Carving is a highly valued art in Lanzhou, Gansu’s capital. It has been practiced for over a thousand years. The artists carve thin-skinned egg gourds from the area, requiring great skill to avoid ruining the piece.

    Lanzhou’s gourd carving started during the Wei and Jin dynasties (220-420) when gourds were used for wine along the ancient Silk Road. Over time, the simple act of painting turned into detailed engraving and painting, becoming a job for many during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911). Carving tiny, egg-sized gourds is the highest level of Lanzhou’s gourd carving skill.

    Ruan Xiyue, born in 1987, has been perfecting her craft for over ten years, a tradition in her family for four generations, or more than 80 years. Her right hand is bigger and rougher from years of carving, showing her dedication to the art.

    At first, Ruan struggled with the weight of her family’s artistic legacy, but the popularity of the game “Travel Frog” among young people inspired her to create a utopian (乌托邦的) world with the frog’s image, boosting her confidence. Ruan uses gourds as a canvas and gradually adds elements from animation, cultural relics (纪念物), and other creative products. She creates gourd mirrors, accessories, tea canisters, bags, and more.

    As culture becomes a part of daily life and gains public appreciation, an increasing number of people are learning Lanzhou gourd carving from Ruan. Since the beginning of this year, she has welcomed over 1,000 visitors per week for study tours. Ruan said that many children are amazed by gourd carving and say, “No wonder this is intangible cultural heritage,” which deeply moves her. Inspired by Ruan Xiyue, her retired mother, Ruan Lin, is now learning to use social media to connect with the younger generation and provide technical guidance for her daughter’s projects.

    “Culture thrives on collective efforts. When many hands come together, the flame of culture burns brighter,” said Ruan Lin.

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1.1. What can be inferred about the egg gourds from the passage?

A They are easy to carve due to their thin skin.

B They are highly valued for their color.

C They are particularly challenging to work with.

D They are considered sacred in the local culture.

解析：选C。推理判断题。根据第一段可知，雕刻艺人是在“thin-skinned egg gourds”雕刻的，并且需要“great skill to avoid ruining the piece”，这暗示了这些鸡蛋葫芦因其皮薄而特别容易破碎，因此雕刻它们具有挑战性。故选C。

2.2. Ruan Xiyue’s bigger and rougher right hand implies that _________.

A she is physically stronger than other artists

B she was born with a talent for gourd carving

C she has been practicing the art for many years

D she has a physical condition that affects her work

解析：选C。推理判断题。根据第三段中的“Her right hand is bigger and rougher from years of carving, showing her dedication to the art.”可知，阮熙越的右手因多年的雕刻而变得更大更粗糙，这表明她对“微雕”技艺的奉献和长时间练习。故选C。

3.3. What can be inferred about the current status of Lanzhou gourd carving?

A It is already a dying art form.

B It is experiencing a revival.

C It is only practiced by a few individuals.

D It is no longer the intangible cultural heritage.

解析：选B。推理判断题。文章中提到越来越多的人正在向阮熙越学习兰州刻葫芦，每周有超过1000名访客来参观学习，这表明这项艺术正在经历复兴。故选B。

4.4. What is the main idea of the passage?

A The history of Lanzhou gourd carving.

B The spread of Lanzhou’s cultural heritage.

C The popularity of the game “Travel Frog”.

D Ruan Xiyue’s dedication to gourd carving.

解析：选D。主旨大意题。文章主要讲述了阮熙越对兰州刻葫芦的热爱与传承，包括她的家族背景、个人经历以及她对这一艺术的贡献。故选D。