1 . Joseph Bologne, also known as the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, is perhaps the most famous musician and composer you’ve never heard of.
Bologne was born in 1745 on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, son of an enslaved (使成为奴隶) Senegalese woman and a white plantation owner. Bologne’s father was eager for him to acquire a good education and he was sent to France to be schooled in literature and fencing. As well as showing great skill in sport, Bologne was intelligent and appealing.
As if being handsome, clever and a champion athlete wasn’t enough, Bologne was also a seriously skilled musician and composer. His main instrument was the violin, and in 1761, he was made a member of the Royal Guards as a soldier and musician. It is around this time that he became known as the Chevalier de Saint-Georges in recognition of his skill as a fencer and horseman. He was then invited to join the incredibly distinguished Concert des Amateurs as the first violinist and became its leader in 1773.
Although things were going very well for Bologne, he still experienced apparent racism. Some of the opera s leading women campaigned against having what they called “a mixed-race person” in charge of the opera. Despite this attempt to undermine his career, he fell into favour with the influential playwright Madame de Montesson, who put him in charge of her private theatre and introduced him to her husband, the Duke of Orleans. When the French Revolution (革命) broke out in 1789, Bologne sided with the revolutionaries. However, he was later imprisoned for 18 months and ultimately died in 1799 due to a severe leg injury.
Shortly after Bolognes death, Napoleon reinstated slavery in the French colonies and also banned Bologne’s music in an attempt to erase him from French history. However, Afro-Caribbean communities in France, and on Guadeloupe and Martinique have been working tirelessly to keep his legacy alive and Joseph Bologne is now enjoying a long overdue and richly deserved revival.
1. What can we learn from paragraph 2 about Bologne?| A．He was a man of determination. |
| B．He was passionate about literature. |
| C．He received great support from his father. |
| D．He had a difficult and troubled childhood. |
| A．His military service. |
| B．His exceptional athletic abilities. |
| C．His noble birth. |
| D．His musical achievements. |
| A．Bologne faced significant discrimination. |
| B．Bologne’s talents were a threat to the opera. |
| C．Bologne shouldn’t have joined the private theatre. |
| D．Bologne’s leadership suffered from a lack of foresight. |
| A．It’s being recognized and celebrated. |
| B．It’s receiving conflicting opinions. |
| C．It’s leading to a revolution in music. |
| D．It’s still being overlooked in France. |
2 . Zheng Xiaoying was born in Shanghai in September 1929. Her youth and passion for music helped her become a conductor in an art troupe (巡回演出团). In the early 1960s, Zheng was sent to the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory to study opera and symphony conducting, becoming the first professionally trained female conductor in China at that time.
As a student, she conducted the Italian opera “Tosca” in public at a large opera house in the Soviet Union and won great applause not only for the wonderful performance, but also for the Chinese woman on the stage. Recalling this experience, Zheng said it was of great importance for her to become an opera symphony conductor and served as one of the turning points in her life.
After return to China, she did her best to combine Western and Oriental music. In addition to lectures and performances, in 1998, she founded the Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra. With the concept of “attracting more audiences to the concert hall to enjoy the beauty of music,” the musical orchestra has now gained worldwide recognition. It has also become a popular travel destination in the city of Xiamen.
Besides being a conductor, Zheng is also a teacher. As one of the most famous Chinese conducting professors, she has taught many famed musicians. Many of them are still active on stage, both in China and abroad. Still, as a daughter of the Hakka people, she follows the tradition of valuing education. The Hakka culture enabled her to create a Chinese symphony called “The Echoes of Hakka Earth Building” which promotes China’s cultural achievements in music. So far, the symphony has been performed 80 times in over 12 countries and regions.
Zheng not only promotes the Chinese symphony to the world, she also presents traditional Chinese music. She said the thought of spending her last few seconds on the conductor’s podium (乐队指挥台) would be what she calls “the most romantic” of a desirable career. Now in her 90s, Zheng Xiaoying is still active on the stage, sharing China with the world through her music.
1. What’s a turning point in Zheng’s life?| A．Joining in an art troupe. |
| B．Studying conducting in Moscow. |
| C．A job at a large opera house in Italy. |
| D．A public performance in the Soviet Union. |
| A．It is a characteristic of Xiamen. |
| B．Its concept is to draw people’s attention. |
| C．It combines Western and Oriental music. |
| D．Its aim is to inspire people’s music talent. |
| A．By asking questions. | B．By listing examples. |
| C．By analyzing reasons. | D．By making comparisons. |
| A．Her desire for romanticism. | B．Her ideal of spreading musical ideas. |
| C．Her enthusiasm for music career. | D．Her achievement in music field. |
3 . Selom Sunu is a successful illustrator (插画家), but his path of becoming an illustrator was a long one.
When he was young, Sunu went to school for a while in Ghana. a country in the west Africa. He remembered that there were not many books with Ghanaian children in them, so he wanted to create his own book and illustrate it. “It is important to draw everyone, so everyone feels included.” Sunu says. Then, he moved to America with his family. To start a new and stable life, everyone in the family had to work hard, leaving him little time to paint. After college, Sunu gave up drawing and didn’t draw for eight years.
Then, one day, he came up with an idea for a book and the wish of his youth reoccurred to him. To sharpen his drawing skill, Sunu applied for a course at university but did not get it. The staff told him to draw every day for a year and reapply. So he drew every day, improved, and got accepted onto the course. Through this experience, he realized that one could learn how to draw by coping other drawings that one liked.
“Sometimes it might look like nothing is happening but, if you keep going, you could get opportunities unexpectedly,” Selom Sunu tells The Week Junior. “So don’t give up.”
Recently, Sunu has worked with Disney and illustrated a book called Christmas Carrolls, which he describes as very funny and warm. Sunu is judging this year’s Christmas cover competition. His advice is, “Stay on the brief, but put your own understanding on it. I’m keen to see that people enjoyed drawing the covers, because enjoyment shines through.”
1. Why did Sunu want to create his own book?| A．Because he desired to work with Disney. |
| B．Because he dreamt to become a great illustrator. |
| C．Because he felt like making his enjoyment shine. |
| D．Because he wanted to illustrate Ghanaian children. |
| A．By teaching himself only. | B．By copying other staff’s drawings. |
| C．By depending on his solid foundation. | D．By combining internal effort and external help. |
| A．Selfless and friendly. | B．Talented and stubborn. |
| C．Ambitious and devoted. | D．Strong- willed and humorous. |
| A．Fancy and funny works. | B．Abstract and pleasing works. |
| C．Simple and personalized works. | D．Serious and educational works. |
4 . Top Piano Players in the World
Martha ArgerichMartha Argerich could be considered the next Beethoven, as she is one of the most outstanding pianists ever to play. Argerich preferred being on stage with others instead of performing solo; therefore, she has been performing in a concerto format since the 1980s. Argerich was not one for the spotlight, as she often avoided public appearances such as interviews; however, her great talent was all the publicity she needed, standing out during concertos and sonatas.
Leif Ove AndsnesKnown for his appealing performances of Edvard Grieg’s works, Andsnes has won praise for his performances at some of the world’s most famous concert halls. Andsnes has certainly made his mark in Norway, as he is the founding director of Norway’s Rosendal Chamber Music Festival. Because of his unique voice and interesting approach, he was praised by The New York Times as a “pianist of authoritative elegance, power, and insight.”
Alfred BrendelKnown for his beautiful interpretations of Beethoven, Haydn, Schubert and Mozart, Alfred Brendel was considered one of the greats. He played in various concertos throughout his career and became known for his interpretive coldness in recreating these works. Brendel was considered one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century, as he made his mark in the classical music industry. Brendel was self-taught and learned his love of piano at an early age.
Arthur RubinsteinArthur Rubinstein was certainly one of the greats. His career began in the early 20th century when he began to come into contact with some of the world’s most important composers, such as Maurice Ravel, Paul Dukas, and Jacques Thibaud. He made various trips worldwide and visited nearly every continent, where crowds met him with great praise and encouragement.
1. What does the female pianist focus on in her career?| A．Skills in hosting concertos and sonatas. | B．Cooperation with other musicians. |
| C．Close relationships with the media. | D．Unique ways to interpret music. |
| A．Martha Argerich. | B．Leif Ove Andsnes. |
| C．Alfred Brendel. | D．Arthur Rubinstein. |
| A．He was the director of a Norwegian festival. |
| B．He made a difference in classical music. |
| C．He was the best musician of the 20th century. |
| D．He got in touch with some famous composers. |
5 . “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. |
| A．Prehistoric items. | B．Contemporary arts. |
| C．Minimalism and Pop Art. | D．Jackson Pollock’s paintings. |
| A．It’s simple and practical. | B．It’s traditional and costly. |
| C．It’s aesthetic and complex. | D．It’s functional and economical. |
| A．Shy and confident. | B．Brave and strong. |
| C．Talented and innovative. | D．Ambitious and successful. |
6 . Art museums allow you to see some of the greatest paintings in the world. Viewing art can be inspirational for adults but children who are used to more hands-on activities can be easily bored with this passive experience.
That’s why the Vincent Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is partnering with Pokémon in Japan to teach children about this Netherland’s most renowned (有名的) artist. “This collaboration will allow the next generation to get to know Vincent Van Gogh’s art and life story in a refreshing way. The Van Gogh Museum and the Pokémon Company intend to create a special experience for children,” said Emilie Gordenker, general director of the Van Gogh Museum.
Vincent Van Gogh was a Dutch impressionist painter who lived from 1853 to 1890. This productive artist created over 2,100 artworks including 860 oil paintings. The museum that bears his name contains some of his most famous paintings as well as works by Van Gogh’s contemporary artists.
While a collaboration between a Dutch museum and the Pokémon Company seems strange, the artist admired Japanese art with its strong colors, use of everyday objects, as well as the detailed depictions of nature. Japanese art inspired Van Gogh and this connection is stressed in the educational materials created for the special program.
In their collaboration, artists made new art inspired by Van Gogh’s famous paintings, incorporating Pikachu into a version of Self-portrait with Grey Felt Hat and hiding Pokémon Sunflora within a variant of Sunflowers.
There are also hands-on activities for kids aged 6 and up, which include teaching the young visitors how to draw Pikachu. Other activities include a treasure hunt and once a child has completed all the activities, they’ll get a Pokémon collection with a special Van Gogh Museum card.
Art offers so many benefits for children including stimulating creativity, enhancing problem-solving skills, helps fine motor skills, as well as visual-spacing development. The new collaboration at the Van Gogh Museum will encourage kids to grow and to appreciate fine art at the same time. And that is a win-win.
1. Why are the Van Gogh Museum and Pokémon collaborating?| A．To showcase Van Gogh’s art. | B．To teach children about Pokémon. |
| C．To offer engaging education for kids. | D．To promote fine motor skills through art. |
| A．It led to a focus on European landscapes. |
| B．It strengthened his connection with nature. |
| C．It encouraged the creation of over 2,100 artworks. |
| D．It inspired his use of strong colors and everyday objects. |
| A．A Pokémon collection. | B．A treasure hunt map. |
| C．A Pikachu drawing lesson. | D．The Pokémon Sunflora. |
| A．Increasing creativity. | B．Promoting kids’ growth. |
| C．Developing motor driving skill. | D．Improving problem-solving ability. |
7 . 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 |
8 .
15 TH OCT 2023 CULTURE Gazelle Twin, a composer, producer, and musician, opens up about being a conceptual artist and establishing a unique identity ahead of the release of her new album (专辑), Black Dog.  Q: Would you describe your music as conceptual? A: Conceptual is a good term. I don’t make music just for the sake of making music. My records are inspired by themes. I spend a considerable amount of time before writing the music, learning about subjects related to the theme. Then I work on the structure of the album. Ideas can change. For example, Black Dog was originally about ghosts (幽灵), but I ended up with an album about my childhood experiences, through to adulthood and parenthood, and the anxiety and fear that has been with me during that time. Q: Throughout the album, there is a sense of an observer. Is that person yourself, or another presence? A: Both. There is the voice of depression and anxiety, and also this other person you know is always there. I thought of having this ominous presence (不祥之兆) around you. There is also that sense of being out in the world, as a woman, aware of my vulnerability (脆弱). For example, just going for a walk is never simple. We have to build protective instincts around ourselves. Q: When you started out, did you have any idea of the kind of artist you wanted to be? A: I knew I didn’t want to fit a fixed style or be restricted by being female. I wanted to be flexible. I like to think in scale and of more than I can achieve as one person. I like artists with unique identities. Q: What would be your advice to anyone with ambitions to become a musician? A: Follow your instincts. Put yourself out there without pressure to be “finished”. Absorb things, experiment, and allow yourself to follow a journey where you don’t know where you will end up. Being successful commercially takes a team and time. You have to love it and be in it for the long journey. Q: Fast forward ten years, where do you want to be? A: I would love to carry on following my instincts and making albums. I would like more of a collection of TV and film scores because I enjoy writing scores and cooperative work. |
| A．Her records are usually about ghosts. | B．The album’s structure is a top priority. |
| C．The word “conceptual” itself is attractive. | D．Her music is highly motivated by themes. |
| A．spiritual growth | B．vivid imagination |
| C．inner self-awareness | D．external intervention |
| A．She tends to take the bigger picture into account. |
| B．Her future planning is profit-driven to some extent. |
| C．Black Dog has already become a hit album worldwide. |
| D．She expresses willingness to help the potential musicians. |
9 . Charlie Watts of the British music group the Rolling Stones died on Tuesday at a hospital in London. Watts played the drums for the very successful band for almost sixty years. His publicist, Bernard Doherty, said the musician “passed away peacefully” surrounded by his family.
Watts was respected worldwide for his muscular style of drumming, which he combined with elements of jazz, a favorite music of the artist. He joined the band early in 1963, just a few months following its first public performance.
To the world, he was a rock star. But Watts often said that the experience was tiring, unpleasant, and even frightening. “Girls chasing you down the street, screaming... horrible!... I hated it,” he told The Guardian newspaper. In another media report, he described the drumming life as a “cross between being an athlete and a total nervous wreck (神经兮兮的人)”.
Charlie Watts was born in London on June 2, 1941. From childhood, he was crazy about music-jazz, especially. He fell in love with the drums after hearing the music of Chico Hamilton. Watts was not a rock music fan at first. He shared a home with the Stones’ leaders Mick Jagger and Keith Richards because he did not have to pay for the housing. “Keith Richards taught me rock and roll,” Watts said. “We’d have nothing to do all day, and we’d play these records over and over again.”
The Stones had searched for months to find a permanent drummer. Richards has spoken about how much the band wanted Watts to join. The guitar player said the band members cut down on expenses so they could pay Watts a good wage. Watts said he believed at first the band would be lucky to last a year. “Every band I’d ever been in had lasted a week,” he said. “I always thought the Stones would last a week, then a fortnight, and then suddenly, it’s 30 years.”
1. What does the underlined word “muscular” mean in Paragraph 2?| A．Aggressive. | B．Complex. | C．Fashionable. | D．Powerful. |
| A．He enjoyed the fame and attention. |
| B．He had a strong dislike for fans and music. |
| C．He found the experience exhausting and intolerable. |
| D．He considered himself lucky to be a part of the band. |
| A．To save accommodation costs. |
| B．To practice playing the guitar. |
| C．To learn rock and composition. |
| D．To be the drummer of the band. |
| A．Watts was unwilling to join the band for low wages. |
| B．The band’s success depended on a talented drummer. |
| C．A band usually lasted for a few months in those days. |
| D．The band’s popularity was beyond Watts’ expectations. |
10 . For Vishwanath Mallabadi from Bangalore, India, there is no such thing as a useless object or “waste”. Give him anything—abandoned metal or plastic items, old devices, dysfunctional printed circuit boards — and he’ll create art out of it.
Vishwanath’s passion is particularly relevant in the current age, where India generates more e-waste than it can recycle. From 2019 to 2020, the country generated a total of more than 1 million tonnes of e waste. Of this, only 22.7 percent was collected, taken apart and recycled. The eco-artist has upcycled and transformed nearly 200 kg of e-waste into usable products and proposes eco-art as a means to deal with waste management.
Vishwanath’s father, D M Shambhu, was a famous sculptor and painter, but he wanted his son to choose medicine and become a doctor. However, Vishwanath, who was interested in upcycling second-hand objects right from childhood, decided to pursue a BFA in Applied Art. He later went on to work in a company as a high-level administrator and retired two years ago. “In my free time and during the weekends. I used to conduct experiments in e-waste and try to develop something unique,” he recalled.
So far, the eco-artist has created more than 500 objects. These include a six-foot tall sculpture made from upcycled computer keyboard keys, and a painting inspired by Vincent Van Gogh’s The Starry Night, using upcycled resistors (电阻器) on wood. Among his other artworks are a 42×38 inch figure statue created from upcycled keyboard keys on a sun board finished with plastics, a deer made of colorful used wires, plants and flowers from computer parts, and eco jewellery from upcycled digital wrist watch parts.
“The work involves selecting the e-waste objects—the texture, shape, and colour etc, and visualising and conceptualising the final product. It might take weeks and months for sculptures. However, sustainable initiatives and upcycled art are nowadays in demand in multinational companies opting for a sustainable culture,” he said.
1. What does the author try to convey in paragraph 2?| A．The seriousness of e-waste in India. |
| B．Vishwanath’s passion for environment protection. |
| C．The achievements of waste management in India. |
| D．Vishwanath’s attitude towards dealing with e-waste. |
| A．A passionate eco-artist. | B．A private doctor. |
| C．A famous sculptor. | D．A senior manager. |
| A．The deer and the plants. | B．The sculpture and the figure statue. |
| C．The painting and the flowers. | D．The deer and the eco jewellery. |
| A．Exciting but unprofitable. | B．Creative but useless. |
| C．Demanding but worthwhile. | D．Efficient but costly. |
