IfConfucius(孔子)werestillalivetodayandcouldcelebratehisSeptember28birthdaywithabigcaketherewouldbealotofcandles(蜡烛).He’dneedafanorastrongwindtohelphimputthemout.
WhilemanypeopleinChinawillrememberConfuciusonhisspecialdayfewpeopleintheUnitedStateswillgivehimapassingthought.It’snothingpersonal.MostAmericansdon’tevenrememberthebirthdaysoftheirownnationalheroes.
Butthisdoesn’tmeanthatAmericansdon’tcareaboutConfucius.InmanywayshehasbecomeabridgethatforeignersmustcrossiftheywanttoreachadeeperunderstandingofChina.
InthepasttwentyyearstheChinesestudiesprogramshavegainedhugepopularityinWesternuniversities.MorerecentlytheChinesegovernmenthassetupConfuciusInstitutes(孔子学院)inmorethan80countries.TheseschoolsteachbothChineselanguageandculture.ThemaincoursesofChinesecultureusuallyincludedChinesearthistoryandphilosophy(哲学).StudentsintheUnitedStatesatthesametimeareracing(比赛)tolearnChinese.SotheywillbereadyforlifeinaworldwhereChinaisanequalpowerwiththeUnitedStates.BusinessmenwhohopetomakemoneyinChinaarereadingbooksaboutConfuciustounderstandtheirChinesecustomers.
Sotheoldthinker’sideasarestillaliveandwell.
TodayChinaattractstheWestmorethaneveranditwillneedmoreteacherstointroduceConfuciusandChineseculturetotheWest.
Asfortheoldthinkerhewillnotsoonbeforgottenbypeopleinthewestevenifhisbirthdayis
1.Theopeningparagraphismainlyintendedto______
A.providesomekeyfactsaboutConfucius
B.attractthereaders’interestinthetopic
C.showgreatrespectfortheancientthinker
D.provethepopularityofmodernbirthdaycelebrations
2.WecanlearnfromParagraph4thatAmericanstudents______
A.haveagreatinterestinstudyingChinese
B.takeanactivepartinChinesecompetitions
C.trytogethighscoresinChineseexams
D.fightforachancetolearnChinese
3.Whatisthebesttitleforthepassage?
A.ForgottenWisdominAmerica
B.HugeFansoftheChineseLanguage
C.OldThinkerwithaBigFut