For many of us, cartoon strips are simply one of our pastimes. The popular Japanese manga(漫画) provides us with an escape from reality into a world of fantasy, adventure and romance.With much less text and pictures running for pages, it fits perfectly into today’s fast, throwing away city lifestyle.
But Tsai Chih-chung,a famous Taiwanese illustrator (漫画家), doesn’t agree.He believes cartoons can be a bridge connecting traditional Chinese culture and wisdom with the modern world in a much wittier and more acceptable way.
He has interpreted Lao Zi, Confucius, Mencius,Zhuang Zi and Sun Zi and made their works accessible to a global audience. He has also produced two books about Zen (禅宗), introducing oriental philosophy. His cartoons are humorous yet full of wisdom and are admired as an easy way to learn Chinese classics.
After avoiding the public for ten years, Tsai made a comeback in late April with seven new works. But does his age, 61, work as a gap between him and his young readers? Tsai doesn’t think so. The topics he has covered range from philosophy in a time of individuality to the learning and memorizing techniques used at school. “Every child is a genius and has the potential beyond his own imagination, ” he said.
If popular Japanese manga is purely for entertainment, Tsai’s work, to a large extent, is to light the power of thinking in a light-hearted way. Tsai uses differenr forms of water to refer to people. In his eyes some people are like an ocean, some are like vapor, while others may be ice or
rain. But in essence(本质上)they share a similarity-human being’s forever chasing for the true and the good. “The person who thinks over life issues is not necessarily a scholar or a philosopher,” he said. “I’ve dedicated my whole life to thinking and individual freedom, not making a living.”
【小题1】What is the main idea of the first paragraph in the passage?
| A.Japanese manga is a simple way of killing time. |
| B.What Japanese manga is mainly about. |
| C.Japanese manga presents a world of fantasy, adventure and romance. |
| D.Why Japanese manga is so popular. |
| A.much less text | B.Japanese manga |
| C.pictures running for pages | D.an escape from reality |
| A.connects traditional Chinese culture and wisdom |
| B.helps connect Chinese classics with modern world |
| C.uses a wiser and acceptable way to draw cartoons |
| D.builds up a bridge between cartoons and illustration |
| A.mainly designed for a pure time killer for all |
| B.more popular with young readers in China now |
| C.to inspire people to think in a cheerful way |
| D.much more interesting and instructive |
| A.He values more thinking and personal freedom than making a living. |
| B.He says that one who thinks over life is either a scholar or a philosopher. |
| C.He thinks some people are like ocean, some like vapor, while others like ice cream. |
| D.Tsai devoted his life to creating cartoons in order to make money. |
You’re rushing to work and a man ahead of you collapses on the sidewalk. Do you stop to help? In a study of by-standers, it was found that some people avert their gaze and keep on walking rather than stop and get involved.
“There is a tendency to decide that no action is needed.” says a psychologist. “The first thoughts that pop into your mind often keep you from offering help. In order to take action, you have to work against them.” Here are some common thoughts that might prevent you from helping.
● Why should I be the one? I’m probably not the most competent person in this crowd. You might think someone older or with more medical knowledge should offer assistance.
● What if he doesn’t really need my help? The fear of embarrassment is powerful; no one wants to risk looking foolish in front of others.
● No one else looks concerned- this must not be a problem. We can follow the people around us, but most people tend to hold back their emotions in public.
“If you spot trouble and find yourself explaining inaction, force yourself to stop and evaluate the situation instead of walking on,” says the psychologist. “Then retry to involve other people; you don’t have to take on the entire responsibility of being helpful. Sometimes it’s just a matter of turning to the person next to you and saying, ‘It looks like we should do something.’ Or asking someone if an ambulance has been called and, if not, to call for one. Once you take action, most people will follow you.”
【小题1】Which is NOT the common thought that stops you from helping others?
| A.I’m not the very person capable of setting the problenu. |
| B.It looks like we should do something. |
| C.It must not be a problem as no one else is concerned. |
| D.He doesn’t really need my help. |
| A.They will call for help and then walk away. |
| B.They will stop and offer help. |
| C.They will turn away their eyes and go on walking. |
| D.They will laugh at him. |
| A.we sbould call the ambulance as soon as we can. |
| B.we should take on the whole responsibility and do something alone. |
| C.we should stop and evaluate the situation and try to make other people follow. |
| D.we should turn to other people and ask them to take on the responsibility |
| A.ask others for help and call the police |
| B.get along well with the passers-by who spot the trouble |
| C.go directly to the police station |
| D.work against the rirst thoughts that prevent you offering help |
| A.to give others a hand | B.to be more competent |
| C.not to risk looking foolish | D.to stop and evaluate the situation |