1 . Although the piano keys come in black and white, the music it produces is full of color. Chinese pianist Tian Jiaxin explores creative performances and crossover cooperations with traditional Chinese music, with the hope of bringing the music of the East to the Western world.

Tian attended regular school instead of studying at a music school in her childhood. This enabled her to absorb China’s rich culture and understand the bigger picture later in her pursuit of a career as a professional pianist. “There’s so much to grasp when explaining a piece. What we`re conveying is not only the notes, but the culture behind the music,” Tian said.

As a Chinese pianist, Tian is looking to add more depth to her performances, stressing the contrast between Eastern and Western cultures. “No matter which country I am performing in, I always include Chinese music in my program. With Western pieces, I hope to show the world that a female musician from China can perform the music that they are familiar with and love.” Tian says that she believes her mission is to make China heard on a wider stage.

Tian believes that music is developing over time and that music from different ages has its own unique meaning. “I’ve found that people’s understanding of Chinese music is often limited to certain pieces like Jasmine Flower,” Tian said. “However, there are so many great pieces of Chinese music that are unacquainted outside of China. So, I always try to feature both the time-honored classics of Chinese music and the newly created pieces,” she added.

“Chinese music has the magic to cause resonance(共鸣) with the audience and convey the various and deep culture of Chinese civilization,” Tian said.

1. What can we learn about Tian Jiaxin from the first two paragraphs?

A．She went to music school at a young age.

B．She adapted some well-known Chinese pieces.

C．She is a professional pianist known for her unique style.

D．She believes the culture behind each piece should be conveyed.

2. Which of the following best explain “unacquainted” underlined in paragraph 4?

A．Unknown.

B．Unpopular.

C．Unacceptable.

D．Unlimited.

3. What does Tian say about Chinese music?

A．It is setting the fashion.	B．It develops at a low speed.
C．It delivers rich culture of China.	D．It holds little appeal for foreigners.

4. What can be the most suitable title for the text?

A．Differences Between Eastern and Western Music

B．Chinese Cultural Fueling International Music Trends

C．A Pianist Combing Chinese Music with Western Keys

D．A New Generation of Artists Promoting Chinese Culture

2 . 阅读下面短文，根据上下文内容从所给的A到G的选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，每个词只可选用一次。

A. reminded him of       B. made sense       C. give away       D. devoted all his life to E. work on                  F. believe in          G. turned his back on

Jack’s parents got very disappointed after their son quit school. However, Jack was stubborn (固执) and     1     his parents. From then on, he     2     composing pop music and finally became a successful composer. Jack felt grateful to his mentor (导师) and friends, so he planned to     3    what he earned. The charity work     4     what his parents had done for him. Looking back on the old days, he felt he owed (亏欠) his parents quite a lot. It was not until his success that his parents’ love and care     5    .

3 . Do you have a hobby that you have loved for a long time? Carlos Santana does! Carlos Santana has loved music from a young age. Music has been his passion. At age 5, he started playing the violin. At age 8, he began playing the guitar. Santana worked hard to develop his musical talent, especially on the guitar. He became one of the most famous Mexican American musicians in history.

Santana grew up in Tijuana, Mexico, playing music in many bands. Even though his family moved to San Francisco in the 1960s, he visited Mexico often. He was inspired by Mexican blues music as well as American rock music. He combined many different types of music to create a unique style.

He got his big break in 1969 at the Woodstock music festival.Woodstock was a huge music festival that around 400,000 people attended. Many people did not know who Santana was before his performance. But they knew who he was after it! Many people said Santana was one of the highlights of the three-day festival. They said his guitar playing was incredible! It was full of passion and soul.

Santana and his band began producing hit after hit, including “Oye Como Va” and “Evil Ways”. The band’s songs show off a unique musical style, combining Latin and rock rhythms. Santana has won 10 Grammy Awards throughout his career. He has had or contributed to many great songs and impressive performances.

Carlos Santana wanted children to have the opportunity to discover their passions, like he did. He and his family created the Milagro Foundation, which helps children succeed by giving money to the arts, education, and health. Today, Carlo s Santana continues sharing his musical talent with people all over the United States and beyond.

1. Carlos Santana’s career began to take off after __________.

A．his family moved to San Francisco	B．the Woodstock music festival
C．he started to play the violin	D．he began playing the guitar

2. What can you infer from the underlined part?

A．The band’s songs became very popular.

B．The band went through a lot of failures.

C．It took the band much time to produce songs.

D．The band’s performances were different from others.

3. What is the main purpose of the Milagro Foundation created by Carlos Santana and his family?

A．To support children to succeed in education.

B．To help children explore their hobbies.

C．To share his musical talent with others.

D．To raise money for organizing music festivals.

4. What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Music: A Lifelong and Important Hobby

B．The Unique Musical Journey of a Guitar Legend

C．The Rise of Mexican American Music Talents

D．Milagro Foundation: Inspiring the Next Generation

4 . 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。

Vincent van Gogh was one of the most gifted artists of his generation. He began working in     1     art gallery when he was 16 years old. However, it was not until more than a decade later that he started to     2     (serious) consider being an artist himself.

In 1880, he took up painting, from which he     3     (draw) much comfort. As he began to display a talent     4     painting, he realized that art was his true calling. He     5     (impress) by the artworks of the master painter Rembrandt when he laid eyes on them. In 1886, he moved to Paris to live with his brother,     6     introduced him to some Impressionist artists. He began to form his own style,     7     (employ) thick, unmixed paint. This resulted in vivid colours, similar to     8     in the Impressionist paintings. However, Van Gogh’s     9     (work) had strong lines, as opposed to the softer edges of Impressionism. He made friends with Paul Gauguin and they became     10     (know) as Post-Impressionists.

5 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What did Wallis win in 2013?

A．A nomination for an Oscar Award.

B．An Oscar Award for Best Actress.

C．An Oscar Award for Best Supporting Actress.

2. What did Wallis want to be before starring in the movie?

A．An actress.

B．A dentist.

C．A director.

3. What made Wallis get the role?

A．Her fine performance.

B．Her young age.

C．Her wide knowledge.

4. What do we know about the movie?

A．It attracted no attention at first.

B．It didn’t cost much money to produce.

C．It needed kids between the ages of 5 to 9.

6 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入 1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Every day at 9 am, Zhang Canjin, 58, comes to Drum Tower Street in Ningbo and walks into a small house     1     less than 10 square meters. Settling himself     2     (comfortable) in his usual chair, the inheritor of copper coin knitting starts his day.

In ancient times, copper coins     3     (represent) fortune and wealth. Linking copper coins one by one had the positive meaning of accumulating wealth. In 2018, copper coin knitting was listed as     4     intangible cultural heritage.

Zhang learned the skill from his dad     5     young. There weren’t that many ideas back then, just traditional ones like Chinese knots and swords. But this didn’t satisfy Zhang as he gradually mastered the skill. “Knitting the coins into different shapes doesn’t sound difficult, but the essence is     6     (think) big and be creative.” Zhang said.

Since starting his copper coin knitting store in 2014, Zhang     7     (spare) no effort in thinking big. To attract public attention and better promote the skill, Zhang spent two months crafting armor (铠甲) using over 8,000 coins,    8     (tailor) to his own body proportions, in2017. He then applied for a national patent following the work’s     9     (complete).

This success gave him more confidence to continue with his work. Even now, Zhang uses his we alth of creative ideas to make more copper coin products and shares the skill with a    10     (wide) audience.

7 . For many people, music helps them escape reality. The musician Carter Hulsey is taking a different approach. He’s using his stage to help people face reality. He performed a selection of songs and then talked about some valuable financial (财务的) knowledge at Burkley Fine Arts Center recently. The rock artist gave a presentation (演讲) covering topics such as balancing a budget, making buying decisions, and how to spend money and save for the future.

“The message from Hulsey would be important for our students to hear,” the teacher Mrs. Dux said. “I believed listening to the band would be an interesting way to communicate that message. As I found out more information, I couldn’t pass up the chance our students to have this experience.”

Hulsey managed the budget for his band when they went on a tour years ago. But at that time, he didn’t know much about being smart with money. He shared his own experience with money management and the troubles that came with it.“When I was your age, we didn’t talk about money in school. We didn’t talk about it at home. I didn’t think about it,” Hulsey told students.“I just started heading around the country and learned all these things the hard way.” He hopes by showing students that even those who live the rock-star life need to understand financial wellness, he can help students to form good spending habits.

Terron Johnson, a teacher at Shiloh High School, is making sure students learn the lesson before they may go into debt. “It’s a real-world thing. A lot of times students will say, ‘Why do I need to know this math? How am I going to use this in real life?’ Well, you will use financial knowledge down the line,” Johnson said. If students understand how to effectively use their money to achieve their goals, they can make their dreams come true.

1. What can be learned about the musician Carter Hulsey?

A．He encourages people to enjoy life.

B．He shares financial knowledge with the audience.

C．His focus has moved from music to financial work.

D．His music is inspired by the life of young people.

2. What is Mrs. Dux’s attitude towards Hulsey’s presentation?

A．Positive.

B．Doubtful.

C．Negative.

D．Uncertain.

3. Why did Hulsey talk about his own experience?

A．To prove the success of his band.

B．To tell students how to find a hobby at a young age.

C．To explain the influence of artistic taste on students.

D．To show the necessity of learning money management early.

4. What is a suitable title for the text?

A．A musician becomes popular with students

B．Young students talk with a great musician

C．A concert brings more than music to students

D．Teachers advise students to be smarter with money

8 . Most artists have to wait decades for their talents to be recognized. Some, like Dutch painter Van Gogh, only achieve _______ after they die. But this is not the _______ for Andres Valencia. The 11-year-old boy has already _______ millions selling his contemporary paintings to art collectors.

Andres’ parents are art lovers and collectors. They began _______ Andres to modern paintings when he was just a kid. The young boy soon began _______ famous artworks with great accuracy. His father, Lupe, says, “When he was 4 or 5, my wife and I would _______ him paint and do sketches(素描), and we were really surprised at what he would do.”

By age six, the _______ artist was selling his watercolor paintings to family and friends for $20 a piece. Over time. Andres began creating large-scale paintings with a _______ of oil stick and oil and acrylic paints. His masterpieces were all _______ contemporary artists like Picasso.

Bernie Chase, a family friend and owner of an art gallery, recognized Andres’ __________ from the start. He bought the young boy’s artwork every time he __________ and even paid $5,000 for one. In 2022, the young boy held his first __________ at Chase’s gallery. The 35 paintings __________ were sold for between $50,000 and $125,000 each.

When not painting, Andres is a __________ fifth-grader with math homework. “My son is an artist, but he is a __________ first.” His mother said. “He is a child, not a celebrity.”

1.

A．victory

B．progress

C．fame

D．effect

2.

A．case

B．model

C．lesson

D．honor

3.

A．wasted

B．paid

C．spent

D．earned

4.

A．showing

B．leading

C．exposing

D．adapting

5.

A．learning

B．appreciating

C．analyzing

D．copying

6.

A．watch

B．make

C．help

D．find

7.

A．generous

B．ambitious

C．honest

D．brave

8.

A．variety

B．sort

C．mixture

D．system

9.

A．attached to

B．aimed at

C．recognized as

D．impacted by

10.

A．gift

B．courage

C．effort

D．intelligence

11.

A．discovered

B．visited

C．admired

D．analyzed

12.

A．ceremony

B．celebration

C．exhibition

D．party

13.

A．marked

B．restored

C．framed

D．displayed

14.

A．regular

B．wise

C．hardworking

D．naughty

15.

A．millionaire

B．kid

C．genius

D．master

9 . “Do what you love, not what others tell you is right,” says Georgia Lines of New Zealand.

I spoke with the 24-year-old singer-songwriter earlier this month about her rise to fame. In 2022, Lines was named breakthrough artist of the year at the annual Aotearoa music awards ceremony. Aotearoa is the Maori name for New Zealand, an island country in the Pacific Ocean that is home to more than 5.1 million people.

Lines makes success look easy, but she has worked hard to perfect her skills. “I love what I do,” she told me. “I love it when I get lost in music, and everything works together.”

Already, Lines has opened for pop singer George Ezra. She hopes “to open for Harry Styles one day,” she added.

Lines has written more than 20 songs and worked together with several top artists, including Jack Burton, Alex James and Cassie Henderson. “I love working with other people and cooperating,” Lines said. “I find I work better when I’m with others, because we can exchange ideas with each other.”

When asked about her musical ambition growing up, Lines smiled. “I was never a musical genius as a child,”she said. “But I always loved singing and music.”

In recent years, Lines has drawn enthusiastic crowds for her concerts. The video for her hit song, “No One Knows”, won best music video of the year in New Zealand in 2021.

As for her future goals, Lines said that she wants “to have a promising career and to keep doing what I love.” That means focusing on her own career and artistic achievements. “Comparison is the robber of success, “she said. “If I had stopped to compare myself with others, I wouldn’t have made it as far as I have.”

1. What is the main topic of the author’s conversation with Lines?

A．Her childhood.	B．Her family.
C．Her style of music.	D．Her way to success.

2. What do we know about Lines from paragraph 5?

A．She likes teamwork.	B．She respects top artists most.
C．She has a gift for music.	D．She always loves music.

3. What is Lines trying to avoid doing?

A．Valuing money too much.	B．Ignoring her future career.
C．Comparing herself with others.	D．Taking others’ suggestions.

4. Which word best describes Lines?

A．Honest.

B．Knowledgeable.

C．Hard-working.

D．Kind-hearted.

10 . Making marks or signing names in the sand is a great fun for most travelers on a vacation beach. But for Dubai-based Filipino artist Nathaniel A. Alapide, it’s how he became a Guinness World Record holder.

Dubai’s 72 kilometers coastline, and the vast Arabian Desert, are Alapide’s canvas (画布). Using only a simple garden tool, he draws enormous lines across the beaches and deserts, making huge and complex designs. His average drawing is around 20 meters squared. When he includes a written message, the pieces can be more than 100 meters long.

Alapide’s sand art began in 2014, when he drew a tree in memory of his late grandmother on the beach, near Jumeirah Beach Hotel. The size of the drawing appealed to the hotel which offered him his first full-time job as a sand artist in 2015. Since then, he has decorated the sands with around 1,900 drawings. He’s been assigned by big brands, and he created a work for National Geographic for the program “The Emirates From Above”. In 2022, Alapide set a new record for the world’s largest sand image.

Though Alapide has crafted a career from the practice, he says creating an artwork from sand isn’t always plain sailing. “On the 20th day of creating the world-record piece, we were almost 70% done but there was this weather that happened,” he says. “It was raining, and the wind was so strong, which removed almost the whole piece.”

“I think where I find this kind of work interesting,” Alapide continues. He says that the temporary nature of his work reminds him that everything is in constant change. “And I think making sand art is a great way to connect with people,” he adds. “I like to watch how people interact with the work and I have found that the kids notice the drawings more than the adults. I think because they’re more aware of their environment.”

1. What does paragraph 2 mainly tell us about Alapide’s drawing?

A．Its origin.	B．Its size.
C．Its materials.	D．Its features.

2. How did Alapide start his career of sand drawing?

A．By decorating a hotel as required.

B．By impressing a hotel with his work.

C．By transplanting a tree on the beach.

D．By creating works for big brands.

3. What can we say about Alapide’s job according to paragraph 4?

A．Challenging.

B．Worthless.

C．Influential.

D．Impractical.

4. What does the last paragraph intend to convey?

A．A candle lights others but consumes itself.

B．He who makes no mistakes makes nothing.

C．Happiness lies not in things, but in ourselves.

D．The longest journey begins with the first step