B
新素材 社会热点 On October 25th, 2025, a surprising theatrical event was held in Fuzhou, East China's Jiangxi Province. The English-language form of *The Peony Pavilion*, adapted(改编) by the University of Birmingham's Shakespeare Institute(伯明翰大学莎士比亚学院), was performed for the first time in China. This marked the first performance of the English form of Tang Xianzu's masterpiece(杰作) on an Asian stage. It was an important moment mixing Eastern and Western literary(文学的) traditions.
This first performance was part of the Tang Xianzu International Drama Exchange Month. It was not only a performance, but also a great act of cultural communication. *A Midsummer Night's Dream* and *The Nankeji* shared the same stage, creating a conversation between Tang Xianzu (1550—1616) and William Shakespeare (1564—1616). Though living in different worlds and never meeting each other, their works are very similar. They both focused on topics of love, fate(命运) and other themes, which modern people still pay attention to and think about.
The English-language form of *The Peony Pavilion* is a
successful
try of cross-culture creation. It translates the complex(复杂的) vocal melodies and rhythms of Kunqu opera into a form that English speakers can understand, which requires not only language translation but also an understanding of cultural background. People's opinions on this performance form a bridge of cultural exchange, proving that art can unite people from different cultures.
This event brought young performers from China and the UK together. They brought new life to classic works and turned historical artworks into lively modern pieces. This event also reminds us that cultural differences are not barriers (阻碍), but bridges that require understanding and inspiration.
(
B
)5. What's the meaning of the English-language form of *The Peony Pavilion* being performed in Fuzhou?
A. It created a new way to translate plays.
B. It marked the first Asian show of this form.
C. It helped Tang Xianzu's works become popular.
D. It proved Eastern stories are better than Western ones.
(
A
)6. What can we know from Paragraph 2?
A. Tang Xianzu and Shakespeare shared common topics in their works.
B. Tang Xianzu and Shakespeare lived in different times but knew each other well.
C. *A Midsummer Night's Dream* and *The Nankeji* are more popular than other plays.
D. The Tang Xianzu International Drama Exchange Month includes three famous plays.
(
D
)7. 新考法 单词回填 Which word can be put in "
" in Paragraph 3?
A. comfortable
B. dangerous
C. lucky
D. successful
(
A
)8. 新考法 组合选择 What does it require to create a Kunqu opera form that English speakers can understand?
① Language translation.
② Connection with Tang's other works.
③ An understanding of cultural background.
④ Gathering with young UK-China performers.
A. ①③
B. ①④
C. ②③
D. ②④
(
D
)9. 新考法 写作意图 What is the writer's purpose of writing the passage?
A. To show a special performance.
B. To compare different topics of art.
C. To introduce great writers in history.
D. To show cultural communication.
