1 . 语篇填空

The Dragon Dance is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture. It     1     (spread) all over China and to the whole world so far.

Traditionally, dragons     2     (make) of wood. However, in modern times, dragons     3     (be) much lighter because they are made of lighter materials like plastics. The length of dragons can be from 25 to 35 meters for acrobatic (杂技的) models, and up to 50 to 70 meters for the larger parade (游行) styles because people believe that the longer the dragon is, the more luck it     4     (bring) to the community. A small organization cannot run a very long dragon because it     5     (require) great human power, much money and special skills.

The Dragon Dance itself     6     (begin) during the Han Dynasty. And it     7     (start) by the Chinese who had shown great respect for the dragon. It was already a popular event during the Song Dynasty.

At that time, it     8     (become) a popular activity like the Lion Dance. People could often see it during some important festivals. In the Qing Dynasty, the Dragon Dance Team of Fuzhou     9     (invite) to put on a show in Beijing. And the emperor     10     (speak) highly of it.

2 . 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。

One of the reasons     1     Tanghulu’s (糖葫芦) recent popularity is the social media trend among South Korean millennials of posting videos feathering the treat     2     (eat) and how to make Tanghulu on Instagram, Facebook and Kakao Story. Sold by the stick, the dessert-to-go tastes great and     3     (look) greater.

A Chongqing-born international student studying in the UK     4     (recent) entranced the public by sharing traditional Chinese candied haws,     5     (know) as “糖葫芦” (Sugar-coated haws), on the streets of Edinburgh. The accompanying video swiftly won widespread praise on social media. In the video, dressed in     6     (tradition) Chinese clothes known as Hanfu, the student offered her homemade candied haws to passersby. She not only introduced them to the snack’s preparation and various flavors but also excited curiosity     7     delight among the foreign onlookers.

Upon coming across the candied haws, one British girl excitedly cried “Tanghulu” in fear, much to the student’s joy. The student quickly     8     (offer) the treat to the child, who eagerly expressed a desire     9     (taste) it, having seen the sweet treat in Chinese TV series.

Another child, born in the UK, was unexpectedly nicknamed “Tanghulu”, despite never having visited China. At that moment, he discovered     10     origin of his name and enjoyed the flavor of the traditional Chinese snack.

3 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Sora: OpenAl will now let you create videos from verbal cues

Artificial intelligence leader OpenAI introduced a new AI model called Sora which it claims can create “realistic” and “imaginative” 60-second videos from quick text instructions. In a blog post on Wednesday, the company said Sora is capable of generating videos up to 60 seconds in length from text instructions,     1     (serve) up scenes with multiple characters, specific types of motion, and detailed background details.

This is the latest effort from the company behind the viral chatbot ChatGPT,     2     continues to push the generative AI movement forward.     3     “multi-modal models” are not new and text-to-video models already exist, what sets this apart is the length and accuracy that OpenAI claims Sora to have, according to Reece Hayden, a senior analyst at market research firm ABI Research. Hayden said these types of AI models     4     have a big impact on digital entertainment.

Sora     5     (make) available to online security professors soon in order to assess the product for harms or risks. It is also granting access to a number of visual artists, designers and filmmakers to collect feedback on     6     creative professionals could use it.

For now, OpenAI said Sora is still a work     7     progress with clear “weaknesses,” particularly when it comes to spatial details of a prompt-mixing up left and right-and cause and effect. The latest update comes as OpenAI continues to advance ChatGPT. Earlier this week, the company said it is testing a feature in which users can control ChatGPT’s memory, allowing them to ask the platform to remember chats to make future conversations     8     (personalized) or tell it to forget something previously     9     (discuss). The company also said it plans to work with a team of experts     10     (test) the latest model and look closely at various areas including misinformation,hateful content and prejudice.

5 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.
A Sip Through Time: The Rich History of Chai

No doubt you’ve enjoyed a delicious chai latte at your local coffee shop, but do you know where your drink comes from? Chai, an aromatic beverage enjoyed worldwide, has a history as rich and diverse as its flavour profile.     1     (originate) from the Indian subcontinent, chai has evolved over centuries. In this journey through time, we explore the fascinating history of chai.

We can trace the roots of chai back to ancient India. The earliest form of chai was     2     mixture of herbs and spices. As trade routes flourished, so     3     the exchange of exotic spices, which eventually found their way into this ancient medicine.

The Silk Road played a core role in the evolution of chai. The spices used in chai became valuable commodities     4     (trade) along these routes, influencing the recipes and flavours of local brews.

In the 19th century, the British East India Company wanted to establish dominance in the trade. Part of this involved     5     (bring) tea to India. Tea plants had been growing in the wild in the Assam region of India for a long time, of course, but typically tea was viewed as a herbal medicine rather than a recreational beverage.

The East India Company introduced tea to India as a recreational drink, and soon the drink was adapted to Indian tastes,     6     milk, sugar and various spices added. This cultural exchange gave birth to a unique fusion—masala chai.

After India’s independence, chai became deeply rooted in the land. Street vendors and small tea stalls became cultural hubs     7     people from all walks of life gathered to discuss politics, share stories, and savour a hot cup of chai. Chai’s accessibility and affordability made     8     a democratic beverage, breaking down social barriers and fostering a sense of community.

In recent decades, chai has gone beyond its cultural origins and become a global phenomenon. Its distinctive flavour profile, combining the richness of black tea with the warmth of spices and milk,     9     (capture) the taste buds of people around the world. Chai latte has become a popular choice in coffee shops and cafes, adapting to different tastes     10     maintaining the essence of its Indian heritage at the same time.

6 . 阅读下面短文，根据内容和提示，在空白处填入适当的内容（一个单词或括号内单词的正确形式）。

The Jingju Theatre Company of Beijing,     1     specializes in jingju, is a very important theater group in China. Jingju is also known     2     Peking Opera.

The theater company was started in 1979 by bringing together different jingju troupes (剧团) from Beijing and other opera schools. It wants to keep its rich traditions alive while also     3     (look) ahead to a bright future. It aims to become famous worldwide.     4     (achieve) this, it takes good care of the artists and the art itself by practicing good theater     5     (manage). It believes it has the potential (潜力) to make jingju even     6     (good).

Since the company was set up, it     7     (travel) to many other countries around the world. like the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, and many more. It performs jingju there, making people     8     (interest) in jingju and Chinese culture.

In recent years, it has been invited to perform in famous     9     (theater) in the United States, like the Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center, as well as in the Mariinsky Theatre in Russia. This gives people from different countries a chance to see     10     enjoy jingju.

8 . 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。

It’s common to see a barista (咖啡师) create coffee art (咖啡拉花). However, it’s a whole different ball game doing same thing with tea. Over the past several years, Han Zheming, a 40-year-old Shanghai resident,     1       (manage) to perfect the skill, creating tea art in cups, or dian cha in Chinese. “It is similar     2     the foam (泡沫) on top of a cup of coffee, except that it is made of tea rather than milk. ”

Chinese tea culture started to enjoy     3       (popular) during the Tang Dynasty. After hundreds of years of evolution, it thrived throughout the Song Dynasty,     4       tea had become a necessity for almost everyone, just like other items as rice, oil and salt. In the eyes of people of that time, good tea should be white and fine. The better the tea, the whiter it should be, and the     5     (long) the foam should last.

Han is curious about the patterns     6     (create) on the tea foam and he often goes to museums to observe Song paintings. “    7     (usual), it takes a year of practice for one to fully grasp tea-whisking.” It is through trial and error that Han gets going. Now, he can deliver a piece of tea-whisking art in “one take”.

“It’s like     8     (add) bells and whistles to tea and giving people     9     stronger sense of occasion, so drinking tea is more fun,” Han says. It’s also his intention     10     (bring) the old ritual (礼仪) and culture back for more people to appreciate.

10 . 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。

In my forties a number of people suggested that I should benefit     1     and enjoy tai chi. At the time I thought I did not have time to add another activity to my over-busy life as a parent and full-time worker. Twenty years later,     2     (drive) by my 62nd birthday and a health scare, I arrived at the Box Hill Central and     3     (nervous) started the class.

That was over six years ago, and how     4     (please) I was that I found the Celestial TaiChi College. Mind you, my first thoughts were not “Eureka, this is     5     I have been looking for”! In fact I was rather daunted (失去信心) by everybody else’s competence (能力) and my body’s unwillingness     6     (learn) new tricks. I recall feeling quite frustrated (沮丧的) by the slowness with which I was able to learn new moves, and I began to understand why several of my friends     7     (start) tai chi but then given it up.

Grand Master Eng Chor Khor and my other patient teachers always gave us positive encouragement, although they also stressed     8     necessity of practising. Eng Chor would often tell us     9     (beginner) that, although progress might appear slow, we would see it with the passing of time. And we did! I worked hard and completed each level with a real sense of     10     (proud).