1 . Chinese singer Gong Linna released her new song, titled Return Home, which describes the overseas Chinese people’s longing for their homeland.

Performed in Chaoshan dialect, the song is part of Gong’s music project, which has the singer perform songs in different Chinese dialects. “It is very challenging to sing in Chaoshan dialect, which is a new language to me, and thanks to the songwriter Danny Sim and the song’s producer Wesley Tan, who speak the dialect, I received intensive training and practised very hard,” says Gong. “The beauty of dialects lies in telling stories of different places. It’s like a music al map, allowing me to explore different places through dialects.”

The idea of the song came from Qiaopi, a unique form of mail that served as both a letter and a remittance (汇款) sent by overseas Chinese people to their families in provinces of Guangdong and Fujian in the 19th and 20th centuries. At that time, many of those emigrants, particularly from Guangdong and Fujian, sent money back home to support their families, as well as communicating with their beloved ones and expressing their longing to be reunited.

“Dialects are a source of knowledge, traditions and the country’s cultural heritage. When I listen to a song performed in a dialect, I feel the local culture instantly even though I never go there and know nothing about the place,” says Sim, who wrote lyrics for the song, adding that there are a growing number of musicians in China performing in dialects, which allow listeners to get an emotional touch.

“Chaoshan dialect links people from the region. However, like many languages, it’s dying. Many young people, especially children, rarely speak the dialect, which is a sad thing.” Sim says, explaining why he is keen on writing songs by using the dialect, “I love my hometown and by writing songs in the dialect, I feel close to my home. Maybe that is, culture identity.”

1. What difficulty did Gong face when performing the song?

A．She had the language barrier.	B．The culture was unfamiliar to her.
C．The song had to fit in with the whole project.	D．There were many unknown stories in the song.

2. What does paragraph 3 mainly tell us about the song?

A．Its history.

B．Its influence.

C．Its inspiration.

D．Its significance.

3. What can we infer about the songs performed in dialects according to Sim?

A．They are dropping in numbers.	B．They are seldom sung by young singers.
C．They can stimulate affective bond.	D．They help us know many unknown places.

4. What drives Sim to write songs in Chaoshan dialect?

A．A sense of duty as a song writer.	B．A sense of belonging to his hometown.
C．His eagerness to revive Chaoshan culture.	D．His addiction to the charm of the dialect.

2 . “Never Again” sits at the intersection of art and craft. The object is both a basket, made from sweetgrass and palmetto (棕榈), and an abstract sculpture. Much wider than it is tall, from a distance “Never Again” seems to be of one hue, but on closer inspection you can see that its brown, cream and green fibers change into purposeful patterns of color. Such details encourage viewers to study the work slowly, the way you might examine one of Jackson Pollock’s paintings carefully.

The piece was made by Mary Jackson, an African-American artist, in 2007. In 2008 Mrs Jackson received $500,000 to support the creation of work that both preserved “the centuries-old craft of sweetgrass basketry” and moved “the tradition in amazing new directions”.

Born in 1945, Mrs Jackson grew up in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. She is Gullah, a member of an ethnic group who preserve the African roots of their distinct language and culture. Mrs Jackson was introduced to traditional weaving (编织) techniques by her mother and grandmother at the age of four.

In the 1960s, after finishing school, Mrs Jackson moved to New York to find work. There, she visited the city’s museums and discovered Minimalism and Pop Art, which had a deep effect on her. When she returned to South Carolina in 1972, she picked up basketmaking again, but with a new feeling.

Her works show clear shapes and innovative dimensions. Early works, such as “Cobra with Handle”, are complex, but still usable baskets. Mid-career pieces, including “Two Lips”, reveal a delicate turn away from utility towards aestheticism (唯美主义). It is a delicate work that is ill-suited to holding rice or produce.

“I wanted to do something that was very different from what my ancestors made,” she says. “Never Again” is perhaps the best representation of her work; Mrs Jackson says she named the piece to reflect her belief that she would not be able to create another object as striking. (It took her three years to complete.) “I don’t think I’ll continue to make these baskets like how I used to, she says. Instead, approaching her 80s, she is “working on new things”.

1. What is “Never Again”?

A．It’s an appealing abstract sculpture.

B．It’s a basket made by an African farmer.

C．It’s patterns of color mixed for no purpose.

D．It’s a painting created by Jackson Pollock.

2. What influenced Mary Jackson when she lived in New York?

A．Prehistoric items.	B．Contemporary arts.
C．Minimalism and Pop Art.	D．Jackson Pollock’s paintings.

3. What’s the feature of the works of Mary Jackson？

A．It’s simple and practical.	B．It’s traditional and costly.
C．It’s aesthetic and complex.	D．It’s functional and economical.

4. Which of the following best describes Mary Jackson?

A．Shy and confident.	B．Brave and strong.
C．Talented and innovative.	D．Ambitious and successful.

3 . 阅读短文内容，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

As one of the top contemporary Chinese painters     1     (major) in landscapes, Fan Yang, over the past decades, has used the traditional forms of Chinese painting to record major historical events in the country with his brush.

Fan Yang     2     (grow) up in Nantong, a city abundant in cultural riches dating back to ancient times. He came from a famous literary family,     3     influence grounded in him a solid foundation and love of traditional culture and painting.

After graduating from high school, Fan chose to work at the Nantong Arts and Crafts Research Institute. He applied     4     (he) to learning about folk art, which played a significant role in his future development.

In 1978, Fan Yang     5     (admit) to the Art Department of Nanjing Normal University,     6     school with a 120-year history. Over the past century, it has cultivated many Chinese artists such as outstanding Chinese artist known     7     horse paintings, Xu Beihong, revolutionizing Chinese ink painting master, Fu Baoshi , pioneer of 20th-century Chinese oil painting Lyu Sibai and China’s famous painter, fine art historian and     8     (educate) Qin Xuanfu (1906-1998).

During his four years of college life, Fan absorbed the skills and knowledge of his predecessors (先辈)     9     going on to form his own painting style.

After many years of     10     (create) experimentation, Fan gained a strong reputation among contemporary Chinese painting circles.

4 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What was Willis Conover?

A．A jazz musician.

B．A radio announcer.

C．A music producer.

2. When was Willis told that he should work in radio?

A．When he acted in a school play.

B．When he attended a jazz concert.

C．When he entered a spelling competition.

3. Which city was the center of a very important jazz movement?

A．Washington D.C.

B．New York City.

C．Buffalo.

4. Who was the heart of jazz according to Willis?

A．Duke Ellington.

B．Count Basie.

C．Louis Armstrong.

5 . 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，并将答案填写在答题卡上。

Shao Bolin (1930-2023) is recognized     1     a legend in design that created and oversaw iconic postage stamps. Shao passed away in January. Last week, his former colleagues, friends and relatives held a gathering     2     (remember) him and recall his anecdotes (轶事). Shao had a vivid     3     (imagine), as well as the spirit to reform the outlook of Chinese stamp design, and worked hard in design.

Shao designed more than 100 stamps, many of     4     are still highly sought after among collectors. One highly sought-after stamp, the “Golden Monkey Stamp”,     5     (issue) in 1980 to celebrate the Year of the Monkey. China Post produced several remarkable stamps with the help of Shao and other artists, thus     6     (make) more people learn about these artists and their work.

Xin, a son of Shao Bolin and a designer in his own right, says his father was interested in different aspects of art like photography.     7     he did not own a camera because he was living a frugal life back in the 1980s, Shao became     8     amateur photographer. And he     9     (eventual) purchased one in 1991, the year he retired.

“My father was down-to-earth and low-key. He believed in hard work. He always said to us that knowledge and abilities were     10     helped a person find themselves a place in the world.”

6 . Accompanied by typical Jin opera music, a red-faced performer with a long beard showed up at the hall of a high school in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. All the students in the hall stood up and craned (伸长) their necks to get a better look. In their eyes, Jin opera was something from the past.

They are not alone. It goes without saying that kids nowadays are much more familiar with popular music than traditional opera, which is why performing artist Wu Lingyun, together with his colleagues, goes to campuses to promote the art.

Wu Lingyun is best known for his role as Guan Gong, a general during the late Han Dynasty period.

Wu began playing the role in 1985, at the age of 21, and has been associated with it ever since.

Wu was significantly influenced by his parents, both of whom are also famous Jin opera performers. With a natural talent for performing and great effort, Wu was soon recognized by audiences and later awarded the Chinese Drama Plum Blossom Award in 2000, the highest award for Chinese drama performing arts.

Given Wu’s considerable fame, one might think he would now prefer to enjoy a life of leisure. However, this is far from the case. Deep down, Wu has a big dream. He pictures a growing future for Jin opera. Wu expected more chances for more people to get to know about the art, hoping Jin opera could become a worldwide art.

Wu has also made some changes to the traditional art to bring it up-to-date.“Jin opera should keep pace with the times if we want to bring it back to life and get the young generation to accept it,“ he says. “An art without life can never survive”“

1. How did the students react to the performance at the hall?

A．They became bored.

B．They got disappointed.

C．They felt curious.

D．They looked casual

2. What do we know about Wu Lingyun?

A．He got a top award in 2000.	B．He started his performance in his teens.
C．He now enjoys a leisure life.	D．He became famous because of his parents.

3. What does Wu Lingyun expect of Jin opera?

A．It’ll be studied as a college major.	B．It’ll be officially recognized.
C．It’ll have an easier performing form.	D．It’ll be popular across the world.

4. Which of the following best describes Wu Lingyun?

A．Humorous.

B．Kind-minded.

C．Cautious.

D．Devoted.

7 . The day before we met, Juliette Binoche was in the French Alps. Today , she’s sitting in her room in Berlin’s Hotel Marriott.“We arrived last night at 12,”she says, casually brushing off her tight schedule. It ‘s been this way for four decades now , ever since she became a real hit at the Cannes FilmFestival as a 21-year-old , starring in 1985’s Rendez-vous. The film was well received and“La Binochas the French call her , was born.

Almost immediately, people were deeply attracted by this charming young lady. “After Rendez-vous,when I started , somebody asked me about doing an autobiography of my life… when I was 21 !”she reveals , quite shocked at this absurd(荒唐的)idea.”Some people actually thought about it.”

Instead , Binoche concentrated on a constant rise through the ranks of world cinema. Rather than addicted to the fame and wealth brought by Hollywood,Binoche simply continued working with celebrated filmmakers from-around the globe ,developing a reputation as a risk-taker.“For me, the risk is to repeat myself or get into a comfort zone that is not opening my horizons(视野),”she says.

Now 58, there isn’t much this extraordinary artist hasn ‘t done. On stage, she starred with Akram Khan at London ‘s National Theatre in dance piece In-i.”When you’re not a dancer , then you see that you need courage , you need trust and you need magic that is inside you that is going to take place,”she says. She also sang in the show It ‘s Almost Nothing and would love to film a musical. Which one? “I would never answer that,”she smiles.“ A film is a connection of different people.”In other words,about creative magic.

1. What do we know about Juliette Binoche in Paragraph 1 ?

A．She stayed busy after gaining fame.

B．She acted as a film star in Rendez-vous.

C．She went sightseeing in European countries.

D．She was named“La Binoche”by the German.

2. What did Juliette Binoche do after Rendez-vous?

A．She wrote an autobiography.

B．She worked in her comfort zone.

C．She kept climbing the career ladder.

D．She sought more fame and fortune.

3. What does the author mainly intend to tell us in the text?

A．Youth time passes in an instant.

B．Fame and wealth make no sense.

C．Suffering is the best teacher of life.

D．Life needs challenge and innovation.

4. Where is the text most probably taken from?

A．A magazine.

B．A novel.

C．diary.

D．A guidebook.

8 . As the saying goes, “Interest is the seed of everything”. Since childhood, Cantero had been living with football that had a _________ effect on her. She had always loved football as well as art, and fortunately she found a way to _________ the two things.

Lili Cantero prepared a new colorful show of her works to take to the World Cup in Qatar. The 29-year-old artist was famous for _________ soccer shoes for stars. Her new artworks included shoes and balls with pictures and designs. Many of them were _________ by the Middle Eastern nation, Qatar, and especially its capital Doha brought her lots of _________ ideas. The city welcomed national teams from the world to _________ in the World Cup.

Cantero _________ sent a pair of shoes to Argentine star Lionel Messi. The shoes had fancy details with black and white image of the _________ and his family. She didn’t know if Messi would even receive the shoes. But _________, she received a photo of Messi holding them. That marked a turning point in her__________. Then her colorful designs __________ other stars. She even met a famous former Brazilian star and gave him a pair of __________ and a football showing a kiss his mother had given him after winning an award in 2005.

In Qatar, Cantero planned to show eight footballs with designs that showed her __________ for eight countries winning the World Cup, thinking that they were __________ of the admiration of all. Finally, the footballs were the centerpiece of the World Cup exhibition, while the boots were presented within three-dimensional __________ looking like the stadiums that Qatar built for the World Cup.

1.

A．slight

B．limited

C．significant

D．temporary

2.

A．compare

B．explain

C．investigate

D．connect

3.

A．making

B．painting

C．purchasing

D．donating

4.

A．inspired

B．checked

C．sponsored

D．arranged

5.

A．narrow

B．conventional

C．novel

D．literary

6.

A．turn

B．compete

C．speak

D．explore

7.

A．still

B．never

C．often

D．ever

8.

A．artist

B．judge

C．player

D．photographer

9.

A．in surprise

B．in vain

C．on time

D．on hand

10.

A．plan

B．career

C．team

D．stadium

11.

A．confused

B．hurt

C．changed

D．drew

12.

A．sweaters

B．glasses

C．boots

D．socks

13.

A．respect

B．insurance

C．debt

D．cost

14.

A．aware

B．worthy

C．ignorant

D．suspicious

15.

A．maps

B．rocks

C．movements

D．structures

9 . Cimabue, the greatest painter in medieval(中世纪的)Italy, was surprised one day when he came back from his lunch break and discovered a fly was under the nose of a character he had been working on. So he reached out to touch the insect. To his surprise, he found only wet paint. Turning around, he saw that his apprentice(学徒), Giotto di Bondone, was doing everything he could to keep from laughing. Giotto had painted the fly when Cimabue was away, and it looked so real that Cimabue had been completely fooled.

Giotto was born into a poor farming family. Legend has it that one day when Cimabue was walking around the countryside, he spotted a young shepherd(牧羊人)boy. The boy was not tending his sheep. Instead, he was drawing pictures of them, and the sheep he drew were so lifelike that Cimabue stopped to ask the boy his name. The boy replied that it was Giotto, and Cimabue immediately asked him to come to Florence so that the young shepherd could learn how to paint.

In the Middle Ages, an artist not only had to concern himself with things like design and technique, but he also had to learn how to make paints. Almost all artists were men, and they began their apprenticeships at an early age. An apprentice’s job was to copy his master as exactly as he could. The unfortunate result of this imitation(模仿)was a lack of new ideas.

In fact, art in the Middle Ages remained the same for hundreds of years. The people in paintings didn’t look like real people, and the symbolism of art was often so remote that it must have been difficult for viewers to connect with it on a personal level. Giotto used many techniques that were uncommon at the time to bring the paintings to life for viewers. He painted people the way he saw them, instead of the overly tall people that other artists painted. He created three-dimensional space by using perspective, something that had not been done since Roman times. Finally, he threw out parts of the symbolism associated with medieval painting.

1. Why does the author mention the fly event in paragraph 1?

A．To indicate Giotto drew better than Cimabue.

B．To indicate Giotto liked making fun of others

C．To show the fly painted by Giotto looked real.

D．To show Cimabue disliked painting flies very much.

2. What was Giotto doing when Cimabue first met him according to legend?

A．He was taking a walk.	B．He was feeding sheep.
C．He was playing with a shepherd boy.	D．He was drawing pictures.

3. What is typical of medieval artists?

A．Lacking creativity.

B．Having an unhappy childhood.

C．Having a short period of apprenticeship.

D．Supporting themselves by making paints.

4. What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．Giotto’s study on medieval painting.

B．The competition between medieval artists.

C．Giotto’s efforts to change art in the Middle Ages.

D．The most popular forms of painting in the Middle Ages.

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，并将答案填写在答题卡上。

Astrid Poghosyan is a musician from America who now lives in China. This summer, she has been busy making preparations for a series of in-person and online music    1    (event) and cultural exchange programs,     2    include a music festival in Shanghai and a live-streamed international violin contest.

Poghosyan said she always devotes all her energy    3    the projects in which she is involved, she believes that every little effort will help her realize her music-related dreams.

Having studied and worked in China for 12 years. Poghosyan has now become a real China hand, with a good knowledge of the    4    (country) language and culture. Such a multicultural background has    5    (definite) helped her excel at her current job.

For Poghosyan the life she now leads is a far cry from when she first came to China in 2009     6     (study) violin at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

“     7    (move) by the kindness and friendliness of the people here, I have always been grateful” she said. “Even when couldn’t speak Chinese, in the first days, everyone I met    8    (greet) me with a big smile, whether they were sanitation(环境卫生) workers on the streets    9    cashiers in convenience stores. Their smiles have made me feel the warmth of the city” she said. “And I’ve been so    10    (fortune) to feel such warmth every day.”