A
He lived his whole life as a poor man.His art and talent were recognized by almost no one.He suffered from a mental illness that led him to cut off part of his left ear in 1888 and to shoot himself two years later.But after his death, he achieved world fame.Today, Dutch artist Van Gogh is recognized as one of the leading artists of all time.
Now,150 years after his birth on March 30,1853，Zundert, the town of his birth，has made 2003 “The Van Gogh Year” in his honor.And the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam，home to the biggest collection of his masterpieces, is marking the anniversary with exhibitions throughout the year.The museum draws around 1.3 million visitors every year.Some people enjoy the art and then learn about his life.Others are interested in his life, which then helps them understand his art.
Van Gogh was the son of a pastor.He left school when he was just 15.By the age of 27, he had already tried many jobs including an art gallery salesman and a French teacher.Finally in 1880, he decided to begin his studies in art.
Van Gogh is famed for his ability to put his own emotions (情感) into his paintings and show his feelings about a scene.His style is marked by short, broad brush strokes (绘画笔法)．“Instead of trying to reproduce exactly what I have before my eyes, I use color more freely, in order to express myself more forcibly，” he wrote in a letter to his brother in 1888.
Van Gogh sold only one painting during his short life.He relied heavily on support from his brother, an art dealer who lived in Paris.But now his works are sold for millions of dollars.His portrait of Dr.Gacher sold for $89.5 million in 1990.It is the highest price ever paid for a painting.“I think his paintings are powerful and the brilliant color in them are attractive to people，” said a Van Gogh's fan.
文章大意：梵·高是一个生命短暂而艺术长久的画家。作品就是他的肉体和灵魂，为了它，甘愿冒失去生命和理智的危险。梵·高的一生一直与苦难相伴，而他最终以令人惋惜的自了方式来告别他热爱的世界。他那敏感的心理和激情的创作成就了他艺术的辉煌。
1．All through his life Van Gogh __C__.
A．depended on his brother
B．worked hard on art studies
C．was not recognized by people
D．expressed himself in paintings
解析：细节理解题。 由第一段前两句“He lived his whole life a poor man.His art and talent were recognized by almost no one.”可知，梵·高活着的时候没有得到人们的认可。故C项正确。
2．One of the characteristics of Van Gogh's paintings is __D__.
A．the likeness between his paintings and the reality
B．the short time for him to complete a painting
C．the various styles mixed together
D．the special strokes he made
解析：细节理解题。 由第四段第二句“His style is marked by short，broad brush strokes (绘画笔法)．”可知D项正确。
3．The selling of his paintings is considered to be the most successful because __A__.
A．more and more people like his paintings
B．people can understand him through his paintings
C．1.3 million people visit his painting museum every year
D．Zundert has made 2003 “The Van Gogh Year”in his honor
解析：推理判断题。因为越来越多的人喜欢梵·高的作品，所以其才得以以高价出售，大获成功。故A项正确。
4．We can infer from the text __C__.
A．his powerful art came from his poor life
B．his fellow townsmen regret treating him unfairly
C．all his paintings were drawn in the last 10 years of his life
D．most of his paintings are kept in the museum of his hometown
解析：推理判断题。通读全文可知，梵·高在1880年投身于绘画艺术，1890年开枪自杀，由此可推断，他的作品都创作于他生命中的最后十年。故C项正确。
