A long-awaited television series, which was released in both Mandarin and the Shanghai dialect in late December, has sparked discussions among residents, online viewers and experts over the preservation and inheritance (传承) of the Shanghai dialect.
Adapted from writer Jin Yucheng’s award-winning novel, Fan Hua (Blossoms), the TV series Blossoms Shanghai takes audiences back to Shanghai in the 1990s, when everybody looked forward to opportunities in the new century. The plot follows the rise of the main character A Bao, played by actor Hu Ge, an ambitious young man who seizes the opportunities of the early stock market to become a millionaire.
However, it is the Shanghai dialect version that has many online viewers riveted to the series, produced by legendary Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai, who was born in Shanghai. Some viewers are sharing short videos from the series to help others learn the Shanghai dialect, which has been greatly replaced with Mandarin in schools and workplaces. Chen Zhongmin, a professor at Fudan University, said that most people he knows are interested in the dialect version of Blossoms Shanghai, regardless of whether they are from the city or elsewhere.
Some experts said they believe the series could make a big contribution to the inheritance of the Shanghai dialect, as there is general consensus (共识) among Shanghai residents that the dialect needs to be protected. Ding Dimeng, an expert in Shanghai dialect studies at Shanghai University, noted that the dialect will become endangered if the government and society do not pay due attention to its preservation.
Many children in Shanghai do not fluently speak the dialect anymore, and for their convenience, their parents don’t speak with them in the dialect either, she said. Some residents expressed agreement with Ding’s observations.
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1.What can we learn about the TV series Blossoms Shanghai from Paragraph 2?
A Its director.
B Its acting process.
C Its background.
D Its versions.
解析：选C。C 细节理解题。根据第二段中的“back to Shanghai in the 1990s, when everybody looked forward to opportunities in the new century”可知，该剧的背景设置在九十年代的上海。故选C。
2.Which of the following can replace the underlined part “riveted to”?
A Involved in.
B Attracted by.
C Worried about.
D Connected with.
解析：选B。B 词义猜测题。根据第三段最后一句中的“most people he knows are interested in the dialect version of Blossoms Shanghai”可知，电视剧《繁花》的上海话版吸引了大量的在线观众。故选B。
3.What are some experts concerned about?
A People speak too much Mandarin.
B The public pay no attention to dialects.
C The Shanghai dialect would disappear.
D The TV series in the Shanghai dialect is popular.
解析：选C。C 细节理解题。根据第四段中的“the dialect needs to be protected”以及“the dialect will become endangered”可知，上海话可能会面临灭绝。故选C。
4.What would be talked about if there were a following paragraph?
A Examples of children not speaking the dialect.
B Results of children not speaking the dialect.
C Observations of children not speaking the dialect.
D Influences of children not speaking the dialect.
解析：选A。A 推理判断题。根据最后一段最后一句的“Some residents expressed agreement with Ding’s observations.”一些居民对丁的观察（上海的许多孩子已经不能流利地说方言了，为了方便起见，他们的父母也不用方言和他们说话）表示了赞同，由此推断接下来可能会列举孩子不讲上海话的相关例子。故选A。
