“I never lied to my father. When I was young, my father told me that if I tried to lie to him, he would always know. My body would tell him the truth because the body’s movement never lies.”, said Martha Graham, an influential American dancer and teacher, fascinated with the ideal that “movement never lies”. Martha realized that the body is its own storyteller. She just wanted to find ways to tell those stories through dance.
She began by studying ballet, but soon realized that it wasn’t right to her. From the very beginning of her dancing career, Martha saw dance differently. She was tiny, not tall like ballerinas (芭蕾舞女演员) at that time. But she had a strong, powerful body and dark, soulful (热情的) eyes. So she developed a style of movement different from traditional romantic ballet and called it modern dance. She brought modern dance to a new level of popularity in American culture.
Unlike ballet, which took place in a fairylike world, Martha’s modern dance expressed real emotions. Martha believed that it was important that the audience see themselves within her dances. She created and arranged many dances that showed emotions such as anger, jealousy, love or hate of common people.
Martha loved to wear long, dark, flowing robes when she performed. In the dances she used her robes in many different ways. Martha’s most important prop (支撑物) was the floor. She always danced in her bare feet, and her feet worked hard to tell their stories. The technique catching on, she founded the Dance Repertory Theater, and later, the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance.
Martha Graham died in 1991, just short of 100 years old. During her life she never stopped dancing. A part of Martha Graham lives on in modern dancers everywhere who continue to study the “Graham technique”. They strive for her honesty, always remembering that movement never lies.
1. Why did Martha Graham never lied to her father when she was young?(no more than 12words)2. What does the underlined word“ideal”mean in paragraph 1?(no more than 2 words)
3. For what reason did Martha Graham develop modern dance?(no more than 15 words)
4. What is unique of her modern dance?(no more than 20 words)
5. What impresses you most of Graham’s story? And why?(no more than 20 words)
2 . Talking about Beijing Opera, we cannot forget to mention one of its greatest performers: Mei Lanfang, a brilliant artist who played an important role in bringing Beijing Opera to the world. Mei Lanfang was born in Beijing in 1894. He started to learn the
Mei Lanfang quickly became well-known among Chinese audiences
And so, in 1919, Mei Lanfang began to travel abroad,
Mei Lanfang
Mei Lanfang died in 1961 of heart disease. During his more than 50 years on the stage, Mei Lanfang took traditions from the past and
| A．name | B．history | C．art | D．tradition |
| A．celebrities | B．masters | C．fans | D．audiences |
| A．assistant | B．amateur | C．supporting | D．leading |
| A．for | B．as | C．with | D．by |
| A．entertained | B．avoided | C．fooled | D．gathered |
| A．needed | B．wanted | C．got | D．learned |
| A．heart | B．abroad | C．world | D．community |
| A．came to | B．agreed to | C．got down to | D．longed to |
| A．maintain | B．polish | C．identify | D．appreciate |
| A．showing | B．taking | C．giving | D．playing |
| A．tours | B．fames | C．reforms | D．routines |
| A．valued | B．elegant | C．opened | D．honored |
| A．approaches | B．responses | C．goals | D．shames |
| A．dreams | B．controls | C．attempts | D．trades |
| A．sacrificed | B．brought | C．risked | D．devoted |
| A．ultimately | B．mostly | C．absolutely | D．constantly |
| A．characters | B．experiences | C．stars | D．lives |
| A．merely | B．uniquely | C．entirely | D．barely |
| A．adapted | B．deserted | C．drew | D．declined |
| A．brought out | B．left behind | C．gave out | D．filled up |
3 . If you like to laugh your head off, don’t miss “Mark Twain Live”, starring Mike Randall. Luckily, it will make a much anticipated return. This year, Randall is celebrating his 50th year of performing in his one-man show that brings America’s greatest author and humorist to life.
The bond between Mike Randall (born in 1953) and Mark Twain began when Randall started playing Mark Twain at the age of 17. At that time, Randall was a student at Rosary Hill College. At age 20, he performed at the State Department in Washington, D. C. , where John F. Kennedy gave his State of the Union address. And one year later, he brought his interpretation of the “Celebrated Humorist” to New York City.
Randall is the only Mark Twain impersonator (扮演者) to be formally acknowledged by the Daughters of the American Revolution for his impressive performance and the only Mark Twain actor to be a member of the famous National Speakers Association. “Mark Twain Live” is supported by the Mark Twain Museum of Buffalo. Randall is also the “official Mark Twain” of the Huck Finn Jubilee (an annual event), and the Annual Mark Twain Birthday Bash & Symposium.
In five decades of “being” Mark Twain, Randall has given more than 2,000 performances. To transform himself into Twain, Randall needs to spend over three hours at the make-up table. Removing all the make-up is more time-consuming and painful. But he never complains and tries to do well in every performance. Audiences nationwide agree that watching “Mark Twain Live” is a delightful experience, which brings Randall much motivation.
Randall is also brilliant in other areas. He recalled the person that was supposed to report the weather called in sick, so the director of WKBW-TV (a TV station in Buffalo) insisted he do it. “I have no choice but to accept the challenge,” Randall said. Afterwards, he signed a long-term contract with WKBW-TV. To do his job better, he received the approval from the National Weather Association. Also as an award-winning dramatist, Randall’s dramas have been produced at Buffalo’s Alleyway Theatre.
1. What effect would “Mark Twain Live” have on audiences?| A．Calming | B．Amusing | C．Heartbreaking | D．Embarrassing |
| A．He interviewed John F. Kennedy. |
| B．He learned acting at Rosary Hill College. |
| C．He gave a speech at the State Department. |
| D．He impersonated Mark Twain in New York. |
| A．To encourage Randall to host more shows |
| B．To recall Mark Twain’s impact on Americans |
| C．To highlight Randall’s reputation in the art field |
| D．To indicate Randall’s special bond with Buffalo |
| A．Confident and caring | B．Open-minded and frank |
| C．Cautious and independent | D．Committed and strong-willed |
| A．A forecaster | B．ATV director | C．A theatre operator | D．A drama reviewer |
A man in black clothes jumps high into the air. Before he lands, he strikes a pose. Sometimes, he carries a red fan. With long white sleeves(袖子), he spreads his arms like wings. His dance is eye-catching, often attracting crowds.
He is Chinese dancer Ma Jiaolong. Since 2020, he’s made short videos of himself dancing in London. He has performed at the city’s parks and iconic landmarks like Tower Bridge. The 35-year-old has nearly 5 million followers on Douyin, where he shares his videos.
Classical Chinese dance combines martial arts movements with those of traditional Chinese opera. He started to learn it at 12. “I was attracted by the dancers who play ancient heroes through the movements of classical Chinese dance,” said Ma.
Later, Ma studied at the Beijing Dance Academy. Since 2019, he has been teaching classical Chinese dance at Goldsmiths, University of London.
Two years ago, Ma had to give online classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In his small home, he could only make small moves. One day, he took his wife’s suggestion and danced at Greenwich Park, a popular tourist spot. She recorded Ma. He then edited the video, added music and sent it to friends. “Surprisingly, they loved it, which inspired me to share it online,” said Ma.
Later, Ma made more short videos. He combines his dance moves with dazzling action. People are often curious about his performances. So, while dancing, he likes to interact with them. As his videos went viral, he received messages from people around the world.
“Now, making and sharing short videos has become a part of my life, and, most importantly, a great way to introduce classical Chinese dance to more people, especially overseas viewers,” said Ma.
1. What is Ma Jiaolong’s style of dance? (No more than 5 words)2. Where does Ma Jiaolong usually make videos in the UK? (No more than 15 words)
3. How do people feel about Ma’s dances ?(No more than 1 0 words)
4. What does the underlined phrases “went viral” mean? (No more than 5 words)
5. What do you think of Mr. Ma as an influence r online? Please give your reasons. (No more than 25words)
An American musician, singer and songwriter Bruce Springsteen is one of the world’s most popular artists, with a career that covers 40 years. He is known for his poetic songs that deal with social and political issues, as well as personal subjects. His energetic live performances are also famous.
Springsteen’s childhood in a New Jersey working class family was a major influence on his music. He has never been shy about writing about the social and political issues. These issues were included in his album called Darkness on the Edge of Town. His music grew even darker in the 1982 album Nebraska. Those songs showed people pushed to the edge of poverty and criminal activity. Thirteen years later Springsteen released The Ghost of Tom Joad. The album was a direct discussion of issues like immigration, hunger and poverty. Then in 2012, in the album Wrecking Ball, Springsteen found people to blame for some of those social problems.
Springsteen also wrote about personal relationships. Brilliant Disguise is from the 1987 album Tunnel of Love. It’s basically a couple who are putting on disguises for each other because they don’t reveal their true selves.
Springsteen’s album company was thinking of terminating business with him after poor sales of his first two albums. But then Born to Run hit the stores and airwaves in 1975. It saved Springsteen’s career. The lyrics leave us the idea that maybe we never can actually get free from our pasts, from our home towns, and the like, but we have to give it a shot, and take our chance. It cost a lot of money to produce. Had it failed, we might not be talking about Bruce Springsteen today.
But we are talking about him, and listening to him. The musician’s ability to stay true to himself and to express the concerns of ordinary people is what has made him a living legend(传奇人物).
1. What is Bruce Springsteen famous for? (no more than 8 words)2. Which of Springsteen’s album is about immigration? (no more than 6 words)
3. What does the underlined word “terminating” in Paragraph 4 mean?(one word)
4. What made Springsteen a living legend?(no more than 12 words)
5. In your opinion, what qualities should be possessed to be a successful person? (no more than 15 words)
1. When did Brittany enjoy acting?
| A．When she played at being an actress at home. |
| B．When she attended some acting classes. |
| C．When she took part in a school play. |
| A．Forgetting her lines. |
| B．Using the wrong accent. |
| C．Appearing in front of the audience. |
| A．She needed to earn more. |
| B．She lost interest in theatre work. |
| C．She wanted to try something new. |
| A．Being offered a new part. |
| B．Watching her new works on screen. |
| C．Sharing her performance with her family. |
1. Who is Elvis Presley?
| A．A rock and roll star. |
| B．The owner of a company. |
| C．An American doctor. |
| A．The old people supported him. |
| B．The manager guided him. |
| C．He worked very hard. |
| A．His parents. |
| B．His brother. |
| C．His manager. |
| A．He was dangerous. |
| B．He was kind. |
| C．He was clever. |
8 . What is an orchestral (管弦乐) musician’s job? To show up in glamorous concert halls, give the best performances humanly possible, then pack up and go home? Or is it something more than that?
To cellist (大提琴演奏家) Yo-Yo Ma, what happens in gilded venues such as Orchestra Hall, home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO), is but one facet of what a classical musician can do. The rest occurs beyond the spotlight, when musicians venture out into neighborhoods and try to change the world. That’s what Ma and young colleagues have done during his decade-long tenure as the CSO’s creative consultant.
Ma has tried to influence a generation of young musicians. When Ma wasn’t performing alongside the Civic Orchestra, he was visiting Chicago Public Schools, giving “Concerts for Peace,” helping design a Symphony concert series for ages 3 to 5 and inspiring Civic musicians to bring their art to correctional facilities, homeless shelters, violence-plagued Chicago neighborhoods and other places where they’re desperately needed. The idea has been to persuade gifted young musicians to think beyond the rigors (艰苦) of their instruments and the lure of the limelight, to envision how their music can change people’s lives.
The question is whether Ma’s passion for using music to serve society — and to address its many ills — has compelled the Civic Orchestra musicians to do likewise on their own. The best indications come from the young artists themselves, particularly those who have become Civic Fellows, a program launched in 2013 to propel them into “teaching, community engagement and program planning,” according to the orchestra.
Violist Helen Hess was in the first wave of Civic Fellows. “The visit to the homeless shelter was the first time I’d been anywhere like that. It opens your eyes to things you might never have been exposed to. It’s taught me to find common ground and interact with different kinds of people,” Hess said.
1. What has Yo-Yo Ma been inspiring young musicians to do?| A．Put true feelings into their music. |
| B．Make a difference through music. |
| C．Attract more children to learn music. |
| D．Show the best of themselves on stage. |
| A．It is a result of Yo-Yo Ma’s influence. |
| B．It was founded by Yo-Yo Ma in 2013. |
| C．It aims to build confidence in young artists. |
| D．It encourages artists to learn from each other. |
| A．It inspired her to practice her performance skills. |
| B．It helped her see her own weaknesses. |
| C．It caused her to treasure her own life. |
| D．It enabled her to relate to others. |
| A．Caring. | B．Demanding. |
| C．Ambitious. | D．Humorous. |
1. How does The Old Guitarist most probably make people feel?
| A．Cheerful. | B．Puzzled. | C．Depressed. |
| A．Both were created for Pablo’s friend. |
| B．Both belong to the same period. |
| C．Both have colder colours. |
| A．Pablo liked trying new things. |
| B．Pablo loved listening to music. |
| C．Pablo loved to learn from others. |
