Read the text and answer the questions.

When talking with young Swedish students, Mo Yan showed respect for Chinese authors that he learned writing from, particularly Shen Congwen, who was twice nominated for the Nobel Prize. 

"Lu Xun, Lao She, Mao Dun and Shen Congwen, they are more qualified for the Nobel Prize than me," he said,. Among the writers he learned from, he said he especially felt close to Shen Congwen, as they have similar life experiences. 

Both of them left school early and did not get formal education. Shen quit after high school and Mo only finished the fifth grade. They both joined the army after school. " We both learned from the book of life," said Mo. 

The themes of their writing are also similar. Both writers have their hometown as the theme and root of their writings. Shen'works are mostly about his hometown, Xiangxi, and most of Mo's stories are set in his hometown, Gaomi, in Shandong Province. 

Mo said he also learned from Shen how to deal with characters in a fiction. Unlike most Chinese writers, Shen has a humanistic touch towards all of his characters. Said Mo, "In his works, there are no particularly bad person or good person. Even gangsters and thieves have their humane side," he said. 

"I try to use the same approach in my writing. It shows the ability of a novelist when he treats all the characters as humans," he said. 

Mo said he also learned Lu Xun's depth and Lao She's humor. "They are all my teachers, and I am the student," he said. "I feel ashamed from my heart that teachers did not get the prize, but the student got it."

1. Who received 2 nominations for the Nobel Prize?
2. Who praised Shen?
3. Why did Mo feel close to Shen?
4. Who else did Mo commend?
5. And?
6. Did Mo finish school?
7. How much school did he complete?
8. What about Shen?
9. What did they do after quitting school?
10. What did Mo call this experience?
11. Are the themes of their writing similar?
12. What is the basis of their writings?
13. What is Mo's hometown?
14. And Shen's?
15. What did Mo say he learned from Shen?
16. What is unusual for Shen in his writings?
17. Does Mo try to replicate this in his writing?
18. Why?
19. What quality did Mo learn from Lu?
20. And Lao?

Numbered answers:
1. Shen Congwen
2. Mo Yan
3. they have similar life experiences
4. Lu Xun
5. Mao Dun
6. no
7. fifth grade
8. high school
9. joined the army
10. learning from the book of life
11. yes
12. their hometown
13. Gaomi
14. Xiangxi
15. how to deal with characters in a fiction
16. he has a humanistic touch towards all of his characters
17. yes
18. it shows the ability of a novelist
19. depth
20. humor