Question

    On the Loess Plateau (黃土高原), a donkey carries boxes of shadow play tools while five players walk with musical instruments on their backs. They travel through mountains and villages. When it becomes dark, they set up the light and paper screen and start their show.

This is a Daoqing shadow play (道情皮影戲). It is an art mixing Daoqing music and shadow play. The player holds the human characters behind the paper screen and plays a series of stories. The characters are usually made of cow skin.

The stage of the Daoqing shadow play is simple. It’s usually a table covered with a large piece of paper. The light was behind the paper screen. As the shadow player moves his fingers, the characters come to life and their looks, dress and movement can be clearly seen from the other side of the screen. The player is also the lead singer. All the characters are played and voiced by him. It’s not an easy job.

Shi Chenglin is an old shadow player. He says it takes a player ten to twenty years to be good at playing the characters well. He used to have students, but they gave up one by one.

To protect the traditional Chinese folk art, the Museum of Daoqing Shadow Play has been built in Gansu, and many artists are trying to spread it to the stage of China, and of the world.

(   )1. When is Daoqing shadow play usually played?

         A. In the morning.  B. In the afternoon. 

         C. In the evening.    D. At any time.

(   )2. What can we learn about Daoqing shadow play? 

         A. It needs a big screen.

         B. It tells a lot of stories.

         C. It brings food to poor people.

         D. The characters are made of silk.

(   )3. Which of the following is TRUE?

         A. The characters are easy to control.

         B. The characters’ looks can’t be seen from the screen.

         C. A shadow player is also a good Daoqing writer.

         D. Many young men have given up learning Daoqing shadow play.

Answer 1

1C  2B  3D