Director Yang Yu, better known as “Jiaozi”, is the highest-grossing director in China. His story is nearly as dramatic as that of the character in his film Ne Zha.

Born in 1980 to a family of doctors in Luzhou, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Jiaozi initially followed his parents’ wishes by studying in medical school—until he discovered the animation software MAYA in college. Intrigued, he shifted his academic focus. However, the move wasn’t easy. For three years, he lived at home, surviving on his mother’s 1,000-yuan monthly pension (退休金) while he taught himself animation production.

Jiaozi’s perseverance bore fruit in 2009 with See Through, a 16-minute animated short film. This project became a viral success, quickly acquiring 10 million views and 30 international awards. But his true triumph arrived with Ne Zha (2019). The script underwent 66 revisions, ultimately shaping into a story of a demon-born Ne Zha who defies destiny. In the end, the team produced more than 5,000 draft shots and 1,400 special-effects shots. He worked until 4am or 5am daily, unable to take breaks, and even afraid of falling ill for fear of causing delays. The effort paid off: made for 60 million yuan, the film soared to a staggering 5 billion yuan at the box office. For Ne Zha 2 (2025), Jiaozi remains as meticulous as ever. Incorporating more than 1,900 special effects shots, Ne Zha 2 featured visual effects so groundbreaking that there were no industry precedents. Some super complicated scenes required over a year to complete. Released to immediate acclaim, Ne Zha 2 surpassed 1 billion yuan in ticket sales within just two days. Up to now, it has made over 11 billion yuan at the box office, becoming the highest-earning movie ever in China.

As public anticipation (期望) for Ne Zha 3 continues to grow, Jiaozi remains cautious. “Animation is a lifelong journey, not a shortcut to instant success. We prefer to make fewer films and ensure each one is done right,” he said.

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1.1. What supported Jiaozi financially during his three-year self-study period?

A Scholarships from his university.

B Income from part-time animation jobs.

C Funding from Chinese animation studios.

D His mother’s monthly pension.

解析：选D。细节理解题。根据第二段“surviving on his mother’s 1,000-yuan monthly pension”可知，饺子毕业后那段时间没有收入，唯一能撑住他的，是母亲每月1000元的退休金。故选D。

2.2.What does the underlined part “bore fruit” probably mean?

A Failed completely.

B Produced good results.

C Met with difficulties.

D Required a lot of effort.

解析：选B。词义猜测题。根据划线部分后文“This project became a viral success, quickly acquiring 10 million views and 30 international awards.”可知，这部短片获得巨大成功，可推断出“bore fruit” 是指取得了好的成果。故选B。

3.3. Which of the following statements about Ne Zha (2019) is TRUE?

A It was Jiaozi’s first animated film.

B It was made with a budget of 5 billion yuan.

C It achieved great success at the box office.

D It was completed in just one year.

解析：选C。细节理解题。根据第三段“The effort paid off: made for 60 million yuan, the film soared to a staggering 5 billion yuan at the box office.”可知，《哪吒之魔童降世》在票房上取得了巨大成功。故选C。

4.4. What attitude does Jiaozi have towards animation production?

A He believes it is a shortcut to success.

B He values quality over quantity.

C He prefers to produce a large number of films.

D He is not interested in making animated films anymore.

解析：选B。推理判断题。根据最后一段“Animation is a lifelong journey, not a shortcut to instant success. We prefer to make fewer films and ensure each one is done right,”可知，饺子认为动画制作是一个长期的过程，不是成功的捷径，他重视质量而非数量。故选B。

5.5. What can we infer from Jiaozi’s success?

A Animation in China still needs improvement.

B Only by spending much money can an animation succeed.

C Hard work and perseverance are important in achieving success.

D Jiaozi is the luckiest director in China.

解析：选C。主旨大意题。文章中讲述了饺子自学动画制作，付出巨大努力，从到《打，打个大西瓜》的成功，再到《哪吒之魔童降世》和《哪吒之魔童闹海》取得成功的经历，可推断出努力和坚持在取得成功中是很重要的。故选C。