Beijing opera or Peking opera （Pinyin: Jīngjù） is a form of Chinese opera which arose in the late 18th century and became fully developed and recognized by the mid-19th century．The form was extremely popular in the Qing Dynasty court and has come to be regarded as one of the cultural treasures of China．Major performance troupes （剧团，戏班子） are based in Beijing and Tianjin in the north，and Shanghai in the south．The art form is also enjoyed in Taiwan，and has spread to other countries such as the United States and Japan.
Beijing opera features four main types of performers．Performing troupes often have several of each variety，as well as numerous secondary and tertiary performers．With their elaborate （认真的，精心的） and colorful costumes，performers are the only focal points on Beijing opera's characteristically small stage．They make use of the skills of speech，song，dance，and combat in movements that are symbolic and suggestive，rather than realistic．Above all else，the skill of performers is evaluated according to the beauty of their movements．Performers also hold a variety of stylistic conventions that help audiences navigate the plot of the production．The layers of meaning within each movement must be expressed in time with music．The music of Beijing opera can be divided into the Xipi and Erhuang styles．Melodies include arias （唱腔），fixed-tune melodies，and percussion patterns．The repertoire of Beijing opera includes over 1,400 works，which are based on Chinese history，folklore，and，increasingly，contemporary life.
In recent years，Beijing opera has attempted numerous reforms in response to sagging audience numbers．These reforms，which include improving performance quality，adapting new performance elements，and performing new and original plays，have met with mixed success．Some Western works have been adopted as new plays，but a lack of funding and an adverse political climate have left Beijing opera's fate uncertain as the form enters the 21st century．
小题1:How long has Beijing Opera become a popular art form?
A．About one and a half centuries.
B．More than two centuries.
C．More than one century.
D．About half a century.小题2:How many art forms of Beijing Opera at present?
A．Two including Beijing and Tianjin，and Shanghai in the south.
B．Two including Beijing and Tianjin in the north.
C．Three including Beijing and Tianjin，and Shanghai in the south and Taiwan.
D．Five including Beijing and Tianjin，and Shanghai in the south，Taiwan，US and小题3:What are the features of the performers’ movements of Beijing Opera?
A．Elaborate.
B．Colourful.
C．Realistic .
D．Representative.小题4:Which of the followings is NOT true according to the passage?
A．Performers can take different stylistic traditions in the plays.
B．The standard to estimate a performer is the amount of his/her movements.
C．It’s necessary to keep movements along the music in time.
D．The content of Beijing Opera is plentiful but much fixed.小题5:What will be the future of the Beijing Opera?
A．Very bright.
B．Certainly good.
C．Much uncertain.
D．More popular.
