Beijing opera or Peking opera （Pinyin: Jīngjù） is a form of Chinese opera which arose in the late 18th century and became fully developed and recognized by the mid-19th century．The form was extremely popular in the Qing Dynasty court and has come to be regarded as one of the cultural treasures of China．Major performance troupes （剧团，戏班子） are based in Beijing and Tianjin in the north，and Shanghai in the south．The art form is also enjoyed in Taiwan，and has spread to other countries such as the United States and Japan.
Beijing opera features four main types of performers．Performing troupes often have several of each variety，as well as numerous secondary and tertiary performers．With their elaborate （认真的，精心的） and colorful costumes，performers are the only focal points on Beijing opera's characteristically small stage．They make use of the skills of speech，song，dance，and combat in movements that are symbolic and suggestive，rather than realistic．Above all else，the skill of performers is evaluated according to the beauty of their movements．Performers also hold a variety of stylistic conventions that help audiences navigate the plot of the production．The layers of meaning within each movement must be expressed in time with music．The music of Beijing opera can be divided into the Xipi and Erhuang styles．Melodies include arias （唱腔），fixed-tune melodies，and percussion patterns．The repertoire of Beijing opera includes over 1,400 works，which are based on Chinese history，folklore，and，increasingly，contemporary life.
In recent years，Beijing opera has attempted numerous reforms in response to sagging audience numbers．These reforms，which include improving performance quality，adapting new performance elements，and performing new and original plays，have met with mixed success．Some Western works have been adopted as new plays，but a lack of funding and an adverse political climate have left Beijing opera's fate uncertain as the form enters the 21st century．
【小题1】How long has Beijing Opera become a popular art form?

Fifteen percent of US teenagers aged 12 to 17 who own mobile phones have received nude（裸体）or nearly nude images of someone they know, according to a survey released on Tuesday.

Only four percent of mobile phone-owning   1  in that age group have sent sexually suggestive pictures of themselves, a practice known as "sexting,"   2  the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project.

The Pew survey found that girls and boys were equally as likely to have sent a suggestive picture to   3 person and  4   teenagers were more likely to have engaged in "sexting."

Eight percent of 17-year-olds with mobile phones have sent a sexually provocative（刺激的） image  5   texting and 30 percent have  6    a nude or nearly nude image on their phone.

Only four percent of 12-year-olds have sent suggestive images of   7  .

Amanda Lenhart, a senior research specialist at Pew and the author of the report, said sexually suggestive images have become a   8   of "relationship currency" for teens.

"These images are    9  as a part of or instead of sexual activity, or as a way of starting or  10  a relationship with a significant other," she said. "And they are also passed  11   to friends for their entertainment value, as a joke or for   12  ."

"The desire for risk-taking and sexual exploration during the teenage years   13   with a constant connection via mobile devices creates a 'perfect storm' for sexting," said Lenhart.

"Teenagers have always grappled with issues around sex and   14   , but their coming-of-age mistakes transgressions have never been so easily   15   and stored for others to see," she added.

The survey found that teens with unlimited text messaging plans were more likely to receive "sexts"   16   images of people they know. About 75 percent of mobile phone owning teens have unlimited plans.

Among this group, Pew said 18 percent reporting receiving "sexts"    17   with eight percent of teens on    18   data plans and three percent of teens who pay per message.

According to Pew, 58 percent of 12-year-olds own a mobile phone and 83 percent teens aged 17   19    .

Pew noted that a number of US states are grappling with how to  20   "sexting" among minors and some legislatures(立法机关) have stepped in to consider laws that would downgrade charges from felonies（重罪） to misdemeanors（轻罪）.

Pew conducted telephone interviews with 800 teens aged 12 to 17 and their parents between June 26 and September 24.

(   ) 1. A. teens                  B. adults                   C. students            D. parents

(   ) 2. A. referring to               B. reporting          C. saying              D. according to

(   ) 3. A. other                 B. another             C. others               D. the other

(   ) 4. A. younger             B. fewer                      C. older               D. more

(   ) 5. A. by                         B. in                    C. on                    D. through

(   ) 6. A. accepted             B. received           C. sent                  D. mailed

(   ) 7. A. others               B. themselves        C. himself             D. herself

(   ) 8. A. habit                  B. system              C. method             D. form

(   ) 9. A. shared               B. limited             C. tasted                      D. controlled

(   ) 10. A. remaining        B. gaining             C. maintaining      D. obtain

(   ) 11. A. along                      B. by                    C. as                    D. for

(   ) 12. A. joy                  B. fun                  C. excitement      D. delight

(   ) 13. A. compared        B. followed           C. combined        D. went

(   ) 14. A. friendships      B. scholarships      C. relatives           D. relationships

(   ) 15. A. transmitted    B. transformed      C. formed             D. switched

(   ) 16. A. containing               B. concluding        C. including          D. concerning

(   ) 17. A. comparing               B. compared        C. connected        D. joined

(   ) 18. A. limited             B. unlimited          C. few                  D. little

(   ) 19. A. have               B. same               C. do                    D. too

(   ) 20. A. do with            B. deal with          C. remove             D. ban

阅读理解

As you explore (探索) music, you will find much that is familiar to you. You will find music which tells of interesting places and exciting things to do, you will find music which expresses feelings that are often your own.

   Music is an expression of the people. As you explore, you will find music of people at work, and in worship(做礼拜). You will find music expresses love of country, love of nature, and love of home.

   Music is also an expression of the composer(作曲家)。

   As an artist the composer expresses his own musical ideas. He studies the materials of music and discovers ways of using them. He looks for new kinds of musical expression.

   Music can suggest activities (活动) and feelings, which we all share. We can enjoy playing and singing music, dancing and listening to the music of the people and the artists of different times and places.

1．The title of this passage is　　   .

A. Let’s Enjoy Singing and Dancing

B. Let’s Explore Music

C. Music—An Expression of Composers

D. Music—A Suggestive Feeling

2．In the first paragraph, the author appeals (呼吁)to us, saying　　   .

A. “Try to write music”

B. “Be friendly to music”

C. “Express your feeling in music”

D. “Discover the things and places in music.”

3．From the second paragraph, we know that　　   .

A. music is mainly of country, nature and home

B. if we love music, we will love the country , mature and home

C. you may listen to music at work or at play

D. music can express how people live, work, and think

4．By means of music, the composer wishes that   　　.

A. you would study with him

B. you could share his feelings and ideas

C. you would express your own feelings

D. you would help discover ways of using music and new kinds of musical expression

5．The last paragraph observes that music makes it possible　　   .

A. to express activities and feelings at the same time

B. to bring understanding between people of different times and places

C. that people can enjoy playing and singing music, dancing and listening to music at the same time

D. that people of different times and places can get together

Fifteen percent of US teenagers aged 12 to 17 who own mobile phones have received nude（裸体）or nearly nude images of someone they know, according to a survey released on Tuesday.

Only four percent of mobile phone-owning   1  in that age group have sent sexually suggestive pictures of themselves, a practice known as "sexting,"   2  the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project.

The Pew survey found that girls and boys were equally as likely to have sent a suggestive picture to   3 person and  4   teenagers were more likely to have engaged in "sexting."

Eight percent of 17-year-olds with mobile phones have sent a sexually provocative（刺激的） image  5   texting and 30 percent have  6    a nude or nearly nude image on their phone.

Only four percent of 12-year-olds have sent suggestive images of   7  .

Amanda Lenhart, a senior research specialist at Pew and the author of the report, said sexually suggestive images have become a   8   of "relationship currency" for teens.

"These images are    9  as a part of or instead of sexual activity, or as a way of starting or  10  a relationship with a significant other," she said. "And they are also passed  11   to friends for their entertainment value, as a joke or for   12  ."

"The desire for risk-taking and sexual exploration during the teenage years   13   with a constant connection via mobile devices creates a 'perfect storm' for sexting," said Lenhart.

"Teenagers have always grappled with issues around sex and   14   , but their coming-of-age mistakes transgressions have never been so easily   15   and stored for others to see," she added.

The survey found that teens with unlimited text messaging plans were more likely to receive "sexts"   16   images of people they know. About 75 percent of mobile phone owning teens have unlimited plans.

Among this group, Pew said 18 percent reporting receiving "sexts"    17   with eight percent of teens on    18   data plans and three percent of teens who pay per message.

According to Pew, 58 percent of 12-year-olds own a mobile phone and 83 percent teens aged 17   19    .

Pew noted that a number of US states are grappling with how to  20   "sexting" among minors and some legislatures(立法机关) have stepped in to consider laws that would downgrade charges from felonies（重罪） to misdemeanors（轻罪）.

Pew conducted telephone interviews with 800 teens aged 12 to 17 and their parents between June 26 and September 24.

(   ) 1. A. teens                  B. adults               C. students            D. parents

(   ) 2. A. referring to               B. reporting          C. saying              D. according to

(   ) 3. A. other                 B. another             C. others               D. the other

(   ) 4. A. younger             B. fewer                      C. older                D. more

(   ) 5. A. by                     B. in                    C. on                    D. through

(   ) 6. A. accepted             B. received           C. sent                  D. mailed

(   ) 7. A. others                B. themselves        C. himself             D. herself

(   ) 8. A. habit                  B. system              C. method             D. form

(   ) 9. A. shared                B. limited             C. tasted                      D. controlled

(   ) 10. A. remaining         B. gaining             C. maintaining      D. obtain

(   ) 11. A. along                      B. by                    C. as                    D. for

(   ) 12. A. joy                  B. fun                  C. excitement        D. delight

(   ) 13. A. compared         B. followed           C. combined         D. went

(   ) 14. A. friendships       B. scholarships      C. relatives           D. relationships

(   ) 15. A. transmitted       B. transformed      C. formed             D. switched

(   ) 16. A. containing               B. concluding        C. including          D. concerning

(   ) 17. A. comparing               B. compared         C. connected         D. joined

(   ) 18. A. limited             B. unlimited          C. few                  D. little

(   ) 19. A. have                B. same                C. do                    D. too

(   ) 20. A. do with            B. deal with          C. remove             D. ban

The Girl Who Fell From the Sky
From its opening lines – “ ‘You my lucky piece,’ Grandma says.... Her hand is wrapped around mine” – Heidi W. Durrow pulls us into her first novel, a moving story encircling us as firmly as that protective grandmotherly grip.
When we meet Rachel Morse, the daughter of an African-American GI and a Danish woman, she is just moving into the Portland, Oregon., home of her strong-minded paternal grandmother and her warm, classy Aunt Loretta. We soon learn that Rachel has survived a fall from a nine-story apartment building in which her mother, brother, and baby sister all died. Three months earlier, Rachel’s mother had left her alcoholic husband in Germany, following her “orange-haired” lover to Chicago. But Nella hadn’t been prepared for boyfriend’s drinking and racism, or for the looks and questions she gets as the mother of three brown children.
Rachel’s “new-girl feeling” in her grandmother’s home goes beyond her recent tragedy. Having grown up with a Scandinavian mother in the more colorblind society of an overseas Army base, this is her first time in a mostly black community. Her light-brown skin, “fuzzy” hair, and blue eyes raise questions about her racial identity that are entirely new and puzzling to her.
Starting sixth grade in her new school, Rachel notes, “There are fifteen black people in the class and seven white people. And there’s me. There’s another girl who sits in the back. Her name is Carmen LaGuardia, and she has hair like mine, my same color skin, and she counts as black. I don’t understand how, but she seems to know.” Several years later, in high school, her status remains uncertain. “They call me an Oreo. I don’t want to be white. Sometimes I want to go back to being what I was. I want to be nothing.”
Winner of the Bellwether Prize, created by Barbara Kingsolver to celebrate fiction that addresses issues of social injustice, “The Girl Who Fell From the Sky” comes at a time when bi-racial and multicultural identity – so markedly represented by President Obama – is especially topical.
But set in the 1980s and focusing on one unusually sympathetic girl overcoming family tragedy and feeling her way through racial tensions, Durrow’s novel surpasses topicality.
Like Rachel, Durrow is the light-brown-skinned, blue-eyed daughter of a Danish mother and an African-American father enlisted in the Air Force. With degrees from Stanford, Columbia Journalism School, and Yale Law School, it’s no wonder she gives her heroine discipline and brains.
Rachel’s life, however, is clearly not Durrow’s. No, there’s alcohol and drug addiction; deaths by fire, trauma, and infection. There are mothers who lose their children, and a saintly drug counselor who loses his beloved girl-friend. Through it all, what makes Durrow’s novel soar is her masterful sense of voice, her assured, delicate handling of complex racial issues – and her heart.
After hearing the blues music for the first time, Rachel feels what her mother called hyggeligt – “something like comfort and home and love all rolled into one.” She wonders what might have happened if her mother had known about such soulful music, “that sometimes there’s a way to take the sadness and turn it into a beautiful song.”
This, of course, is precisely what Durrow has done in this powerful book: taken sadness and turned it into a beautiful song.
60. What should be the direct cause of Rachel coming to Portland, Oregon?
A. Her mother left her alcoholic father.
B. A deadly tragedy happened to her family.
C. Her grandmother wants her to come and stay with her.
D. There was too much racism where she used to live with her mother.
61. Durrow’s life is different from Rachel’s in that _____________.
A. Durrow has to struggle through her life, depending on herself.
B. Durrow is troubled in her life by racism, living in a poor neighborhood.
C. Durrow has come through life much easier, with a better family background.
D. There’s alcohol and drug addiction in Durrow’s suffering-laden neighborhood.
62. Why does the writer of the book review mention President Obama in this writing?
A. To show the progress in America’s black community.
B. To highlight the racial harmony in the United States.
C. To indicate Obama’s influence in helping Durrow win the Bellwether Prize.
D. To remind readers of the background when the novel was written and won the Bellwether Prize.
63. The blues music Rachel hears is, deep at the bottom of her heart, most suggestive of ______.
A. bravery          B. hope           C. sadness         D. beauty