Question

Guan Moye, better known as Mo Yan, is a Chinese novelist and short story writer. He has been referred to by Donald Morrison of U.S. news magazine, TIME, as “one of the most famous and widely pirated（盜版）of all Chinese writers”. He is best known to Western readers for Red Sorghum Clan（紅高粱家族）, which was later adapted for the film, Red Sorghum. In 2012, Mo was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Mo Yan was born in Gaomi County, Shandong Province. He was 11 years old when the Cultural Revolution started, at which time he left school to work as a farmer. At the age of 18, he began to work at a factory. During this period, his access to literature was largely limited to novels.

At the close of the Cultural Revolution in 1976, Mo joined the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and began writing. During this period, the works of Chinese literature, as well as translations of foreign authors such as William Faulkner, made an impact on his works. In 1984, he received a literary award from the PLA Magazine, and at the same year he began attending the Military Art Academy, where he first used the pen name of Mo Yan. “Mo Yan” means “don’t speak” in Chinese. He explained that the name came from a warning from his father and mother about not saying what he thought when he was outside. It also related to the subject matter of his writings.

Mo’s first novel was Falling Rain on a Spring Night, published in 1981. Several of his novels were translated into English by Howard Goldblatt, professor of East Asian languages and literature, at the University of Notre Dame. He published his first novella（中篇小說）, A Transparent Radish, in 1984, and released Red Sorghum Clan in 1986, making him a nationally recognized novelist. Five years later, he obtained a Master’s degree in literature from Beijing Normal University.

66. When Mo was eighteen, __________.

A. he left school to work as a farmer

B. he became a worker at a factory

C. the Cultural Revolution began

D. a U.S. news magazine praised him

67. Who affected Mo’s works around 1976?

A. His parents.                                                  B. William Faulkner.

C. Howard Goldblatt.                                     D. Donald Morrison.

68. List the following events in the correct order.

a. Mo got his pen name.

b. Mo attended the Military Art Academy.

c. Mo joined the PLA.

d. Mo was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

A. c, b, a, d                   B. a, b, c, d                    C. a, c, b, d                 D. c, a, b, d

69. Mo got his Master’s degree in literature in __________.

A. 1981                      B. 1984               C. 1986                    D. 1991

70. Which of the following statements about Mo Yan’s works is correct?

A. Mo was awarded the Nobel Prize for Red Sorghum Clan.

B. A Transparent Radish was his first novel.

C. Some of his works were translated into English.

D. His novel was adapted for a film in 1986.

Answer 1

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