中國古裝劇在海外越來越受歡迎

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一份新的報告表明，中國古裝劇在海外越來越受歡迎。

題材文化體裁報道文章詞數 難度 建議用時378 ★★★ 7 分鐘

Have Chinese audiences on average spent more time watching entertainment content online while the battle against COVID-19 is still being fought? In the latest annual report released by Tencent Video, one of the largest streaming sites in China, the answer is yes.

An average consumer has spent 133.9 minutes each day watching TV dramas, a 10 percent increase compared to last year, according to the report. Interestingly, TV romantic dramas account for 36 percent of all 131 television series newly streamed on the site last year, topping all genres.

In the overseas market, Chinese dramas are seeing a rise in popularity due to hit costume dramas like Three Lives Three Worlds, The Pillow Book, and The Romance of Tiger and Rose. The report shows that subscribers of WeTV, the overseas version of Tencent Video that is available in more than 110 countries and regions, rose 175 percent last year, with time spent watching these programs up to 300 percent year-on-year.

Shows with strong female roles are more popular, exemplified by the hit series Nothing but Thirty, I Will Find You a Better Home and A Murderous Affair in Horizon Tower, the report said. It also found that a quality trailer played a key role in drawing an audience, as about 90 percent of consumers pick their choices among the options from trailers.

As a result of the six-month closure of Chinese cinemas, a number of people have shifted to watching films online, leading to the prosperity of movies tailored for the Internet. Such blockbusters include The Enchanting Phantom and Mojin: Mysterious Treasure, which have seen their box-office takings—shared with the streaming site—surpass 40 million yuan.

Through Nov. 30, a total of 15 online films have surpassed the threshold （門檻） to earn more than 10 million yuan, propelling the annual box-office receipts on Tencent Video to nearly 500 million yuan this year. While TV series are almost “dominated” by female audiences, men favor online movies. Nearly 70 percent of online film viewers are men, whose favorite themes center on fantasy,comedy and adventure. Affected by the pandemic, the total of new variety shows hit a three-year low in 2020, with 184 shows streamed this year, while the figures in 2018 and 2019 were 252 and 216,respectively.

Reading Check

Choose the best answer for each question.

1. All the following are mentioned except ______.

A. Three Lives Three Worlds, The Pillow Book

B. Steel Meets Fire

C. The Romance of Tiger and Rose

D. Nothing but Thirty

2. The underlined word “propelling” in Para. 6 probably means ______.

A. protecting B. driving

C. preventing D. beating

3. Who has a more preference for online films?

A. Children. B. The old.

C. Females. D. Males.

Language Study

Text-based chunks

be compared to 與……相比較

account for... 占……

play a key role in 在……中扮演重要角色/起重要作用

lead to 導致