CCTV9英语新闻11月：提名为世界非物质文化遗产的算盘

By CCTV reporter Wu Guoxiu

China’s Zhusuan or the knowledge and practice of arithmetic calculation using an abacus¹, has been nominated by UNSECO for competition to be listed as World Intangible Cultural Heritage. The final result will be announced early next month. The time honored invention has been slowly fading away from peoples’ lives, but some are calling to preserve it.

"Before the age of calculators, this is what Chinese people used to do their sums. They’d move the beads³ on the abacus following certain rules. Each bead² in the upper deck equals five, those in the lower deck equals one. For example, if I do 5 plus 1, this is 6. And if I plus 12, this is 18," CCTV reporter Wu Guoxiu said.

 

Abacus nominated for World Intangible Cultural Heritage

Abacus nominated for World Intangible Cultural Heritage

Abacus nominated for World Intangible Cultural Heritage

Abacus nominated for World Intangible Cultural Heritage

 

Calculating with beads...

Abacus nominated for World Intangible Cultural Heritage

Zhusuan, or the knowledge and practice of arithmetic calculation using an abacus, has a history of over 1800 years. The Chinese invention is considered as the world’s most ancient computer.

"The abacus can perform addition, subtraction⁴, division and multiplication⁵, and can obtain square roots, cubic roots and Gauss equation," said Su Jinxiu, deputy director of Chinese Abacus & Mental Calculation Dev’t. Assoc.

For centuries, the abacus was a major calculating device. It even helped to make calculations when China developed its first nuclear bomb in the 1960s.

But now, only some banks and shops used them as supplements to computers.

"But very few people learn how to use the abacus now," Su Jinxiu said.

Until the 1990s, abacus lessons were compulsory⁶ in primary schools; later they became a selective subject. And then it was totally removed from the curriculum.

But, abacus operation has developed into mental calculation. Some children learn this as an interest. Learners figure out results with an abacus in mind. And there are national contests.

Advocates of the practice say mental calculation can help improve children’s intelligence.

Today, the abacus is still an auspicious⁷ symbol of wisdom and wealth. In 2008, it was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. People in the abacus association hope the valuable heritage won’t die.

 

1 abacus   

n.算盘

参考例句：

• They also learned to use the abacus.他们还学习珠算。
• The abacus is the ancestor of the modern computer.算盘是现代电脑的原型。

2 bead   

n.念珠；(pl.)珠子项链；水珠

参考例句：

• She accidentally swallowed a glass bead.她不小心吞下了一颗玻璃珠。
• She has a beautiful glass bead and a bracelet in the box.盒子里有一颗美丽的玻璃珠和手镯。

3 beads   

n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链

参考例句：

• a necklace of wooden beads 一条木珠项链
• Beads of perspiration stood out on his forehead. 他的前额上挂着汗珠。

4 subtraction   

n.减法，减去

参考例句：

• We do addition and subtraction in arithmetic.在算术里,我们作加减运算。
• They made a subtraction of 50 dollars from my salary.他们从我的薪水里扣除了五十美元。

5 multiplication   

n.增加，增多，倍增；增殖，繁殖；乘法

参考例句：

• Our teacher used to drum our multiplication tables into us.我们老师过去老是让我们反覆背诵乘法表。
• The multiplication of numbers has made our club building too small.会员的增加使得我们的俱乐部拥挤不堪。

6 compulsory   

n.强制的，必修的；规定的，义务的

参考例句：

• Is English a compulsory subject?英语是必修课吗？
• Compulsory schooling ends at sixteen.义务教育至16岁为止。

7 auspicious   

adj.吉利的；幸运的，吉兆的

参考例句：

• The publication of my first book was an auspicious beginning of my career.我的第一本书的出版是我事业吉祥的开始。
• With favorable weather conditions it was an auspicious moment to set sail.风和日丽，正是扬帆出海的黄道吉日。