Question

A Chinese actor's divorce from his wife has social media buzzing, with posts about the subject gaining over five billion views. WangBaoqiang announced online on Sunday that he was divorcing his wife, Ma Rong. He alleged that his marriage broke down after his wife had an affair with his agent, and that she had also transferred the couple's joint assets. The topic has sparked a debate about relationships and divorce, and it seems Wang's predicament（窘境） has struck a chord with（引起共鸣） many — which could explain the number of views, which are high even by Chinese standards.

What exactly are they saying?

Chinese netizens seem to have rallied（团结）around Wang, with topics like #WangDon’tCry# #WangWeSupportYou#, quickly trending after news of the divorce spread. Statistics by Weibo showed that 87% of netizens' posts condemned Ma for her affair, saying it had shattered her family. Some have even published her home address online. “Wang is a hardworking man from a rural area. She cheated an honest man. I hate these kinds of people,”said one commenter on weibo.

But why are they so interested?

No other celebrity divorce or marriage has ever caused such a big stir on Chinese social media. On the surface, this might seem like just another Chinese celebrity split. But what is it about this one that's got all of China ruffled up? Some people feel that this divorce seems to fit a certain trope — of a beautiful but ordinary girl marrying a rich but less good-looking man. It is not uncommon to hear the belief that a couple has to "match" at every level — be it in status, or physical appearance — for a relationship to work out. "The concept of being evenly matched is still one that is widely believed in China," Dr Mu Zheng, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology at the National University of Singapore told the BBC's Yvette Tan.

It's also making people talk about divorce.

A lot of social media discussion has also centred around divorce, and in particular how people can protect themselves. Wang has alleged that his wife transferred and hid some of the couple's assets. They're a wealthy couple — their assets, according to Chinese media, include nine flats, a BMW car and various luxury goods. As a result, people are debating the importance of protecting individual assets, even after marriage. Attitudes towards divorce are fast changing in China, and divorce rates are on the rise. State newspaper Global Times says a total of 3.84 million couples in China divorced in 2015, an increase of 5.6% from 2014.“People are getting much more open to the idea of divorce now, especially as Chinese people become more educated and open-minded towards both marriage and divorce,” says Dr Mu.

1.Which statement is not true?

A. “Match” opinion about marriage is still widely believed in China.

B. Most Chinese netizens show great sympathy for Wang.

C. People are getting more open to divorce just because of the increasing level of education.

D. Wang’s divorce leads to social effects to some degree.

2.What’s the reaction of the public to Wang’s divorce?

A. Most people dare not comment on it.

B. Most netizens choose to ignore it.

C. Most netizens are condemning Wang’s wife.

D. Most people show little concern about it.

3.Which section can you find this news in a newspaper?

A. SocietyB. ScienceC. CultureD. Economy

4.What may be the best title for this news?

A. Why a Chinese celebrity divorce has social media buzzing

B. Why WangBaoqiang divorces his wife

C. Chinese people’s attitude towards divorce has changed greatly

D. Chinese divorce rates are on the rise

Answer 1