The infamous "Michelangelo" ()strikes thousands of computers every year on March 6th.

Fresco, one of the greatest of all art forms, is done with watercolor. It is created by mixing pigments and water and applying these to wet plaster. Of the thousands of people who stand under Michelangelo's heroic ceiling in the Sistine Chapel, very few are aware that they are looking at perhaps the greatest watercolor painting in the world.

The invention of oil painting by the Flemish masters in the fifteenth century led to a decline in fresco painting, and for the next several centuries watercolor was used mainly as a medium for doing preliminary sketches or as a tool for study. It was not until the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries that English painters reinstated watercolor as a serious art form. The English have a notorious love for the outdoors and also great fondness for small, intimate pictures. The subdued tones of watercolor had a remarkably strong appeal for them.

The popularity of watercolor continued to grow until in the twentieth century the United States passed England as the center for watercolor, producing such well - known watercolor artists as Thomas Eakins and Andrew Wyeth.

What is the main theme of the passage？

A．The decline of fresco painting.

B．The predominance of oils over watercolor.

C．The rediscovery of watercolor in England.

D．The origin and development of watercolor.

When the statue of the David was finished, Michelangelo Buonarroti was almost

A．25 years old

B．26 years old

C．28 years old

D．30 years old

A.Shakespeare

B.Dante

C.Michelangelo

D.Leonardo da vinci

M: I didn't read the article, but I'm not surprised. The old proverb says lightning never strikes twice in the same place. But it seems to me that if the conditions for lightning to strike are right one time, they might be just as good another time.

W: Well, I don't take any chances. If I'm caught in a thunderstorm, I look for shelter in a building or a closed car since lightning is supposed to be attracted to the tallest or sharpest object in the area. Also, I was told that if you're stuck outdoors, the best thing you can do is to keep yourself close to the ground and avoid bodies of water. Apparently, lightning is especially attracted to water.

M: To tell you the truth, even when I'm at home I don't take baths or showers during a thunderstorm. I unplug my television and I don't use any appliances or talk on the telephone. I just avoid using anything that works electrically. Maybe I'm too nervous about these things though.

W: I wouldn't say that, According to the article, lightning starts thousands of fires every year in the United States alone. Hundreds of people are injured or even killed by lightning, and millions of dollars worth of property gets damaged. I think you're just being sensible.

What are the man and woman discussing？

A．A weather forecast.

B．Information in a news article.

C．A friend's experience.

D．Details from a recent lecture.

A.opportune

B.well-timed

C.gull

D.infamous

E.sedate

F.posture

M: I didn't read the article, but I'm not surprised. The old proverb says lightning never strikes twice in the same place, but it seems to me that if the conditions are fight for lightning to strike one time, then it might be just as good another time.

W: Well, I don't take any chances. If I'm caught in a thunderstorm, I look for shelter in a building or a closed cafe, since lightning is supposed to be attracted to the tallest or sharpest object in the area. Also I've been role that if you're stuck outdoors, the best thing you can do is keep yourself close to the ground, and avoid bodies of water. Apparently lightening is particularly attracted to water.

M: To tell you the troth, even when I am at home I won't take baths or showers during a thunderstorm. I unplug my television, and I don't use any appliances or talk on the telephone. I just avoid using anything that works electrically. Maybe I'm too nervous about these things

W: I wouldn't say that. According to the article, lightning starts thousands of fires every year in the U.S. alone. Hundreds of people are injured and even killed by lightening, and millions of dollars in damage are caused. I think you're just being sensible.

What are the man and woman discussing？

A．Information in a news article.

B．Details from a recent lecture.

C．A weather forecast.

D．A friend’s experience.

Moderate earthquake strikes England

A moderate earthquake struck parts of southeast England on 28 April 2007，toppling chimneys from houses and rousing residents from their beds． Several thousand people were left without power in Kent County．One woman suffered minor head and neck injuries．

“It felt as if the whole house was being slid across like a fun—fair ride，”said the woman．

The British Geological Survey said the 4．3-magnitude quake struck at 8：19 a．m． and was centered under the English Channel，about 8．5 miles south of Dover and near the entrance to the Channel Tunnel．

Witnesses said cracks appeared in walls and chimneys collapsed across the county．Residents said the tremor had lasted for about 10 to 15 seconds．

“1 was lying in bed and it felt as if someone had just got up from bed next to me，”said Hendrick van Eck．27．of Canterbury about 60 miles southeast of London．“I then heard the sound of cracking，and it was getting heavier and heavier．It felt as if someone was at the end of my bed hopping up and down．”

There are thousands of moderate quakes on this scale around the world each year．but they are rare in Britain．The April 28 quake was the strongest in Britain since 2002 when a 4．8-magnitude quake struck the central England city 0f Birmingham．

The country’s strongest earthquake took place in the North Sea in 1931,measunring 6．1 on the Richter scale．British Geological Survey scientist Roger Musson said the quake took place on 28 April in an area that had seen several of the biggest earthquakes ever t0 strike Britain．including one in 1580 that caused damage in London and was felt in France．Musson predicted that it was only a matter of time before another earthquake struck this part of England．However,people should not be scared too mush hy this prediction，Musson said，as the modern earthquake warning system of Britain should be able to detect a forthcoming quake and announce it several hours before it takes place．This would allow time for people to evacuate and reduce damage to the minimum．

第 15 题 During the Apfil 28 earthquake，whole England was leff without power．

A．Right

B．Wrong

C．Not mentioned

请根据短文内容，回答题。

Moderate Earthquake Strikes England

A moderate earthquake struck parts of southeast England on 28 April 2007, toppling chimneys from houses and rousing residents from their beds. Several thousand people were left without power in Kent County. One woman suffered minor head and neck injuries.＜br＞

"It felt as if the whole house was being slid across like a fun-fair ride," said the woman.＜br＞

The British Geological Survey said the 4.3-magnitude quake struck at 8:19 a.m. and was centered under the English Channel, about 8.5 miles south of Dover and near the entrance to the Channel Tunnel.＜br＞

Witnesses said cracks appeared in walls and chimneys collapsed across the county. Residents said the tremor had lasted for about 10 to 15 seconds.＜br＞

"I was lying in bed and it felt as if someone had just got up from bed next to me." Said Hendrick van Eck,27, of Canterbury about 60 miles southeast of London." I then heard the sound of cracking, and it was getting heavier and heavier. It felt as if someone was at the end of my bed hopping up and down."＜br＞

There are thousands of moderate quakes on this scale around the world each year, but they are rare in Britain. The April 28 quake was the strongest in Britain since 2002 when a 4.8-magnitude quake struck the central England city of Birmingham.＜br＞

The country&39;s strongest earthquake took place in the North Sea in 193 l, measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale. British Geological Survey scientist Roger Musson said the quake took place on 28 April in an area that had seen several of the biggest earthquakes ever to strike Britain, including one in 1580 that caused damage in London and was felt in France. Musson predicted that it was only a matter of time before another earthquake struck this part of England. However, people should not be scared too much by this prediction, Musson said, as the modern earthquake warning system of Britain should be able to detect a forthcoming quake and announce it several hours before it takes place. This would allow time for people to evacuate and reduce damage to the minimum.

The biggest earthquake took place in Britain__________. 查看材料

A.in 1931

B.in 1580

C.in2002

D.in2007

A.Raphael

B.Michelangelo

C.Picasso

D.Leonardo da Vinci

A.stalking

B.shattering

C.strolling

D.extinguishing