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.” Ms.Johnsonencouragesteacherstopresent20-minuteversionsoftheplaysinorderto_____.
A.introduce them into the world of Shakespeare
B.deal with the final examination on Shakespeare
C.give pupils a flavour of the whole drama
D.strengthen the students with the knowledge of Shakespeare
正确答案是C