ChildrenasyoungasfourwillstudyShakespeareinaprojectbeinglaunchedtodaybytheRoyalShakespeareCompany. TheRSCisholdingitsfirstnationalconferenceforprimaryschoolteacherstoencouragethemtousetheBard’splaysimaginativelyintheclassroomfromreceptionclassesonwards.TheconferencewillbetoldthattheyshouldlearnhowShakespeariancharacterslikePuckin?AMidsummerNight’sDream?are“jollycharacters”andhowtowriteaboutthem. Atpresent,thenationalcurriculumdoesnotrequirepupilstoapproachShakespeareuntilsecondaryschool.Allitsaysisthatpupilsshouldstudy“textsdrawnfromavarietyofculturesandtraditions”and“myths,legendsandtraditionalstories”. However,educationistsattheRSCbelievechildrenwillgainabetterappreciationofShakespeareiftheyareintroducedtohimatamuchyoungerage.“EvenveryyoungchildrencanenjoyShakespeare’splays,”saidMaryJohnson,headofthelearningdepartment.“Itisjustaquestionofpitchingitfortheagegroup.Evenreceptionclassesandkeystageonepupils(five-to-seven-year-olds)canenjoyhisstories.Forinstance,ifyoubuildupPuckasacharacterwhoskips,childrenofthatagecanenjoythecharacter.TheycanbeinspiredbyPuckandtheycouldevenstartwritingabouthimatthatage.” ItistheRSC’sbeliefthatbuildingtheBardupasafunplaywrightinprimaryschoolcouldcountersomeofthenegativeimagesconjuredupaboutteachingShakespeareinsecondaryschools.Then,pupilshavetoconcentrateonscenesfromtheplaystoanswerquestionsforcompulsoryEnglishnational-curriculumtestsfor14-year-olds.Criticsofthetestshavecomplainedthatpupilsnolongerhavethetimetostudyorreadthewholeplay—andthereforeloseinterestinShakespeare. However,Ms.Johnsonisencouragingteacherstopresent20-minuteversionsoftheplays—aclassroomversionofthe?ReducedShakespeareCompany’sCompleteWorksofShakespeare(Abridged)?whichtoldhis37playsin97minutes—togivepupilsaflavourofthewholedrama. TheRSC’sventurecoincideswithacallforschoolstoallowpupilstobemorecreativeinwritingaboutShakespeare.ProfessorKateMcLuskie,thenewdirectoroftheUniversityofBirmingham’sShakespeareInstitute-alsobasedinStratford—saiditwastimetogetawayfromtheideathattherewas“arightanswer”toanyquestionaboutShakespeare.HerfirstforayintotheworldofShakespearewastoberatehimasamisogynistina1985essaybutshenowinsiststhisshouldnotbeinterpretedasacriticismofhisworks—althoughsheadmits:“Iprobablywouldn’thavewrittenitquitethesamewayifIhadbeenwritingitnow.WhatweshouldbedoingismakingsurethatsomeoneisgettingsomethingoutofShakespeare,”shesaid.“Peopleareveryscaredaboutgettingtherightanswer.Iknowit’sdifficultbutIdon’tcareiftheycomeupwitharightanswerthatIcanagreewithaboutShakespeare.” Whatisthispassagemainlyconcernedwith?
A.How to give pupils a flavor of Shakespeare drama. B.The fun of reading Shakespeare. C.RSC project will teach children how to write on Shakespeare. D.RSC project will help four-year-old children find the fun in Shakespeare.正确答案A
