Armenian musician Astrid Poghosyan, a 29-year-old violinist, takes great pride in the Chinese name she picked for herself, Ma Xingxing. Last summer, she were busy making preparations for a series of in-person and online music events and cultural exchange programs. Poghosyan said she always put all her energies into the projects which she took part in, whether they were offline or online events, as she believed that every little effort would help her realize her music-related dreams.

“I believe music knows no borders, and cultural exchanges through music are especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic (流行病),” she said. Having studied and worked in China for 13 years, Poghosyan has now become a real China hand, skilled at the country’s language and culture. Such a multicultural background has certainly helped her stand out in her present job. For Poghosyan, the life she now leads is a far cry from when she first came to China in 2009 to learn to play the violin at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. At that time, Poghosyan could not speak a word of Chinese. “And my high-school-level English wasn’t of much help at that time,” she said. “So I decided to learn Chinese to solve the communication problem.”

She has a strong desire for Chinese movies, traditional festivals and history stories, all of which helped her through the difficult language-learning process. As she gradually buried herself in the Chinese language and culture, she also started to make Chinese friends and explore the energetic city life of Shanghai.

“Since I first came to Shanghai, I have always been impressed by the kindness of the people here,” she said. “Even when I couldn’t speak Chinese, in the first days, everyone I met gave me a big smile. Their smiles have made me feel the warmth of the city.”

【小题1】What do we know about Astrid Poghosyan?

A．She is proud of her talent in music.

B．She came to China when she was 16.

C．She spoke Chinese well when young.

D．She usually has music lessons online.

【小题2】What can we learn from the second paragraph?

A．Every country has its unique music and culture.

B．The COVID-19 pandemic prevented music   spreading.

C．Poghosyan’s high-school-level English helped her a lot.

D．Poghosyan’s present life is quite different from that in the past.

【小题3】What helped Poghosyan get through the hard language-learning process?

A．Her exploration of the city.

B．Her love for Chinese culture.

C．Her wonderful social skills.

D．Her teacher’s encouragement.

【小题4】What does Poghosyan think of the people in Shanghai?

A．Energetic.	B．Outgoing.
C．Humorous.	D．Friendly.