4 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Mrs. Chaisura,     1     well-known businesswoman from Thailand, has won an international competition in flower arrangement in Japan. Mrs. Chaisura owns a flower shop in Bangkok. Her most famous     2     (creation) are fresh-cut flower arrangements done in a typical Japanese style. In the past several years, her business has developed     3     (significant). Last month, the Japanese Embassy in Bangkok sponsored an exhibition of her work, which won great     4     (popular).

Last week, Mrs. Chaisura traveled to Japan,     5     she took part in the 2023 International Ikebana (插花) Exhibition and Contest, along with over 200 contestants from sixteen other countries.     6     her surprise, she won first place. She is the first Thai citizen, and the first foreigner since 1957, to win No. 1 prize in the competition. Afterward, she thanked her teacher, with whom she had studied ikebana in Japan during the nineties. Rikka, the “upright style,” is deeply traditional. And recently it     7     (become) a hit.

Along with an impressive gold cup, Mrs. Chaisura won a cash prize of 400,000 Yen. Her winning arrangement in the competition     8     (compose) of green orchids (兰花) and pine. After     9     (award) the prize, she told the reporter, “My favorite flower is the orchid, and I hope to include     10     (many) Thai flowers, especially Thai orchids, into my future ikebana arrangements.”

5 . “It’s incredible. I never thought my dream would come true so soon,” Chinese ballet dancer Chun Wai Chan recalled the scene when he got the news that he was promoted to the principal dancer with New York City Ballet(NYCB), the company’s first Chinese and fourth Asian principal dancer in 74 years.

Born in Huizhou, Guangdong in 1992, Chan has become attached to dance since childhood. However, his parents preferred him to be a doctor or a lawyer in the future. The uncompromising boy then wrote a seven-page letter to his parents describing his resolution to study dance.

Thanks to the sincere letter, Chan finally gained the support of his family, and at the age of 12, he was admitted to Guangzhou Arts School, marking the start of his dream-seeking journey. Chan’s first turning point in life came at the age of 18, when he was a finalist in the 2010 Prix de Lausanne, which earned him a full scholarship to study with Houston Ballet II. Two years later, Chan joined Houston Ballet and became a principal in 2017. There, he gained a reputation as a confident and sensitive performer. In 2020, he appeared as a contestant on the Chinese television show Dance Smash, which gained him a large following.

Chan returned to New York last year, and was finally promoted to the principal dancer with the NYCB in May this year. He attributes his success to his passion, hard work, concentration, perseverance and the pursuit of excellence.

In China, Chan’s success has become a source of pride. News of his promotion to principal dancer was widely circulated, and he has been featured repeatedly in the Chinese media.

After performances, audience members sometimes tell Chan that they have never seen Asian dancers in leading roles. He has been moved to hear young dancers of color say his example has given them hope for their own careers. “I used to think I danced just for myself,” he said. “Now I’m dancing for my family, for the audience, for the whole dance community.”

1. What can we learn about Chan?

A．He is the first Asian principal dancer.

B．He is fond of dancing when he was young.

C．His parents have supported him from the beginning.

D．He gained the popularity in the 2010 Prix de Lausanne.

2. What does the underlined word “uncompromising” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．Determined.

B．Careful.

C．Thoughtful.

D．Fearless.

3. Which of the following can best describe Chan?

A．Generous and considerate.	B．Perseverant and talented.
C．Warm-hearted and ambitious.	D．Passionate and devoted.

4. Why did Chan change his opinion about the significance of dancing?

A．Because he got a lot of praises from the audience.

B．Because he had been promoted to principal dancer.

C．Because he realized his dance inspired other dancers.

D．Because he received persistent support from his family.

6 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The reason why singer-songwriter Zhang Gasong’s music is unique lies     1     his folk tunes (歌曲调) and song words in local dialects. Yet for Zhang     2     (he), they also make him always remember     3     he comes from.

He talked about his experience and     4     (understand) of the style of his music on Monday, shortly before     5     (take) part in a lawn (草坪) concert at Beijing’s Yuanmingyuan Park, which stood out for the songs sung in many     6     (variety) of dialects.

Born in the countryside of Jingyuan county, Baiyin city, Northwest China’s Gansu Province, Zhang, 34, has become famous for his songs that     7     (create) several years ago to praise his homeland, and he put much effort into his music.

Some video works of his singing, dressed in traditional Chinese clothing and playing traditional musical instruments, have spread     8     (wide) on social media over the past few years.

One of such videos is     9     (show) his respect (尊重) to his aunt, a doctor who headed for Wuhan during the Spring Festival holiday of 2020. The simple song     10     his deep feelings shown in the words of the song are touching.

7 . Giorgio Morandi was one of the greatest artists in the history of Italy. He was the eldest of five children born into a middle-class family in Bologna, Italy. His early love of art upset his father, who wanted his son to work with him in his export business. Morandi attempted the business unsuccessfully in 1906.

After that, Morandi entered the Bologna Academy of Fine Arts in 1907. He continued his study with the support of his friends when his father suddenly passed away in 1908, forcing him to support his mother and younger sisters. During that time, he was introduced to Cubism and Futurism, which influenced his early work.

After he graduated from the Bologna Academy of Fine Arts in 1913, Morandi continued his study by traveling around Italy, especially to the Venice Biennale. Those tours would finally prove important, as much of Morandi’s exposure (接触) to painters came from published art works on the journey. He was particularly interested in the work of Impressionists like Claude Monet, as well as following greats such as Georges Seurat and Paul Cézanne.

After Morandi finished his traveling, he returned home and lived with his family. For many years, Morandi kept a peaceful daily routine. And he did most of his work in his workshop, a small room in a flat he shared with his mother and sisters.

Life wasn’t easy for him at first, but he quickly established himself as an important modern artist. His mastery of a skill of color, light and arrangement began to gain notice, shining in the face of present painting in the manner of abstraction (抽象). And he was named “one of the greatest painters living” by Roberto Longhi in 1934.

1. Why did Morandi’s early love of art worry his father?

A．It took Morandi too much time.

B．His father didn’t have money to support Morandi.

C．His father wanted Morandi to follow in his footsteps.

D．There were no suitable art teachers for Morandi.

2. What did Morandi do in 1913?

A．He tried his father’s business.	B．He started his university life.
C．He traveled with his father.	D．He finished his study in school.

3. What played a leading role in shaping Morandi as a successful modern artist?

A．His love for his family.	B．His tours around Italy.
C．His middle-class background.	D．His exposure to his father’s business.

4. How does the author mainly develop the text?

A．By asking questions.	B．By providing examples.
C．By following time order.	D．By making a comparison.

8 . What are the two speakers talking about?

A．A task.

B．A novel.

C．A meeting.

9 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

When Jane Austen wrote her novels in England, she was writing about a world most of us wouldn’t recognise. But today Austen’s books are in greater demand than ever. In the last 10 years, five of her six novels     1     (make) into Hollywood films, while her books continue to be     2     (best-seller).

Richard Jenkyns,     3     university professor of English at Oxford, argues that her novels still appeal     4     people because they focus on issues that are as relevant today as they were when she wrote them. Her novels are about women     5     (try) to find a perfect husband, but also explore issues surrounding     6     (marry), friendships and the family. The stories are fairly timeless about human interaction     7     we are all familiar with.

The     8     (famous) book Austen wrote is Pride and Prejudice, a love story about Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy. They     9     (gradual) fall in love with each other, but still have to overcome the opposition from the family.

All of Austen’s books,     10     (accept) widely all over the world, work on different levels so people can take what they need from them, making them popular with both children and adults.