When Shao Tianshuai was 14, her dance teacher told her she had expressive eyes and an oval face, which were best suited for Kunqu Opera. She didn’t pay much ________to the comment until her mother __________ her to give the opera a try.
In 2001, Shao _________ for the Northern Kunqu Opera Theater in Beijing and came out with flying colors. The theater company is the only ________ platform in northern China devoted to Kunqu, an existing form of Chinese opera with a history of around 600 years.
Kunqu Opera, like many traditional Chinese operas, is _______ from one generation to another through singing demonstrations. It takes years to ________ basic skills, only after which performers can try and build their own _________.
“This type of opera was on the edge of decline (衰退) and the theater only had a dozen performances a year before I applied there,” says Shao. “However, the UNESCO tag gave the art a ________ life. The opera received government support and attracted the attention of young audiences.”
Usually, she performs her regular shows. ________, she arranges training for young performers and ______ on creating new pieces. She notes that two-thirds of the performers in the company are young, which injects energy to the theater founded over six decades ago.
Now, at 36, she is one of the leading ________ of Northern Kunqu Opera Theater and gives ________ 100 performances a year. Shao says, “In order to build up a young fan base, we use social media platforms and create original Kunqu Opera pieces, which ________ young people without changing the __________ of the art.”
“The heartwarming part is that so many young people like Kunqu Opera performances, whether online or offline. They are ________ to learn and explore, and as actors we cannot ask for more,” says Shao.
【小题1】A.attention | B.access | C.effort | D.emphasis |
【小题2】A.aided | B.persuaded | C.requested | D.begged |
【小题3】A.stood | B.asked | C.fought | D.applied |
【小题4】A.professional | B.international | C.economical | D.technical |
【小题5】A.turned down | B.set down | C.passed down | D.settled down |
【小题6】A.master | B.design | C.admire | D.track |
【小题7】A.audiences | B.companies | C.hobbies | D.styles |
【小题8】A.smart | B.fresh | C.vivid | D.confident |
【小题9】A.For reference | B.For instance | C.In addition | D.In advance |
【小题10】A.holds | B.counts | C.lives | D.focuses |
【小题11】A.hostesses | B.waitresses | C.actresses | D.authoresses |
【小题12】A.nearly | B.merely | C.clearly | D.hardly |
【小题13】A.admit | B.attract | C.account | D.attempt |
【小题14】A.quantity | B.form | C.effect | D.nature |
【小题15】A.intelligent | B.amazed | C.determined | D.cautious |