【推荐1】No one could say that Katy Perry is an ordinary artist. Her songs are not just about sweet love and heartbreaks,     1     usually have bigger themes. Take the songs Firework (2010) and Roar(2013) for example,     2     Perry sings about being our own master and     3     (discover) our true value. Earlier this year, she     4     (announce) her new album (专辑) Witness, together with a new idea for W music Perry calls her new style “purpose pop”, meaning a     5     (society) and political message. It seems that Perry has become tired     6     simply encouraging people. Now, she wants to educate them politically as well. The best example of Perry’s purposeful pop is     7     (probable) the song Chained to the Rhythm, in which Perry criticizes the     8     (behave) that people are unwilling to think more critically (批判的) about the world.

But when it comes to the concept (概念) of purposeful pop, it is, in fact, something a lot of pop stars have been doing for a while. For example, Beyonce’s 2016 song Formation deals with various problems such as an     9     (argue) between white policemen and black citizens (公民) in the US,     10     (hope) to create change through music.

A painter hangs his or her finished pictures on a wall, and everyone can see it. A composer writes a work, but no one can hear it     1     it is performed. Professional singers and players have great responsibilities, for the composer is absolutely dependent on them. A student of music needs as long and as tough a training to become a performer as a medical student needs    2    （become） a doctor. Most training is concerned    3     technique, for musicians have to be as muscularly skillful as an athlete or a ballet dancer. Singers practice breathing every day, as their vocal chords（声带） would be inadequate without    4    （control） muscular support. String players practice moving the fingers of the left hand up and down, while drawing the bow back and forth with the right arm,    5     are two entirely different movements.

Singers and instruments have to be able to get every note perfectly in tune. Pianists     6    （spare） this particular anxiety, for the notes are already there, and it is the piano tuner’s responsibility to tune the instrument for    7     . But they have their own difficulties; the hammers that hit the string must be dealt with carefully not to sound like drum or bass, and each tone, even if played very fast, has to sound clear.

The problem    8    （face） student conductors is that they have to learn to know every note of the music and    9     it should sound, and they need to aim at controlling these sound with enthusiastic but selfless authority.

Technique is of no use unless it is combined with musical knowledge and understanding. Great artists are those who are so thoroughly at home in the language of music    10       they can enjoy performing works written in any century.

With smiling eyes, a quick wit and a good sense of humor, Jia Ling has long been a well-known female comedian for her     1     (extreme) funny performances. But recently, she has gained another title.

Jia starred in and directed the film Hi, Mom,     2     a time-travel story is told. The film     3     (consider) as the leading dark horse among the movies released (上映) during the seven-day Spring Festival holiday is in memory     4     her mother Li Huanying,     5     encouraged Jia to pursue her artistic dreams. By Feb 23, 2021, it     6     (earn) more than 4 billion yuan, enabling Jia to become the top box office grossing female film director in China. Now she is on the path to becoming     7     international name in the filmmaking industry.

So what is the secret behind Jia’s success? One factor may be her passion for comedy. Jia     8     (admit) to Beijing’s Central Academy of Drama in 2001. In the last 20 years, she has performed crosstalk (相声) in     9     (vary) competitions and shows. She has also played comedic roles in many comedies on the big screen. Besides, the approach to     10     (make) the film also makes Jia Ling’s work stand out. We’ll wait and see whether Jia will become one of China’s most popular directors.

【推荐2】Mei Bao jiu, a Peking Opera master, passed away when he was 82. As the    1    (nine) son of famous opera star Mei Lanfang, who was the founder of the Mei style of acting, Mei Baojiu devoted his life to     2    (promote) the traditional art of Peking Opera. He was one of China’s most successful and     3    (admire) Peking Opera performers and enjoyed a worldwide reputation.

Born in 1934, Mei Baojiu began to learn the art     4    the age of 10. When he was 13, he had his first formal performance. Gifted with    5    clear and sweet voice, Mei Baojiu was well received by the audience. Besides "The Drunken Beauty", his classics "Mu Guiying Takes Command" and "Xi Shi, the Beauty"    6    (appreciate) by many foreigners. Mei Baojiu's famous performances won    7    (he) the "Asia's Best-Artist Award" by the New York Lincoln Centre in 1989.

Mei Baojiu was enthusiastic about his work    8    (develop) the Peking Opera in general. He hoped this Chinese traditional art could be better and     9    his father’s art could last forever. Mei Baojiu’s    10    (die) is not just a big loss to Peking Opera but also to Chinese culture.

Shi Jing, also called the Book of Songs, is the oldest existing     1     (collect) of Chinese poetry. When Chinese musician Fang Jinlong read Shi Jing, he was interested in the stories in the poems. Because he couldn't     2     (full) understand the ancient Chinese language     3     (use) in the poems, he turned to experts to explore the poems.

Then he decided to portray the poems with musical language by inviting composer Ma Jiuyue     4     (create) an album. Titled Music and the Book of Songs, the album was released on Jan. 18, 2021,     5     (feature) 10 original songs composed by Ma. They     6     (perform) by Fang and won great popularity.

The 10 songs are based     7     10 poems from Shi Jing, including Qiong Yao, which conveys gratitude to people who are eager to help others, and Swallows, which sends farewell messages to friends.

“Young people gave warm feedback about traditional Chinese music     8     they had watched my performance. It has inspired me to create more works for them, which helps popularize traditional Chinese music,” says Fang.

“The 10 pieces sound     9     (enjoy) and easy. For the listeners, it's a fresh way to comprehend poems from Shi Jing,” says Ma. “We spent three years working on     10     project. There are so many meanings in the poems and we want to display them as deep as possible with music," Ma says. "It's our mutual goal to have traditional Chinese music reach a wider audience.”