Words flow through Chinese poetry
A Russian student expresses her passion for China through poetry. It seems that Anastasia Podareva, born in Ryazan, Russia, the hometown of Russian poet Sergei Yesenin (谢尔盖·叶赛宁), was destined (注定的) to follow a similar career.
Podareva, 28, loved poetry in her youth as her father would introduce her to works by great Russian poets. Growing up, he wrote many poems in both Russian and English. But when she came to China to study in 2013, the world of Chinese poetry opened up before her.
“One thing that strikes me in reading and writing Chinese poetry is the power of the language — it’s melodious (动听的) and rhythmic (有节奏的),” said Podareva.
Podareva has had colorful experiences in China over the past decade. Her most unforgettable memory is of one of her poems being turned into a song.
The poem, titled If, was written in early 2020 at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I wanted to create something positive to help boost (振奋) people’s spirits in times of difficulty,” she said. As the poem goes, “I have come to love this land, growing up with its valiant (勇敢的) people … And with the profound (深深的) love of a maiden (女子) of the north, I’d let China take my burning heart,” Podareva wrote, showing her support for her adopted (寄宿的) home.
And her message was heard. The poem was published online and picked up by a music lover named Zhu Hai in Zhejiang province, who later put it to music.
“I believe that singing is the ultimate (最好的) way of expressing Chinese poetry, because Chinese is really a language that rises, falls and flows like music,” said Podareva.
37. What can we learn about Podareva from the text?
A.She sees Yeseni as her idol. |
B.She can write poems in three languages. |
C.Her father is a famous poet. |
D.Most of her poems have been put to music. |
38. What does the underlined word “strikes” in paragraph 3 most probably mean?
A.Impresses. | B.Challenges. | C.Discourages. | D.Confuses. |
39. What was the inspiration behind Podareva’s poem If?
A.Her love for both music and poetry. |
B.Her admiration for Chinese people. |
C.Her personal experiences of living in China. |
D.Her desire to spread positivity during the pandemic. |