An hour before the show, the backstage (后台) was busy and noisy. Young male Peking Opera artists in their 20s were applying makeup, adjusting costumes, stretching, and clearing their throats. The air was filled with the sounds of traditional Chinese instruments.

“These young people started learning with me when they were just kids—now they’re adults, leading the shows themselves,” says Yang Shaochun, an 85-year-old Peking Opera master.

This weekend, four shows will be put on at Beijing People’s Theatre. Young wuxi artists will play the lead roles.

Wuxi, or martial (武术的) play, is the base of the fighting and movement part in Peking Opera. Wei Pengyu, a 29-year-old actor, was attracted to Peking Opera as a child—not by the music or stories at first, but by the colorful, amazing facial masks that brought the characters to life. At 14, he began training in Peking Opera, especially in wusheng—a male role type. “For me, stepping into the role of a hero is a dream come true,” he says.

“Playing wuxi isn’t just about action—it’s about expressing the character’s courage, justice (正义), loyalty and strength through movements,” says Xu Zhouyi, 25, another male actor.

Later that evening, a classic piece San Cha Kou was played by two young actors, Wu Zeyu and Shu Jiaxing. The viewers were attracted to the great scene and cheered for the actors’ excellent martial art movements.

Wu and Shu practiced together for nearly a year. “San Cha Kou is a test of trust between two actors. We have to read each other’s energy—know when one is speeding up or slowing down. Every movement must be perfectly counted to avoid real crashes while still looking dangerous,” says Wu.

1.1．What does the underlined part mean in Paragraph 1?

A Asking the master for help.

B Getting ready for the show.

C Having a martial art lesson.

D Learning a new instrument.

解析：选B。B.词义猜测题。划线部分 “applying makeup, adjusting costumes, stretching, and clearing their throats” 均为演出前的准备动作，结合前文 “An hour before the show”，可知是为演出做准备，选 B。

2.2．Why does the writer mention Wei Pengyu and Xu Zhouyi?

A To share their life experiences.

B To compare their training results.

C To show their understanding of wuxi.

D To express their love for facial masks.

解析：选C。C.推理判断题。魏鹏宇谈武生角色的意义，徐周毅讲武戏的核心是通过动作传情，两人表述均围绕对武戏的理解，选 C。

3.3．What message can we learn from the successful show of San Cha Kou?

A Practice makes perfect.

B One is never too old to learn.

C Great hopes make great man.

D Friends should be few but good.

解析：选A。A.主旨大意题。《三岔口》的成功源于两位演员近一年的共同排练，体现 “熟能生巧”，A 符合；B 侧重终身学习，C 侧重远大志向，D 侧重交友，均与文意无关，选 A。

4.4．What is a suitable title for the text?

A Wuxi movements impress viewers

B Young actors shine in Peking Opera

C Wuxi actors celebrate after graduating

D A Peking Opera master opens a school

解析：选B。B.主旨大意题。文章核心围绕青年京剧演员主演武戏、展现风采展开，B “青年演员闪耀京剧舞台” 贴合主旨；A 仅侧重武戏动作，C 无 “毕业庆祝” 相关内容，D 未突出 “青年演员” 核心，选 B。