1、The essence of his argument is that capitalism cannot succeed.Pottery; claywareA potter is making pottery by hand.Replica: reproductionThe sculpture is a bronze cast.He played a delightful melody on the flute.The baby slumbered in his cradle.From cradle to the graveMetamorphoseThe magician metamorph

2、osed the frog into a prince.The musician gave full tribute to his former teacher.The diamond shone with every hue in the sun.A terrific hue and cry was raised against the new tax proposals.I have a good palate for good wines.The church clock chimed at mid-night.Beijing opera, more commonly known as

3、Peking opera to westerners, is deemed the national opera of China. The accompanying music, singing and costumes are all fascinating and artistic. Full of Chinese cultural facts, the opera presents to the audience an encyclopedia of Chinese culture as well as unfolding stories, beautiful paintings, e

4、xquisite costumes, graceful gestures and acrobatic fighting. Since it enjoys a higher reputation than other local operas, almost every province of China has more than one Beijing Opera troupe, who is called piaoyou in Chinese. This kind of opera is so popular among Chinese people, especially seniors

5、, that even a Beijing Opera Month has been declared. Beijing opera has an over 200-year history. The main melodies originated from Xipi and Erhuang, in Anhui and Hubei respectively and over time techniques from many other local operas were incorporated.It is generally accepted that Beijing opera gra

6、dually came into being after 1790 when the famous four Anhui opera troupes came to Beijing. Beijing opera underwent fast development during the reign of Emperor Qianlong and the notorious Empress Dowager Cixi under the imperial patron, and eventually became more accessible to the common people. In t

7、he ancient times, Beijing Opera was performed mostly on open-air stages in markets, streets, teahouses or temple courtyards. The orchestra had to play loudly and the performers had to develop a piercing style of singing, in order to be heard over the crowds. The costumes were a garish collection of

8、sharply contrasting colors because the stages were dim and lit only by oil lamps. It is a harmonious combination of Grand Opera, Ballet and acrobatic display, consisting of dancing, dialogue, monologue, acrobatic combat and mime.The Beijing opera band mainly consists of orchestra band and percussion

9、 band. The former frequently accompanies peaceful scenes while the later often follows scenes of war and fighting. The commonly used percussion instruments include castanets, drums, bells and cymbals. One person usually plays the castanets and the drum simultaneously, which are the conductor of the

10、whole band. The orchestral instruments mainly compose of the Erhu, the Huqin, the Yueqin, the Sheng (reed pipe), the Pipa (lute) and other instruments. The band usually sits on the left side of the stage.There are four main roles in Beijing Opera: Sheng, Dan, Jing and Chou. Sheng are the leading mal

11、e actors and are divided into Laosheng, who wear beards and represent old men, Xiaosheng, who represent young men, Wusheng, who are acrobats who play military men and fighters, and Wawasheng who play kids. These roles usually wear no facial paintings. Hongsheng, another category of Sheng whose face

12、is painted red, mainly plays Guanyu (Chinese Ares) and Zhao Kuangyin (the founder of the Song Dynasty). Dan is the female roles. Formerly, the term meant female impersonator. It is divided into many categories. Laodan are the old ladies while Caidan the female comedians. Wudan usually play military

13、or non-military women capable of martial arts. The most important category, Qingyi usually play respectable and decent ladies in elegant costumes. Huadan represent lively and clever young girls, usually in short costumes.Jing, mostly male, are the face-painted roles who represent warriors, heroes, s

14、tatesmen, adventurers and demons. Jing is generally categorized into Zhengjing, Fujing and Wujing.Chou refers to clowns who are characterized by a white patch on the nose. Usually white patches of different shape and size mean roles of different character. They are not definitely rascals, while most

15、 of the time they play roles of wit, alert and humor. It is these characters who keep the audience laughing and improvise quips at the right moments to ease tension in some serious plays.Facial PaintingIt is said that this special art derived from the Chinese opera has different origins. But no matt

16、er what its origin is, the facial painting is worth appreciating for its artistic value. The paintings are presentations of the roles of the characters. For example, a red face usually depicts the roles bravery, uprightness and loyalty; a white face symbolizes a sinister roles treachery and guile; a

17、 green face describes surly stubbornness, impetuosity and lack of self-restraint. In addition, the pattern of the facial painting reveals the roles information too. In a word, the unique makeup in the opera allows the characters on the stage to reveal them voicelessly.Liyuan Theater inside Qianmen H

18、otel in Beijing is an ideal place for you to enjoy some Beijing Opera. Comfortable amenities are provided for only RMB 30, for an additional RMB 60 you can get a vantage and the cheapest seat is only RMB20.Martial arts or Wushu, have been created and developed for self-defense and survival throughou

19、t human history. Correct Chinese Wushu training improves physical ability, health, and willpower; it gives an individual an excellent method of exercise, a personal art form, a competitive sport, and a basis for self-defense and sparring. Total martial training includes Ti (kicking), Da (punching),

20、Shuai (throwing), Na (controlling), Gi (hitting), Ci (thrusting), etc. Related to each style are basic forms, or sequences, which may involve defense strategies, offense, retreat, mobility and immobility, speed and slowness, hard or soft postures, emptiness and fullness, with or without weapons. Oth

21、er training will include practical defense using that particular style, defense simulation such as two-man choreographed sequences for beginning contact training. There are also internal and external body training methods to strengthen the body to withstand strikes and blows. In the advanced stages

22、of training, a student begins full-contact training by sparring with semi-control in order to add realism to the trainingPHYSICAL TECHNIQUESIt is said that there four general techniques which apply to all styles: Kicking, striking, throwing, and controlling. Of course, kicking can involve tripping,

23、in addition to foot and leg strikes. Striking refers to the blows from all areas of the body. .head, hands, elbows, hips, shoulders, etc. Throwing refers to the techniques of wrestling, grappling, etc. which are used to down an opponent. Controlling is a general term which includes joint locks, tend

24、on or muscle stretching (in a painful manner), striking of nerve points, and the obstruction of breath or blood flow. These four general techniques should be demonstrated clearly during the performance of a form. In Chinese competition, the competitors receive deductions in points if they cannot express these fighting techniques clearly, superb performance of a