A．wasn't watching

B．hadn't watch

C．am not watching

D．don't watch

After years of trying to convince myself otherwise, I now feel sure that ballet is dying.”

-----Jennifer Homans, Apollo’s Angels

Is ballet dead? Has the art form evolved to depression? Jennifer Homans’s conclusion to her fascinating history of ballet, Apollo’s Angels, is worrying.

It appears that ballet’s pulse continues to beat strongly, however, especially with a Tchaikovsky defibrillator attached. So why are some dance commentators arguing that ballet is dying? And do they have a point?

“Ballet is dead”----“Ballet is dying” ---all ring tones of Friedrich Nietzsche’s philosophical claim: “God is dead.” Headline grabbling, certainly. Yet can ballet be defined in such black and white terms? Surely it is more abstract, filled with shades of popular grey. ①

To start with, how do you define ballet? What is ballet today? Consider popular modern classics like Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room, where dancers wear pointy shoes and sneakers, combining contemporary and classical vocabulary together. Or closer to home, there is Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake, which layers elements of Petipa’s choreography(编舞) with a contemporary theme and aesthetic. Many contemporary choreographers all embrace classical form and principles, then manipulate(操纵) the rules. ② .

The line between contemporary dance and ballet is vague. In an interview with The Telegraph (2015), British choreographer Mattew Bourne acknowledges that this “cross-fertilisation” between contemporary dance and ballet continues to grow, as evidenced by the rise in new commissions from contemporary choreographers at the Royal Ballet and English National Ballet. Referring to Homans’s book, Bourne believes what has changed is that “the dance forms are coming closer together”. Not dying, but merging. Reinventing. This has been the case amongst Australasian ballet companies for many years now. ③ .

Homans writes that ballet’s decline began after the passing of Ashton and Balanchine. Something ahs changed, certainly. A stylisic transition----from neo-classical to contemporary ballet----has occurred. ④

Our art form’s evolution has always been with extinction. Prominent dance critic with The New York Times, Alastair Macaulay, says: “ballet has died again and again over the centuries,” and yet, “phoenix-like, rose again from its ashes”. History shows there were periods where ballet hibernated and lacked popularity. This coincided with the art form’s changing forums.

So here is the irony: what sells best, still, are reproductions of Petipa’s classics. A season without a Tchaikovsky score is a financial risk. And without Nutcracker(《胡桃夹子》), half the ballet companies in North America would not exist. Admittedly, as a dancer, my favourite roles---Albrecht, Prince Siegfried and Romeo----were from the classical canon; I am a traditionalist at heart (who loves to be challenged by good contemporary ballets). A part of the charm behind classical repertoire, for me, was in reproducing the glories of past greats. Classical ballet’s framework supports the modern process of bench-marking.

Perhaps Jennifer Homans’s thoughts are not completely unfounded. Perhaps ballet is dying for some. Ballet’s evolution has been delayed by its audiences. And as Homans suggests in her epilogue, perhaps also by its creatives.

Now here is a bold prediction. In line with the Royal Ballet’s programming in Brisbane this year----of Christopher Wheeldon’s The Winter’s Tale, and Wayne MacGregor’s Woolf Works----over the next 20 years, ballet’s reliance on Petipa will decrease. Contemporary ballets and merge-styled ballets will produce their box-office influence ever more.

Why?

It is simple: our audiences will be ready for ballet to change again.

【1】Why does the writer cite Jennifer Homans’s words at the beginning of the passage?

A. To support the writer’s viewpoint.B. To introduce the topic of the passage.

C. To highlight the theme of the passageD. To provide the background knowledge.

【2】The sentence ‘Is this not ballet?” should be put in ______.

A. ①B. ②

C. ③D. ④

【3】Which of the following statements is a fact about ballet?

A. “Surely it is more abstract, filled with shades of popular grey.” (Para.3)

B. “The line between contemporary dance and ballet is vague.” (Para.5)

C. “Our art form’s evolution has always been with extinction.” (Para.7)

D. “What sells best, still, are reproductions of Petipa’s classics.” (Para.8).

【4】According to Matthew Bourne, _____.

A. the dance forms remain unchanged

B. contemporary dance has reinvented classic ballet

C. ballet is experiencing growth and will continue to develop

D. a new form of ballet is widely accepted among Australians

【5】The writer takes himself as an example in Paragraph 8 in order to show _____.

A. classics should be promoted

B. classics are still of great significance

C. classical ballet’s framework is out of date

D. contemporary ballets attract more audiences

【6】What may be the audiences’ attitude to the change of ballet?

A. Supportive.B. Arbitrary.

C. Critical.D. Concerned

—I________on my overcoat and________to visit a friend of mine.

A．have just put; leaving

B．was put; was left

C．had just put; was leaving

D．was putting; left

A．increase

B．prevent

C．rise

D．limit

【题目】

【1】Who will pay least if people subscribe to the same materials?

A. People form Spain.B. People from France.

C. People from the USA.D. People from China.

【2】How much will your school pay for one set of Hot English for students and one for teachers for class use totally?

A. ￡185.4.B. ￡217.8.

C. ￡267.8D. ￡235.4.

增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧),并在其下面写出该加的词。

删除:把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。

修改:在错的词下画一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。

注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词。

2.只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。

Dear Jim,

How is everything going? Known that you are curious about Peking Opera, I'm more than glad to introduce it to you.

Dating back to late 18th century, Peking Opera becomes fully developed and recognized during the Qing Dynasty. As a combination of music, vocal performance or dance, Peking Opera can offer audience with a feast for the eyes and ears. Performer wear colorful costumes and make-ups, that are in line with the personalities of the roles that they play.

I high recommend you visit the Mei Lanfang Theater to see a Peking Opera show. Hopefully, my introduction has helped you well understand Peking Opera than before. If you have any question, don't hesitate to ask myself.

A．care about

B．think of

C．refer to

D．watch out

A. concern B. blame

C. delight D. comment

—____．She has no sense of direction．

A．It depends B．That's it

C．It makes no difference D．It's up to you

A．weight

B．anxiety

C．load

D．tiredness