Source: CCTV.com

03-28-2008 09:44

The continuing CCTV Young Singers' Contest, is proving to many that the road to success as an entertainer can be much tougher when seen up close. The hopeful stars-to-be are expected to be able to do much more than give stirring musical renditions. They're expected to know something. And for this, some are better prepared than others.

as
The continuing CCTV Young Singers' Contest, is proving to many
that the road to success as an entertainer can be much tougher
when seen up close.

Folk singer Wu Yanning and pop singer Gu Liya gave outstanding performances, Wednesday. Their skillful efforts earned them first and third spots respectively.

But then came the test on background knowledge, another part of the competition. The panel of judges was not greatly impressed. Gu thought the Italian adventurer Marco Polo was German and wasn't sure when the great explorer came to China.

Gu Liya, singer, said, "I have been reading a lot during the past two months. But I didn't read anything about Marco Polo. "

Most of the questions in the knowledge section come from high school textbooks. Judges say the purpose of the test is to find who the fast learners are.

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 Gu thought the Italian adventurer Marco Polo was German and
wasn't sure when the great explorer came to China.

Ping Yuan, judge of 2008 CCTV Young Singers' Contest, said, "The more a singer knows about the world, the better she understands music. And one's cultural cultivation must be acquired through constant learning, not from learning by rote."

Seven rounds of competitions are now complete in the group final. At the top of the standings so far, are Beijing TV, China Record Corporation and Hunan Provincial TV.