1 . Alonzo Carter, also known as Zo, is currently a football coach for the San Jose State Spartans in California. He’s trained countless student athletes, which often means his previous job in the hip-hop industry goes unnoticed. But not always!

Back in 1989, he and a few of his college friends auditioned (试演) for a music video. The song? MC Hammer’s still-unknown classic, Let’s Get It Started. They were hired on the spot and soon went on tours with him! As the summer came to an end, Zo assumed he’d return to college to finish his degree and reclaim his spot on the football team, but MC Hammer gained great popularity and started taking over the airwaves. Zo had a huge decision to make and ultimately joined MC Hammer as a permanent (长期的) backup dancer! But Zo couldn’t shake his passion for football. He eventually left the group to return to his high school in Oakland, California, where he began coaching track and football.

Decades later, Zo is one of the most well-known and respected college football coaches and doesn’t call much attention to his hip-hop beginnings. But at a training practice in 2017, a familiar song started playing over the PA system (广播系统). It happened that the head coach Brent Brennan had caught wind of Zo’s past and wanted him to show off his moves.

Without missing a beat, Zo dived in and started doing the Hammer Dance he had helped create all those years before. The moves came to him as easily as they had done back in the day, and his players obviously couldn’t get enough of his impressive talent.

Zo is a good reminder of how surprising career paths can be. Just think what would have happened if he hadn’t gone to that audition! The Hammer Dance wouldn’t exist as we know it, which would be a real tragedy (悲剧).

1. What does Zo do now?

A．He coaches a college football team.	B．He serves as head of backup dancer.
C．He competes in track and field events.	D．He teaches high school students hip-hop.

2. What can be inferred from paragraph 2?

A．MC Hammer didn’t become famous until 1989.

B．Zo and his friends didn’t perform well in the audition.

C．Zo and his friends didn’t know much about Let’s Get It Started.

D．MC Hammer wasn’t in favor of Zo’s decision to finish his degree.

3. What does the underlined part “had caught wind of” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Had looked into.

B．Had reflected on.

C．Had talked about.

D．Had heard of.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards Zo’s career as a dancer?

A．He thinks little of it.	B．He is doubtful about it.
C．He is very proud of it.	D．He thinks it a best choice.

3 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容或括号内单词的正确形式。

Short clips of the “kemusan” or “subject three” dance — has become a latest Internet hit on social media platforms at home and abroad. The dance, which is     1    (universal) believed to originate from a wedding dance in South China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,     2    (gain) more than 8.88 billion views on short video platforms by December 10. The dance went viral quickly and has been adapted into various     3    (version) — people of all colors and from different walks of life have sprung into the interesting dance.

Why has “subject three” dance become     4     instant hit? Nowadays, young people seek to express     5     (they) in personalized and different ways. This free and easy style allows young people to release mental and physical tiredness in routine life and enjoy     6    (origin) delight and pure happiness. Even without personal participation, holding a mobile phone to shoot or watch someone do this dance is enough     7    (connect) emotionally and feel a spiritual resonance (共鸣). “Subject three” dance meets the emotional needs of young people, provides them with an outlet to express their feelings     8     reflects a pleasant sharing of beauty.

Besides, the dance belongs to no specific type and the movements are not set,     9    (leave) space for everyone to create their own style. When people enjoy and spread this crazy style, they form a circle     10     like-minded people can get together, ignore how others look at them, and have confidence in their taste.

4 .

The HK Phil hosts its free annual outdoor music performance, Swire Symphony Under The Stars every year, always attracting over 15,000 people diving deep into specific orchestral work under the night sky. You can bring your families and friends to enjoy the wonderful feast of music.

Time & Program

●Time

On 18 February 2024

●Programme

RAVEL|Piano Concerto (协奏曲)

The event runs around 60 minutes without intervals.

Tickets Online Registration

●Public registration starts at 10 a.m. on 24 January 2024.

●Each email address may register for a maximum of 2 tickets and can only register once.

●Please sign up for an account on POPTICKET in advance in order to complete all details within the limited time.

Notes for Admission

●Each ticket with a unique QR code only allows one person, regardless of age.

●Please show the QR code on your smartphone or printed ticket for admission. Do not fold or draw across it.

●Anyone in possession of any forbidden items or does not follow the rules of the venue (场所) will be refused the entry.

●In case of bad weather, postponement will be announced at 4 p.m. through the website hkphil.org and Facebook page. The event will be postponed to the next day, same time and same venue.

Warm Reminder

●Parking spaces are not available at the venue.

●Please bring your own mat, food and drinks to enjoy the starry night.

1. What can we know about the performance?

A．It goes without a break.

B．It’s held frequently.

C．It provides parking lots.

D．It covers various musical styles.

2. What should people do to attend the performance?

A．Create an email account.

B．Avoid bringing snacks.

C．Register online in advance.

D．Enter with paid tickets.

3. What will happen to the event if it rains heavily on 18 February?

A．It will be performed indoors.

B．It will be canceled this year.

C．It will be held as scheduled.

D．It will be put off to the following day.

5 . 阅读短文，按照题目要求用英语回答问题。

“I never lied to my father. When I was young, my father told me that if I tried to lie to him, he would always know. My body would tell him the truth because the body’s movement never lies.”, said Martha Graham, an influential American dancer and teacher, fascinated with the ideal that “movement never lies”. Martha realized that the body is its own storyteller. She just wanted to find ways to tell those stories through dance.

She began by studying ballet, but soon realized that it wasn’t right to her. From the very beginning of her dancing career, Martha saw dance differently. She was tiny, not tall like ballerinas (芭蕾舞女演员) at that time. But she had a strong, powerful body and dark, soulful (热情的) eyes. So she developed a style of movement different from traditional romantic ballet and called it modern dance. She brought modern dance to a new level of popularity in American culture.

Unlike ballet, which took place in a fairylike world, Martha’s modern dance expressed real emotions. Martha believed that it was important that the audience see themselves within her dances. She created and arranged many dances that showed emotions such as anger, jealousy, love or hate of common people.

Martha loved to wear long, dark, flowing robes when she performed. In the dances she used her robes in many different ways. Martha’s most important prop (支撑物) was the floor. She always danced in her bare feet, and her feet worked hard to tell their stories. The technique catching on, she founded the Dance Repertory Theater, and later, the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance.

Martha Graham died in 1991, just short of 100 years old. During her life she never stopped dancing. A part of Martha Graham lives on in modern dancers everywhere who continue to study the “Graham technique”. They strive for her honesty, always remembering that movement never lies.

1. Why did Martha Graham never lied to her father when she was young?(no more than 12words)
__________________________________________________________________
2. What does the underlined word“ideal”mean in paragraph 1?(no more than 2 words)
__________________________________________________________________
3. For what reason did Martha Graham develop modern dance?(no more than 15 words)
__________________________________________________________________
4. What is unique of her modern dance?(no more than 20 words)
__________________________________________________________________
5. What impresses you most of Graham’s story? And why?(no more than 20 words)
__________________________________________________________________

6 . On March 18, 2018, I was alone at home in Costa Rica, unaware that my life was about to change. I received an e-mail with the subject “___________ selection result”.

My heartbeat___________   as I read through it: I had been chosen to receive a full scholarship at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Finally, I would be able to___________ the old legends of China, which had always ___________ me.

In Costa Rica, I learned music well. However, it was my professor in Shanghai who guided me in improving my skills. His teachings emphasized the art of letting the music flow as___________ as tai chi.

In my opinion, that’s the___________   of life in China. You can see it on every corner when you notice how the traffic ___________ or on the way people walk throughout China. Similarly, music can go___________ paper, flowing from the musician to the audience and enriching the world one note ___________ .

When I went back to Costa Rica, I held a(n)___________ piece of Chinese music in my heart. One day, I introduced Molihua to my students and___________ their great interest instantly, which made me pleasantly ___________. Music is indeed one of the best ways to show people about the___________ of another country.

This year, I return to Shanghai and continue my___________of China through its music. Words fall short in expressing the delight and gratitude I experience. I hope to spread the joy of music___________and I believe my ambitions will be fulfilled here in China.

1.

A．admission

B．scholarship

C．major

D．degree

2.

A．quickened

B．straightened

C．weakened

D．shortened

3.

A．smooth out

B．call on

C．dig into

D．brighten up

4.

A．informed

B．promoted

C．benefited

D．fascinated

5.

A．gracefully

B．cautiously

C．rigidly

D．sharply

6.

A．function

B．introduction

C．essence

D．purpose

7.

A．expands

B．flows

C．develops

D．pauses

8.

A．beyond

B．without

C．against

D．over

9.

A．at times

B．at a time

C．ahead of time

D．on time

10.

A．serious

B．religious

C．effective

D．impressive

11.

A．twisted

B．reduced

C．declared

D．awakened

12.

A．confused

B．surprised

C．bored

D．amused

13.

A．education

B．business

C．culture

D．travel

14.

A．exploration

B．passion

C．submission

D．recreation

15.

A．up and down

B．now and then

C．back and forth

D．far and wide

7 . 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。

On a chilly December morning in Beijing, Zhang Ting     1    (rise) at 6 a.m. and started to dress for her trip to the Summer Palace. Two hours later, the stylish 28-year-old, a hip-hop singer-songwriter,     2    (wear) hanfu — traditional Chinese costume, arrived at the Summer Palace, an imperial garden established during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and     3     UNESCO World Heritage site. She visited here     4    (gain) inspiration for a new song, for which she planned to mix elements of     5    (tradition) Chinese culture with her own style of music, known as guo feng, or music with a Chinese flavor.

Zhang joined a workshop     6    (launch) by a platform aimed at supporting and cultivating original Chinese music and independent     7    (musician) from China.

Soon afterward, she wrote the song Hong Yu in memory of Liang Hongyu, a respected heroine during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). “Images of these female roles came instantly to mind     8     I saw the ancient stage at the Summer Palace,” she said.

The three-day activity brought together singer-songwriters from around the country and targeted new songs featuring elements of guo feng. Li Liang, head of the program, said, “Young people grow up with the Internet and are open     9     different cultures. They are now embracing     10    (they) own cultural aesthetics (美学), which is meaningful.”

8 . 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。

The xiao, a traditional bamboo instrument, is now attracting more and more attention with     1     (it) long history and rich cultural meanings. In ancient China, bamboo was a symbol of honesty, and a spirit of trying to make progress. So, many used it to refer     2     their pursuits (追求) in poems. For example, the poet Su Shi once wrote, “Better to eat without meat than live without bamboo”, suggesting the     3     (important) of bamboo. Therefore, the xiao,     4     (make) of bamboo, was not just     5     instrument, but something the ancient literati (文人) often held in hands or put on walls to remind themselves of their pursuits.

“From the Tang Dynasty on, usually the xiao was used for the purpose of     6     (gather) the educated. It was so popular,” says Shen, a xiao player. “The instrument     7     (keep) its unique attractiveness, which paved its way     8     (become) alive again. It produces pleasant music,     9     agrees with the traditional Chinese sense of beauty — the greatest music has the faintest notes.”

In Shen’s view, compared with others, the xiao is an     10     (extreme) simple instrument.

Since it is so simple that you can hardly make any changes on it, you can only change yourself to make your music performance better and better.

9 . Singer-songwriters write songs, but how do they do it? Where do musicians get their inspiration from? What comes first — the music or the lyrics (歌词)? It turns out that everyone has their own way of writing which works for them.

Bob Dylan

He is a musician with a unique musical style, which has been described as folk rock, gospel, country and jazz. He told the BBC that he gets a lot of his writing inspiration from novels like Don Quixote and Robinson Crusoe. He said “They give you a way of looking at life and understanding of human nature and a standard to measure things by.” He has had a career spanning six decades and has won many songwriting awards.

Stephen Sondheim

Stephen Sondheim, a musical theatre composer who died in 2021, said in an interview with The New Yorker that, when it comes to songwriting, the stress in a phrase is very important for him. “You can start writing a lyric, and then the inflection (变音) of the lyric suggests a tune.” Therefore, in his way of writing, the music and lyrics come at roughly the same time.

Taylor Swift

In 2022, Taylor Swift won a Songwriter-Artist of the Decade Award. In her speech, she said lyrics are her favourite part of songwriting. She describes the majority of her songs as having a “modern storyline or references, with a poetic twist” and commonly uses real life experiences and conversations as influence.

John Denver

Denver earned international reputation as a songwriter, performer, actor, environmentalist and humanitarian. John said, “I obtain endless muse from my experiences in environmental and humanitarian work.” John was one of the first artists to share an environmental message through his music.

1. What type of music does Stephen Sondheim compose?

A．Folk rock.

B．Musical play.

C．Country music.

D．Jazz.

2. Whose music conveys the message of nature protection?

A．Bob Dylan’s.

B．Stephen Sondheim’s.

C．John Denver’s.

D．Taylor Swift’s.

3. In which part of a newspaper can the text be found?

A．Culture.

B．Art.

C．Literature.

D．Language.

10 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个恰当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

As I walked through the square, I     1     (invite) to join a dance at the Malaysian booth. In no time, I found     2     (I) in the midst of a large dance circle. People from     3     (difference) backgrounds celebrated together with energetic movements and joyful laughter. Beside me were a girl from Inner Mongolia, China, and a girl from Russia     4     were excited to discover that their hometowns were right next to each other, despite being in different countries.