contemporary and classical vocabulary together.Or closer to home, there is Graeme Murphy's Swan Lake，which layers elements of Petipa's choreography (编舞) with a contemporary theme and aesthetic.Many contemporary choreographers all embrace classical form and principles, then manipulate (操纵) the rules.__②__
The line between contemporary dance and ballet is vague.In an interview with The Telegraph (2015), British choreographer Matthew Bourne acknowledges that this “cross-fertilisation” between contemporary dance and ballet continues to grow, as evidenced by the rise in new commissions from contemporary choreographers at the Royal Ballet and English National Ballet.Referring to Homans's book, Bourne believes what has changed is that “the dance forms are coming closer together”．Not dying, but merging.Reinventing.This has been the case amongst Australasian ballet companies for many years now.__③__
Homans writes that ballet's decline began after the passing of Ashton and Balanchine.Something has changed, certainly.A stylistic transition — from neo-classical to contemporary ballet — has occurred.__④__
Our art form's evolution has always been with extinction.Prominent dance critic with The New York Times, Alastair Macaulay, says: “ballet has died again and again over the centuries，” and yet, “phoenix-like, rose again from its ashes”．History shows there were periods where ballet hibernated and lacked popularity.This coincided with the art form's changing forums.
So here is the irony: what sells best, still, are reproductions of Petipa's classics.A season without a Tchaikovsky score is a financial risk.And without
Nutcracker (《胡桃夹子》), half the ballet companies in North America would not
exist.Admittedly, as a dancer, my favourite roles — Albrecht, Prince Siegfried and Romeo — were from the classical canon; I am a traditionalist at heart (who loves to be challenged by good contemporary ballets)．A part of the charm behind classical repertoire, for me, was in reproducing the glories of past greats.Classical ballet's framework supports the modern process of bench-marking.
Perhaps Jennifer Homans's thoughts are not completely unfounded.Perhaps ballet is dying for some.Ballet's evolution has been delayed by its audiences.And as Homans suggests in her epilogue, perhaps also by its creatives.
Now here is a bold prediction.In line with the Royal Ballet's programming in Brisbane this year — of Christopher Wheeldon's The Winter's Tale, and Wayne MacGregor's Woolf Works — over the next 20 years, ballet's reliance on Petipa will
decrease.Contemporary ballets and merge-styled ballets will produce their box-office influence ever more.
Why?
It is simple: our audiences will be ready for ballet to change again. 语篇解读：本文主要是讨论了芭蕾舞到底是消亡了，还是在进一步的发展的问题。 7．Why does the writer cite Jennifer Homans's words at the beginning of the passage?
A．To support the writer's viewpoint. B．To introduce the topic of the passage. C．To highlight the theme of the passage. D．To provide the background knowledge.
解析：选B 推理判断题。文章在开头引用Jennifer认为芭蕾在衰落，是希望引出本文探讨的芭蕾兴衰的话题，起到引入话题的作用。
8．The sentence “Is this not ballet？” should be put in ________. A．① C．③
B．② D．④
解析：选B 推理判断题。由插入的句子“Is this not ballet”可知，前文应当是提到一种舞蹈，而第2处前讲的就是现在当代编舞者都运用一定的规则将古典融入现代舞蹈中。
9．Which of the following statements is a fact about ballet?
A．“Surely it is more abstract, filled with shades of popular grey.” (Para.3) B．“The line between contemporary dance and ballet is vague.” (Para.5) C．“Our art form's evolution has always been with extinction.” (Para.7) D．“What sells best, still, are reproductions of Petipa's classics.” (Para.8) 解析：选D 细节理解题。在第八段作者通过种种客观事实举例论证了，人们仍然偏爱经典。其余选项虽然是文中所提到的，但都是人们抽象的主观推测，并不是客观的确凿事实。
10．According to Matthew Bourne, ________. A．the dance forms remain unchanged
B．contemporary dance has reinvented classic ballet
C．ballet is experiencing growth and will continue to develop D．a new form of ballet is widely accepted among Australians
解析：选C 细节理解题。根据第五段第二句“British choreographer Matthew Bourne acknowledges that this ‘cross-fertilisation’ between contemporary dance and ballet continues to grow, ... ”可知，马修·伯恩认为当代舞蹈和芭蕾舞之间的“交叉
融合”在继续发展。所以芭蕾舞正在经历一个新的发展阶段，将来还会继续发展。
11．The writer takes himself as an example in Paragraph 8 in order to show ________.
A．classics should be promoted
B．classics are still of great significance C．classical ballet's framework is out of date D．contemporary ballets attract more audiences
解析：选B 推理判断题。第八段中作者说，作为一名舞蹈演员，他最喜欢的角色是阿尔布雷特、齐格弗里德王子和罗密欧，他们来自古典正典。对他来说，古典剧目背后的魅力之一就是再现过去那些伟大人物的辉煌。古典芭蕾舞的框架支持现代的基准制作过程。所以作者描述自己的个人体会是为了说明古典舞蹈仍然是很重要的。
12．What may be the audiences' attitude to the change of ballet? A．Supportive. C．Critical.
B．Arbitrary. D．Concerned.
解析：选A 推理判断题。根据倒数第三段的内容，特别是最后一句“Contemporary ballets and merge-styled ballets will produce their box-office influence ever more.” 可知，现代芭蕾舞和合并风格的芭蕾舞将对他们的票房影响力越来越大。所以作者对于芭蕾舞与现代舞蹈的融合持积极的态度，是支持的。Supportive“支持的，拥护的”； Arbitrary“随意的，任性的”； Critical“关键的；批评的”；Concerned“担忧的”。
