Children should start learning Shakespeare at the age of four before they are faced with the difficulty with the language, says a study published recently.
Lessons should begin before pupils start secondary school, because many teenagers begin to dislike the plays, says the report. All pupils should also see at least one performance of a Shakespeare's play.
The recommendations have been made in a Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) document, contemplating why school children show less and less interest in drama.
The RSC has warned that children are being turned off Shakespeare because of the way they are taught in schools and a lack of opportunities to see plays performed live. Jacqui O'Hanlon, the head of education at the RSC, said, “We've seen teachers working extremely well in class. There's been a lot of success with 4­year­olds. With primary school kids, there isn't a fear factor because they've never heard of him. What we do with children from the age of 8 is to unfold the story piece by piece and show them the key moments of drama.”
Shakespeare is compulsory in secondary school. Pupils between the ages of 11 and 14 must study at least one play.
An educator who is in charge of England's exams said a review of the primary school courses would be a chance to decide if it should be taught to younger pupils. And as part of the RSC task, more courses will be developed to help teachers lead lessons on plays.
Tamsin Greig, the actress, who won an Olivier Award for her performance in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing last year, said, “Give children the chance to play with words, ideas and stories, and boredom will have no place.”
【解题导语】　本文主要论述了孩子们应该在四岁时就开始接触莎士比亚的戏剧，建议孩子在上初中之前就开始学习莎士比亚的作品。
29．What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?
A．Secondary schools don't offer lessons on Shakespeare.
B．Children at the age of four have more abilities to do things.
C．Early contact and learning help students better understand Shakespeare's plays.
D．Language is a problem for all children in learning Shakespeare and acting well.
解析：选C　细节理解题。根据第一段提到的“小孩子四岁时就应该开始学习莎士比亚的戏剧”以及第二段提到的“学生们在上初中之前就应该开始学习莎士比亚的课程”可知，前两段均在鼓励学生尽早接触莎士比亚的作品，故选C项。
30．What does the underlined part in the fourth paragraph imply?
A．Proper guidance is necessary in learning Shakespeare.
B．Shakespeare was once children's favorite lesson.
C．Shakespeare becomes out of date for children.
D．School children always like new things and popular food.
解析：选A　细节理解题。画线部分句意为：孩子们对莎士比亚失去兴趣是因为他们在学校受教育的方式以及缺少机会去看莎士比亚戏剧的现场表演。因此说明“孩子们学习莎士比亚需要学校的指导(guidance)以及观看演出的机会”，A项“适当地引导孩子学习莎士比亚是必要的”符合文意，故选A项。
31．Which of the following is TRUE?
A．Shakespeare is compulsory in primary school.
B．Children between 11 and 14 must be taught acting.
C．Children aged 8 should be taught to write stories.
D．Tamsin Greig once acted in a Shakespeare's play.
解析：选D　细节理解题。根据最后一段第一句“Tamsin Greig, the actress, who won an Olivier Award for her performance in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing ...”可知，她曾经出演过莎士比亚的戏剧，故选D项。
32．What would be the best title for the passage?
A．Teach Children Shakespeare at an Early Age
B．A Great Dramatist—Shakespeare
C．A Compulsory Lesson in Secondary School
D．Teach Children to Read from the Age of Four
解析：选A　标题归纳题。纵观全文，本文主要论述了孩子们应该在四岁时就开始学习莎士比亚的戏剧，虽然在初中时莎士比亚戏剧为必修课，但是建议孩子在上初中之前就开始学习莎士比亚的作品，全文主要提倡“Teach Children Shakespeare at an Early Age”，即在早些时候就开始教孩子们学习莎士比亚的作品，故选A项。