主题一－艺术世界

Ⅰ. 阅读理解

I was about 13 when an uncle gave me a copy of Jostein Gaarders Sophies World. Itwas full of ideas that were new to me， so I spent the summer with my head in and out of thatbook. It spoke to me and brought me into a world of philosophy （哲学）.

That love for philosophy lasted until I got to college. Nothing kills the love for philosophyfaster than people who think they understand Foucault， Baudrillard， or Confucius betterthan you—and then try to explain them.

Eric Weiner's The Socrates Express： In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophersreawakened my love for philosophy. It is not an explanation， but an invitation to think andexperience philosophy.

Weiner starts each chapter with a scene on a train ride between cities and then frameseach philosopher's work in the context of one thing they can help us do better. The end resultis a read in which we learn to wonder like Socrates， see like Thoreau， listen like Schopenhauer，and have no regrets like Nietzsche. This， more than a book about understandingphilosophy， is a book about learning to use philosophy to improve a life.

He makes philosophical thought an appealing exercise that improves the quality ofour experiences， and he does so with plenty of humor. Weiner enters into conversation withsome of the most important philosophers in history， and he becomes part of that crowd inthe process by decoding （解读） their messages and adding his own interpretation.

The Socrates Express is a fun， sharp book that draws readers in with its apparent simplicityand gradually pulls them in deeper thoughts on desire， loneliness， and aging. The invitationis clear： Weiner wants you to pick up a cup of coffee or tea and sit down with thisbook. I encourage you to take his offer. It's worth your time， even if time is something wedon't have a lot of.

1. Who opened the door to philosophy for the author？

A. Foucault. B. Eric Weiner.

C. Jostein Gaarder. D. A college teacher.

2. Why does the author list great philosophers in paragraph 4？

A. To compare Weiner with them.

B. To give examples of great works.

C. To praise their writing skills.

D. To help readers understand Weiners book.

3. What does the author like about The Socrates Express？

A. Its views on history are well‑presented.

B. Its ideas can be applied to daily life.

C. It includes comments from readers.

D. It leaves an open ending.

4. What does the author think of Weiners book？

A. Objective and plain.

B. Daring and ambitious.

C. Serious and hard to follow.

D. Humorous and straightforward.

Ⅱ. 补全信息

Color is in everything we touch， taste， smell and feel. It evokes （唤起） emotion withoutany thought. 1 We are all familiar with it， but do you know the following facts？

Silver will save your life. When buying a new car and finding yourself facing variouschoices， you can't think clearly. Your best choice is to go with silver. Silver‑colored carsare least likely to be involved in a car accident. 2 Another reason is the silver colorsability to have a look of cleanliness.

3 Tough prisoners and crazy patients？ It is the color commonly used to help calmdown those who are out of control. So it surely has a useful place and a purpose， other thandecorating a dress or Barbie's dream house.

Yellow makes you hungry. Yellow and orange are not recommended for use in kitchens，as they have a positive influence on your appetite. 4 I'm not normally one for conspiracy （阴谋） theories—but perhaps there's something in it for them if we remain ignorantof yellow's effects.

Color is an imaginary friend. Technically， it's all in our heads： color does not exist atall. 5 So， if you start a heated debate over color combinations with someone that youare certain has a low IQ or is just color‑blind，remember it's a pointless argument and youshould drop it instantly. You're both wrong.

A. Pink comforts the nerves.

B. Blue is the most common favorite color.

C. They are most noticeable on the road and in low light.

D. Yellow‑colored walls seldom leave us wanting more food.

E. It can be the focus of our careers， our lifestyle and the fun we have.

F. Then where would our restaurant owners be without the clever tricks？

G. Color tries to make sense of the huge amount of information from the outer world.

Ⅲ. 完形填空

A new week began. Marcus entered the school. 1 ， he cried out，“ What happenedto the stadium？” Someone had painted faces on the stadium wall！

All students were whispering with 2 about the graffiti （涂鸦）. Possible explanationsspread like wildfire around the school.

Later， when Brian cleaned the blackboard， Marcus suddenly spotted the paint on hishands. He 3 that it was Brian who did it. After school， Marcus followed Brian and 4 on what he was doing. When Brian opened his locker， Marcus saw small cans ofpaint！ He decided to 5 it to Mr Johnson.