1 . When Shao Tianshuai was 14, her dance teacher told her she had expressive eyes and an oval face, which were best suited for Kunqu Opera. She didn’t pay much ________to the comment until her mother __________ her to give the opera a try.

In 2001, Shao _________ for the Northern Kunqu Opera Theater in Beijing and came out with flying colors. The theater company is the only ________ platform in northern China devoted to Kunqu, an existing form of Chinese opera with a history of around 600 years.

Kunqu Opera, like many traditional Chinese operas, is _______ from one generation to another through singing demonstrations. It takes years to ________ basic skills, only after which performers can try and build their own _________.

“This type of opera was on the edge of decline (衰退) and the theater only had a dozen performances a year before I applied there,” says Shao. “However, the UNESCO tag gave the art a ________ life. The opera received government support and attracted the attention of young audiences.”

Usually, she performs her regular shows. ________, she arranges training for young performers and ______ on creating new pieces. She notes that two-thirds of the performers in the company are young, which injects energy to the theater founded over six decades ago.

Now, at 36, she is one of the leading ________ of Northern Kunqu Opera Theater and gives ________ 100 performances a year. Shao says, “In order to build up a young fan base, we use social media platforms and create original Kunqu Opera pieces, which ________   young people without changing the __________ of the art.”

“The heartwarming part is that so many young people like Kunqu Opera performances, whether online or offline. They are ________ to learn and explore, and as actors we cannot ask for more,” says Shao.

2 . In Brazzaville, where art stalls can be found everywhere, local artist Andre N'Kitengue finds his inner peace on canvas in spite of traffic noise. At his _______studio，Andre starts his day as usual in front of his paint stand. Unlike other artists who see silence and_______during making art, he_______to take the inspiration from the_______street.“ The noise here actually gives me the strength to stay_______,”he says.

Though coloring his canvas and dealing with_______are his bread and butter, Andre insists that he is always an artist, not a businessman, as he_______ a sense of responsibility for his local community. With cases rising in Africa, he now_______paintings that serve as prevention_______for local community.“As cars pass by my studio, drivers and passengers would be able to see my ________about the virus and be aware of the fact that the pandemic is not over yet," he says. He________that it is in this hard time that we need to stay________ and that by________ the real life, he wants to________the image of his country to the world.

“Brazzaville is an artistic city because of its unique history and we need to pass it on to our younger generations," he says. Andre is also an active teacher who________students during school vacations.________, Elvis, Andre's son, is on his way to become a professional like his father. Impressive________keep coming out of this father-son studio.

Andre is ________ to see that more Chinese visitors and artists have ________here. He says he is looking forward to the________ of the artists from two countries.