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Compilation of 2025 High School First Semester Final Exam Questions – Information Text Reading (II) (Jiangsu Special Edition)
(24-25 High School First Semester – Jiangsu Yancheng – Final Exam) Read the text below and complete the following questions.
Material 1:
The origin of Chinese novels lies in storytelling, which is not considered a refined pursuit. The refined individuals of that time were busy writing poetry. Thus, novels have historically held a low status, regarded as “minor paths” and “minor skills”. Even the authors of novels were often ashamed to mention their writing, leading to the uncertainty surrounding the authorship of vernacular novels, including the Four Great Classical Novels. It is now widely accepted that “Dream of the Red Chamber” was written by Cao Xueqin, but some argue that the evidence is insufficient, suggesting that the author might have been Cao Xueqin’s father or someone else. Many believe that “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” was written by Luo Guanzhong, but others disagree. “Water Margin” and “Journey to the West” also face similar authorship issues. The true authors of these famous novels remain unclear because novels had no status in ancient times; even if someone wrote one, they rarely signed their real name. Storytelling, acting, and writing novels were pastimes that could not earn respect from the scholarly community and could even damage one’s reputation.
This situation has completely changed now; in recent years, novelists have often taken the lead in the literary world, but this does not mean that novels have become a particularly elegant genre.
Ultimately, novels are still mundane, closely tied to everyday life. They depict scenes of life’s pleasures and sorrows, as well as individual experiences, encounters, and destinies. A person without experience in mundane life often cannot write a good novel. If Cao Xueqin had not experienced life in a wealthy family and had not grown up with those memories, he could not have written “Dream of the Red Chamber”.
Therefore, novels should not reject mundane matters and everyday life; on the contrary, only by grounding themselves in mundane life can writers solidify their portrayal of life. As the ancients said, “Words must be popular to spread far, and language must resonate to move people,” which refers to novels rather than poetry. The saying “Literature cannot be popular, but the mundane can be” further expresses the essence of novels, which are often referred to as “popular narratives” for this reason.
The debate over the elegance and mundanity of literature has a long history. Most people may have an impulse to yearn for the mundane; the mundane is merely not noble, and its existence is not a sin. Giving mundane literature its rightful status and correct understanding is beneficial for the diverse and rich development of literature.
Literary history will not become vulgar because of the works of Zhang Henshui, nor will it lower its standards because of Jin Yong. Acknowledging the lineage of mundane literature will only make the landscape of Chinese literature more complete.
Liang Qichao once said: “A major key to the evolution of literature is the transformation from ancient language literature to vernacular literature. The development of literature in all countries follows this trajectory. Since the Song Dynasty, it has truly been a great evolution of our country’s literature. Why? Because vernacular literature has developed greatly.” (Excerpted from Xie Youshun’s “The Origin of the Novel: Harmony of Elegance and Mundanity”)
Material 2:
In traditional Chinese popular literature, there is also a distinction between elegance and mundanity. The “Flower and Elegance Debate” in the Qing Dynasty refers to the distinction between Kunqu, which was regarded as elegant music, and the chaotic performances of other flower genres. There is also a difference between the classical narrative of the essay-style novel and the vernacular narrative of the chapter-based novel; for example, “Shishuo Xinyu” is often not regarded as a popular novel. The distinction between elegance and mundanity can be flexible, but the genre is not the key to distinguishing them. Especially for novels, “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” and “Dream of the Red Chamber” are traditional popular novels, but contemporary readers regard them only as classics. Classics are considered “correct” and thus “elegant”. Therefore, the distinction between elegance and mundanity involves the issue of readers.
In “The Rise of the Novel”, Watt specifically discusses the direct correlation between the “mass audience” and the rise of the “novel”. Lowenthal also discusses in his book “Literature, Popular Culture, and Society” that in the 18th century, “even a relatively unknown writer could earn a substantial income by writing serialized novels for an enthusiastic public.” In China, the practice of earning income through serialized novels began in the late 19th century. After the literary revolution, new writers regarded literature as a cause for enlightenment and salvation, and excluded those who earned readers and income through serialized novels from the “mainstream” literature. Consequently, later researchers collectively referred to these excluded writers as “popular writers”. The modern Chinese literary “debate over elegance and mundanity” was actively initiated by elegant literature, namely the new writers, who regarded popular literature as a relative existence, initially criticizing it, then gradually accepting it, and ultimately integrating it. The launch of the literary revolution aimed to “establish people”; reader enlightenment was key to the success of new literature. To win readers’ support, it was necessary to exclude popular literature, which already had a large readership. Elegant and mundane literature competed for the reader market. The rise of leftist literature in the 1930s can be interpreted as a literary movement spreading to the proletariat, mass readers, especially the lower classes. The movement of popularization and simplification of literature unfolded in new literature, thus allowing elegant and mundane literature to learn from each other’s strengths. In the 1940s, Zhu Ziqing proposed “appreciation of both elegance and mundanity”, which was both an invitation to the ideal reader and a requirement for literary creation.
In the history of modern and contemporary Chinese literature, the distinction between elegance and mundanity hardly exists in poetry, prose, and drama, but there is indeed a distinction in novels, and this distinction has also changed from modern to contemporary times. In the first half of the 20th century, elegant and mundane literature mainly referred to new literature and the so-called “Butterfly Literature” named by it, which is the difference and connection between what contemporary scholars call “popular literature”. From the second half of the 20th century to the present, “popular literature” is no longer the “Butterfly Literature”; it has been replaced by terms such as popular literature, mass culture, best-selling novels, and online literature, which better fit contemporary trends.
(Excerpted from Zhang Lei and Meng Liang’s “The Distinction Between Elegance and Mundanity in Novels”)
69. Which of the following understandings and analyses related to the materials is incorrect? ( ）
A. The origin of Chinese novels lies in storytelling, which is not refined, and is considered “minor paths” and “minor skills”, thus the authors of the Four Great Classical Novels are controversial.
B. Although novels are not considered a particularly elegant genre, in fact, in recent years, novelists have often taken the lead in the literary world.
C. In China, some writers earn income by writing serialized novels, but the new writers who regard literature as a cause for enlightenment and salvation do not fall into this category.
D. In the history of modern and contemporary Chinese literature, novels have both elegance and mundanity, and the current saying that “popular literature” is referred to as “popular art” fits the contemporary trend.
70. According to the content of the materials, which of the following statements is incorrect? ( ）
A. The statement that “a person without experience in mundane life often cannot write a good novel” can prove that “life is the source of creation”.
B. Some Chinese novels are referred to as “popular narratives”, which may have origins in the saying “literature cannot be popular, but the mundane can be”.
C. The presence of Zhang Henshui and Jin Yong in Chinese literature adds richness to the content of Chinese literature.
D. The distinction between elegance and mundanity in the literary field, as well as the debate over elegance and mundanity, is only directed at the writer community and has nothing to do with the general readers.
71. Which of the following options can serve as evidence to support the viewpoint of Material 1? ( ）
A. The recent ban by the National Radio and Television Administration on micro-dramas like “霸总” that convey distorted values has been implemented.
B. The novel “Human World” resonates with the times, narrating the growth history of three generations and exploring the fate of the common people, and is well-received by readers.
C. South Korean writer Han Jiang’s novel, built on dreams and memories, won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature.
D. The painter Huang Gongwang’s “Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains” depicts the beautiful scenery along the Fuchun River and is praised as “the orchid in the painting”.
72. Material 1 mentions “Dream of the Red Chamber” multiple times; please find two instances and briefly analyze their significance.
73. Based on the content of the materials, discuss how we should understand the “elegance” and “mundanity” of literature.
(24-25 High School First Semester – Jiangsu Nantong – Final Exam) Read the text below and complete the following questions.
Material 1:
During the Yan’an period, a group of international friends represented by American journalist Edgar Snow deeply entered the liberated areas and wrote a series of works telling the story of the Chinese Communist Party, which had a significant impact internationally. However, in Mao Zedong’s view, while it is important for others to tell the story of Chinese culture, the best understanding of Chinese culture comes from the Chinese themselves, and the discourse power of external cultural dissemination should be in the hands of the Chinese. Initially, due to the limited capacity for foreign language publishing and international distribution in the new China, the English version of “Selected Works of Mao Zedong” was published in the UK through a publishing agreement signed between the China International Bookstore and the Lawrence Publishing Company, led by the British Communist Party.In March 1954, the General Secretary of the British Communist Party, Pollitt, wrote to propose that they were prepared to delete the first and second natural paragraphs of the first section of “War and Strategic Issues” in Volume 2 of “Selected Works of Mao Zedong”, arguing that these two paragraphs advocating armed revolution did not align with their “path to socialism in Britain” program. The Central Propaganda Department of the CPC planned to respond in agreement with Pollitt’s opinion, but Mao Zedong believed that “this response seems inappropriate.” The negative response from the International Liaison Department of the CPC, reviewed by Mao Zedong, was sent out on August 23. Subsequently, Mao Zedong also discussed this issue with Pollitt in person the following year. However, Lawrence Publishing Company still deleted these two paragraphs in the English version of “Selected Works of Mao Zedong”, and the Chinese side ultimately decided not to authorize Lawrence Publishing Company any further. The important experience and lesson left by this incident is that while external cultural dissemination can be “told by others”, it must also be “told by ourselves”; otherwise, we may lose our discourse power.
As a politician who has read extensively and is skilled in poetry and prose, Mao Zedong understood the internal laws of cultural dissemination. Mao Zedong has always advocated that propaganda articles should “speak reason well” and should not be written in a “party eight-legged style”; they should be targeted and not “aimlessly”, especially external cultural dissemination and propaganda should be suitable for the acceptance habits of foreigners. In Mao Zedong’s view, “different countries require different approaches”. Compared to issues of language and form, he placed greater importance on the spirit of equality in cultural dissemination. In the face of some phenomena in China’s external cultural work, such as excessive politicization and “self-talk”, Mao Zedong has always been committed to stopping and solving them. Regarding the so-called notion that China is the “center of world revolution”, Mao Zedong emphasized: “Such words should not be spoken by the Chinese; this is the so-called ‘I-centered’ erroneous thought.” He repeatedly advocated that exchanges and cooperation between people, parties, and countries must be mutually beneficial and should not center on one party, “so that no party suffers damage”; otherwise, cooperation cannot be maintained. In his view, this “spirit of equality” in cultural activities largely determines the effectiveness of cultural dissemination.
Mao Zedong particularly emphasized that while the new China has achieved significant accomplishments under the socialist system, its “poverty and weakness” also make it temporarily impossible to rapidly change its relatively backward appearance. Therefore, “in our own aspect, we should not exaggerate in external propaganda. At any time, we must be humble and cautious, and keep a low profile.” He praised the practice of “China Construction” that “speaks with facts” and instructed that “external propaganda should be like this.” During the “Great Leap Forward” period, there was a tendency towards “grandiosity” in external cultural work. Therefore, the “Central Committee of the CPC’s Instructions on Correcting the Phenomenon of Arrogance in External Relations” pointed out that “in all external exchanges, propaganda, and contacts, we must advocate a style of seeking truth from facts, and resolutely correct the phenomena of grandiosity and rashness”; external propaganda must be based on evidence and analysis, “it is better to do more and say less, and never say more than what can be done”; of course, we must also “oppose national inferiority and never allow any wavering regarding our correct things”. In short, we must objectively introduce the new China and Chinese culture, oppose grandiosity, and firmly uphold cultural confidence, while opposing cultural nihilism.
(Excerpted from Luo Siliang’s “Mao Zedong’s Initial Exploration of Chinese Culture Going Global”)
Material 2:
Currently, from a global perspective, the biggest obstacle to Chinese culture going global is the “China Threat Theory” propagated by Western countries. The emergence of this erroneous statement has led some countries that do not understand China to begin to question, and these doubts have largely hindered the development of Chinese culture. Therefore, the urgent task is to change this questioning. In the report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to promote the construction of international communication capabilities, tell the Chinese story well, and present a real, three-dimensional, and comprehensive China, thereby enhancing the country’s cultural soft power. Therefore, to break the phenomenon of Western cultural hegemony and eliminate cultural barriers, we need to accelerate the enhancement of national soft power, effectively promote international cultural dissemination and exchange. The development of globalization is unstoppable, and our country should continue to maintain an open state. In the process of opening up to the outside world, our culture will inevitably collide and exchange with other cultures, and on this basis, we should pay attention to maintaining national cultural security, always achieving “taking the initiative and using it for ourselves”, focusing on enhancing our cultural soft power while improving our ability to resist cultural hegemony.
To respond to cultural hegemony, we need to enhance our international discourse power, as the issue of discourse power is related to a country’s status in the international arena. In the face of this issue, our country should always adhere to an independent and peaceful foreign policy, follow the principles of international exchanges, actively participate in international affairs, and showcase the image of China as a great civilization and a responsible major country. At the same time, we must firmly follow the path of peaceful development with Chinese characteristics, express goodwill for harmonious development to all countries, and take on the responsibilities of a responsible major country, explaining the idea of win-win cooperation to gain the trust and support of other countries. We must continue to accelerate the inheritance and promotion of excellent traditional culture, expanding the influence of Chinese culture internationally. The power of culture is immense, and its impact is subtle. Through the continuous exchange and integration of our culture with other cultures, we can spread contemporary Chinese values to the world, which is beneficial for breaking the prejudices of certain countries against China, providing more development opportunities for resisting cultural hegemony and promoting Chinese culture to “go global”.
(Excerpted from Xu Jie and Li Ruiping’s “Realistic Challenges and Optimization Strategies for Chinese Culture Going Global”)
74. Which of the following understandings and analyses related to the materials is incorrect? ( ）
A. The works of foreign friends such as “Red Star Over China” have had a significant impact internationally, indicating that external cultural dissemination can be “told by others”.
B. Mao Zedong believed that propaganda articles should speak reason well and be targeted, which aims to make the disseminated Chinese culture fit the acceptance habits of foreigners.
C. Enhancing national soft power and promoting Chinese culture to go global is a response to the report’s emphasis on “promoting international communication capabilities and telling the Chinese story well”.
D. An independent and peaceful foreign policy and the path of peaceful development with Chinese characteristics both contribute to spreading contemporary Chinese values to the world.
75. According to the content of the materials, which of the following statements is incorrect? ( ）
A. The deletion of paragraphs in the English version of “Selected Works of Mao Zedong” published in the UK indicates that without “telling ourselves”, we may lose our discourse power.
B. Mao Zedong believed that external propaganda must maintain humility and caution, thus opposing grandiosity while firmly upholding cultural confidence.
C. The emergence of the “China Threat Theory” has led to questioning from some countries, which hinders the development of Chinese culture.
D. Accelerating the inheritance and promotion of excellent traditional culture is beneficial for enhancing cultural soft power and resisting cultural hegemony.
76. The two materials provide specific strategies for Chinese culture going global. Which of the following statements is inconsistent with the text? ( ）
A. Domestic game “Genshin Impact” not only features prominent Chinese elements but also integrates Chinese and foreign civilizations, resonating with different audiences.
B. “National Music Anthology” pushes recently organized, collected, and newly recorded traditional Chinese music to major global music apps.
C. The documentary “Bencao China” promotes traditional Chinese medicine culture to the world, shaping a positive and active image of China.
D. Haier Group adheres to the “high-end brand creation” strategy overseas, achieving high-end development in multiple businesses such as refrigeration, kitchen appliances, and laundry.
77. Mao Zedong’s feeling when reading the poem “Pipa Xing” is: “Jiangzhou Sima, the blue shirt is wet with tears, both are in the world. The author and the pipa performer have an equal feeling. The height of the poem is here, not elsewhere.” How should this “equal feeling” be understood in the process of Chinese culture “going global”? Please analyze briefly in conjunction with Material 1.
78. Telling the Chinese story well is a basic method of external propaganda work and a basic way to enhance the influence of Chinese culture. In the process of Chinese culture “going global”, why is it necessary to emphasize the mastery of discourse power?
(24-25 High School First Semester – Jiangsu Xuzhou – Final Exam) Read the text below and complete the following questions.
Material 1:
The Great Wall is the longest, largest, and most far-reaching military project in the world, regarded as a symbol of Chinese civilization, and has long attracted global attention. The Great Wall profoundly changed the overall course of Chinese history, and in-depth research on the Great Wall is an important perspective for revealing Chinese history and even world history. Understanding the Great Wall involves not only the objective material wall but also the subjective cultural wall. The evolution of Great Wall culture constitutes an important connotation of the development history of Chinese civilization, and its study is also an important way and method to promote the creative transformation and innovative development of excellent traditional Chinese culture.
The origin of the Great Wall is generally believed to have begun in the Warring States period. At that time, due to mutual wars, various feudal states fortified their borders and built walls of different materials, which is what later generations referred to as the “Great Wall”.
After the Great Wall was built, it was not automatically abandoned with the changes of dynasties and border policies; subsequent dynasties continued to repair the previous Great Wall. The continuity, repair, and utilization of the Great Wall have been ongoing. Increasingly more literature, archaeological discoveries, and field investigations confirm that many periods previously thought not to have built the Great Wall actually did, and even on a large scale. Therefore, we should examine the Great Wall from a continuous rather than a fragmented perspective.
Throughout history, the Great Wall’s defense system has also continuously innovated and developed. The construction of the Great Wall has always utilized local materials. The various materials used in the construction of the Great Wall over the ages include stones, yellow earth, wood, reeds, and weeds. With the improvement of brick-making technology, the proportion of bricks used has gradually increased, and the external brick-and-stone construction form has formed the basic appearance of the Ming Great Wall that we see today. The beacon fire transmission technology of the Great Wall has evolved from drums and beacons to cannon signals; the enemy towers have transitioned from solid to hollow… The experiences accumulated by successive regimes have led to the development of an increasingly three-dimensional, dense, and complete Great Wall defense system. With the development and improvement of the Great Wall in terms of materials, craftsmanship, technology, defense concepts, and engineering concepts, its historical role has become increasingly prominent, playing a more significant role in safeguarding Chinese civilization and maintaining peace and order.
In ancient Chinese history, the Great Wall played an important role in uniting the north and south and unifying China. The Great Wall is not only a defense system that includes border walls, city walls, barriers, passes, camps, beacon towers, and moats, but also a transportation system that includes roads and post stations, as well as a trade system that includes customs, markets, and exchanges. Moreover, it encompasses governance systems that include civil institutions, folk settlements, and places of worship. Therefore, the interactions and exchanges between the Han people and northern ethnic groups did not occur solely near the linear wall but took place across the vast Great Wall border where all these facilities are distributed and radiated.
As a military project, the Great Wall has long maintained a significant stimulating effect on both sides. To ensure the traffic between the Great Wall border and the interior, the Central Plains dynasties continuously built roads and set up post stations, thus promoting the integration process between the Great Wall border and the interior. Although wars frequently occurred along the Great Wall border, during more peaceful periods, the north-south trade routes formed around the Great Wall and the east-west Silk Road promoted the long-term development of economic trade and cultural exchanges in northern China; especially after the Song Dynasty, cultural exchanges between the inside and outside of the Great Wall became frequent, and the Han people and northern ethnic groups, aided by various facilities, promoted deep exchanges of values, gradually forming an increasingly close economic and cultural community. Meanwhile, the border regimes of the Great Wall played a key role in the various unifications of ancient China, breaking the equilibrium and achieving national integration. This is also the historical foundation for the prominent unity of Chinese civilization to be formed and continuously developed.
(Excerpted from Zhao Xianhai’s “The Historical Role and Contemporary Inheritance of the Great Wall”)
Material 2:
Integrating the national spirit of thick virtue and self-improvement into the present. The Great Wall is one of the most precious world cultural heritage sites in human civilization history and is the spiritual totem of the Chinese nation. The construction of the Great Wall lasted for more than two thousand years, and under the conditions of closed transportation and harsh natural environments, the Chinese nation created an unprecedented human miracle with great wisdom and strength, which has been condensed into the spirit of the Great Wall through generations of Chinese people’s struggles and hardships. The spirit of the Great Wall is embedded in the towering architecture and also reflected beyond the vast scroll, containing the cultural thoughts and spiritual pursuits of the Chinese nation. The national characteristics of thick virtue and self-improvement carried by the spirit of the Great Wall inspire generations of Chinese people to strive and fight relentlessly. In the face of setbacks and challenges on the new journey, we must dare to fight and be good at fighting, gathering the powerful force of unity, hard work, and self-reliance of the Chinese people with the spirit of the Great Wall, and instilling unending spiritual motivation for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Integrating the spirit of patriotism of unity and resilience into the present. The Great Wall is the crystallization of the national mobilization of manpower, material resources, and financial resources across the country. The Great Wall has witnessed and participated in the historical process of the formation and development of the multi-ethnic unity of the Chinese nation, and the patriotism of unity and resilience contained in it has deeply integrated into the blood of the Chinese nation. Along with the historical changes in Chinese society, the Great Wall has witnessed the Chinese nation’s unwavering mission to maintain national and ethnic unity, serving as a microcosm of the will and strength of national unity. For thousands of years, the Chinese nation has experienced countless hardships, yet it has always risen and grown from adversity. Inspired by the spirit of patriotism, generations of Chinese people have united and worked together, forming a sense of community among the Chinese nation. In contemporary times, there is an urgent need to vigorously promote the spirit of the Great Wall across the country, leveraging the spirit of patriotism in the face of challenges and moving forward together to continue the form of Chinese civilization.
Integrating the spirit of cultural confidence and peacekeeping into the present. Throughout a long historical period, the Great Wall has mostly served as a military defense structure to resist foreign enemies, reflecting the common desire of various ethnic groups inside and outside the wall for peace and happiness, symbolizing the Chinese nation’s long-standing cultural sentiment and spirit of peace. In the new journey of Chinese-style modernization, promoting the spirit of the Great Wall means inheriting the unique spirit and culture of the Chinese nation, emphasizing the national character of loving peace and opposing war. In contemporary times, we still need to promote the spirit of peacekeeping and openness, using excellent traditional Chinese culture to advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation while contributing to world peace and development, playing a role in building a spiritual home for humanity.
Having weathered the vicissitudes of life, the magnificent Great Wall tells the past history of the Chinese nation with its towering posture and showcases the profound cultural heritage of national spirit. The rich spirit and cultural monument contained in the Great Wall are the source of strength for contemporary China’s development. On the great journey of Chinese-style modernization, we must further promote the spirit of the Great Wall, allowing it to integrate into the present. Every Chinese person should become a bearer and disseminator of the spirit of the Great Wall, contributing to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation in the new era.
(Excerpted from Wang Guolong’s “Let the Spirit of the Great Wall Integrate into the Present”)
104. Which of the following understandings is incorrect? ( ）
A. The construction of the Great Wall has lasted for more than two thousand years, and its emergence has multiple historical functions; we should understand the Great Wall from both objective and subjective perspectives.
B. The construction of the Great Wall has always utilized local materials, thus various materials have been used, and the proportion of bricks has gradually increased due to the development of brick-making technology.
C. The construction of the Great Wall has promoted exchanges and interactions between border areas and the interior, accelerating the integration process between the border and the interior, making the inside and outside of the Great Wall increasingly close.
D. The construction of the Great Wall is an unprecedented human miracle created by the Chinese nation, not only a totem of the Chinese nation but also a precious cultural heritage of the world.
105. According to the materials, which of the following statements is incorrect? ( ）
A. The construction of the Great Wall began in the Warring States period and has never ceased; its completion is the result of the efforts of multiple dynasties, so it should be viewed from a continuous perspective.
B. The experiences accumulated by successive regimes have promoted the development of the Great Wall defense system, making the Great Wall an important military project, which is referred to as the historical artery.
C. The Great Wall is a witness to the formation and development of the multi-ethnic unity of the Chinese nation, and it is a witness to the growth of the Chinese nation, embodying the qualities of unity and resilience.
D. Promoting the spirit of the Great Wall means promoting the unique spirit and culture of the Chinese nation, focusing not only on the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation but also on world peace.
106. Which of the following poetic lines is not suitable as supporting evidence for the viewpoint of Material 2’s third paragraph? ( ）
A. The Great Wall built by Qin is stronger than iron, and the barbarians do not dare to cross Lin Tao. (Wang Zun’s “Ode to the Great Wall”)
B. If only the general of the dragon city could fly, he would not let the Hu horses cross Yin Mountain. (Wang Changling’s “Out of the Frontier”)
C. The skulls are all the soldiers of the Great Wall, and at dusk, the battlefield turns to ash. (Chang Jian’s “Song of the Great Wall”)
D. The general of the Han dynasty tests the beacon, and the white bones of the yellow sand embrace the Great Wall. (Li Yi’s “Under the Beacon of the Han Dynasty”)
107. What is the expressive effect of the sentence with a horizontal line in Material 1? Please analyze briefly.
108. The Great Wall was built in the distant Qin Dynasty; why is it still necessary to study the Great Wall in the new era? Please analyze briefly in conjunction with the materials.
(24-25 High School First Semester – Jiangsu Huai’an – Final Exam) Read the text below and complete the following questions.
Material 1:
Life is a multifaceted yet harmonious whole. When we analyze it, we say that some parts are practical activities, some are scientific activities, and some are aesthetic activities. For the sake of clarity, we should make these distinctions; however, we must not forget that a fulfilling life is characterized by the balanced development of these three activities. Although they can be distinguished, they are not mutually exclusive.
“Practical life” is a narrower concept than the overall meaning of life. The common mistake people make is to equate them, thinking that art has no value in “practical life”. Some people, in order to maintain the status of art, want to force it into the narrow scope of “practical life”. Such people not only misunderstand art but also fail to understand life. We view practical life as a segment of the overall life, so when affirming the distance between art and practical life, we are not affirming a gap between art and the entirety of life.
Life itself is a broader form of art. Each person’s life history is their own work. This work can be artistic or not, just as a stubborn stone can be sculpted into a great statue by one person, while another cannot make it “useful”. The difference lies in character and cultivation. A person who understands life is an artist, and their life is an artistic work.
Living a life is like writing an article; a perfect life has the beauty points that an excellent article should have.
Articles should avoid vulgarity, and life should also avoid vulgarity. Vulgarity means lacking one’s true self and blindly following others’ established norms. When Xi Shi suffers from heartache, she naturally shows her sorrow, which enhances her beauty. Dong Shi, who lacks heartache, can only mimic Xi Shi’s pose, which leads to disgust. In Xi Shi, it is creation; in Dong Shi, it is cliché. Cliché arises from a dry life, which is a manifestation of hypocrisy.
“Hypocrisy” is “ugly”; Croce has already said this. “The wind travels on water, naturally forming patterns”; the beauty of an article is like this, and the beauty of life is also like this. In what position one is, what kind of person one is, and what kind of feelings one has will all reflect in their words and actions, making one feel harmonious and complete at first sight. This is the art of living.
As the saying goes, “Only great heroes can be true to themselves.” The so-called artistic life is a life of authenticity. The two types of people whose lives are least artistic are the vulgar and the hypocritical. The “vulgar” lacks authenticity, while the “hypocrite” strives to cover up their true self. Zhu Huai’an has a poem that says:
“Half an acre of square pond opens a mirror, the sky and clouds wander together. How can I get such clarity? Because there is a source of living water.”
Artistic life must have appreciation and creation; individuals need to treat life as a work of art to enhance their character and achieve self-transcendence.
Artistic creation requires serious engagement with life, but it is not a simple replication of life. When art enters life, life is also incorporated into art, and the two complement each other.
A person’s life history is a kind of work. From an ethical perspective, it has distinctions of good and evil; from an artistic perspective, it has distinctions of beauty and ugliness. What is the relationship between good and evil and beauty and ugliness? Broadly speaking, good is a form of beauty, and evil is a form of ugliness. Because ethical activities can also evoke aesthetic appreciation and aversion. The great Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle discussed ethical issues, believing that goodness has levels; general goodness has only external value, while “the highest good” has intrinsic value, which is “doing nothing and doing it for fun”.
Art is an activity of taste, and an artistic life is a life rich in taste. People can be divided into two types: one type is rich in taste, finding interest in many things and seeking enjoyment in this taste everywhere. The other type is dry in taste, finding no interest in many things and not seeking taste, merely struggling for survival. The latter is the vulgar, while the former is the artist. The richer the taste, the more fulfilling the life; the so-called artistic life is a life of taste.
“Feeling interesting” is appreciation. Whether you know how to live depends on whether you can appreciate many things. Appreciation is also “doing nothing and doing it for fun”. In appreciation, people are as free as immortals and as blessed.
(Excerpted from Zhu Guangqian’s “The Art of Life”)
Material 2:
One of the main characteristics of the humanities is to explore the meaning of the world to us. Art grasps the creative imagination of the world, which is not only based on reality but also transcends reality, thus bringing about a self-transcendence of the artist’s subjectivity towards the world. Therefore, art, especially classical art, has the function of curbing the inflation of private desires and enhancing the cultivation of character. The highest realm of life should be the height of the unity of truth, goodness, and beauty, which is reflected not only at the psychological level but also at the practical level. The significance of an artistic life can be elaborated from three perspectives: individual existence, social relationships, and the relationship between humans and nature. It is a tasteful life, a harmonious life between people and between people and nature.
In our academic circles, the interpretation of the humanistic value of art often focuses more on the borrowing of foreign theories, while relatively neglecting the inheritance of indigenous theoretical resources, and lacks the integration of the two. Since Wang Guowei, Chinese aestheticians have created a series of aesthetic discourses such as “the usefulness of the useless”, “doing nothing and doing it for fun”, “using beauty to replace religion”, and “cultivating emotions and nurturing nature”. These discourses and the thoughts they contain actually localize Western aesthetics to solve indigenous problems in China.
(Excerpted from Du Wei’s “Why We Need Art Today”)
109. Which of the following understandings and analyses related to the materials is correct? ( ）
A. A fulfilling life is characterized by the balanced development of practical, scientific, and aesthetic activities, while the overall life includes practical life and art, but there is a gap between them.
B. The artist is someone who understands life, emphasizing their character and cultivation, which means they must maintain the harmony of spirit and taste in ordinary life.
C. By storing the scene of “the sky and clouds wandering together” in the heart, one can achieve the state of “the source of living water”, so that people will not fall into the mediocrity of life.
D. Classical art has the function of enhancing character cultivation, helping life reach the height of unity of truth, goodness, and beauty, but our academic circles have neglected the attention to its humanistic value.
110. According to the materials, which of the following statements is incorrect? ( ）
A. People who are busy struggling for survival are dry in taste, so they feel a lack of interest in many things, and this type of person lacks the art of living.
B. The proposal of the aesthetic discourse of “artistic life” draws on Western philosophical wisdom and inherits traditional Chinese philosophical thought, representing a fusion of the two.
C. The life of art must involve appreciation and creation; individuals need to treat life as a work of art to enhance their character and achieve self-transcendence.
D. Artistic creation emphasizes serious engagement with life, but it is not a simple replication of life; when art enters life, life is also incorporated into art, and the two complement each other.
111. Which of the following lines does not reflect the essence of “the wind travels on water, naturally forming patterns”? ( ）
A. Wang Huizhi decided to visit Dai on a snowy night, and after a night of sailing, he said, “I came with joy, and I leave with joy; why must I see Dai?”
B. Tao Yuanming distanced himself from the officialdom and returned to the countryside, writing “Drinking Wine Twenty Times”, where the line “Picking chrysanthemums by the eastern fence, I leisurely see the southern mountain” is worth pondering.
C. “I once borrowed a rooster from Crepius; please do not forget to pay him back.” This is a reminder left by Socrates before his execution, refusing to escape.
D. Cao Cao tested, “Today, the heroes of the world are only you and Cao.” Liu Bei, “I was eating and lost my chopsticks,” just as thunder roared, he quietly concealed his past with cowardice.
112. What are the characteristics of “artistic life”? Please summarize briefly in conjunction with the materials.
113. In 1926, Zhu Guangqian proposed a new aesthetic discourse: “With an out-of-the-world spirit, do an earthly career.” Please discuss your understanding of this statement in conjunction with the materials.
（24-25 High School First Semester – Jiangsu Zhenjiang – Final Exam) Read the text below and complete the following questions.
Material 1:
How to recognize and narrate the “locality” of rural China is one of the core issues of rural literature. Fei Xiaotong believes in “Rural China” that:“From the grassroots perspective, Chinese society is rural in nature.” However, with the advent of modernity, the “rituals” that maintain rural order have lost their original effectiveness and solidity. Therefore, “modernity” has illuminated the darkness of “locality”, and the national character and “locality” in modern literature are closely related. Rural China is a society of rituals, and has long been in a stable state, thus it is regarded as a symbol of “tradition” and “traditional culture”. These characteristics fundamentally determine the appearance of rural China and rural literature.
Starting from Lu Xun’s rural novels, locality is not a one-dimensional, pure category; it does not merely refer to a specific location (hometown), but more represents a value. Whether it is the S City in Lu Xun’s works, the Hulan River in Xiao Hong’s works, or the Xiangxi that Shen Congwen cherished, they are all reconstructions of the countryside by writers after leaving their hometowns. Because of the temporal and spatial gap between modernity and locality, the countryside depicted in their works has already withered in the trans-temporal realm. It is precisely because they are situated in modern time and shaped by modern civilization that writers who write about the countryside have a reference point for observing the countryside.
Lu Xun used the concept of “overseas literature” in the preface to “The Second Collection of Novels in the Chinese New Literature Series”; the so-called “overseas” refers to being in a foreign land. This concept not only points out the basic attribute of cultural identity of early modern literary writers but also establishes the basic narrative mode of rural literature during the entire modern literary period at the narrative level, namely the mode of “departure – return – departure again”. In this narrative mode and cultural psychology, the countryside and the city become a structural relationship, where the city, whether visible or invisible, always exists as a reference for modern civilization.
Interestingly, since the 21st century, the representative works of rural novels have almost all been long novels, which is related to the capacity of rural issues and the writers’ ability to observe and grasp the countryside. Works like Jia Pingwa’s “Qin Qiang” are representative of this period. Writers born in the 1950s and 1960s have witnessed the various vicissitudes experienced by the countryside in the second half of the 20th century, so they naturally choose to present the changes in the countryside in a diachronic, almost historical chronological manner. The overall perspective and large scale of long novels provide a suitable artistic form for their comprehensive and multi-dimensional depiction of the countryside. In addition, the red classics, as the earliest literary works encountered by this group of writers, have repeatedly triggered their epic creative impulses, and they yearn to reconstruct another historical narrative through their “world of works”.
(Excerpted from Wang Yao’s “The Modern Narrative of Rural China – From Rural Literature to New Rural Literature”, with edits)
Material 2:
Entering the 21st century, with the modernization transformation of Chinese countryside, rural literature has undergone new changes under the influence of modern civilization. The issue of the “survival and death” of rural literature has surfaced, becoming an unavoidable reality, and the viewpoint of “the demise of rural literature” has become increasingly common. Chen Xiaoming believes that “Rural China has been a marginal, alienated, repeatedly altered, and subverted existence throughout the history of modernity; it only has fragments, only pieces and scenes, only its unfictionable life.” He uses Jia Pingwa’s “Qin Qiang” as an example to illustrate the disappearance of the soil and foundation for the development of rural literature. Zhang Qinghua also believes that since the late 1980s, with the series of works by Mo Yan, the pattern of rural literature has undergone significant changes, as the epistemological foundation of rural literature has shifted from sociology and class theory to cultural philosophy and anthropology. The term “rural literature” has transformed into a broad writing of historical culture or agricultural experience, thus traditional “rural literature” has come to an end.
In fact, the modernization transformation has brought tremendous challenges to urban and rural development, but with the planning and improvement of urban and rural development in China, the dilemmas faced by the countryside will also receive more comprehensive attention and solutions. Building beautiful villages, promoting the comprehensive development of rural ecological civilization, rewriting the image of rural newcomers, and reflecting the real issues and spiritual dimensions of “farmers moving to the city” have all become several basic plot units of rural novels in the 21st century. From the perspective of novel creation, rural literature has not only not gone extinct but has also attracted many writers to invest their creative enthusiasm into this “fertile land”. People have reason to believe that the traditional literary spirit rooted in “the countryside”, imbued with the rich “nostalgia” of the Chinese people, and loyal to “the countryside” will support the new development of Chinese rural literature.
Literature is about humanity, and the intrinsic value of rural literature is also reflected in the unique emotions and spiritual aspirations of people towards the countryside. Although the narrative methods of writers towards rural “locality” vary, the love for the “locality” itself, the inheritance of “local traditions”, and the promotion of “local spirit” remain unchanged. Broadly speaking, whether writing a nostalgic elegy for the countryside with pessimism, objectively presenting the modern transformation of the countryside with a detached attitude, or writing an ideal vision of the countryside with optimism, all can be called “rural literature”. The definition of “rural literature” should firmly grasp the aesthetic spirit of humanity towards the countryside as its essence, and by viewing literature through the lens of human aesthetic emotions, we can arrive at more scholarly conclusions about the essence of rural literature.
(Excerpted from Mao Jincan’s “Review and Outlook on 21st Century Rural Literature Research”, with edits)
114. Which of the following understandings and analyses related to the materials is correct? ( ）
A. Fei Xiaotong believes that Chinese society is rural in nature, but has lost the effectiveness and solidity of “rituals”.
B. Writers in rural literature works all adopt the basic narrative mode of “departure – return – departure again”.
C. Rural writers often use the modern civilization they are situated in as a reference point for observing the countryside.
D. Grasping the aesthetic spirit of humanity towards the countryside is essential for accurately defining the concept of “rural literature”.
115. According to the materials, which of the following statements is correct? ( ）
A. In rural novels, “locality” does not merely refer to hometown but is a reconstruction of the countryside by writers after leaving their hometowns.
B. The red classics can trigger epic creative impulses in writers, who use long novels to present the changes in the countryside.
C. Material 2 compares Jia Pingwa’s “Qin Qiang” with Mo Yan’s “Red Sorghum” to argue for the demise of rural literature.
D. Whether writing pessimistically, objectively, or optimistically about the countryside, all contain the narrative subject’s love for the countryside.
116. Which of the following poetic lines is not suitable as material for writing rural literature? ( ）
A. The captive bird longs for the old forest, the pond fish yearns for the old abyss. B. Only the clear wind on the river and the bright moon in the mountains.
C. The fragrance of rice flowers speaks of a bountiful year, listening to the chorus of frogs. D. In the depths, I plant water chestnuts, and shallowly plant rice; not too deep or too shallow, I plant lotus flowers.
117. In discussing the topic of “rural literature since the 21st century”, Material 1 and Material 2 each have their focus; please briefly explain.
118. The literary club at school wants to select a batch of literary works that can showcase rural characteristics for students to read. Please recommend a rural literature work based on the selection criteria in the materials and provide reasons for your recommendation.