As China’s 2025 May Day holiday approaches, the film market is thriving with presale tickets surpassing 30 million yuan by April 28. Leading the charts is The Dumpling Queen, a heartfelt biopic (传记电影) about Zang Jianhe, the founder of the famous Wanchai Ferry brand. The film’s success reflects its powerful message of perseverance, resonating deeply with audiences.
Directed by Andrew Lau and starring comedian-turned-dramatic actress Ma Li, the movie traces Zang’s extraordinary journey. Born in Shandong in 1945, Zang faced life’s harshest blows — split up with her husband in 1970s Hong Kong, she worked 20 hours a day to support her two daughters alone. With only her family’s dumpling recipe, she started selling food at the Wanchai Ferry Terminal. Her commitment to quality — handmaking each dumpling despite exhaustion — gradually won loyal customers, transforming her stall into a global frozen-food empire.
Ma Li, known for comedy roles, initially doubted her ability to portray Zang’s struggles. “I worried people wouldn’t accept me in this serious role,” she admitted. However, director Lau’s guidance helped her overcome challenges, including acting alongside Cantonese-speaking co-stars. Ma connected Zang’s story to her own early career hardships, stating, “Her fight for dignity mirrors every ordinary person’s battle to control their fate.”
Beyond entertainment, the film offers practical lessons. Zang’s business wisdom — like creating mini dumplings for children after noticing parents’ mealtime struggles — shows creative problem-solving. Her daily routines, such as waking at 3 AM to prepare fresh ingredients, demonstrate the value of discipline. Interestingly, she turned cooking into a classroom, teaching her daughters math through ingredient measurements and communication skills through customer interactions — a reminder that education exists beyond textbooks.
Produced by CMC Pictures, The Dumpling Queen will premiere globally in May, sharing a uniquely Chinese story of resilience. As Zang’s motto goes, “Sometimes, the smallest things carry the biggest dreams.” For students, her journey proves that courage and hard work can turn life’s challenges into stepping stones — a message as nourishing as her dumplings.
原创编写 版权所有 侵权必究！ 每日更新 个性化阅读 英语飙升！
1.1. What makes The Dumpling Queen popular?
A Its big budget.
B Its famous director.
C Its inspiring theme.
D Its unique setting.
解析：选C。C 推理判断题。由第一段中的“The film’s success reflects its powerful message of perseverance, resonating deeply with audiences”可知，电影受欢迎是因为其传递的关于坚持的有力主题能与观众产生共鸣。故选C。
3.3. What can we infer about Ma Li?
A She disliked drama roles.
B She doubted the director.
C She related to Zang’s story.
D She refused Cantonese co-stars.
解析：选C。C 细节理解题。根据第三段中的“Ma connected Zang’s story to her own early career hardships, stating, ‘Her fight for dignity mirrors every ordinary person’s battle to control their fate.’”可知，马丽将臧健和的故事与自己早期的职业困难联系起来。故选C。
4.4. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to Paragraph 4?
A Zang has no time to tutor her children.
B Everyday life is a rich source of learning and growth.
C Zang lacks in traditional business strategies.
D Formal education in schools is less important.
解析：选B。B 推理判断题。根据第四段内容可知，该电影不仅有娱乐性，还蕴含实用经验，如臧健和通过观察家长用餐难题推出儿童迷你饺子，体现创新解决问题；用凌晨3点准备食材展现自律；将烹饪变成课堂教女儿知识，这些都表明日常生活是学习和成长的丰富源泉。故选B。
