A
Today, his paintings command (博得) high prices and hang in museums around the world but when Vincent van Gogh died at age 37 on July 29, 1890, his works were largely unknown.
Vincent van was born in the Netherlands in 1853. Although he enjoyed drawing from the time he was a young boy, Vincent had a number of other jobs before he decided to work as a fulltimer. But he failed at most of them. Vincent first started drawing using pencils or charcoal sticks (碳棒). He used some watercolours as well. He liked to draw pictures of poor hardworking people. Eventually he began to paint using oil paints. His most famous early painting was called The Potato Eaters.
Much of what we know about Van Gogh comes from letters he wrote to his brother Theo. Theo worked in an art gallery in Paris and supported Vincent's art career. He sent Vincent money and encouraged him. In 1886 Vincent moved to Paris to learn from new painters. During this time Van Gogh began to use brighter colours.
In 1888 Van Gogh moved south to Arles, France to start up an artist's commune (艺术公社). The colours in his paintings became more bright. Vincent painted hundreds of pictures during this time, sometimes painting masterpieces in a single day.
In 1889 Van Gogh committed himself to a mental hospital. He could barely take care of himself. He still continued to paint and painted one of his most famous paintings Starry Night.
语篇解读：本文介绍了艺术大师梵·高短暂而又辉煌的一生。
21．What did Vincent van Gogh like to draw in his early years?
A．People in bright colours.
B．Poor hardworking people.
C．Animals and birds.
D．Plants and flowers.
解析：选B 细节理解题。根据第二段中的“He liked to draw pictures of poor hardworking people.”可知，在早期，梵·高喜欢画贫穷的劳动人民。
22．How did the author develop this text?
A．By time. B．By telling stories.
C．By making comparisons. D．By stating facts.
解析：选A 推理判断题。根据文中的“1853”、“In 1886”、“In 1888”、“In 1889”和“on July 29, 1890”可知，作者是以时间为序写作的。
23．What is the second paragraph mainly about?
A．Vincent van Gogh is a great painter.
B．Why Vincent van Gogh learned to draw.
C．What Vincent van Gogh's early life was.
D．Vincent van Gogh's famous paintings.
解析：选C 段落大意题。根据文章第二段内容可知，本段主要讲述的是梵·高早期的生活情况。
