It is well-known that all the world is a stage and all the men and women are merely players. _________, now one homeless dog in the Turkish city of Izmit seems determined to perform on that stage as well. It is surprising but heart-warming.

When the dog made his _________ during an outdoor performance being given by a local theatrical troupe(剧团), he wasn't _________applause. It seems that Numan Ertuğrul Uzunsoy's acting of an injured man was so _________ that the dog believed the actor was actually hurt and in need of _________.

As Uzunsoy lay on the ground _________ a fall from a horse, the dog came up to him and _________ began to lick his face and neck. It took a few seconds for Uzunsoy to _________ what was happening. “I felt warmth on my face. At first, I thought another performer was _________ me ,” Uzunsoy said. “I was very ____________ when I felt the dog’s kisses...I was very glad. He wanted to help me. It was a very emotional and surprising moment for me. I was not ____________ it.”

While the audience and cast members were obviously amused by the dog and didn’t mind the ____________, the dog was led offstage later. Uzunsoy continued his character and the ____________ went on. The dog did not____________around to take his curtain call(谢幕). However, since the good dog was known to frequent the area where the performance took place, dog-loving Uzunsoy was ____________ that he would see his unintentional costar again.

The ancient art of opera can be brilliant entertainment; it is a_______of music drama, and sometimes dance, staged with artistic sets and costumes. Opera is often_______by many, however, partly because of some of the stereotypes(成见)associated with it. Some of its critics say that the tales are too_______. Others complain that operas cannot be understood because they are often performed in_______languages. Stereotypes aside, opera is an art form enjoyed by many music lovers. Operas can be comedies or tragedies or stories taken from history.

The story of an opera is generally simple so as to avoid_______the audience from the music. The libretto, or script, sets each scene and describes the action in both words and stage directions. The music of an opera the way it advances the action and the feelings it_______in the listeners-is particularly important. The three major musical_______are the overture, including interludes(幕间表演,插曲)-mini-overtures between acts, the recitative, and the aria.

The overture is the instrumental_______to the opera, the purpose of which has changed over time. During the nineteenth century, the overture began to combine excerpts of melodies from arias, ballets, and other musical elements in a variety of the opera's musical themes.

A recitative is less a song than a monologue that is sung_______spoken. A recitative is an clement, older than the overture that was________at the beginning of the seventeenth century as a means of telling a story in music; the first operas were actually a series of recitatives joined by musical interludes. Because an opera is________a play set to music, the recitative is a means of telling the________what is going on and what is about to happen.

An aria is a solo performance-often one of the highlights of the opera. Arias can be declarations of love or expressions of hope, joy, sadness, or________. Many composers have written arias to________the vocal gifts of singers; some sopranos(女高音歌手)were indeed famous for the very high notes that they could sing. Arias are not the only songs in opera, however. Duets, compositions for three or four________, and large-group numbers (choruses) are also common. These diverse musical elements, combined with visual elements in costumes and sets as well as the dramatic content of the story, make the opera the complex art form that it is.

My interest in Chinese Kunqu opera began when I was eleven. It is the age when one can first ______ its words and start collecting them. I copied the great words into a notebook because I enjoyed the imaginative ______. Then, I ______ to notice the tones(腔调)and appreciate the melody. I understand that Kunqu opera is not only what’s written-—it is also the ______, the dance moves and the headdress(头饰).

I grew up in a northern town with no Kunqu opera performances. Thus, I never ______ I could learn and perform it myself ______ I attended Saturday classes. At that time I was ______ and often got up before 5 am to go to class. My training ______ basics, like walking onstage. I realized that the many requirements on the form are the only way to artistic ______. Performers put in so much effort to show how ______ effortless(不费力的) they are onstage.

I continue to ______ Kunqu opera after moving to the US for college. This ancient art form has been ______ with my studies and creations in modern ______ and poetry. When people ask me why Kunqu opera is connected with my ______ and with the Western art world today, I say that, its ______ and influences(影响) will never disappear.

Kunqu opera has a magical power, which means I’m willing to step into different art forms. Thanks to this cultural heritage(遗产), I know I have la home within myself.