The Chinese have a long tradition of art, and painting is one of the major art forms. It is still popular nowadays.
Figure painting
Starting from the Han dynasty, artists made people as the main subject of their painting. These paintings are called figure paintings.
Gu Kaizhi(345—409) became famous for his figure paintings during the Jin dynasty. He used fine brushes to outline the people in black. Then he filled them with colour. This detailed, realistic style of painting was known as gongbi. The use of gongbi style resulted in more lifelike figure paintings.
Wu Daozi(680—759)was known as the Sage of Painting for his unique painting style. He was very good at painting human figures and created special techniques for painting clothes that seemed to flow with the light wind.
Landscape painting
Between the Tang and Song dynasties, landscape painting became popular. Artists did ink wash painting with a brush and ink. Many landscape painters were scholar artists. They liked to express themselves through painting. Instead of painting what they saw, they painted the landscapes from their imagination. They also added poems to their paintings.
Modern Chinese painters have inherited（继承）the long tradition of Chinese painting and brought this form of art to the world. Zhang Daqian (1899—1983) is regarded as “the Picasso of China” and Wu Guanzhong (1919—2010) was the first Chinese painter whose works were shown at the British Museum.
注：每题答案不超过5个词。
1. What is the main subject in a figure painting?
2. What’s the characteristic of gongbi style?
3. Which did landscape painters prefer, painting what they saw or painting from their imagination?
4. How many famous Chinese painters are mentioned in this passage?
5. Please write a proper title for this passage.
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The Ancient Art of the Brush
Throughout its long history, writing has been a big deal in China. Since the earliest dynasties the skills of reading and writing have been highly respected. In fact, they form an important part of the Chinese art world. Calligraphy, the art of writing with a brush is almost as old as writing itself. And though this art form dates back thousands of years, it is still extremely popular today.
How did writing become so important in Chinese culture? The answer most likely lies way back in the Shang Dynasty (about 1600—1046 BC). That’s when characters were first carved in bronze and used in religious events. This practice conveyed a spiritual aspect which gave writing authority in the eyes of ordinary people.
Calligraphy spread during the Han Dynasty when the necessary tools and materials became more widely available. First, there was the brush, made from bamboo and animal hair. Early ink, or lampblack, was made by burning pine wood and mixing it with water. Early forms of paper were invented around AD 105. Finally, there was inkstone, a smooth piece of stone used for mixing ink. Together, these tools were known as the “four treasures of study” in ancient China.
Calligraphy has been popular in China for thousands of years. Some say that it’s an even higher art form than painting. Though foreigners may not always get it, there’s something truly special about calligraphy. Every written character has a strict stroke order. When viewing the results, you can trace the artist’s process, reliving every stroke of his or her brush. This allows for an intimate connection between artist and audience.
Calligraphy is something that’s best experienced by doing. Luckily, this ancient art is still widely practiced today. So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and find yourself a teacher!
| Introduction | In Chinese culture, writing has an authority in the eyes of ordinary people. Calligraphy is as old as writing. It is an |
| The | Chinese people The skills of reading and writing are of great |
| During the Han Dynasty, people could get the tools and materials more These tools | |
| Calligraphy is thought more Foreigners may not understand it well, The audience and the artists are | |
| Get out there and find yourself a teacher! You can get the best | |
【推荐2】When asked about poetry, most people will say that a poem is a text that has rhythm(节奏) and rhyme押韵). Famous are the lines by William Blake, which have clear rhythm and rhyme.
Other people will add that poems must have a certain form, with a fixed(固定的)number of lines, such as a sonnet(十四行诗). With rhyme, most people mean the rhyme of sound of words at the end of the lines. It is also true that much of the classical(古典的)poetry that we have looks like that. John Milton was one of the first poets who started writing poems without rhyme at the end of the lines. He wrote other poems too, though he is famous for his long poems without rhyme. This style of poetry became known____ free verse(自由诗 ). It was not until the twentieth century that modern poetry was really developed. Modern poets wanted to break all the traditional forms of poetry. One of the characteristics(特征)of modern poetry is that it usually does not have rhyme at the end of a line, and it is also often about common topics(主题).
In China, free verse was known and used much earlier. The Unhappy official(《悲哉行》)by Bai Juyi is an example of a poem written in free verse.
第1小题完成句子; 第2~3小题简略回答问题; 第4小题将文中横线处空缺的一个单词填写在下面的答题线上; 第5小题将文中画线句子翻译成汉语。
1. Most people think that a poem is a text that has
2. What is John Milton famous for?
3. What is the characteristic of modern poetry?
4.
5.
Chinese calligraphy (书法) is a traditional form of writing characters with a long history. It has existed (存在) for more than 2,000 years.
There are five main kinds of traditional Chinese calligraphy. They are zhuanshu, lishu, kaishu, xingshu and caoshu. Through centuries of practice, Chinese calligraphy can be seen on the walls of offices, shops, hotels and houses. Calligraphy isn’t only popular among the Chinese. Picasso, the world-famous master of art, once expressed, “If I once lived in China, I must have become a calligrapher rather than a painter.”
Practicing Chinese calligraphy needs basic instruments. They are brush, inkstick, paper, and inkstone (砚台). We call them the “Four Treasures of the Study”. It’s impossible for everyone to become a master of Chinese calligraphy. But practicing it more often is really useful and helpful. First, you can learn hand-writing to improve your understanding of Chinese characters. Next, it is believed that calligraphers enjoy a long life because the practice is a good form of physical training. Besides, you have to get concentrated (全神贯注的) and have a peaceful mind when practicing it. This way, you will get improved and your worries will be gone.
Some primary schools offer lessons to teach students Chinese calligraphy. There are also clubs of Chinese calligraphy started by calligraphy lovers. Chinese calligraphy is an important part of our traditional culture. We should pass it on.
1. How long has Chinese calligraphy existed?2. Where can we see Chinese calligraphy?
3. What are brush, inkstick, paper, and inkstone called?
4. Why may calligraphers enjoy a long life?
5. Who starts clubs of Chinese calligraphy according to the passage?
Water overflows(溢出) onto dry land and a flood happens. Floods have always been a part of life on earth. Almost every culture has a tale about a great flood. Since old times, people have built the cities along rivers because they use the water for drinking and for farming. For that reason, river floods affect(影响) many people. In some places people have built dams(堤坝) to protect lands from river flooding.
Floods can be dangerous. However, floods are not always bad. When muddy floodwaters go down, they sometimes leave a layer(层) of wet earth. People in ancient Egypt depended on the flooding of the Nile River every year to help them grow their crops, like rice and corn.
Most often flooding is caused by heavy rains over a long time. After a lot of rain, the ground becomes full of water, and new rainwater runs off, or flows downhill. That runoff goes directly in streams and rivers. In springtime, the rain may be mixed with melting(融化的) snow. Because of the extra(多余的) water flowing into the streams and rivers, their water level(水位线) rises. If the level rises so much that the water overflows the banks, a flood happens.
Flooding can be worse if there is not much vegetation (trees, grass, and other plants) on the land around rivers. In general, land that has little vegetation is less able to absorb(吸收) water. The result is a larger amount of water entering a river system.
Flash floods are the deadliest kind of flood. They are caused by sudden heavy rainfall or a broken dam. They happen very quickly and can catch people before they have a chance to get away. Flash floods often happen in hilly country or around dry riverbeds. In a flash flood, a completely dry riverbed can fill in minutes.
About floods | |
| How floods happen | Floods happen A long time of heavy rains makes rainwater runoff enter streams and rivers, and their serious water level rises bring water overflows. |
| The | The flooding |
| Why floods can be worse | Land with few trees and grass |
| The most terrible kind—flash floods | Place: hilly countries and dry riverbeds. Results: deaths and the quick filling of the riverbed. |
【推荐2】While Fridays are always the best day of the week, June 4, promised to be even more special last year. That’s because it also happened to be National Donut（甜甜圈）Day, which means it is your duty to buy one of the delicious fried treats! Surprisingly, the holiday was started by the Salvation Army to help raise much-needed money for the poor.
In 1917, volunteers arrived in France to take care of injured（受伤的）World War I soldiers（士兵）. To comfort（安慰）the homesick soldiers, Salvation Army Ensign（少尉）Margaret Sheldon and fellow officer Helen Purviance used the limited—flour, sugar, and oil—at their disposal（使用）to make donuts.
The fresh donuts brought great joy to the US soldiers. They were soon dished out（分发） as many as 9,000 pieces daily. The success helped to lift the spirits of US soldiers. Later, it was so popular that National Donut Day became a celebration, which falls on the first Friday of June.
The holiday has since been accepted all over America by donut makers who often celebrate it by handing out free treats. And though donuts are first an American tradition, similar treats are enjoyed by countries around the world.
1. In which country was National Donut Day first celebrated?2. 找到与“After that people liked this day so much and it became a great event, which takes place on the first Friday of June.”意思相同或相近的句子。
3. When is National Donut Day?
4. Why did the US soldiers love donuts?
5. 短文画线单词“They”指代内容为：
【推荐3】A Country Music Song Changed Her Life Forever
When Sarah was a teenager, she used to fight over almost everything with her family. But five years ago, while she was studying abroad in England, she heard a song full of feelings about returning home on the radio. It made Sarah think about her family and friends back in the US. She came to realize how much she actually missed all of them. Ever since then, she has been a fan of American country music.
Country is a traditional kind of music from the southern states of America. Nashville Tennessee is the home of country music. Many songs these days are just about modern life in the US, such as the importance of money and success, but not about belonging to a group. However, country music brings us back to the “good old days” when people were kind to each other and trusted one another. It reminds us that the best things in life are free ‒laughter, friends, family, and the beauty of nature and the countryside.
Sarah hasn’t been to Nashville yet, but it is her dream to go there one day. She has already read a lot about the place and done some research on it. She knows that there is a Country Music Hall of Fame Museum in Nashville. There are also always a lot of great country music concerts with famous musicians and singers, like Garth Brooks. Sarah has already listened to most of his songs. “Garth is one of the most successful musicians in American history. He’s sold more than 120 million records. I hope to see him sing live one day!”
1. Who is Sarah? Did she use to get on well with her family?2. What does she like?
3. What is country music? What is country music about?
4. What is Sarah’s dream?
5. How does Sarah feel about country music?
【推荐1】With smiling eyes, a quick wit (机智) and a good sense of humor, Jia Ling has long been a well-known female comedian. But recently, she has gained another title as a film director.
Jia, 39, starred in and directed the film Hi, Mom (《你好，李焕英》), which came out on Feb 12, 2021. After 12 days, the movie even earned more than 4 billion yuan! Jia became the top box office grossing female film director in China and is on the way to becoming an international name in the film-making industry.
So what is the secret behind Jia’s success? One factor may be her passion for comedy. Jia graduated from Beijing’s Central Academy of Drama in 2003. In the last 18 years she has performed crosstalk (相声) in various competitions and shows. She has also played comedic roles in many comedies on the big screen, which finally led to the connection between the stage and film. The other reason that makes the film stand out is the expressing way of the film. Besides some funny scenes, Hi, Mom focuses on the pure and sincere relationship between mother and daughter.
Jia said she is not afraid of being typecast (总演同一类型的角色) about the comedic roles. “For the moment, I don’t have the desire to star in non-comedy works. For actors, a good performance should come from their heart. Besides being filled with emotions, I don’t have other big talents,” she told The Beijing News.
At present, these are the three top-grossing films screened in China: Wolf Warrior 2 (5.69 billion yuan), Ne Zha (5.03 billion yuan) and The Wandering Earth (4.68 billion yuan).
We’ll wait and see whether Hi, Mom can make this list.
Top-grossing international female directors prior to the release of ‘Hi, Mom’.
1. What is Jia Ling’s new title?2. How much money had Jia’s new film made by Feb. 23?
3. Why did Jia’s film succeed this time?
4. According to Jia, where does a good performance come from?
5. Does Jia want to act in a non-comedy work for the time being (目前)?
【推荐2】Aamir Khan is an Indian film actor, director, and producer. Through his career in Hindi films, Khan has made himself as one of the most popular and influential actors of Indian cinema. He has won a great number of awards, including four National Film Awards and eight Filmfare Awards. He was honored(授奖) twice by the Government of India, in 2003 and 2010.
Khan first appeared on screen as a child actor in his uncle's film. His first film role came with an experimental film in 1984, and he began a full-time acting career with a leading role in a tragic romance film in 1988. He acted so well in the film Raakh in 1989 that it earned(赢得) him a Special Mention at the National Film Award ceremony. He became the leading actor of Hindi cinema in the 1990s by appearing in several great films.
In 2001, a production company was set up by Khan. The first film of the company, Lagaan, was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film and earned him a National Film Award for Best Popular Film and two more Filmfare Awards. After a four-year absence from the screen, Khan continued to act leading roles. In 2007, the film Taare Zameen Par directed by him is a success that earned him the Filmfare Awards for Best Film and Best Director.
In addition to acting, Khan is a humanitarian and has taken part in and spoken out for all kinds of social causes. He has also hosted a television talk show, in which he pays attention to important social events in India.
| Aamir Khan | |
| Khan’s | ◆Khan is one of the most popular actors of Indian cinema. ◆The awards he won ◆The Indian Government honored him twice. |
| Being an actor | ◆Khan began to act in the film when he was a ◆Khan didn’t work as a full-time actor ◆In the film Raakh, he won a Special because of his excellent performance. ◆In the 1990s, Khan was one of the |
| Being a producer and | ◆Khan ◆Khan was ◆The film Taare Zameen Par |
| Being a humanitarian | ◆Khan joined in and spoke for the social causes. ◆Khan has been the |
Liu Wei is very famous in China because he can play the piano with his toes(脚趾).One day when Liu Wei was only 10 years old, he played a game with some friends. He lost both his arms because of electricity (电).Liu Wei was very sad when both his arms were cut off after the accident. But soon he had to make a choice. “For people like me, there were only two choices. One was to give up all the dreams, which would cause a quick death. The other was to work hard without arm to live an excellent life,” says Liu Wei. Liu’s dream was to be a pianist . His excellent life included a show on China’s Got Talent 《中国达人秀》 and a wonderful performance (演奏)playing the beautiful Marriage D’amour with his two feet on the piano. Liu Wei learned to play the piano with his feet. And teaching himself to play the piano with his feet was very hard. Many times he wanted to give it up, but his parents went on encouraging him and he wanted to make his parents proud. Maybe you cannot believe that Liu Wei is able to play well only with his toes. The audience(观众) were deeply moved and very excited when they watched his performance.
1. Why is Liu Wei very famous in China?
2. How old was Liu Wei when he lost his arms?
3. Was Liu Wei very sad when both his arms were cut off?
4. Who taught Liu Wei to play the piano with the feet?
5. How did the audience feel when they watched Liu’s performance?
