1 . 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.

2. What can we know about the Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra?

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.

3. How is the fourth paragraph mainly developed?

A．By asking questions.	B．By listing examples.
C．By analyzing reasons.	D．By making comparisons.

4. What do Zheng’s words imply?

A．Her desire for romanticism.	B．Her ideal of spreading musical ideas.
C．Her enthusiasm for music career.	D．Her achievement in music field.

2 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容或括号内所给词的恰当形式填空。

Composed of more than 20, 000 Chinese characters, these special sculptures by Zheng Lu are soft and beautiful in     1     (appear) despite their stainless steel make­up. The characters used are all     2     (choose) from Chinese texts and poems. For example, the sculpture that looks like a splash of water is     3     (skillful) crafted from the lines of the poem Wan Zhi Shui (playing with water) written by the Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi. This fun with details can be seen throughout Zheng Lu's works. When     4     (discuss)the use of one of the most original Chinese fonts in a specific piece, he said, “You cannot figure that out from a distant view.    5    , it would not be fun.”

The contemporary Chinese sculptor     6     (interest) in calligraphy for a long time. He     7     (grow) up in a literary family with a strong traditional Chinese cultural background and his father made him     8     (take) up the practice of calligraphy when he was still very young. This skill is now apparent in many of his artworks     9     the containing of meaningful texts brings a unique feeling and significance     10     Zheng Lu's already elegant sculptures.

3 . 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。

What a fantastic horse! Even after more than a thousand years     1    (pass), we can still feel the power within its burning eyes and kicking hooves(马蹄). Night-Shining White is regarded as one of the     2    (important) horse paintings in the history of Chinese art.

Its artist, Han Gan, was born into a poor family in the early Tang Dynasty. His talent was discovered by the poet Wang Wei, who sponsored him to study painting. Due to Han Gan’s natural talent and years of hard work, he     3    (choose) to serve Emperor Xuanzong in the royal palace.

The Tang emperors were fond of horses,     4     meant that the animal was a frequent subject for artists. At that time, the most common way to study horse painting was by copying the works of other painters. Han Gan’s method,     5    , was different. He moved to live in the horse stable (马厩) and watched the animal itself. The horses,     6     resting or on the move, offered him plenty of inspiration. The more time he spent     7    (watch) these animals, the more his understanding grew. It is said that when Han Gan was asked to take a master of horse painting     8     his teacher, he replied, “All the horses are my teachers.”

Those who saw Han Gan’s horse paintings all expressed their     9    (admire) for him, saying that the horses     10     (paint) by Han Gan are real.

4 . Filkin’s Drift, a band of two in UK, have been highlighting sustainability (可持续性) in their latest tour along the coast of Wales. The tour _________ over 40 shows along the 870-mile path, which started in Flintshire on Sept. 3 and _________ on Oct. 31 in Chepstow.

At one point, because of bad weather, the tour was _______ temporarily. When Filkin’s Drift was prepared to start touring again, they found too much of their time was spent in a car _______ in traffic jams, which wasn’t very good for the _______, or mental and physical health.

So Bye and Roberts,_________ of the band, decided to walk their tour along the coast of Wales. They walked between stops for the rest of their tour, carrying the _________ and just enough clothing to walk and _________ each day. Along the way, they collected songs, stories, and tunes to make their performances _________. Also, the band raised money for a charity to __________ this mission.

They shared their experiences of the walking tour __________ in videos on their website blog, hoping to ________ other musicians and the music industry as a whole to approach touring in a more sustainable way. They have shown that a tour on foot is __________, discovering that the music industry, as well as others, could also learn to reduce the ________ for vehicles.

Today, Filkin’s Drift __________ a growing number of artists and industry professionals working to spotlight sustainability and the environment in their work.

1.

A．completed

B．planned

C．canceled

D．delayed

2.

A．failed

B．ended

C．slowed

D．closed

3.

A．scheduled

B．interrupted

C．appreciated

D．relocated

4.

A．picked out

B．taken up

C．caught up

D．set aside

5.

A．security

B．relaxation

C．reputation

D．environment

6.

A．researchers

B．followers

C．musicians

D．professors

7.

A．instruments

B．documents

C．envelopes

D．photographs

8.

A．compete

B．perform

C．advertise

D．conclude

9.

A．crucial

B．profitable

C．practical

D．colorful

10.

A．evaluate

B．clear

C．outline

D．further

11.

A．constantly

B．secretly

C．randomly

D．differently

12.

A．inform

B．request

C．inspire

D．permit

13.

A．possible

B．flexible

C．typical

D．private

14.

A．limit

B．creation

C．upgrade

D．need

15.

A．examines

B．joins

C．employs

D．declines

5 . Artemisia Gentileschi (1593—1653)

As the daughter of a painter, Artemisia Gentileschi was afforded access to the art world at a young age. Early on, she was in her father’s workshop mixing paints and he supported her career when he noticed that she was gifted. As a famous painter of the Italian Baroque period, Artemisia Gentileschi did not let her gender hold her back from her subject matter. She painted Biblical and mythological (神话的) paintings, just like male painters.

Angelica Kauffman (1741—1807)

Born in Switzerland, Angelica Kauffman was the daughter of the artist Johann Joseph Kauffman. She received artistic training while acting as her father’s assistant from a very young age and copying the works of old masters as they traveled for commissions (委托). As a young woman, she also trained in Italy, where her historical paintings and portraits were well received.

Rosa Bonheur (1822—1899)

Like many female artists at the time, Rosa Bonheur’s father was a painter. The French Realist painter is considered one of the most famous female artists of the 19th century, known for her large-format paintings that featured animals. She showed her works regularly at the famous Paris salon and found success abroad in both the United States and Britain.

Berthe Morisot (1841—1895)

Considered one of the great female Impressionists, Berthe Morisot had art running through her veins. Born into a noble French family, she was the great-niece of celebrated Rococo painter Jean-Honore Fragonard. Her art often focused on family scenes, and she preferred working with pastels (粉彩), watercolor, and charcoal (木炭).

1. What artistic style do Artemisia Gentileschi’s paintings belong to?

A．Rococo.

B．Baroque.

C．Realism.

D．Impressionism.

2. Who is famous for painting animals?

A．Artemisia Gentileschi.	B．Angelica Kauffman.
C．Rosa Bonheur.	D．Berthe Morisot.

3. What do these four female painters have in common?

A．They all learned painting from their fathers.

B．They all loved copying classic paintings.

C．They were all born into a noble family.

D．They all grew up in an artistic environment.

6 . 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。

Over eighty years ago, the internationally praised Chinese-French painter     1     (begin) his artistic journey of Zao Wou-Ki in the beautiful city of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, where his     2     (creative) was carried forward.

Now, on the 10th anniversary (周年) of his death, Zao’s famous art works have found their way back to their home before.

Exhibition of Zao Wou-Ki opened at the Art Museum of China Academy of Art in Hangzhou last month. Divided    3     six units, the exhibition shows around 200 of Zao’s most important works, including oil paintings, Chinese ink-wash paintings, watercolors,     4     works of literature.

As     5     important cultural program, held as part of the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games, the exhibition is also linked with the 2024 China-France Year of Culture and Tourism, and a key project     6     is supported by the Zhejiang Culture and Art Development Fund.

“His works create a modern Eastern style by     7     (bridge) the distance between Eastern and Western cultural traditions, and it allows the spirit of Chinese culture     8     (develop) quickly in the rich soil of modern painting,” Gao says.

Zao’s work has found a proper place in the collections of 150 major     9     (museum) and art galleries around the world.

In 2017, Zao’s painting “29.01.64” (1964)     10     (buy) for around HK $200 million (US $25.6 million) at Christie’s in Hong Kong, setting a new record for his works and the world record for an oil painting by an Asian artist.

7 . In a studio on the top floor of a three-story Tibetan-style house in Lhasa, Phuntsok Tobgye and others are busy working on a thangka painting, which shows Tibet’s breathtaking beauty and famous attractions like the Potala Palace.

Phuntsok Tobgye is one of the inheritors (继承人) of Tsedong thangka. It is a branch of the Miantang painting, the most influential school of Tibetan thangka painting. Through the efforts of thangka painters, the skills have been passed to younger generations, with their works reaching a wider range of art lovers.

When he was a child, Phuntsok Tobgye developed an interest in the thangka paintings. He started sketching the landscape of his hometown. After primary school, he began to learn thangka painting. When he was 18 years old, he traveled to Lhasa, learning from thangka masters to help repair the murals (壁画) in the Potala Palace. It was there that he learned different styles of the art form.

In the following years, he continued to learn the art form in Lhasa. During this period, his works were displayed at various exhibitions, including one in Beijing and one in Vancouver, Canada. His solo exhibition held in Lhasa in June 2015 attracted nearly 1,000 visitors on its opening day and his works gained popularity among art collectors.

Sonam Wangden, Phuntsok Tobgye’s son, is learning thangka painting from his father. He says he can recall his father being busy with the canvas (帆布). Not long ago, Sonam Wangden and his father went to Lhasa to undertake restoration work of temple murals. After finishing their work, they sat by the wall chatting about their restoration work. Now, many of his relatives paint thangka. Phuntsok Tobgye takes pride in that.

1. What does the thangka painting Phuntsok Tobgye is working on show?

A．Tibet’s architecture.	B．Tibet’s working people.
C．Tibet’s long history.	D．Tibet’s scenery and tourists spots.

2. What inspired Phuntsok Tobgye to learn thangka paintings?

A．His early interest.	B．His childhood experience.
C．His family’s support.	D．His teacher’s encouragement.

3. How does Phuntsok Tobgye feel about his relatives’ painting thangka?

A．Excited.

B．Proud.

C．Surprised.

D．Disappointed.

4. What is the best title of the text?

A．Phuntsok Tobgye Held Solo Exhibitions in Lhasa

B．Phuntsok Tobgye Loved Thangka Painting when young

C．Tibetan Artist Phuntsok Tobgye and Thangka Painting

D．A Tibetan Man Learns Thangka Painting from His Father

8 . 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。

Lust for Life (《渴望生活：梵高传》) is a biographical (传记的) novel about the life of the famous Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh．    1     (write) by US author Irving Stone, this work of historical fiction provides a vivid description of the artist．

The novel traces Van Gogh’s life from his early years in the UK to his final days in France. Stone weaves together historical facts, and     2     (imagine) storytelling to create the artist’s journey. The title, Lust for Life,     3     (perfect) shows Van Gogh’s enthusiasm both in his art and his life.

    4     impresses people most in this book is that,     5     (add) color to his paintings, Van Gogh would set aside the sketches (素描) to which he had devoted all his efforts and start over．    6    , among the Impressionist of the 19th century, this hardworking painter was still regarded as an abnormal person．

Another strength of Lust for Life lies     7     its ability to immerse the readers in the world of 19^th century Europe．Its vivid descriptions of the landscapes and cities contribute to a sensory experience that     8     (help) the readers better understand the environment where Van Gogh lived．Stone mixes the social and cultural contexts of the era effectively into the book,    9     (offer) readers a broader perspective on the challenges faced by artists during that period．

In conclusion, this book is a well-deserved     10     (celebrate) of the artist and his spirit of creation．

9 . 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。

Peking Opera has always had an excellent reputation as the “National Opera”. When the opera troupes of Anhui entered Beijing, they were mixed with the Kunqiang and Hubei opera troupes,     1     (eventual) becoming the perfect example of Chinese culture. In the two centuries that followed, theaters began to flourish all over China. Among them, the Mei school of art     2     (create) by Mr. Mei Lanfang has never faded.     3     (it) influence spread far and wide, and even became famous overseas.

Born into a family of famous actors, Mei Lanfang’s performance style was elegant and beautiful, appearing reserved but actually full of complexity. The Mei Lanfang art school he founded     4     (be) totally different from the previous Peking Opera style of having the laosheng (an aged male role) as the main focus. He created a new era by     5     (divide) the main focus equally between the laosheng role and the dan role,     6     was imitated by others in the opera world. On stage,     7     Mei presented were artistic creations full of Oriental elegance. And     8     a cultural ambassador, he visited Japan, the United States, the Soviet Union and other countries many times,     9     (demonstrate) the unique value of Chinese opera in the world’s great houses of art. He made positive     10     (contribute) to exchanges and mutual learning between the Chinese and foreign civilizations.

10 . On the evening of June 22, a Kunqu Opera performance titled The Peony Pavilion took to the stage of Beijing’s Northern Kunqu Opera Theater, starring Wei Chunrong in the role of the female protagonist (主角), Du Liniang. Despite having performed the part on stage over 300 times, Wei still arrived at the theater four hours early, being the first actress backstage to get her makeup done and check the equipment. This is a habit she’s maintained ever since first entering the world of Kunqu in 1982.

Kunqu Opera originated in Jiangsu Province some 600 years ago. As one of the oldest traditional Chinese operas, Kunqu is regarded as the “ancestor of Chinese dramas” and the “mother of Chinese operas”.

Kunqu Opera prospered (兴盛) during the Ming Dynasty, but suddenly experienced a downturn in the mid-Qing Dynasty. Its lyrics (歌词), originally flowery, eventually became non-understandable, while its melodies slowed down to what some people called a “funereal level”. Kunqu therefore became unacceptable to all but a small number of fans.   

But when UNESCO officially listed Kunqu Opera as intangible cultural heritage in 2001, it returned to the spotlight.

“When our application proved successful, we were all so happy and proud. However, I suddenly realized that it actually meant its decline (衰退) and that it required protection.” Since then, Wei has devoted herself to preserving and passing on her beloved art of Kunqu Opera.

To address the lack of young talent in Kunqu Opera, Wei herself today also teaches younger actors, doing for them what her teachers did for her. Offstage, Wei is their friend; onstage, she aims to bring out the best in them as performers of the art through her masterly knowhow and strict demands.

1. Which of the following can best describe Wei according to paragraph 1?

A．Devoted.

B．Creative.

C．Promising.

D．Curious.

2. What can be learned about the Kunqu Opera?

A．It is the oldest opera.	B．It is especially popular with the young.
C．It once lost its appeal.	D．Its lyrics are long and difficult.

3. What is Wei doing to protect Kunqu Opera?

A．Promoting herself as a master.

B．Passing it down to a younger generation.

C．Getting people to learn more about its history.

D．Giving as many performances as possible globally.

4. What would be a suitable title for the text?

A．Kunqu Opera—Intangible Cultural Heritage

B．Kunqu Opera—from Prosperity to Decline

C．The Origin and History of the Kunqu Opera

D．One Master’s Commitment to the Kunqu Opera