The universal language

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• Turandot in Beijing

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• Do you agree that parental love is u_________?
  They always love us and expect for no return.
• I still remember the time that I was asked to
  r______ a poem before class.
• Brought up by his grandmother, Tom felt a great
  a_______ for her.
• The director decided not to c______ his new film
  with big-bane actors.
• Friendship is both a source of pleasure and a
  ________(????) of good health.

unconditional
recite
affection
cast
component
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6. In fact, the achievement of the Chinese
womans football team are _____________(???) 7.
He was annoyed at the __________(???) news that
the company would fire half of its employees the
next year. 8. He was ___________(???)with fame.
6. In fact, the achievement of the Chinese
womans football team are _____________(???) 7.
He was annoyed at the __________(???) news that
the company would fire half of its employees the
next year. 8. He was ___________(???)with fame.
splendid
disturbing
drunk
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Reading Strategy reading a
review of an opera
How is a review of an opera organized?

• A review of opera usually starts with some
  background information.
• It goes on to talk about the story.
• The review can give some other important
  information such as the actors names and finally
  an evaluation.

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• The structure of the passage

para(1)
Part I
Some background information about
the opera Turandot.
Part II
para(2,4,5,6,7)
The plot of the story
Part III
para(3,8,9)
Some other information about the perfomance
(such as the setting, actors, the writers
evaluation, the key to the success )
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• Detailed reading (part 1 )
• Where was the opera performed?
• Who did the performance star?
• Who were also cast?
• Who wrote Turandot?

Giacomo Puccini wrote the opera. The
final scene was completed by Franco Alfano, one
of his students, based on Puccinis notes after
he died.
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Giacomo Puccini ?????? Italian composer
Giacomo Puccini is considered to be one of the
greatest operatic composers of the late 19th and
early 20th centuries. During his lifetime, he
wrote many famous operas. His most famous works
are La boheme, Tosca and Madam Butterfly. His
last opera Turandot was left unfinished, as he
died before he could complete the last two
scenes. Today, Puccinis operas are believed to
be some of the finest compositions ever written.
Many of his most famous operas have been adapted
to the cinema, including Madam Butterfly,
Turandot and La Boheme.
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Read part 2 and complete the story of Turandot.
Turandot(main character), a ___ Chinese____,
lives in _____.
Her father, the ___ of China,was even ___ by
Turandot.
Calaf,another ___, answers them and falls _____.
In order to___, she says that whoever can answer
___will ___, or ____.
A classic love ____ between Calaf, Liu and
Turandot appears in face of audience.
Liu, a young ___ of Calafs father, is also
______with Calaf.
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the setting
in the Forbidden City in Beijing
Q1. Why does the writer think that the Forbidden
City is a good setting for Turandot? Q2. What
were used as a stage curtain in the
performance? Q3. How many times will Turandot be
staged in the Forbidden City?
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the director
the well-known Chinese director Zhang Yimou
the conductor
Zubin Melta is an internationally famous
conductor born in India.
He conducted the New Years Concert held in
Wiener four times, in 1990, 1995, 1998 and 2007
respectively.
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The main actors and actresses

• Sharon Sweet from the USA
• Barbara Hendricks from the USA
• Kristjan Johannsson from Iceland

The production combined _______ of Western and
Chinese talents in ______________.
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the writers evaluation
The performance was splendid. (line 3)
The opera finishes with a beautifully-sung
final duet, which was so moving that the audience
fell silent. (line 32-33)
However, in this wonderful production,
(line 47)
the key components of this amazing production
(line 50)
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The key to the success of the staged Turandot in
China
The bringing together of this group of people
from many countries, the music, and the setting
are clearly the key components of this amazing
production.
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Second period
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Revision
China
world-famous
Turandot, a ___________ opera set in ________,
was written by an ________ composer called
Giacomo Puccini towards the end of his life. He
also wrote _____________, which is set in
________. The writer was lucky enough to ________
the first of only eight performances in
__________________ in Beijing. She wrote a
________ after watching the opera. In her
opinion, the performance was ________ and
________.
Italian
Madam Butterfly
Japan
witness
the Forbidden City
review
splendid
amazing
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setting
The music and the ________ were two of the key
__________ of the opera. Besides, it ________
many Western and Chinese talents. For example,
the orchestra was ________ by Zubin Mehta, a
famous conductor born in ________. The well-known
Chinese ________ Zhang Yimou directed the opera.
Some of the worlds greatest opera singers as
well as many great Chinese ________, actors and
singers were also _______.
components
combined
conducted
India
director
musicians
cast
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• Would you like to retell the story of Turandot??

Turandot princess the Forbidden City
avoid riddles princes unable to Calaf
manage to fall in love upset guess
his name Liu slave in love with torture
kill herself win affection with marry
celebrate their happiness
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In order to avoid marriage, she says that any
potential husband must answer three riddles
correctly or die.
she says that any potential husband must answer
three riddles correctly or die ____ ____ ____ she
___ avoid marriage.

in order that can
Seeing this, Calaf says that if she can guess his
name by sunrise, she does not have to marry
him. _____ Calaf ____ this, he says she has to
marry him _____ she can guess his name by sunrise.
When sees unless
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There could not be a better setting . The
setting is ____ ____ ____
the best one
Instead of a stage curtain , there were decorated
panels covered with red and gold. There was no
stage curtain. _____, there were decorated
panels ____ _____ covered with red and gold.
Instead
which were
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It starred some of the worlds greatest opera
singers. Many great Chinese musicians, actors and
singers were also cast .

• It is a film starring Jackie Chan.
• ???????????????????
• John was cast as a college professor.
• In her lasest film she was cast against her
  formal type.
• ???????????????

The director wants to star her in his next film.
He is tired of being cast as an enemy officer.
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The story then takes on a classic love triangle
featuring Calaf , Turandot, and Liu, whose love
for Calaf is unconditional .
The land around the lake took on a different
look. His voice took on a more serious tone. She
took too much on and made herself ill. She was
taken on as a laboratory assistant.
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In the story, Turandot is drunk with power . She
even dares to try and exercise control over her
father , the emperor of China , who has promised
to allow her to choose her own husband .
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The emperor finds the deaths of so many men
disturbing , and although he would like to , he
cannot break his promise .
Then Calaf says his own name aloud , leaving his
future in Turandots hands .
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Unfortunately , Puccini died before he completed
this final scene.
An opera company staged the opera in Beijing in
the 1990s , but the performance I saw was the
first time Turandot was staged inside the
Forbidden City .
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The Forbidden City is an area where once only the
emperor, his family and officials were allowed.
The bringing together of this group of people
from many countries , the music , and the setting
are clearly the key components of this amazing
production .
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Last night , I witnessed the first of only eight
performances of Puccinis world-famous opera,
Turandot, being performed in the Forbidden City
in Beijing , China .

• Did you really witness the accident
• that happened near our school?
• 2.

He told the police that he was a witness to the
car accident.