up looking for something new.

Homestay UK/Great Britain

Here you will find a selection of homestay hosts and host families in the UK. If you want to learn more about the British host family of your choice, please click on information at www. Homestaybooking. Com. You will then see a personal introduction of the UK homestay host. If you don’t want to search yourself, just register for free and receive our matching recommendations.

Chika and Tara from London, the United Kingdom

Information about the homestay host

Chika is 28 years old. She is away from home most of the time. Tara is 18 years old. She is at home every day. They both speak English.

Chika and Tara’s guests can stay for at least 5 nights and up to a maximum of 365 nights. Chika and Tara have no children living at home. It is a non-smoking residence(住宅). No pets live in this household.

Information about the homestay accommodation

The accommodation is in London. The name of the neighborhood is Greenwich. The distance to the city center is 1.6km. The next access point to public transport is at 15 m distance.

Three guests can stay in Tara and Chika’s house at the same time. The following accommodation is generally available:

Single room with shared use of the family bathroom

*Size: 12.0 ㎡

*Facilities: desk, Internet access, mirror, hairdryer and wardrobe(衣橱)

*Price per night per person: ￡20.00 per night(one single)

Twin room with shared use of the family bathroom

*Size: 15.0 ㎡

*Facilities: TV, desk, Internet access, mirror, hairdryer and wardrobe

*Price per night per person:

￡20.00 per night(one guest)

￡17.00 per night(two guests)

The room charge includes the following services: Internet access, regular room cleaning, breakfast, free use of the washing machine.

Additional available service at an extra charge: Pick-up service(￡60.00 one-way); Lunch(￡6.00 per person per day); Dinner(￡6.00 per person per night)

Vegetarian(素食的) meals are available.

24. Chika and Tara’s house would be a good choice for _______.

A. a pet lover

B. a person who eats no meat

C. a heavy smoker

D. one who needs a one-night stay

25. What do we know about Chika and Tara’s house?

A. It lies in the center of the city.

B. Public transport is convenient there.

C. It is not far away from Greenwich.

D. The distance from the house to London is 1.6 km.

26. If Mary chooses a twin room and pick-up service(two-way), how much should she pay per day?

A. ￡77.       B. ￡137.        C. ￡80.      D. ￡140.

Have you ever noticed that the more you have the more you want? Let’s face it. Thinking our life is good enough doesn’t come naturally to many people. When we have high expectations of everything in life we will run into disappointment. Only when we are aware that needs are different from desires can we live with satisfaction. Here are a few ideas to help you be happier with what you have and who you are.

Focus on what you are thankful for. Most people want things to be better than they are, or when things are going well, we forget to appreciate what we have. Learn to reflect on how much better things are than they could be. Focus on what you are thankful for. Write down 5 things you are grateful for right now.  

When we hold onto regrets from decisions we have made, it can really poison our well-being. Many people regret something they can no longer change, which ends up holding them back from moving forward in a more positive manner. What happened in the past is done and gone, so work to stay present and be mindful of the current moment to find more joy and fulfillment.

When we use other people as the measuring stick for our personal success and quality of life we are likely to be less satisfied. Social comparisons can provide useful information when we try to learn from others, but they also hold our perspective in a discontented position. Compare yourself less with others so you can be satisfied more.

When you are focused on your big ambitions and future goals you might elide the daily pleasures that surround you. Learn to slow down and absorb the wonder and beauty around you. Stay present and focus on the task you’re undertaking at the moment. Don’t let the life pass you by because you’re always on the go and distracted by ambition.

Practice looking at life through the lens of contentment and it will become more natural.

27. How can we live with contentment?

A. To change our lifestyle.

B. To have a motivation in life.

C. To give less attention to what we are grateful for.

D. To realize the difference between needs and desires.

28. What’s the main idea of Paragraph 3?

A. Let go of regrets. B. Make wise decisions.

C. Remember the past. D. Know the present situation.

29. The underlined word “elide”(in Paragraph 5) probably means “__”.

A. enjoy B. neglect C. change D. create

30. What should you do to put yourself in a good mood?

A. Learn from successful people.

B. Focus on your future goals.

C. Make time for simple pleasures.

D. Create chance to learn more.

Why do human beings still risk their lives under ground and doing one of the dirtiest and most dangerous jobs in the world? It is an increasingly urgent question, given the recent mining accidents in Sago, W. Va and Huntington, Utah. A small group of engineers and robotics experts look forward to a day in the not-too-distant future when robots and other technology do most of the dangerous mining work.

Robotic technology, in particular, holds much promise, McAteer says, especially when it comes to mapping mines and rescuing trapped miners --- the special operations of the mining industry.

One of the first mining robots was developed five years ago at Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute. It was called Groundhog. It used lasers(激光器) to “see” in dark tunnels and map abandoned mines—some of the most dangerous work in the business.

The latest design is called Cave Crawler. It’s a bit smaller than Groundhog，and even more advanced. It can take photos and videos and has more sensors that can detect the presence of dangerous gases. Incredibly, the robot has a real sense of logic. If it comes across an obstacle it gets momentarily confused. It has to think about what to do and where to go next. Sometimes it throws a fit just like a real person.

The greatest problem, though, is cost. The money of the earliest research project was provided by the government, but that money had dried up, and it’s not clear where future money will come from. Partly for that reason, and partly because of advances in safety, mining is not nearly as dangerous as it was in the past. Since 1990, fatalities(致命性) have declined by 67% and injuries by 51% , according to the National Mining Association.

Some experts predict that robots in mines will serve much of the same function that they do in the automotive industry. The robots do the most boring and dangerous jobs, but won’t get rid of the need for human workers.

31. The latest robot is more advanced than Groundhog, mainly because ____.

A. it can map abandoned mines

B. it can see in the dark tunnels

C. it has a real sense of logic

D. it’s smaller than Groundhog

32. The underlined phrase “throws a fit” in paragraph 4 probably means“______”

A. gets sick         B. becomes hungry

C. gets angry      D. becomes cheerful

33. We can infer from the last paragraph that _____ .

A. the mine robots will have a very bright future

B. robots in mines will serve much in the automotive industry

C. there will be no need for human workers in mines

D. robots in mines only do some simple jobs now

34. We can infer from the text that ______.

A. robots cannot do dangerous work in dark areas

B. the mining robots do most of the mining work at present

C. groundhog can discover the presence of dangerous gases

D. experts are trying to make robots help miners with dangerous work

35. What can be the best title for the text?

A. Robots in Mines

B. Mining Accidents in America

C. Cave Crawler, the Latest Robot

D. The Future of Robots

Football is one of the most popular sports in the US. 36 That kind involves kicking a round ball into a net and is called soccer in North America. American football, however, uses a ball that is pointy on both ends. While it does include some kicking, there is more throwing and catching involved.

In football, there are 11 players from each team on the field at one time. Each team tries to move the ball across the opposing team’s goal line to score. The quarterback(四分卫) throws the ball, and the person who catches it tries to run past the opposing team’s players. The way to stop someone running with the ball is to tackle him. That means hitting right against him and trying to knock him down to the ground. 37

The biggest professional football organization in the US is the National Football League(NFL). The NFL championship game is called the Super Bowl, and it is one of the most watched television events around the globe. 38 For example, millions of toilets are flushed(冲洗) at the same time during half-time. Also, 14,500 tons of chips are consumed during the game.

Most sports fans are happy with just sitting in the stands and cheering on their teams. 39 They dress themselves in their team’s colors. Some of the excitement happens before the games even begin. Fans gather and hang out in the parking lots outside the stadiums and have huge parties. 40 There are also endless amounts of sodas and beers. All of these combined with the game itself make football one huge and popular social event.

A. However, it isn’t the game of football played in other parts of the world.

B. It is an exciting sport that can sometimes get pretty rough.

C. As a result, professional players have to be strong and quick.

D. There are many amazing facts about the Super Bowl.

E. It is also the wealthiest sports league in the world.

F. Everything from sandwiches to chips is served.

G. For some, that is not enough.