Spark Study Buddy (Explorer): Harry Potter, Detective Conan and other unique courses in China
This page has an easy read with questions to test your understanding and work on your English skills.
Students at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, southern China can explore genetics through the world of “Harry Potter”. Photo: Warner Bros PicturesContent provided by British Council
[1] Some universities in China are offering unusual courses as part of their science and social studies programmes. These courses are different from traditional ones and often have fun and strange topics.
[2] Harry Potter and Genetics
In 2012, Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, southern China, launched a course titled Harry Potter and Genetics. It quickly became very popular. The course is limited to 100 students and targets Harry Potter fans. It explores the science of magic by looking at how it works from a genetic point of view.
[3] The course was created by a professor surnamed Chen. He is from the school of medicine and is a self-proclaimed Harry Potter fan. “Many researchers worldwide [make use of] the Harry Potter universe as a model for conducting serious scientific studies in a way that is both engaging and accessible,” said Chen.
[4] Detective Conan and Chemistry
The course Detective Conan and Chemistry was introduced in 2012 by associate professor Xu Hai from the Central South University’s school of chemistry and chemical engineering in central China. It is popular with fans of the Japanese manga series Detective Conan.
[5] Despite its playful name, the course is designed to deepen students’ understanding of ideas in chemistry. It encourages them to use science to solve mysteries, like in the manga series. The course also includes fun facts about Detective Conan. For example, it asks questions about the relationships between characters.
[6] Dynastic Time Travel
In 2016, Fujian Normal University in southeastern China introduced the unique course Dynastic Time Travel to help students learn about ancient Chinese culture. It covers topics like cuisine, clothing, architecture, transport and social customs.
[7] In one class, a professor surnamed Pan pretended to be a pre-Qin-era waiter. He asked students to order food. One student wanted a spicy fish dish but was only given “clear soup, boiled fish”. Pan explained that chilli peppers did not exist then, so there was no spicy food.
[8] Instead of regular exams, students write a time-travel novel or essays to show their understanding of pre-Qin history. The course is very popular. It often has more than 300 students, including those who could not officially enrol.
Source: South China Morning Post, January 8
Questions
1. How many students can enrol in the Harry Potter and Genetics course, according to paragraph 2?
2. Based on your understanding of paragraph 2, why did Chen choose to create a course based on Harry Potter?
3. In paragraph 4, the Detective Conan and Chemistry course was inspired by a …
A. detective manga series.
B. Japanese detective drama.
C. famous real-life detective.
D. detective video game.
4. Which parts of Chinese culture can students learn about through the time travel course, according to paragraph 6?
A. the food people ate
B. the clothes people wore
C. the sorts of buildings people lived in
D. all of the above
5. Circle the correct answer.
When a student asked for spicy fish, the professor said they could not have it because spicy peppers had not (still / further / yet) been discovered.
6. Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the word “teach”. (3 marks)
The story mentions three courses that (i) _________ interesting subjects. Two of the courses (ii) _________ science and one (iii) _________ about ancient Chinese culture.
Answers
1. 100
2. because he is a fan of Harry Potter
3. A
4. D
5. yet
6. (i) teach; (ii) teach; (iii) teaches