1 . 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。

After learning about the life of the master poet in the historical documentary Li Bai on CCTV-9, quite a few young Chinese     1     (viewer) have gone to social media to talk about pursuing their dreams. The program aims     2    (rebuild) a well-rounded image of the great poet Li Bai based on solid historical records and the recent research    3    (carry) out by experts and scholars.

The third episode    4     (main) describes the stories between Li and his friend, another famous poet, Du Fu. Their friendship is referred to    5     a “fairy friendship.” In BBC’s Du Fu: China’s Greatest Poet, Yuan Haiwang said, “Du’s poems are as important in Chinese literary history as Shakespeare is to people in Britain.” This remark can also    6     (use) for Li’s poems.    7     (live) in the Tang Dynasty during the “Golden Age of Chinese Poetry”, Li used his talent to send poetry to a new height.

The documentary shows Li’ extraordinary imagination,     8     was vivid and fertile, and the lofty dreams that remained after being hit by reality. The story of the poet’s life has aroused     9    number of young Chinese’s interest in asking, “What would they do if their dreams were frustrated (受挫)?” Some netizens wrote that unlike Li, they might change to another dream in order to not give     10    (they) too much pressure, while other netizens said they would choose to “hold on straight to the end”.

2 . If the poems you read at school made you think poetry is old-fashioned, here are four poets whose work will make you look at poetry in a different way.

Brian Bilston

Brian Bilston’s poetry is definitely more relevant to today’s issues. He covers subjects such as climate change, modern technology and international events. Although Brian uses rhyme in some of his work, it is extremely effective, especially as so many are humorous poems. He has a skill for word play. He also shares his poems online, making them more accessible to today’s audience.

Ada Limón

Ada is a well-known American poet, and has released several collections of poetry. Her poems are deeply rooted in nature, emotion and relatable metaphors (比喻). Her work feels like a natural progression from the poetry covered in schools. There is still an artistic weaving and careful placement of words, but the messages and inner meanings are more suitable for a modern audience.

Tracy K Smith

Tracy was the winner of the Best First Book by an African American poet, with her 2003 collection, The Body’s Question. Her poems cover important issues around race, family, going beyond from childhood into adulthood and much more. Each is easy to understand and relate to, while at the same time, deeply personal. She has a natural talent for connecting with her audience.

Mel Wardle Woodend

Mel has several published collections including two books for children, making poetry more accessible to them. She also has a collection called Just a Thought, which raises awareness of mental health issues. This topic was rarely discussed at school, so Mel’s work is progressive and inviting to those who may not tick the typical boxes of someone who enjoys poetry.

1. What is Brian Bilston’s poetry mainly concerned with?

A．School life.	B．Today’s issues.
C．Historic events.	D．Today’s audience.

2. Who is talented in connecting with poem readers?

A．Brian Bilston.	B．Ada Limón.
C．Tracy K Smith.	D．Mel Wardle Woodend.

3. What do you know about Just a Thought?

A．It appeals to school students.	B．It concerns mental health issues.
C．It is intended for younger readers.	D．It is rarely discussed at school now.

4 . Zhang Daqian was born in 1899 in Sichuan province. Brought up in an artistic family, Zhang was first taught to paint by his mother and older siblings. He went on to copy as many masterpieces as he could set his eyes on, and was especially influenced by the individualistic masters Shitao (石涛) and Bada Shanren (八大山人). In the early 1940s, Zhang spent two years studying the Buddhist mural paintings at Dunhuang, which proved to be a crucial experience in his artistic development.

In particular, Zhang’s works are noteworthy for the many painting styles that he mastered, from highly meticulous (注意细节的) and detailed portraits to bold and expressive splashed-ink landscapes (泼墨风景画). While he was highly innovative as he developed his own unique style, he always ensured that his art was firmly rooted in Chinese tradition. As is usually the case with ink artists, his later works, especially his vibrant splashed-ink landscapes, are the most sought after.

Zhang mastered the art of painting “from heart to hand” late in his life. In 1971, he selected this particular phrase to carve into a seal (印章). The phrase probably conveyed a twofold message. First, it was Zhang’s proud claim that he had developed a stylistic versatility (多才多艺) for depicting the endless variations of the natural world. He acquired this ability by imitating the works of previous masters, which led to a grand combination of historical styles in his art. He also enriched his personal experience with his extensive travel and enhanced his artistic vocabulary in order to capture the beauty of the world. Second, the phrase communicates Zhang’s belief that an artist should follow his heart to convey their “spirit resonance (气韵生动),” a historical principle in judging the beauty of Chinese painting. Before applying his brush to paper, Zhang had already conceived (构思) the forms he wanted to depict and the inspiration he wished to convey through the painting. He would be fully aware of the most effective means by which to inspire awe and wonder in his audience.

Blessed with a long life—he was 83 when he died in 1983—and filled with an enormous amount of passion and energy for life, the artist produced a huge number of paintings over his lifetime. He is estimated to have completed an average of about 500 per year.

In 2011, Zhang became not only the most popular Chinese artist at auction but the best-selling artist in the world as well, surpassing Pablo Picasso. And demand for his works has remained high since then.

1. What does Paragraph 2 mainly talk about?

A．The characteristics of Zhang Daqian’s art.

B．The most sought-after works by Zhang Daqian.

C．Where Zhang Daqian got inspiration for his paintings.

D．The reason why Zhang Daqian’s artworks are so popular.

2. Based on information from Paragraph 3, what does the phrase “from heart to hand” refer to?
①How Zhang Daqian became aware of the most effective means to inspire his audience.
②How Zhang Daqian was able to put what he wanted on the canvas without thinking about it.
③How Zhang Daqian learned to freely convey the principle of “spirit resonance” through his approach to painting.
④How Zhang Daqian was able to depict the endless variations of the natural world using a combination of different styles.

A．①②

B．①③

C．②③

D．③④

3. According to the article, Zhang Daqian’s artistic style was mainly influenced by ____________.
①the beauty of the natural world
②the Buddhist mural paintings at Dunhuang
③masters in the likes of Shitao and Bada Shanren
④the rich nature of his travels and personal experiences

A．①②③

B．①②④

C．②③④

D．①②③④

6 . How would you translate Chairman Mao Zedong’s expression: “Bu Ai Hong Zhuang Ai Wu Zhuang”? “English or American translators might use the words: They love uniforms not gay dresses,” said Xu Yuanchong, a well-known Chinese translator and the first Asian winner of the world’s highest prize for translation, the Aurora Borealis Prize. Xu thought that this translation was correct but not beautiful at all. He cleverly used just two words—“face” and “powder”—to translate it as “To face the powder and not to powder the face”, which became one of Xu’s most representative translations.

Xu thought that the equivalence (相同) of idea, sound and form were the three basic elements found in good translation. However, his method—recreation instead of literal (字面的)—is controversial. Some people said that it was different from the original text. “I think not.” Xu replied firmly. “Western languages are comparable. It’s easy to find the equivalent of English in other languages. But it’s different in Chinese. There are only 50% of equivalents between Chinese and English. If you cannot find an equivalent, then you must find the best words to translate. To find the best word is innovation. It’s recreation,” he explained.

Xu Yuanchong likes to communicate with the younger generation about academic work, hoping that working together to spread Chinese culture will contribute to making the world a better place.

Xu Yuanchong also authored a book, which in Chinese is called “Meng Yu Zhen”, which literally means “dream and reality”. But Xu created a different English name for it. He used “A dream translated into reality”. “This summarizes my entire life. My whole life is about translating my dream into reality,” he explained.

Xu Yuanchong was an expert at translating ancient Chinese poems into English and French but even at the age of 96 had one dream still to fulfill—to translate all of Shakespeare’s works into Chinese.

1. What does Xu Yuanchong’s translation mainly focus on?

A．The accuracy of grammar.	B．The surface meaning.
C．Internal meaning and language beauty.	D．Consistence with the original.

2. What does the underlined word “controversial” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Debatable.

B．Conventional.

C．Admirable.

D．Fundamental.

3. Why does Xu Yuanchong like to be with young people?

A．To keep a young mind inside himself.

B．To teach them more academic knowledge.

C．To make up for his existing translation skills.

D．To jointly improve the world with Chinese culture.

4. Which of the following cam be used to describe Xu Yuanchong?

A．Smart and tolerant.	B．Creative and ambitious.
C．Humorous and generous.	D．Cooperative and sensitive.

7 . Read the short introduction to Robert Frost and answer the questions.

Robert Frost (1874-1963) was one of America’s most famous poets. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry four times and was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his works. His poetry has been praised for its natural themes, mostly set in the rural areas of New England where Frost lived most of his life, and for his colloquial approach to American language. His poetry generally has a regular rhythm and rhyme, and is easy to read aloud and remember. He often used simple settings in his poems to explore complex personal and social themes. Among Frost’s best-known poems are The Road NotTaken, Fire and lce, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening and Birches.

1. What are the special features of Frost’s poetry?
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Have you read any poems written by Robert Frost? Share one with the class.
______________________________________________________________________________

9 . The lift-off of any NASA space shuttle is always a huge event, but on July 23, 1999, it was particularly emotional for a group of women whose nickname was the “Mercury 13”. On that day, Eileen Collins became the first woman to command a space shuttle ever.

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream is a photo essay book that tells the story of thirteen female pilots, known as the “Mercury 13”, who attempted to join NASA’s astronaut program in the 1960s, when there was an unspoken rule in America: you had to be a man if you wanted to be an astronaut.

They participated in the Women in Space program, in which they not only completed the tests but also surpassed the results of male astronauts. However, their ambition, courage, and achievements were ignored by NASA and other government figures, involving Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, who was in favor of prohibiting women from being astronauts.

Of course, those 13 women never made it to space, but they continued to push for female pilots to be admitted to the space program. Because of their courageous struggle, later generations succeeded.

Younger female readers will enjoy reading these stories about women who overcame criticism, prejudice and injustice and dared to achieve more than the roles society wished them to play. Not only are these women excellent role models for our girls, they are also a good reminder of how hard women once fought for us, so we can enjoy the relative equality today. I would recommend this book to any young woman, especially one in high school who is ready to take on the world on her own, one who may be questioning where she will take her life and definitely one who may be dreaming bigger than most people think is appropriate.

1. Why didn’t the 13 women make it into space in the 1960s?

A．They didn’t meet the skill standard.	B．They lacked related experience.
C．They were blocked by prejudice.	D．They disobeyed the rules of NASA.

2. Which of the following best describes “Mercury 13”?

A．Ambitious and determined.	B．Creative and imaginative.
C．Cautious and modest.	D．Generous and helpful.

3. What can we learn from the 13 women’s story?

A．Helping others is helping yourself.	B．Sticking to dreams makes a difference.
C．Education plays a significant role.	D．Love breaks down barriers.

4. What’s the purpose of the text?

A．To inform the public of an event.	B．To explain a phenomenon.
C．To argue over a social issue.	D．To recommend a book.

10 . When I was young, strong heroes in my favorite novels gave me courage and provide a map for my life. And I didn’t discover the power of poetry until I was in my twenties and making my way in New York. That’s when life got serious and broke my heart.

A teacher who later became a dear friend introduce me to Edna St. Vincent Milly (ESVM), the famous poet who lived in Manhattan at the turn of the 20^th century. One of my favorite possessions-a valuable first-edition copy of ESVM’s short poetry collection. A Few Fig from Thistles－was a gift from this friend who was old enough to be my mother at the time. She told me the first “fig” described how I was living my life. My candle burns at both ends; it will not last the night; but ah, my enemies, and oh,my friends－it gives a lovely night!

I was struggling to make ends meet but always made the time for fun by hanging out with friends. Some of them of course were careless with my heart but I could always find comfort and courage in ESVM’s wise words.

Rather than bore my friends, I could fall into my sorrow－whether it hit me－cry as much as I wanted in my bedroom. I found everything I needed in those 32 pages－hope, wisdom and encouragement. In the years since, I’ve found myself attracted to poetry whenever someone caused me pain.

Is it actually possible for something as common as a poem to save a life? I’m not certain of that but I can prove the power of words. Like a relaxing walk outside, poetry can provide a healthy distraction and a meaningful change in perspective.

Like music, poetry speaks a universal language of rhythm, and speaks truths in a language that describes emotions. So why not keep interested in poems?

1. What was the author’s life like when she was introduced to poetry?

A．Peaceful.

B．Hard.

C．Boring.

D．Colorful.

2. What can we know about the teacher mentioned in paragraph 2?

A．She was a friend of ESVM’s.

B．She bought ESVM’s short poetry collection to the author.

C．She looked like the author’s mother.

D．She cared about the author.

3. How does the author probably tend to deal with her pain now?

A．By losing herself in poetry.	B．By hang out with friends.
C．By staying in the bedroom.	D．By taking a relaxing walk outside.

4. What’s the purpose of writing this passage?

A．To introduce a poet the author likes best.

B．To tell a story about the author and poetry.

C．To explain the features of poetry.

D．To appeal to readers’ interest in poetry.