Five well-known fathers and their children travel around China, riding camels through the western deserts, fishing off the east coast, and selling vegetables for their bus fares home when they are far away in southwestern Yunnan Province.
What the above tells us is part of “Where Are We Going, Dad”. It has become one of Chinas most popular television shows since it was shown in October, 2013, averaging more than 600 million viewers each week.
What causes the show to be so popular? It presents a new generation of men, who break away from Chinese tradition. Now they take an active role in their childrens lives. “In Chinese culture, the traditional concept of family is that the father is strict and the mother is kind. But on the show, we see fathers who are much gentler on their kids and more involved in raising, training and education,” said Li Minyi, an expert in early childhood education. “This show raises an important question for modern Chinese society—what is the role of fathers in todays China?”
Part of the attraction of “Where Are We Going, Dad” is the chance to peek into the lives of popular Chinese well-known persons and their children. Audiences get satisfaction in watching the failed attempts of those dads making dinner, braiding hair, and disciplining children.
The children and their awkward fathers tell the truth to audiences. “Im best at washing the dishes after dinner. I cant do anything else,” one dad says to another. “My wife is great—shes been raising our son for six years. I feel very tired and its only been three days. Im buying her some flowers when we go back,” responds another.
With each episode shown on TV, many audiences make comments on each fathers parenting style. “The five fathers on the show all have very different parenting styles, which is great because it shows people there isnt just one way to raise a child,” said Li Minyi.
Even the Peoples Daily is pleased at the success of “Where Are We Going, Dad”. “The deep affection on display in the show is heart-warming and lights up a desire in people to return home to loved ones.”
camel 駱駝
peek into 窺探
braid編
discipline管教
parent為人父母
Peoples Daily 《人民日?qǐng)?bào)》
(1) Which of the following best describes the reason why “Where Are We Going, Dad” has become so popular?
A. It attracts over 2.4 billion viewers every month.
B. It leads people to reconsider what role a father should play now.
C. It helps people realize that fathers are of great importance in their childrens lives.
D. It focuses on both the successes and failures of Chinese stars as well as their children.
(2) What does one father mean when he says hes buying his wife some flowers?
A. He would thank his wife for doing the dishes for as long as six years.
B. He thinks what his wife has done at home before is great and deserves thanks.
C. He should thank his wife for letting him take care of their kid for three days.
D. It is both his wife and kid that make him well-known in China these days.
中學(xué)生天地·高中學(xué)習(xí)版2014年3期