Passage A
◆Important Words and Expressions◆
animated［ˈænImeItId］adj.having life or vigor or spirit活生生的，有生气的
e.g. 1.They are having an animated discussion.他们讨论得很热烈。
2.The animated piece of sculpture attracted a lot of people.
这座生动的雕塑吸引了许多人的目光。
revive［rIˈvaIv］v.become active，popular，or successful again恢复；苏醒
e.g. 1.There is no doubt that grades have improved and interest in education has revived.
毫无疑问，升级后教学兴趣也得到复苏。
2.They tried to revive him by splashing his face with water.
他们用水拍打他的脸颊，试着让他清醒。
virtual［ˈvɜːtjuəl］adj.something is so nearly true that for most purposes it can be regarded as true实质上的，事实上的；（计算机）虚拟的
e.g. 1.He claimed to be a virtual prisoner in his own home.
他声称自己如同一个囚禁在家里的犯人。
2.She is the virtual president,thought her title is secretary.
虽然她的职位是秘书，实际上她起着领导者的作用。
unprecedented［ʌnˈpresIdəntId］adj.something never happened before前所未有的，史无前例的
e.g. 1.The flood is swelling at an unprecedented speed.洪水以前所未有的快的速度汹涌而来。
2.This is an unprecedented information booming era.
这是一个史无前例的信息大爆炸的时代。
◆Explanations of Difficult Sentences◆
1.“To give the past a better future”was a promise Kunqu opera singer Zhang Jun made while receiving the UNESCO Artist of Peace Award in May,2011.
•“给过去一个更好的未来”是昆曲演员张军在2011年5月获得联合国和平艺术家奖时许下的承诺。
•the past在这里是指古老的昆曲艺术。promise后省略了that，“Kunqu opera singer Zhang Jun made while receiving the UNESCO Artist of Peace award in May，2011”是that引出的从句。
2.Honored for his“long⁃term commitment to promoting intangible cultural heritage”,especially Kunqu Opera,Zhang is only the second Chinese,after actress Gong Li in 2001,to be awarded the title.
•张军获奖是因为长期以来献身于推进非物质文化遗产，尤其是昆曲，他也是继2001年演员巩俐获此殊荣后的第二位中国人。
•这个句子的主句是Zhang is only the second Chinese…to be awarded the title.Honored for his“long⁃term commitment to promoting intangible cultural heritage”，especially Kunqu Opera和after actress Gong Li in 2001都是插入语。
3.Through the efforts of this Shanghai⁃native,the ancient Chinese art form is making a powerful comeback in China as well as on the global stage.
•通过这个上海人的努力，古老的中国艺术形式正在国内以至全世界的舞台上卷土重来。
•make a powerful comeback的意思是东山再起，卷土重来，复出。如：He lost the last election but hopes to make a comeback next time.
4.These attitudes will provide a solid platform on which eastern and western culture can meet and mix.
•这些态度都有助于为东西方文化的相遇与结合提供坚实的平台。
•on which eastern and western culture can meet and mix作定语从句修饰platform。
5.I chose to perform it with a New Age style because I wanted to tell everyone that though the opera is old,it does not mean you can't interpret it in a modern way.
•我选择用新世纪风格来表演是因为我想告诉大家，尽管戏剧是古老的，但并不意味着不能用现代的方式进行诠释。
•这句话中包含两个明显的从句，I wanted to tell everyone是because引导的原因状语从句，that though the opera is old又是I wanted to tell everyone的宾语从句。
6.Zhang Jun is the first Kunqu opera singer in China to focus on revitalizing the art form and promoting it to a younger generation.
•张军是中国第一个关注于复兴艺术形式并向年轻一代推介的昆曲演员。
•focus on是介词短语，所以后面的动词要使用现在分词形式，revitalizing和promoting是并列动词。
7.Many Shanghai youth were moved by the convention⁃defying love between Du Liniang and Liu Mengmei in Peony Pavilion,and have become hard⁃core fans of Kunqu ever since.
•许多上海年轻人被《牡丹亭》中杜丽娘和柳梦梅打破常理的爱情所感动，继而从此成为昆曲的铁杆粉丝。
•hard⁃core作形容词时，意为硬（果）心的，特别坚定的；作为名词是指核心力量、铁杆粉丝。
e.g. You are expected to bring your ability to communicate or write to the fore,and to use hard⁃core facts to clarify situations.
We've got a hard⁃core of customers that have stood by us.
8.The young and aspiring performer resigned from his steady and promising job as deputy director of the Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe,and established Zhang Jun Kunqu Art Center—a company dedicated to creating and promoting a virtual version of Peony Pavilion.
•作为上海昆剧团的副团长，年轻有抱负的演员辞掉了稳定而且前途无量的工作，成立了张军昆曲艺术中心，一个致力于创作并推广园林版《牡丹亭》的公司。
•整个句子的主语是The young and aspiring performer，resigned from和established是两个并列谓语。