You must have read or heard of the sad love story between Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu.But can you imagine the two singing opera in English instead of speaking poetic(有诗意的) Chinese?
Jia and Lin are two characters from the classic Chinese novel A Dream of Red Mansions(《红楼梦》 ), written by Cao Xueqin
Many of the opera’s creators have backgrounds in both Chinese and American cultures, including the director and playwrights( 剧作家 ).Their understanding of both cultures helped them to change a Chinese classic into a foreign-language opera.
The book, which covers the rise and fall of the Jia family, has 120 chapters and hundreds of characters. But the opera writer David Henry Hwang reduced the number of characters to just seven. Hwang, a Chinese-American, focused on the love story between Jia and Lin and tried to write a heartbroken tragedy that everyone would understand.
The art director Timmy Yip, from Hong Kong, tried to help foreign people understand the characters using costurnes(服装)and stage settings(布景).He compared Lin to water and gave her a light green costurne. When Lin shows up on the stage, there is usually water around her on the stage.
The creators consider it to be a meaningful job to introduce a Chinese classic to Western audience. Hwang told China Daily he was happy to “have made a contribution to the land where my parents were born”.
1. wrote the opera for the Chinese classic novel A Dream of Red Mansiorns.| A．Lin Daiyu | B．Cao Xueqin |
| C．Jia Baoyu | D．David Henry Hwang |
| A．The language used. | B．The sad love story. |
| C．The number of characters. | D．The whole family’s story. |
| A．喜剧 | B．悲剧 | C．科幻剧 | D．生活剧 |
| A．they had backgrounds in Western culture |
| B．they thought the book was not good enough |
| C．they hoped to help others learn English |
| D．they wanted Westerners to know about the Chinese novel |
| A．A Dream of Red Mansions |
| B．Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu Sing Foreign Opera |
| C．The Sad Love Story between Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu |
| D．David Henry Hwang’s Opera |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】What's the most popular movie this summer? Many people say it's Ne Zha. The young hero's story has touched people's hearts.
The film comes from the famous Chinese novel The Investiture of the Gods（《封神演义》）. The novel was written about 500 years ago. Flying through the sky on the Wind Fire Wheels, holding a Fire-tipped Spear（火尖枪）in his hand — Ne Zha is very rebellious（叛逆的）in the novel.
The movie shows Ne Zha in his present life, since he was a demon（魔王）in his past life, people think he is still bad. They hate him and even try to kill him. But Ne Zha always believes that he can hold his fate（命运）in his hands and choose to be good or bad.
In both the old and new stories, Ne Zha's fighting spirit never goes away. That's why people still love him today.
1. The novel The Investiture of the Gods was written about ________ years ago.| A．500 | B．600 | C．700 | D．800 |
| A．creative | B．quiet | C．bad | D．hard-working |
| A．he can hold his fate in his hands | B．his fighting spirit never goes away |
| C．he can fly on the Wind Fire Wheels | D．he helps them fight with bad men |
【推荐2】An exhibition（展览）themed on the classic Chinese animated film The Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven （动画电影: 《大闹天宫》） appeared at Shanghai Tower on Friday and will run till Oct.8.
The exhibition shows photos and videos of the film, including original sketches（原稿） of the film characters which are being shown to the public for the first time.
The Monkey King, or Sun Wukong, is a character from the novel Journey to the West, by writer Wu Cheng’en during the Ming Dynasty（明朝）. The novel is about four people’s adventures during their journey in the Tang Dynasty.
If you go:
Time: Sep. 25—Oct.8 10:30 a.m.—20:30 p.m.
Place: The 53rd floor, Shanghai Tower, Middle Yincheng Road, the Pudong New Area, Shanghai
Price:
From Sep.25 to 30: 68 yuan for each
From Oct.1 to 8: 88 yuan for each; 168 yuan for two
1. The exhibition will last for about ________.| A．Two weeks | B．ten days | C．one month | D．two months |
| A．136 yuan | B．176 yuan | C．168 yuan | D．336 yuan |
| A．story book | B．textbook | C．school notice | D．film magazine |
【推荐3】You must have read or heard of the sad love story between Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu. But can you imagine the singing opera in English instead of speaking poetic Chinese?
Jia and Lin are two characters from the classic Chinese novel A Dream of Red Mansions (《红楼梦》), written by Cao Xueqin. Now the book has been made into an English-language opera. After being performed in San Francisco, the US, the performance came to Beijing, Changsha and Wuhan in 2017.
Many of the opera’s creators have backgrounds in both Chinese and American cultures, including the director and dramatists. Their understanding of both cultures helped them change a Chinese classic into a foreign-language opera.
The book, which covers the rise and fall of the Jia family, has 120 chapters and hundreds of characters. But opera writer David Henry Hwang cut down the number of characters to just seven. Hwang, a Chinese-American, focused on the love story between Jia and Lin and tried to write a tragedy (悲剧) that everyone would understand.
The art director Timmy Yip, from Hong Kong, tried to help foreigners understand the characters by using costumes and stage decorations (装饰). He compared Lin to water and gave her a light green costume. When Lin showed up on stage, there was usually water around her.
The creators considered the work of introducing a Chinese classic to foreigners was worth doing. Hwang told China Daily he was happy to “have made a contribution (贡献) to the land where my parents were born”.
1. Where was the opera first performed?| A．In Beijing. | B．In Changsha. | C．In San Francisco. | D．In Wuhan. |
| A．It is about the rise and greatness of the Qing Dynasty. |
| B．It tells the happy ending love story between Jia and Lin. |
| C．The Chinese book is long and rich in characters. |
| D．The Chinese book has seven characters in total. |
| A．dressing style | B．character | C．appearance | D．life habits |
| A．A Dream of Red Mansions was translated into French. |
| B．David Henry Hwang’s parents were both born in America. |
| C．The English-language opera was on tour in the US. |
| D．Timmy Yip knows a lot about Chinese and American cultures. |
| A．Difficult and unbelievable. | B．Stressful and hard. |
| C．Satisfying and meaningful. | D．Painful and challenging. |
【推荐1】Now more and more foreign(外国的) students make visits to China to study Chinese. 24-year-old Russian girl Alina Salionova is one of them.
Alina had a six-day trip with her two friends in China. They joined a traveling group. In the group, there were more than 60 visitors from different countries. They visited the Great Wall and the Palace Museum in Beijing, the ancient city—Pingyao in Shanxi and the Terracotta Army(兵马俑) in Shaanxi.
“I wanted to see the Terracotta Army before. My dream comes true now,” Alina said.
Alina started to study Chinese at the Confucius Institute(孔子学院) in her country eight years ago. The girl is really interested in Chinese language and culture.
“China has many famous places and a long history. People are kind to help when we’re in need,” Alina said.
Alina visited China for the second time. She first visited Beijing to watch the 2008 Olympic Games. During that summer, she also visited Harbin, Shanghai and Hangzhou.
“That trip made me fall in love with China. I decided to study Chinese well. Now I’m quite good at it. Russia is the host of the 2018 World Cup. I’ll try my best to help travelers from China at that time,” said Alina.
1. More and more foreign students visit China because _________.| A．they plan to study Chinese | B．Chinese people are friendly to them |
| C．China held the 2008 Olympic Games | D．there are many places of interest in China |
| A．In 2007. | B．In 2017. | C．When she was 24 years old. | D．When she was 16 years old. |
| A．Alina went to Pingyao in 2008. | B．Alina may do a job at the 2018 World Cup. |
| C．Alina always dreamed of visiting the Great Wall. | D．Alina is learning Chinese at the Confucius Institute in China. |
| A．The 2018 World Cup | B．A Girl’s Travel in China |
| C．How to Join a Traveling Group | D．Why Many Foreign People Come to China |
Welcome to the Chinese Traditional Artwork(工艺品) Website | |
① | Name: palace lantern Color: red, blue, yellow and black Price: ￥180(￥300 for two during the Spring Festival) Delivery(递送) time: You can get your goods within 7 days. If you spend more than 500 yuan on the lanterns, we will give you a sky lantern as a gift. |
② | Name: silk umbrella Color: pink, red, green, yellow and purple Price: ￥60 Delivery time: You can get your goods within 9 days. Our umbrellas are made of good silk. They are really wonderful gifts for women or girls. |
③ | Name: clay pot Color: purple, green and black Price: ￥240 Delivery time: You can get your goods within 3 days. Our clay pots are cheap and good. They are the best gifts for you to send to your friends or relatives. |
④ | Name: Chinese knot Color: red and yellow Price: ¥160 Delivery time: You can get your goods within 5 days. The beauty of our new products may give you a big surprise. |
1. How much do we need to pay if we want to buy two palace lanterns during the Spring Festival?
| A．180 yuan. | B．300 yuan. | C．360 yuan. | D．480 yuan. |
| A．A purple lantern. | B．A black umbrella. | C．A blue pot. | D．A yellow Chinese knot. |
| A．①②③④. | B．③④①②. | C．③④②①. | D．②①③④. |
| A．The umbrellas are made of paper and bamboo. |
| B．Clay pots are really good gifts for women or girls. |
| C．You’ll be surprised to see the beauty of new Chinese knots. |
| D．If you buy the palace lanterns, you will get a sky lantern as a gift. |
| A．To introduce the website. | B．To sell Chinese artworks. |
| C．To spread Chinese culture. | D．To welcome foreign visitors. |
  Chinese Traditional Culture Fair Li Xiang, the 6th Floor in the Mixc, Jinhuan South Road The great Chinese traditional culture fair in Mixc is an exciting event which has become one of the most famous cultural fairs. Since 2014, the organizers have held this event every two years except (除了) 2020. It usually lasts a week. Date & Time: From Dec. 21st, 13:00 a.m. ~ 21:00 p.m. Our popular activities: 1. Introductions to Chinese Round Table Manners In Chinese culture, the dinner table is usually round which means the get-together of the family members. Come and join in our workshop. We will introduce the customs and manners to you. 2. Exhibitions (展览) of Typical Traditional Food Since the ancient times, there have been different typical traditional foods on different festivals. Do you know their history? Come and see some food models, and taste real dishes for free! 3. Experiences of an enjoyable tea journey As we all know, China is famous for tea. At our fair, an IMAX 3D film about how tea is produced will be shown to you. Besides, you can watch some great tea art performances. After that, you may have a chance to try to make a perfect cup of tea. We suggest booking (¥60/person) at least one week in advance (提前) and you can also get a half-priced ticket. If you have more questions, please feel free to call us at 8666889. |
| A．In 2014. | B．In 2016. | C．In 2018. | D．In 2020. |
| A．On the morning of December 20th. | B．On the afternoon of December 25th. |
| C．On the noon of December 27th. | D．On the evening of December 30th. |
| A．They will have to pick tea. | B．They will taste some food for free. |
| C．They will sit at a round table. | D．They will learn the history festivals. |
| A．20 yuan. | B．30 yuan. | C．40 yuan. | D．50 yuan. |
| A．To get people to go to the fair. | B．To introduce Chinese traditions. |
| C．To get money to hold some activities. | D．To catch people’s attention to history. |
【推荐1】The second live class from China’s space station was held in the afternoon of Mar. 23, delivered by Shenzhou-13 crew(机组) members Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu to students on Earth. Wang performed several scientific experiments. In one experiment, Wang used a toy of Bing Dwen Dwen, the popular mascot(吉祥物) of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, to show how objects fly in a weightless(失重的) environment. They also showed students two pieces of cutting-edge scientific equipment inside the space station. Hundreds of students in Beijing, Lhasa and Urumqi watched the event.
Before ending the class, the astronauts answered questions taken from members of the public and raised by students. The questions covered various facets of life and work in space, such as how to take care of their skin, whether hot water is available, if the moon looks different from the Tiangong station, and how tears move in a microgravitational(微重力) environment.
Pang Zhihao, a retired spaceflight researcher from the China Academy of Space Technology and author of several space-themed books, said the class will be an “eye-opener” for youngsters, especially students, by implanting the love of science and creativity in them. “Many well-known scientists were created by their interest and curiosity about ‘strange things’. The experiments done by the astronauts will put ‘question marks’ in our students’ minds, and the youngsters will then move to find answers and explore more places unknown to humankind,” he said.
1. What questions did the students not ask in the event?| A．Whether cold water is available. |
| B．How to take care of crew members’ skin. |
| C．If the moon looks different from the Tiangong station. |
| D．How tears move in a microgravitational environment. |
| A．parts | B．faces | C．problems | D．questions |
| A．Pang Zhihao is one of Shenzhou-13 crew members. |
| B．Students raised questions for crew members about how to take care of their eyes. |
| C．Thousands of students in Beijing, Lhasa and Urumqi watched the event. |
| D．Shenzhou-13 members showed students two pieces of cutting-edge scientific equipment. |
| A．It can implant the love of science and creativity in students. |
| B．It will encourage students to be astronauts. |
| C．It was held for students in Beijing, Lhasa and Wuhan. |
| D．It will be an “eye-opener” for youngsters, especially teenagers. |
| A．Nature. | B．Culture. | C．Sports. | D．Space. |
As teenagers, you have many dreams. These dreams can be very big, such as winning the Nobel Prize, or they can be small. You may just want to become one of the ten best students in your class.
Once you find a dream, what do you do with it? Do you ever try to make your dream real?
Follow Your Heart by Australian writer Andrew Matthews tells us that making our dreams real is life`s biggest challenge（挑战）. You may think you`re not very good at some school subjects, or that it is impossible for you to become a writer. These kinds of thoughts stop you from getting your dream, the book says.
In fact, everyone can make his dream come true. The first thing you must do is to remember what your dream is. Don’t let it leave your heart. Keep telling yourself what you want. Do this step by step and your dream will come true faster because a big dream is, in fact, many small dreams. You must also never give up your dream. There will be difficulties on the road to your dreams. But the biggest difficulty comes from yourself. You need to decide what is the most important. Studying instead of watching TV will lead to better exam results, while saving five yuan instead of buying an ice cream means you can buy a new book.
As you get closer to your dream, it may change a little. This is good as you have the chance to learn more skills and find new interests.
1. What is Follow Your Heart?| A．The name of a famous Australian writer. | B．The name of a book by Andrew Matthews. |
| C．The biggest challenge you should take. | D．The most important dream to have for teenagers. |
| A．Never be afraid of difficulties. | B．Study instead of watching TV. |
| C．Remember what your dream is. | D．Try to start with all the things above. |
| A．Your dream can’t be too big. | B．Your dream can’t be too small. |
| C．You can’t change your dream. | D．What is the most important thing to do. |
| A．Never stop dreaming | B．Never lose heart |
| C．How to realize your dream | D．How to find your real dream |
| Shanghai’s coffee shops are more than just places to have drinks. They also allow people to enjoy a cultural experience. One Step Garden in Pudong is one of them. Between the 1970s and the1990s, the place was a brick kiln (砖窑). Visitors can now feel the wind coming in through its open windows. |
| This 66-floor building in New York has been completed. It goes straight up into the sky. You can see many terraces (露天平台) around the building. There are plants and trees on the terraces. The perfect design allows people to have more outdoor space and better indoor air. |
| This “forest school” is famous in Pune, India. Its two eye-catching buildings are covered in plants. At the top of them, a cycling track (自行车道) runs like the number “8”. It can also be used for students’ activities, shows and sports events. A meeting hall takes up the two lower floors of the buildings, while the rest of their space is used as classrooms. |
| People usually think of bridges as roads that cross over water, but the Veluwemeer Aqueduct Water Bridge in the Netherlands is the opposite—it’s water that crosses over a road. Cars go through a tunnel (隧道) below the water while boats and ships are able to pass overhead freely. |
1. What did One Step Garden use to be?
| A．A cultural center. | B．A coffee shop. |
| C．A brick kiln. | D．A post office. |
| A．It has only two terraces. | B．It has a cycling track. |
| C．It hasn’t been completed. | D．It has a great design. |
| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Six. | D．Eight. |
| A．By crossing a bridge over the water. | B．By crossing a road above a tunnel. |
| C．By going through a tunnel below the water. | D．By going through water that crosses over a road. |
| A．They are all special. | B．They are all very tall. |
| C．They are all from the same country. | D．They were all built several years ago. |
【推荐1】Pippi Longstocking, the 9-year-old, red haired hero of children’s books, turned 75 on May 21, 2020.
Pippi Longstocking first came to life in 1941, when Astrid Lindgren’s daughter Karin was sick in bed for a long time. Karin suddenly said to her, “Tell me about Pippi Longstocking, Mum.”
Ms. Lindgren’s stories were about a wild but good-hearted young girl. She lived by herself in a house called Villa Villekulla. She lived with her horse and her monkey. But three years later, Ms. Lindgren began to write down the stories she had told her daughter. When she finished her book, she sent it to a famous publisher( 出版社 ), but the book was refused.
Ms. Lindgren kept working on the book. In 1945, Ms. Lindgren entered her book in a competition. Pippi Longstocking won first prize, and the book came out in November. Pippi Longstocking was quickly a hit with young readers. They laughed at her jokes, and admired her bravery. Who wouldn’t love a girl strong enough to lift a horse, and willing to risk her life to save children in a burning building? Some adults felt like Pippi set a bad example to children. Pippi didn’t go to school. She lived by herself, and only followed the rules she liked. But with time, Pippi’s good heart won over readers of all ages.
Ms. Lindgren wrote many other books, including over 30 books for children. The three Pippi Longstocking books have been translated into over 75 languages.
So why is Pippi’s birthday celebrated on May 21? May 21 is the birthday of Ms. Lindgren’s daughter Karin, who first requested the stories all those years ago.
1. When did Ms Lindgren start writing the story about Pippi Longstocking?| A．In 1941. | B．In 1942. | C．In 1944. | D．In 1945. |
| A．Kind and brave. | B．Smart but unfriendly. |
| C．Humorous and beautiful. | D．Outgoing but weak. |
| A．It was too expensive. | B．It was very interesting. |
| C．It wasn't fit for children. | D．It was hard to understand. |
| A．Ms. Lindgren, a popular writer | B．Pippi, a popular hero |
| C．Pippi Longstocking, a popular book | D．May21, a popular birthday |
【推荐2】In China, the 12th month of the lunar calendar is called layue. The month is full of interesting festivals and customs.
Laba Festival, which falls on the eighth day of layue, is the first festival in this month. From this day on, people begin to get ready for the Chinese New Year. On Laba Festival, people eat hot Laba porridge. There are usually eight things in the porridge:rice, red beans, peas, dried lotus seeds (莲子), dates (红枣), and there different kinds of fruits and nuts. The porridge is not just good for your health, but a blessing for the coming Chinese New Year.
Laba porridge is not the only tasty food in layue. Laba garlic (蒜) is popular in the north. People begin to soak garlic in vinegar from that day on, and eat it with dumplings during the Chinese New Year. While in the south, people like making sausage.
Another major celebration before the Spring Festival is xiaonian. It is usually on the 23th or 24th day of the last lunar month. Traditionally it is an important occasion (时刻, 场合) when people offer sacrifice (祭品) to the Kitchen God who looks after the family.
Don't forget to clean your room. This is also an important thing to do to prepare for the Chinese New Year. It means sweeping away the dust of the old year and welcoming a fresh start.
Now, the last thing for you to do is to wait for the coming Spring Festival.
1. Laba Festival is on _________.| A．the 12th of December | B．the 12th of layue |
| C．the 8th of layue | D．the 8th of December |
| A．People eat Lab a porridge only because it is good for their health. |
| B．People in the north like eating Laba garlic with dumpling, during the Chinese New Year. |
| C．Laba porridge, Laba garlic and sausage are popular in the north of China. |
| D．People begin to prepare for the Chinese New Year from the 23rd day of layue. |
| A．xiaonian is the second most important occasion in a year. |
| B．people offer sacrifice to the Kitchen God during the Spring Festival. |
| C．if you don't clean your home, you won't have a fresh start. |
| D．cleaning the house before the new year has a very good meaning. |
| A．Festivals and customs in layue. |
| B．Different Chinese festivals. |
| C．Celebrations for the Spring Festival. |
| D．How to celebrate the Chinese New Year. |
Most students do the housework twice or three times a week. They often clean their rooms. Some students do the housework five times a week. They often clean the floor(地板). Some students help their parents on the farm. They think their parents are too busy, so they help them.
The results for “wash clothes” are interesting. Some students wash clothes once or twice a week. They often wash clothes on Saturdays or Sundays. Some students wash clothes three to four times a week. They only wash their own（自己的） clothes. But most students wash their clothes once a week. And they wash clothes on Sundays.
Liu Ying, a girl in Class 6, Grade 8 has lots of housework to do. She washes the dishes and cleans the floor every day. She often cooks. Sometimes three times a day. She says, “My mother isn’t healthy. My father works in another city. So I have to do most of the housework at home.”
1. Some students help their parents on the farm because .
| A．they think they are old enough |
| B．they think their parents are too busy |
| C．they don’t have too much homework |
| D．it is fun |
| A．Once a week. | B．Twice a week. |
| C．Three to four times a week. | D．never |
| A．Liu Ying is not a healthy student |
| B．Liu Ying is good at housework |
| C．Liu Ying doesn’t want to do housework. |
| D．Liu Ying has to do much housework. |
| A．Most students don’t do the housework. |
| B．Liu Ying is a student from Class 6, Grade 8. |
| C．Liu Ying cooks three times a day sometimes. |
| D．Liu Ying washes the dishes and cleans the floor every day. |
