Question

    Every week in China, millions of people will sit in front of their TVs watching teenagers compete for the title Character Hero, which is a Chinese-style spelling bee (拼写大赛). In this challenge, young competitors must write Chinese characters by hand. To prepare for the competition, the competitors usually spend months studying dictionaries.

Perhaps the show’s popularity should not be a surprise. Along with gunpowder and paper, many Chinese people consider the creation of Chinese calligraphy (书法) to be one of their primary contributions to civilization. Unfortunately, all over the country, Chinese people are forgetting how to write their own language without computerized help. Software on smart phones and computers allows users to type in the basic sound of the word using the Latin alphabet. The correct character is chosen from a list The result? It’s possible to recognize characters without remembering how to write them.

But there’s still hope for the paint brush. China’s Education Ministry wants children to spend more time learning how to write.

In one Beijing primary school we visited, students practice calligraphy every day inside a specially decorated classroom with traditional Chinese paintings hanging on the walls. Soft music plays as a group of six-year-olds dip brush pens into black ink. They look up at the blackboard often to study their teacher’s examples before carefully attempting to reproduce those characters on thin rice paper. “If adults can survive without using handwriting, why bother to teach it now?” we ask the calligraphy teacher, Shen Bin, “The ability to write characters is part of Chinese tradition and culture,” she reasons. “Students must learn now so they don’t forget when they grow up.” says the teacher.

1.What can we learn about the Character Hero?    ________

A.It’s the most-viewed TV programs in China.

B.It’s open to people of all ages and all walks.

C.It draws great public attention across the country.

D.It aims to spread Chinese culture to the world.

2.Why are Chinese people forgetting how to write the characters?

A.Chinese people are using the Latin alphabet instead of the characters.

B.Chinese people no longer use brush pens or practice calligraphy.

C.Chinese people needn’t write by hand as often with the help of technology.

D.Chinese people don’t refer to dictionaries very often.

3.According to Shen Bin, being able to write characters by hand is ________.

A.helpful to keep Chinese tradition and culture alive

B.a requirement made by the Education Ministry

C.necessary for adults to survive in China

D.an ability to be developed only when you are students

4.Where does this text probably come from? ________

A.A science report. B.A news report.

C.Children’s literature. D.An advertisement.

Answer

1.C

2.C

3.A

4.B

【解析】

本文是一篇新闻报道。作者通过叙述汉字拼写大赛谈到了汉字拼写的现状。

1.细节理解题。结合第一段中的"Every week in China millions of people will sit in front of their TVs watching teen?agers compete for the title Character Hero which is a Chi?nesestyle spelling bee (拼写大赛) ."可知，每周许多人看汉字拼写大赛，所以判断the Character Hero很吸引公众的注意，故选C项。

2.细节理解题。根据第二段中的"Software on smartphones and computers allows users to type in the basic sound of the word using the Latin alphabet. The correct character is cho?sen from a list. The result? It's possible to recognize charac?ters without remembering how to write them."可知，中国人忘记如何写汉字是因为手机和电脑依据拉丁字母的拼写而提供汉字选择表从而不用手书写。故选C项。

3.细节理解题。根据最后一段中的"'The ability to write characters is part of Chinese tradition and culture” she rea?sons. 'Students must learn now so they don't forget when they grow up” says the teacher."可知，书写是中华文化的一部分，学生现在必须学会，否则长大了就会忘记，故选A项。

4.推理判断题。本文由汉字拼写大赛的情况，谈到中国对于汉字拼写的现状，再提及文化传承的希望，由此可断定本文来自一篇新闻报道。故选B。