Module 2 Fantasy Literature

阅读理解

German artist HA Schult is an unusual artist who uses trash to make sculptures. “We are living in the time of garbage，” says Schult. “I created a thousand sculptures of garbage. They are a mirror of ourselves.” Here， Schult was talking about his 1，000 trash sculptures in the form of humans. He first exhibited them in 1996 in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

“They are social sculptures，” he explains. “They are not only sculptures for the eyes. They are sculptures to spread the idea that we live in a time of garbage.” So far， Schult’s social sculptures have been on show in Paris， in Moscow’s Red Square， on the Great Wall of China， and in the desert next to the Giza Pyramids near Cairo.

HA Schult’s work is unforgettable. Although his work has had a big influence on the art world， Schult remains humble （谦逊的） about his creations： “Artists have to learn every time. We are not important. All that is important is the time in which we are living.”

Trash art has been around for years. But it seems that only the popular artists are regarded as true artists when working with trash. Why can’t common people be considered artists when they use the same things and change them into some form of personal art？ Maybe it’s because we all have our own preset ideas of what art is and isn’t， or who artists are or should be.

You can be an artist like Schult if you try. Look at used metal cans. Imagine them in any number of new uses， or imagine them simply as an art form. What about boxes or clothing？ Boxes can usually serve as new storage containers and houses for pets. And clothing？ Imagine taking old clothes and turning them into hats or hanging organizers.

1. What do we know about Schult’s sculptures？

A. They were first shown in Paris. B. They show people the problem of trash.

C. They are mainly about social relationship. D. They are designed in the shape of garbage.

2. What word can best describe HA Schult？

A. Careful. B. Humorous. C. Modest. D. Optimistic.

3. According to Paragraph 4， the author might agree that .

A. trash art is not a real art form B. it is difficult to be a true artist

C. preset ideas are important to artists D. ordinary people can also be trash artists

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

A. Could You Be a Trash Artist？ B. What Are Social Sculptures？

C. Do You Know About Trash Art？ D. How Can We Deal with Used Cans？

閱读七选五

Columbus Day is on the second Monday of October， in the United States. 1 . That means most federal （联邦政府的） offices are closed.

The holiday honors the first visit to America by the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. Columbus thought he could reach the Far East by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean from Europe. He was right， but he was also wrong. He thought the world was much smaller than it is. 2 .

Columbus and his crew arrived in October 1492 on an island they called San Salvador， in today’s Bahamas. They explored that island and nearby islands now known as Cuba and Hispaniola.   3 . That is why he called the people who lived on the islands “Indians”.

4 ， even though local plants which he explored were unknown in Europe or Asia， and native people did not understand any languages spoken in the East.

Columbus made several other trips to what was called the New World. He saw the coast of South America and the island of Jamaica.

During his trips， Columbus explored islands and waterways， searching for a passage to the Indies. He never found it. 5 . Yet， he always believed he had found the Indies.

A. It is a federal holiday

B. Columbus treated native people badly

C. He refused to accept he was wrong about the geography

D. Nor did he find spices or great amounts of gold as he had hoped

E. Other European explorers did land in what is now the United States

F. He did not imagine that another continent lay between Europe and East Asia

G. Columbus believed these were the coastal islands of East Asia， then called the Indies

1. ____________2. ____________3. ____________4. ____________5. ____________

跟踪导练（二）

完形填空

I had just walked in the door after dropping off the dress I had made for a friend’s daughter when I received a message from my 1 . “I know you worked hard on the dress and it looks very 2 ， but Janet doesn’t like all those sequins （亮片）. Could you 3 it？”

I was 4 and wanted to call her back but I suddenly thought of Grandma and what she had once 5 for me when I was eight.

One day， Grandma spent a long time curling my hair. I could tell she enjoyed 6 my hair. When she 7 it she seemed very satisfied. She was so 8 that she had me stand on a chair to look in the mirror. My heart sank. I looked 9 .

“You can go out and 10 now，” Grandma said with 11 .

I nodded and 12 walked down the stairs. I looked out of the small window in the door and could see the neighborhood kids playing games. I knew everyone would 13 my curls. At the same time I couldn’t go back and tell Grandma how I 14 .

Finally I went upstairs. I said in a 15 voice， “Grandma， my hair’s too curly.”

She didn’t say a word， combed out all my curls， and then stood me back on the 16 so I could see in the mirror.

It was when Grandma took out the curls that I knew she 17 me. Grandma had put my feelings 18 hers. That is the kind of love I try to 19 today.

Keeping that 20 in my mind， I called my friend back. “I’d be glad to change the dress，” I said.

1. A. boss B. daughter C. friend D. neighbor

2. A. nice B. simple C. small D. different

3. A. repair B. change C. wear D. provide

4. A. sad B. excited C. angry D. exhausted

5. A. made B. recorded C. written D. done

6. A. drying B. washing C. cutting D. styling

7. A. prepared B. finished C. touched D. held

8. A. interested B. careful C. focused D. proud

9. A. young B. fat C. funny D. beautiful

10. A. study B. dance C. play D. work

11. A. smiles B. worries C. tears D. fears

12. A. patiently B. happily C. immediately D. slowly

13. A. care for B. laugh at C. point at D. pick up

14. A. decided B. left C. lived D. felt

15. A. strange B. low C. terrible D. sleepy

16. A. chair B. table C. bed D. ground

17. A. needed B. missed C. loved D. trusted

18. A. on B. beside C. up D. before

19. A. turn to B. pass on C. look for D. keep up

20. A. task B. memory C. dream D. matter

跟踪导练（三）

阅读理解

A

Salvador Dali （1904—1989） was one of the most popular modern artists. The Pompidou Center in Paris is showing its respect and admiration for the artist and his powerful personality with an exhibition bringing together over 200 paintings， sculptures， drawings and more. Among the works and masterworks on exhibition the visitor will find the best pieces， most importantly The Persistence of Memory. There is also L’Enigme sans Fin from 1938， works on paper， objects， and projects for stage and screen and selected parts from television programmes reflecting the artist’s showman qualities.

The visitor will enter the World of Dali through an egg and is met with the beginning， the world of birth. The exhibition follows a path of time and subject with the visitor exiting through the brain.

The exhibition shows how Dali draws the viewer between two infinities （無限）. “From the infinity small to the infinity large， contraction and expansion coming in and out of focus： amazing Flemish accuracy and the showy Baroque of old painting that he used in his museum-theater in Figueras，” explains the Pompidou Center.

The fine selection of the major works was done in close collaboration （合作） with the Museo Nacional Reina Sofía in Madrid， Spain， and with contributions from other institutions like the Salvador Dali Museum in St Petersburg.

1. Which of the following can best describe Dali according to Paragraph 1？

A. Optimistic. B. Creative. C. Generous. D. Traditional.

2. What is Dali’s The Persistence of Memory considered to be？

A. One of his masterworks. B. A successful screen adaptation.

C. An artistic creation for the stage. D. One of the best TV programmes.

3. How are the exhibits arranged at the World of Dali？

A. By popularity. B. By importance.

C. By size and shape. D. By time and subject.

4. What does the underlined word “contributions” in the last paragraph refer to？

A. Artworks. B. Projects. C. Donations. D. Documents.

B

We may be only three weeks into December， but artist Jonnie Hartman has been in the holiday spirit for months， designing and building the Grand America Holiday Window Stroll.

The goal with each window stroll is to create playful and uplifting displays， according to Hartman. “I really try to do something light-hearted， something whimsical， that is， something everyone can connect with and maybe not see every day in the real world，” Hartman said.

She designs all of the window displays by hand， starting with pencil sketches （素描）， then illustrating the designs on her computer and sending parts of the drawings to be printed. From there， Hartman works with a team of five people to build the displays， creating， sewing and embellishing （潤色） many elements by hand.

However， a challenge Hartman has faced over the years as she has designed the displays is making sure all of the measurements are right for elements to fit inside the windows.

“When I was in college， I was an art major， and I thought， I don’t need math. I will never use it. I’m an artist， and guess what， it’s the most important thing that I use，” Hartman said. “If I don’t get that right， then the windows don’t fit， the pieces don’t come together and it just doesn’t work out.”

The holiday window stroll gives Hartman a special opportunity to hear feedback from those who observe her creations， which is something she doesn’t always get to experience with her other artworks. She said it’s fun to hear people’s reactions as they go through the holiday window stroll.

“It just makes me happy that I can kind of set the tone for people’s holiday season and just maybe bring a smile to their face，” Hartman said.

5. What word can replace the underlined word “whimsical” in Paragraph 2？

A. Serious. B. Exciting. C. Unusual. D. Ordinary.

6. In designing the displays Hartman found it hard .

A. to keep them playful B. to make all the parts match well

C. to create them by hand D. to draw sketches on the computer

7. What does Hartman think about math now？

A. It’s too difficult for her. B. She values it very much.

C. She still thinks it’s useless. D. It’s not suitable for her to learn.

8. Why is the holiday window stroll special for Hartman？

A. It just can make her happy.

B. She has a chance to create by hand.

C. It can help improve her other artworks.

D. She can get some remarks from the viewers.

跟蹤导练（四）

完形填空

Many years have passed， but she still remembers the last day of her whole class. They got together to say goodbye to their 1 schooldays. She wonders herself if any of them still remembers their 2 . Now that time has covered the past memories with layers of dust and 3 each fate beyond any expectations.

The jolly “dwarf” of the class has now 4 a successful businessman. The shy skinny “bookworm” is now a talented PhD， trying his luck in some 5 land in the Western atmosphere. The naughty tomboy has 6 away her carefree laughter in exchange for a sheltered， comfortable life. And she， a literature addict， was driven by an inner force to put her 7 aside and become a 8 instead.

She decided to 9 her old teacher， who had sowed the seed for the cause of nurturing （培养） people in her directionless mind 10 her poetical lessons. She used to dream of the enlightened （有见识的）

faces of her 11 and their round eyes running over every page of the books. Yet， at the most

12 turn of her life’s course， she didn’t 13 literature for her career， for she had been told that literature is just like a magical paradise to which the way is extremely 14 .

Her hands are so small; 15 can they hold the depths and the fullness that literature can bring？ Still， she promises herself to 16 on， bearing in mind the last 17 of her dear teacher， “Don’t 18 about what you give or receive. Learn to live generously to enjoy life， even when it’s not generous toward us.”

Now， she is a teacher， yet she has to continue learning many difficult 19 of life. The more she 20 ， the better she understands the value of her teacher’s last lesson.

1. A. earliest B. dearest C. hardest D. longest

2. A. successes B. failures C. lessons D. promises

3. A. changed B. supported C. organized D. developed

4. A. fought against B. stood for C. turned into D. found out

5. A. large B. distant C. poor D. past

6. A. blown B. carried C. washed D. thrown

7. A. pen B. cup C. box D. letter

8. A. worker B. officer C. teacher D. writer

9. A. assist B. follow C. visit D. leave

10. A. beyond B. among C. across D. through

11. A. students B. roommates   C. relatives D. friends

12. A. expensive B. effective C. decisive D. creative

13. A. read B. choose   C. get D. find

14. A. smooth B. perfect C. difficult D. tough

15. A. how B. when C. why D. where

16. A. call B. act C. go D. live

17. A. words B. results C. notes D. chances

18. A. bring B. talk C. set D. care

19. A. problems B. lessons C. vocabularies D. passages

20. A. introduces B. forgets C. experiences D. donates

跟蹤导练（五）

阅读理解

Arthur Miller was born on October 17th， 1915 and died on February 10th， 2005. Over the course of seven decades of literature career， Arthur Miller created some of the most memorable stage plays in American Literature. He is the author of Death of a Salesman and The Crucible. Born and raised in Manhattan， Miller went through the best and the worst of American society.

Arthur Miller’s childhood： His father was a productive shop­keeper and clothing manufacturer until the Great Depression dried up nearly all business opportunities. Yet， despite being faced with poverty， Miller made the best of his childhood. He was a very active young man， in love with sports such as football and baseball. When he wasn’t playing outside， he enjoyed reading adventure stories. He was also kept busy by his many boyhood jobs. He often worked alongside his father. During other times in his life， he delivered bakery goods and worked as a clerk in a car parts warehouse.

College life： In 1934， Miller left the east coast to attend the University of Michigan. He was accepted into their school of journalism. His experiences during the Depression made him skeptical about religion. Politically， he began leaning towards the “left”. And since the theater was the cutting edge way for socio­economic liberals （自由主义者） to express their views， he decided to enter the Hopwood Drama competition. His first play， No Villain， received an award from the university. It was an impressive beginning for the young playwright （剧作家） ; he had never studied plays or playwriting， and he had written his play in just five days！

Miller’s later years： In 1987， his autobiography was published. Many of his later plays dealt with personal experience. In particular， his final play， Finishing the Picture mirrors the last days of his marriage to Marilyn Monroe. In 2005， Arthur Miller passed away at the age of 89.

1. What can we know about Arthur Miller from Paragraph 2？

A. He was born into a poor family. B. His father was poor at business.

C. He couldn’t adjust himself to poverty. D. He had to work hard to make a living.

2. What can we infer from Paragraph 3 about Miller？

A. He was a talented playwright.

B. He loved many different kinds of sports.

C. His university education made him doubt religion.

D. His later plays were mainly about his personal life.

3. Which play tells the story of Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe？

A. No Villain. B. The Crucible.

C. Death of a Salesman. D. Finishing the Picture.

4. What does the text mainly tell us about Miller？

A. His plays. B. His childhood. C. His way of writing. D. His life.

选词填空

用方框里单词的正确形式填空，使其句意完整。有两个词是多余的。

1. We made an____________to the villagers for money to build the bridge.

2. She is ____________in writing， so someone says she is born a writer.

3. John finished speaking as though getting rid of a heavy .

4. He was too ____________to admit that he was wrong.

5. Flora was a lot happier after she ____________her fear of meeting new people.

6. ____________a goal is difficult， and one will never reach it if he or she stops trying.

7. Don’t put the glass on the ____________of the table; it may get knocked off.

8. I feel as though I ____________to be doing something worthwhile like that.

9. This will improve the____________of thought and imagination of the children’s minds.

10. Danny chose the taxi because driving was about the only marketable skill he .

語法填空

The Old Man and the Sea， a great novel written by the American author Ernest Hemingway， 1 （publish） in 1952. The 2 （succeed） of the book made him well-known and contributed to 3 honor he received in 1954—the Nobel Prize in Literature. It was Hemingway’s last major work of fiction.

The story 4 （concern） an old Cuban fisherman named Santiago who has not caught a fish for 84 days. 5 （convince） that he will change his bad luck， Santiago takes his boat far out into the Gulf Stream， 6 the water is very deep， and hooks a giant marlin fish， which is even longer than his fishing boat. With all his great experience and 7 （strong）， he struggles with the fish for three days and eventually succeeds 8 catching it， but his hard work then goes for nothing—sharks eat the captured fish when he can return to the harbor.

Hemingway is famously interested in ideas of men 9 （prove） their worth by facing and overcoming the challenges of nature. Through the old man’s struggle， he shows the ability of human spirit bearing hardship and 10 （suffer） in order to obtain greater success and victory.

1. ________________2. ________________3. ________________4. ________________5. ________________

6. ________________7. ________________8. ________________9. ________________10.________________

跟踪导练（六）

短文改错

Last week， I went to a painting exhibition. When enter the gallery， I put on the earphones which would give me informations of all the paintings. Suddenly， I noticed that the elderly woman who didn’t know how to use the earphones stood anxiously in front of a painting. I rushed to him without hesitation but helped her put on the earphones. The woman thanks me for my kindness. I realized that was reaching out to others that could really bring a great moment of happiness， which was benefit to me so much. That day when I appreciated lots of breathtaking paintings. What’s more， I learned a valuable lesson from the grateful smile giving by the elderly woman.

书面表达

假定你是李华。你的英国朋友Jim打算暑假期间来中国学习中国画，希望你帮他联系一个国画培训班。请你用英语给他写封信，回复联系情况。内容如下：

1.表示欢迎;

2.培训班的内容和时间;

3.学费及食宿。

注意：

1.词数100左右;

2.信的开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数;

3.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Dear Jim，

Hoping to see you soon！

Yours，

Li Hua

背景大链接

Classical Scripts from Life of Pi

《少年派的奇幻漂流》中的经典台词

All of life is an act of letting go， but what hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye.

人生也许就是不断地放下，然而令人痛心的是我都没能好好地道别。

Pi， “Religion is a house with many rooms.”

Writer， “But no room for doubt？”

Pi， “Oh yes！ On every floor.”

派：“信仰就像一座房屋，可以有很多房间。”

作家：“那有怀疑的房间吗？”

派：“当然，怀疑在每一层都占了几间。”

I must say a word about fear. It is life’s only true opponent. Only fear can defeat life.

我必须说说恐惧。它是生活唯一真正的对手。因为只有恐惧才能打败生活。

If every unfolding we experience takes us further along in life， then， we are truly experiencing what life is offering.

如果我们在人生中体验的每一次转变都让我们在生活中走得更远，那么，我们就真正体验到了生活想让我们体验的东西。

I’m grateful. It’s the plain truth： without Richard Parker， I wouldn’t be alive today to tell you my story.

我非常感恩。這是最明显的真理：如果没有理查德·帕克，我也不可能活到今天来跟你讲述我的故事。

It was a time filled with wonder that I’ll always remember.

那是一段充满着奇幻的经历，我会永生铭记。

Then Richard Parker， companion of my torment， awful， fierce thing that kept me alive， moved forward and disappeared forever from my life.

然后，那个让我生存下来的理查德·帕克，那个让我痛苦、使我害怕的凶狠的伙伴，径直向前走，永远消失在我的生命里了。