1 . A series of books in Chinese and English covering eight classic works of Peking Opera recently released, with the aim of revealing details about the art form in a direct way.

The bilingual (双语的) books are from the Translation Series of a Hundred Jingju Classics, a project originated from 2011, which is part of the effort by the central government to promote Chinese culture overseas.

Peking Opera, with its complex and colorful costumes and make-up, as well as the unique performance combining singing, dialogue, acting and acrobatics (杂技), has become a symbol of traditional Chinese culture. Over the last 200 years, more than 1, 000 Peking Opera shows have been produced telling the most classic historical stories in China, as well as giving glimpses of society, according to Wang. The art form was listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (非物质文化遗产) by UNESCO in 2010. Famous performers such as Mei Lanfang and Cheng Yanqiu have also taken Peking Opera abroad. And though foreign fans are impressed by it, few understand the stories told on stage.

To help foreigners understand the art form better, Sun Ping, dean, School of Art, Beijing Foreign Studies University, and her team have edited the new books. Different from previous English translations of books that mostly covered the scripts (剧本) of Peking Opera plays, the new series introduces nearly all aspects of the art form, including the script, actors and actresses, performance skills, musical instruments and costumes, according to Sun, who is herself a highly regarded Peking Opera artist.

“It fills the blank in overseas promotions of Peking Opera,” says Liu Jian, a professor at the National Academy of Chinese Theater Arts. “The inheritance and promotion of Peking Opera are very important. In a sense, promotion is even more important. The project sets a good example.”

Scott Ian Rainen, an expert from the United States, who works at China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration, says he was happy to read the new books. Foreigners often don’t understand the plot in a Peking Opera play, but the books introduce the cultural and historical background, its character modeling, costumes and props, artistic theories and so on.

1. Why are the set of bilingual books released?

A．To stress the importance of Peking Opera.

B．To attract foreigners to learn Peking Opera.

C．To promote the diversity of Peking Opera.

D．To present Peking Opera more effectively.

2. What is the third paragraph mainly about?

A．The advantage of learning Peking Opera.

B．The brief introduction of Peking Opera.

C．The benefits of releasing these bilingual books.

D．The reason for people’s attachment to Peking Opera.

3. What’s special about these translations of books?

A．They cover stories about Peking Opera.

B．They share a more significant art value.

C．They are better in covering the scripts of Peking Opera.

D．They are overall in showing the features of Peking Opera.

4. What is Scott lan Rainen’s attitude towards the new project?

A．Subjective.

B．Sceptical.

C．Positive.

D．Tolerant.

2 . UNESCO has added Italian opera singing, along with more than 50 other practices from around the world, to its list of Intangible (无形的) Cultural Heritage. The agency created the list in 2008 to help safeguard traditions, festivals, rites of passage, art forms and other practices across the globe. It also recognizes culturally and historically significant buildings, structures and properties with its well-known list of World Heritage Sites. It originates from the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2023.

With UNESCO’s decision, opera singing joins several other Italian traditions on the list, like pizza making. “Performed by people of all genders, Italian opera singing is associated with specific facial expressions and body gestures and involves a combination of music, drama, acting and staging,” writes UNESCO.

The practice dates back to the Medici family in Florence in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Jacopo Peri’s Dafne, which was performed for the Medicis in 1598, is considered the first Italian opera. “This is a confirmation of what we’ve already known: Opera singing is a world excellence,” says Gennaro Sangiuliano, Italy’s culture minister, in a statement.

A wide variety of cultural practices, food dishes and festivals also made the list at UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage meeting in Botswana. The committee narrowed down nominations submitted by 72 nations, ultimately selecting 55 to add to the list. The full list now includes 730 practices from 145 countries. Six of the new additions are “in need of urgent safeguarding”, according to UNESCO. These include Syrian glassblowing, olive cultivation in Türkiye and a traditional Malaysian performance called Mek Mulung. The non-urgent additions include several annual events, such as the Rotterdam Summer Carnival in the Netherlands, the Sango Festival of Oyo in Nigeria, the Junkanoo in the Bahamas and the Shuwalid festival in Ethiopia.

1. Why was Italian opera singing added to the UNESCO’s list?

A．To prove its perfection.	B．To preserve this art form.
C．To strengthen its competitiveness.	D．To celebrate this art’s 20th anniversary.

2. What does UNESCO mention about Italian opera singing in paragraph 2?

A．Its features.

B．Its prospects.

C．Its origin.

D．Its cost.

3. What can we infer about Italian opera singing from Gennaro Sangiuliano’s words?

A．It has a long history.	B．It awaits confirmation.
C．It has received high recognition.	D．It comes from a well-known performance.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．The Art Forms in Italy

B．The Introduction to UNESCO

C．730 Practices Are Ready to Be Added to the UNESCO’s List

D．The UNESCO’s List Welcomes Italian Opera Singing & Other Practices

3 . The movie star and kung fu master Bruce Lee, born in 1940, is famous for his martial arts and artistic achievements. He ________ the term kung fu to such an extent that it became a Chinese cultural ________ globally. Born in San Francisco and raised in Hong Kong, he ________ the gap between East and West.

Even after his death, his ________ continues to influence admirers, including Wong Yiukeung, who has been a(n) ________ of Lee’s for about 40 years. When at primary school Wong read magazines that feature d Lee’s kung fu skills. He was immediately ________ to the star and started to follow him. As a teenager, Wong ________ watched films and television programs that featured Lee.

Then in 2008, when Lee’s former mansion (宅第) was announced to be ________ by the owner who was heavily in debt, Wong wrote to the Hong Kong government and the owner, ________ the preservation of the house. Over the next 11 years Wong tried to transform the mansion into a ________ in memory of Bruce Lee. However, in 2019, the mansion was ________, so was the museum.

Then Wong decided to ________ reconstruct the mansion in the virtual world. After four years of work he finally made it. ________ virtual reality headsets, fans worldwide will be able to get a close look at their idol’s home and ________, including the quiet courtyard and the cherished car Lee owned, which ________ the number p late AX6521.

1.

A．coined

B．favored

C．popularized

D．revised

2.

A．tradition

B．symbol

C．center

D．source

3.

A．highlighted

B．widened

C．bridged

D．ignored

4.

A．family

B．background

C．action

D．spirit

5.

A．enthusiast

B．friend

C．pupil

D．sponsor

6.

A．known

B．drawn

C．subjected

D．compared

7.

A．originally

B．repeatedly

C．seldom

D．temporarily

8.

A．restored

B．abandoned

C．donated

D．sold

9.

A．calling for

B．ruling out

C．putting off

D．setting aside

10.

A．gallery

B．stadium

C．museum

D．library

11.

A．checked

B．decorated

C．leveled

D．located

12.

A．secretly

B．occasionally

C．gratefully

D．digitally

13.

A．Wearing

B．Making

C．Exchanging

D．Passing

14.

A．wealth

B．life

C．film

D．school

15.

A．indicated

B．exposed

C．dropped

D．hung

4 . This is an unbelievably moving and beautiful film. It shows a father’s _________ at its very best. It is a tear-jerker and I must admit that I am moved to tears.

It is a story _________ in 1939 at the start of World War II. Guido, a cheerful Italian-Jewish waiter, gets _________ to Dora, who is not Jewish. They are in love and have a _________ named Giosuè. As they are preparing for Giosuè’s fifth birthday, Guido and Giosuè are arrested (逮捕) and _________ to a concentration camp. Dora begs to _________ with them even though she is not Jewish. She is sent to the _________ part on the other side of the camp.

To hide the awful _________ from his son, Guido pretends (假装) they are at a holiday camp and are playing a game. In the _________, they have to win points. He __________ his son that the goal is to get 1,000 points — and the prize is a real tank in which they can leave. Here he is talking about the tanks __________ the allies (同盟者) that he hopes will eventually come to save them from the concentration camp when they win the war. He pretends Giosuè can get points for things such as not crying, not saying he is hungry, not asking for his mother, and so on. __________, Guido hides Giosuè, all the while pretending it is a game and they are playing hide-and-seek.

I won’t tell you how the film ends. You will have to watch it for yourself. Many reviewers have __________ this film, and said that it is a must-see. I completely __________, as it is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen — one that I will __________ forget.

1.

A．love

B．hate

C．honesty

D．bravery

2.

A．put

B．set

C．judged

D．broke

3.

A．worried

B．limited

C．reduced

D．married

4.

A．daughter

B．son

C．mother

D．father

5.

A．taken

B．established

C．decorated

D．survived

6.

A．escape

B．protest

C．run

D．go

7.

A．Guido’s

B．Giosuè’s

C．men’s

D．women’s

8.

A．privacy

B．truth

C．fault

D．gender

9.

A．camp

B．point

C．game

D．holiday

10.

A．tells

B．says

C．talks

D．speaks

11.

A．picking out

B．paying off

C．belonging to

D．focusing on

12.

A．Regularly

B．Secondly

C．Eventually

D．Surely

13.

A．admitted

B．designed

C．recommended

D．maintained

14.

A．agree

B．disagree

C．shock

D．apply

15.

A．forever

B．appropriately

C．ever

D．never

5 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What makes the film unique to the woman?

A．It is the woman’s first time producing.

B．There is only one man in the movie.

C．It has great special effects

2. What type of film is the woman starring in?

A．An action film.

B．A romantic comedy.

C．A science-fiction film.

3. When will the film be out in the UK?

A．On 21st December.

B．On 14th December.

C．On 7th December.

4. What is the man probably?

A．A producer.

B．A comedian.

C．A host.

6 . In the countryside in Fuzhou, Fujian, there is a girl, her little brother, their grandma and a cat named Hua Juan. In the eyes of Hua Juan, the grandma treats the boy and the girl very differently — she saves milk for the boy and feeds him as if he were a baby, not paying much attention to the girl. One day, Hua Juan falls asleep and starts to have a dream. Everything begins to change.

This is the story told in the short film I’m Hua Juan, which explores a heavy topic -the traditional preference for sons over daughters. The film helped 18-year- old Zhu Manlin win the best director award at the 2021 International Teen Short Film Festival. The competition aims to encourage middle school students internationally to look at the world around them through images and pay attention to their position within it.

Zhu, a student at Fuzhou Senior High School, said she got the idea of the film from stories she heard. “Gender (性别) preference is still a common thing. Three out of the five members of our filming team have such families with older sisters and younger brothers,” said Zhu. “Many people may take it for granted, but not for a cat. I tell the story from the viewpoint of a cat to encourage the audience to take another look at reality.”

As the director and photographer, Zhu together with her teammates spent about two months writing the script (剧本), shooting the video and editing. She used several key scenes to show the grandma’s preference for the boy: more meat in his bowl, gentler words and interesting toys, while the girl is ignored and accompanied only by Hua Juan. The strong comparison can help viewers better emotionally connect with the girl and reflect on the unfavorable situation of other girls in the same situation. Zhu also set a scene in which the girl looks through the crack of a door and sees a part from the film Sister, which describes An Ran, a girl who struggles to pursue her own dream while having to raise her younger brother after their parents died in a car crash. “I want fewer girls to have to bear such burdens as An Ran and instead bravely fight for their own rights,” said Zhu.

While the theme is realistic, the visuals are artistic. In the film, real life is in black and white while dreams are colorful. Zhu also shot the film in a square format to give it an unusual feeling as well as a sense of seriousness. She wants viewers to focus on the main story, using close-up shots to resonate with the emotions of the young actors while ignoring other unimportant factors.

Zhu said her favorite director is Lee Chang-dong from South Korea, who cares about reality but also stays poetic. “I wish I could make such films one day,” she said.

1. What can be known about the film I’m Hua Juan?

A．It has a theme of gender preference.	B．It is adapted from a novel of the same name.
C．It took the team about half a year to make it.	D．It is based on the director’s personal experience.

2. Why is the story told through a cat’s eyes?

A．To make the story more attractive.

B．To explain what role pets play in our life.

C．To get people to look at things in a different way.

D．To connect the story better with a younger audience.

3. What is paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．The problems Zhu had shooting the film.

B．The way Zhu directed and made the film.

C．The inspiration Zhu got from the film Sister.

D．The similarity between Zhu’s film and the film Sister.

4. How does Zhu attract viewers to the main story?

A．By focusing on social reality.	B．By using close-up shots in the film.
C．By shooting the film in black and white.	D．By expressing emotions in a poetic way.

7 . Childhood is the golden period of life when kids love to stay in the world of cartoons, We humans, love to see animals as characters in fictional stories and cartoon shows. Here is a list of some of our favourite cartoon animals.

Mickey Mouse

Mickey Mouse is known all over the world in its bright red shorts and large yellow shoes. This world-famous carton of a mouse has taken our hearts away along with his friends the Donald Duck, Minnie Mouse, and pet dog Pluto since 1928.

   

Donald Duck

The most famous duck in the world, Donald Duck is a white duck with a large yellow-orange beak (鸟喙) that appears on screen dressed in a sailor’s cap and shirt. First introduced in 1934, he is known for his optimistic and enthusiastic attitude towards life. June 9th is celebrated as the National Donald Duck Day every year as this was the day when Donald made his screen first public appearance.

   

Tom and Jerry

Tom and Jerry are mainly about a bitter-sweet friendship between the title characters Tom, a cat, and Jerry, a mouse. Their stories have been made into 161 comedy short films by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera since 1940. The two share several sweet adventures and have been attracting the audience with their tricks for almost 80 years.

   

Kung Fu Panda

The world-famous and lovely fat Po the Giant Panda is a kung fu enthusiast, who accidentally gets selected as the Dragon Warrior. He is Master Shifu’s favourite student at the Jade Palace. He then teams up to destroy the evil forces that threaten the Valley of Peace. Po’s generosity, strength, and will-power make him win the hearts of people all over the world.

   
1. Who is the article mainly written for?

A．Children.

B．Teachers.

C．Writers.

D．Players.

2. What is special about Donald Duck?

A．It makes you think of China easily.

B．A holiday is celebrated because of it.

C．It is the oldest cartoon animal of four.

D．It has been made into comedy short films.

3. Which cartoon animal is strong and brave?

A．Mickey Mouse.

B．Donald Duck.

C．Tom and Jerry.

D．Kung Fu Panda.

8 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What makes the film unique to the woman?

A．It is the woman’s first time producing.

B．There is only one man in the movie.

C．It has great special effects

2. What type of film is the woman starring in?

A．An action film.

B．A romantic comedy.

C．A science-fiction film.

3. When will the film be out in the UK?

A．On 21st December.

B．On 14th December.

C．On 7th December.

4. What is the man probably?

A．A producer.

B．A comedian.

C．A host.

9 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What makes the film unique to the woman?

A．It is the woman’s first time producing.

B．There is only one man in the movie.

C．It has great special effects

2. What type of film is the woman starring in?

A．An action film.

B．A romantic comedy.

C．A science-fiction film.

3. When will the film be out in the UK?

A．On 21st December.

B．On 14th December.

C．On 7th December.

4. What is the man probably?

A．A producer.

B．A comedian.

C．A host.

10 . 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。

An evening gala (演出) of classical Chinese opera was broadcast on State broadcaster China Central Television on Sunday to celebrate the New Year and promote the     1     (rich) of Chinese culture.

A diverse program was broadcast upholding the long-standing tradition of performing operas nationwide as an important part of celebrations at ceremonies and festivals,     2     (especial) grand occasions such as New Year and the Spring Festival.

Leading opera artists from across the country gathered in Beijing     3     (perform) at the gala. The gala opened with the tale of Mu Guiying, a story about how a girl became a general to protect     4     (she) people during the Northern Song Dynasty. The performance     5     (sing) in the styles of Peking Opera, Hebei Bangzi, popular in Hebei province, and Yuju Opera, originating in Henan province.

The gala not only featured well-known operatic genres (流派) such as Peking Opera, but     6     (promote) those of minor popularity, which entertained people     7     (live) in underdeveloped regions. The minor genres included Pingxian Opera in Qinghai province and Caidiao Opera from the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region,     8    developed from folk singing     9     dancing. Performers reenacted (重现) several folk     10     (tale) about historic figures that are regularly performed across the country.