Armenian musician Astrid Poghosyan now works as an assistant to the president of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra(管弦乐队). She takes great pride in the Chinese name she picked for herself, Ma Xingxing. The given name “Xingxing”, literally meaning stars, is inspired by her Armenian first name, while the surname “Ma” is taken from Ma Chao, a famous fighter from China’s Three Kingdoms Period.
Poghosyan has been busy preparing for a series of in-person and online music events and cultural exchange programs. She always puts all her energy into all the projects in which she participates, as she believes every little effort will help realize her music-related dreams. “I believe music knows no borders, and cultural exchanges through music are especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.
Having studied and worked in China for 12 years, Poghosyan has now become a real China hand, expert in the country’s language and culture. Such a multicultural background has certainly helped herstand out at her job. “Poghosyan plays a special role in our orchestra,” said Zhou Ping, the president of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. “She has lived in China for a long time and loves the Chinese culture, and she knows how to use the advantage of a multicultural background in her work.”
For Poghosyan, the life she now leads is a far cry from when she first came to China in 2009 to study violin at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. “At that time I could not speak a word of Chinese, let alone my poor English,” she said. “So I decided to learn Chinese to solve the communication problem.” Her love for Chinese culture, including Jackie Chan movies and stories of Mulan, helped her through all the difficulties.
As she graduallyabsorbs herself in the Chinese language and culture, she also starts to make Chinese friends and explore the exciting city life of Shanghai.
4. Why did Poghosyan choose the given name Xingxing?
A.Because she loves Chinese culture. |
B.Because she is proud of her cultural background. |
C.Because it reminds her of a famous fighter Ma Chao. |
D.Because she draws its inspiration from her Armenian first name. |
5. Which of the following statements is true?
A.Poghosyan believes that no pains no gains. |
B.Poghosyan thinks music can defeat COVID-19. |
C.Poghosyan now has difficulty in communicating in Chinese. |
D.Poghosyan is busy now just because of her online music shows. |
6. What can we infer from the words of Zhou Ping?
A.The life Poghosyan lives now is different. |
B.Poghosyan is the leading role in the orchestra. |
C.Love for Chinese culture can conquer any challenges. |
D.Multicultural background benefits Poghosyan a lot in her job. |
7. What difficulty did Poghosyan meet when she first arrived in China in 2009?
A.Cultural difference | B.Language barrier |
C.Different eating habit | D.Difficulty with violin |