1 . The groundbreaking Shaoxing Opera adaptation, New Dragon Gate Inn, captures the interest of a new generation and brings the ancient art form for contemporary lifestyles back to life.

Unlike the traditional framed stage, the theater is designed as an inn, with the audience becoming guests. They sit close to the performers, engaging with them, and immersing themselves in a unique and fascinating viewing experience. “This places new demands on our performers,” said Xu Yena, who acts in the show as the A cast of Jin Xiangyu, the landlady of the inn. “We need to abandon many of the stylized movements from traditional Shaoxing Opera and learn from drama and film performances, adopting a more natural, authentic, and subtle acting style.”

Upon leaving the theater, these audience members feel a sense of satisfaction that prompts them to willingly share short clips of the performance online. The fragmented (零碎的) content of performance has generated many streams and clicks, leading to high demand for show tickets, especially among young audiences. “Now, the ticket competition has become fierce and only those with fast internet access can get them,” said Chen Lijun, who plays the important supporting role of Jia Ting.

As both Xiaobaihua (a Shaoxing Opera troupe (剧团)) and Japan’s renowned Takarazuka Revue are all-female troupes, some internet users have drawn parallels between the two, likening Chen to “China’s Amami Yuki”, a former acclaimed male-role actress in the Japanese troupe.

In response, Chen said, “All good performances are worth learning from. Our two troupes share many similarities, but there are also fundamental differences, rooted in the cultural heritage of our respective theatrical traditions.”

A report by Xinhua News Agency states that Generation Z makes up 74 percent of consumers of guochao goods or China-chic goods last year. As a cultural product, New Dragon Gate Inn has successfully won the hearts of the young generation due to the contemporary nature of the show.

“Shaoxing Opera once borrowed and learned from Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera. Today, we draw inspiration from a broader range of artistic forms and expression techniques,” Xu said.

“New Dragon Gate Inn has successfully drawn many nontraditional theatergoers, particularly young people. Seeking novelty has always been what Shaoxing Opera has been doing.”

1. Who became a new challenge for the performers while they were acting in Shaoxing Opera?

A．The internet users making comparison online.

B．The other troupe performing more natural and authentic.

C．The audience positioned right next to the performers.

D．The guests immersing themselves on the central stage.

2. How did Chen respond to her nickname “China’s Amami Yuki”?

A．By joyfully accepting it.	B．By objectively clarifying it.
C．By politely denying it.	D．By respectfully using it.

3. According to Xu Yena, Shaoxing Opera has made a positive step in regaining its popularity, mainly depending on__________.

A．Adaptation and advertisement.	B．Specially designed theater.
C．Actresses’ popularity online.	D．Integration and innovation.

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

A．Generation Z Dominates The Market of Guocao.

B．New Dragon Gate Inn Returns to Live Stage.

C．Shaoxing Opera’s Modern Twist Wows Youth.

D．Nontraditional Theatergoers Flood into Theater.

2 . Watching a movie can be a magical experience, but do you know that the music in the films we watch has always been an important part of creating that magical experience?    1    

The first commercial film with sound came out in 1927.     2    Even back in the early days of silent films，most movie theatres hired a musician or a group of musicians to provide music, mostly to drown out the sound of the film projectors (放映机) and people talking.

As sound-on-film technology developed, composers were hired to create original music for films. Like music written for an opera，film music serves to advance the story and the action.     3     In the same way, a film composer needs to support the screenplay’s storyline. The music also needs to reflect the screenplay’s mood, which includes everything from the action on the screen to sound effects to dialogue.

Music has a language of its own. The right piece of music can improve and sometimes even change a viewer’s ideas of what is taking place onscreen. Most of the time, music is used to stress the action onscreen, improve the mood of a scene, foreshadow action that is about to take place or even show the emotion of a character.     4     But in many instances the emotional power of the visuals would not be as great were it not for the music.

    5     Ask yourself, “How would this scene feel if the music were different? Is the composer trying to tell me how I should feel? Or are they merely pushing me in an emotional direction?”

A．So, how is the film music created?

B．Without it, it would be hard to imagine the scene.

C．An opera composer must follow the text of the opera.

D．Usually, composers and filmmakers don’t want to overshadow a film.

E．So the next time you watch a movie, pay close attention to the music.

F．The music in a film makes you cheer for the hero and cry at the drama.

G．Since then, music has been powerfully linked to the movie-watching experience.

3 . When Malaika Vaz was a kid, living in Goa, India, she was constantly surrounded by nature. Among her childhood experiences, she recalls journeys to the Arctic and Antarctic, climbing mountains, diving, and windsurfing.

At some point in her late teens, Vaz realized adventure didn’t really mean anything if there wasn’t an intention to protect the natural spaces we were exploring in. Motivated by her passion for filmmaking, she began to seek a way that would both satisfy her appetite for adventure and allow her to advocate the protection of the species and ecosystems she interacted with.

Today Vaz wears many hats in the filmmaking world, as a documentary director, producer, and presenter. After falling in love with manta rays (蝠鲼), she discovered they were being hunted illegally and started to dress herself as a seafood trader to get as close as possible to the issue. She traced sellers to figure out why the threatened species were being killed. She shared the shocking details in Peng Yu Sai, her Green Oscar-nominated film on the matter.

The subjects that grab her attention, Vaz admits, run the gamut. When she was asked to define her focus, she replied that she preferred variety. She always argues that the issues she looks into are more interrelated than they may initially appear. “I think that it’s exciting to dive into the different aspects of environmental stories,” she says.

Her work doesn’t stop at recording important stories; she also ensures the message is heard. From Vaz’s viewpoint, real improvement in planetary protection lies in the hands of each of us rather than just those of several environmentalists. “If you’re an engineer and you care about the natural world, you can change the kind of construction materials you use. If you’re a teacher loving nature, you can bring that into the learning for your class.” she says.

As a filmmaker, Vaz believes it’s important to figure out ways that attract the audience who can push for the protection of the natural world.

1. What did Malaika Vaz decide to do in her late teens?

A．Motivate children to get close to nature.

B．Make a film about her childhood experiences.

C．Develop a passion for an adventurous lifestyle.

D．Combine nature exploration with nature conservation.

2. What is the film Peng Yu Sai mainly about?

A．The role of manta rays in the local economy.	B．Vaz’s personal life as a seafood trader.
C．The threatened species in India.	D．The illegal trade in manta rays.

3. What does the underlined part “run the gamut” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Are quite popular.	B．Cover a wide range.
C．Make little progress.	D．Are hard to deal with.

4. What message does the author convey in Paragraph 5?

A．Human beings are closely linked to nature.

B．Stories are effective in changing people’s behavior.

C．Everyone can make a difference to the environment.

D．Environmentalists play a big part in solving environmental issues.

4 . Take a battlefield tour of WW I in 1917

On Labor Day, I watched a British movie named 1917. As indicated by the title, 1917 is set in the disorder and confusion of World War I.     1    , separating British and German troops.

Two British young soldiers, Blake and Schofield, are awakened from what could have only been a few minutes of sleep.     2    . A few miles away, another company (连队) including Blake’s brother, has planned an attack in a few hours, designed to push the Germans back even farther following a recent retreat (撤退). However, recent intelligence suggests that the retreat is a trick that will land them in an ambush (埋伏) that will cost thousands of British lives.     3    , so Blake and Schofield are ordered to head on foot to that company in order to call off the attack before it can start, a journey that, will force them to travel through the enemy territory. They witness carnage (大屠杀), and one of them happens to stick his hand into the open wound of a dead body.

The movie is not only known for its unbroken shot (连续镜头) but also for its adaptation of a true story from its director Sam Mendes’ grandfather. Through the eyes of Blake and Schofield, the movie shows the horror of a war that cost the lives of countless innocent people. As US scientist Benjamin once said, “    4    .”

Through this classic and moving movie, we can learn the preciousness of peace and the evil of war.     5    . We ought to always think about how we can prevent war and how we can achieve peace.

A．It can lead to disorder

B．The radio line was down

C．They join the army during World War I

D．There never was a good war, or a bad peace

E．They are ordered to report for a new assignment

F．We also know that we should always try our best to defend the former

G．It takes place in and around the so-called “no man’s land” in northern France

5 . 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。

Shadow play, also known as shadow puppetry,     1    (create) in the Western Han Dynasty. With the earliest text record dating to 1,900 years ago, shadow play provided     2     pioneering means of entertainment, its venues ranging from palaces to markets.

It is a folk play    3     artists operate the puppets made of animal skin or cardboard with illumination behind a white curtain.     4    (control) through sticks and strings, puppets can do various movements vividly. Shadow puppets have their own     5    (characteristic), but the production procedures of shadow puppets are     6     (most) the same. Performances are accompanied by musicians playing drums and stringed instruments,     7    (add) strong local flavor to the play.

Shadow play was included in national intangible cultural heritage list in 2006. Since then, it     8    (win) many awards at home and abroad. With the development of modern audio-visual media, shadow play is not as popular as before.     9     thanks to the application of artistic factors, the art remains a highly    10    (value) cultural heritage in Chinese art field.

6 . China's 176-minute war epic's blockbuster The Battle at Lake Changjin(《长津湖》 ) has continued its epic siege on the country's cinemas,     1    ,with a cume already past the global totals of Free Guy ($320 million), Tenet ($366 million), Black Widow ($377 million) and Shang-Chi ($388 million), less than a week after its release.

Made with a production budget reported to be over $200 million,     2    : Chen Kaige, Tsui Hark and Dante Lam.     3    .

The historic battle saw the CPV( 中国人民志愿军) overcome long odds to successfully blow up the Shuimen Bridge    4     .

    5     There's a mid-movie sequence that just transitions for around 28 minutes from one kind of peril (tank fights!) to another (knife fights!) with a remarkable relentlessness that would make George Miller nod in approval.

A．roaring past the $400 million

B．The Battle At Lake Changjin hasn't slowed down at all.

C．the film boasts three of Greater China’s top directors

D．The Battle at Lake Changjin is a rare co-directorial effort,

E．and push US military forces into retreat.

F．It looks spectacular

G．It is an epic war film.

7 . December has already arrived, and here is a list of films recommended by Nicholas Barber, from BBC News.

Don’t Look Up

People are often slow to react to a disaster, whether it’s a climate emergency or a global pandemic—and it was this tendency that prompted Adam McKay (The Big Short, Vice) to make his new film, Don’t Look Up. Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio play two astronomers who have calculated that a “planet killer” comet is going to crash into the Earth, killing everyone. But the US president (Meryl Streep) is just one of the many people who refuse to face the facts. “It’s the idea of a disaster movie in which people don’t necessarily believe that the disaster is coming. I call it a dark comedy,” McKay told The New York Times.

West Side Story

The original 1961 film of West Side Story, directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, is honoured as one of the finest Hollywood musicals ever made. A New York-set movie version of Romeo and Juliet, it was the biggest box-office hit of the year, and went on to win 10 Oscars, including best picture. Why, then, should anyone watch a new take on the same material? Well, one answer is that this West Side Story is directed by Steven Spielberg. Another answer is that Stephen Sondheim has given it his approval. “It’s really terrific,” he said. “And for those of you who know the show, there are going to be some real surprises in it...”

Flee

In this heart-breaking Danish documentary, Jonas Poher Rasmussen interviews his friend Amin about his miserable experiences as an Afghan refugee. Amin remembers his years as a child in Kabul(the capital of Afghan), his family’s flight from the Taliban, his deeply painful life in Moscow... It’s hard to imagine a more important film, but Flee doesn’t just do the vital job of humanising(使人性化) refugees, it also breaks new ground as a documentary.

Other recommended films include: The Matrix Resurrections, Being The Ricardos, Red Rocket, The Lost Daughter, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Nightmare Alley, Spider-Man: No Way Home. Just choose one or several to enjoy with your friends!

1. What does the underlined part “this tendency” refer to?

A．A global pandemic.	B．A climate emergency.
C．People’s slow reaction to disasters.	D．Adam McKay’s new film.

2. Which of the following films is Steven Spielberg in charge of?

A．Don’t Look Up.	B．Romeo and Juliet.
C．West Side Story.	D．Flee.

3. What’s the film Flee based on?

A．A true story.	B．A dark comedy.
C．A natural disaster.	D．A Hollywood musical.

8 . As many areas have encouraged people to stay put during the Spring Festival holiday, it would be a great idea if you could go to the cinema to enjoy a wonderful movie, wearing a mask. Here is a brief lineup of the latest films to share with you.

Detective ChinatownⅢ

Following their adventures in Bangkok and New York in the first two movies, the amateur detective duo portrayed by Wang Baoqiang and Liu Haoran travels to Tokyo as they try to solve a murder mystery, which could earn them a huge bonus.

Hi, Mom!

As the directorial debut of comedy actress Jia Ling, the film reflects on how she misses her late mother Li Huanying, who encouraged Jia to pursue her artistic dreams. Interestingly, she fictionalizes time-travel story to depict her mother’s love story set in 1981.

A Writer's Odyssey

As the latest film directed by Lu Yang, best known for the Brotherhood of Blades franchise, the film is highly anticipated. The fantasy tale centers on a novelist amazed to find that the fictional world under his pen is surprisingly influencing the real world.

The Yin-Yang Master

Adapted from the mobile game Onmyoji, the film centers on the Yin-Yang master Qingming, a genius wizard who lives in a fictional world where monsters and human beings coexist. Most monsters from the trailers appear cute and chubby, making the film more appealing to families.

1. In the film-Detective ChinatownⅢ, the amateur detectives travel to ________to solve a murder mystery.

A．Bangkok

B．Tokyo

C．New York

D．Toronto

2. Which movie is directed by a comedy actress?

A．Detective Chinatown III	B．Hi, Mom!
C．A Writer’s Odyssey	D．The Yin-Yang Master

3. The author writes the passage to _________.

A．show the prosperity of the Chinese film industry

B．make a comparison of the latest movies

C．introduce some latest movies to choose from during the Spring Festival holiday

D．make comments on the latest movies