Does Being Famous Drive You Crazy?
Although being famous might sound like a dream come true, today’s star, feeling like zoo animals, face pressures that few of us can imagine. They are at the center of much of the world’s attention. Paparazzi (狗仔队) camp outside their homes, cameras ready. Tabloids (小报) publish thrilling stories about their privacy. Just imagine not being able to do anything without being photographed or interrupted for a signature!
According to psychologist Christina Villarreal, celebrities — famous people — worry constantly about their public appearance. In the end, they start to lose track of who they really are, seeing themselves the way their fans imagine them, not as the people they were before everyone knew their names. “Over time,” Villarreal says, “they feel separated and alone.”
The phenomenon of following celebrities has been around for ages. In the 4th century B.C., painters followed Alexander the Great into battle, hoping to picture his victories for his admirers. When Charles Dickens visited America in the 19th century, his sold-out readings attracted thousands of fans, leading him to complain about his lack of privacy. Tabloids of the 1920s and 1930s ran articles about film-stars in much the same way that modern tabloids and websites do.
Being a public figure today, however, is a lot more difficult than it used to be. Superstars cannot move about without worrying about photographers with modern cameras. When they say something silly or do something ridiculous, there is always the Internet to spread the news in minutes and keep their “story” alive forever.
If fame is so troublesome, why aren’t all celebrities running away from it? The answer is there are still ways to deal with it. Some stars stay calm by surrounding themselves with trusted friends and family or by escaping to remote places away from big cities. They focus not on how famous they are but on what they love to do or whatever made them famous in the first place.
Sometimes a few celebrities can get a little justice（正义）. Still, even stars who enjoy full justice often complain about how hard their lives are. They are tired of being famous already.
小题1:It can be learned from the passage that stars today _________.| A．spend too much on their public appearance | | B．are often misunderstood by the public | | C．can no longer have their privacy protected | | D．care little about how they have become famous |
小题2:What is the main idea of Paragraph 3?| A．The problem faced by celebrities has a long history. | | B．Great heroes of the past were generally admired. | | C．Works of popular writers often have a lot of readers. | | D．Well-known actors are usually targets of tabloids. |
小题3:What makes it much harder to be a celebrity today?| A．There are huge population of fans. | | B．They get little support from society. | | C．They get few good opportunities. | | D．Many modern ways of getting news are being used. |
小题4:What is the author’s attitude toward modern celebrity?| A．Sincere. | B．Doubting | C．Supporting. | D．Disagreeing. |
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小题1:C
小题2:A
小题3:D
小题4:C |
文章大意：文章讲述的是成名给名人们的生活带来的影响，以及处理这些问题的方法，并依此引发读者思考。
小题1:推理题：根据第一段的“They are at the center of much of the world’s attention. Paparazzi (狗仔队) camp outside their homes, cameras ready. Tabloids (小报) publish thrilling stories about their personal lives”他们是全世界关注的焦点，狗仔队在他们家外面扎营，小报上到处都是关于他们私人生活的惊悚故事。可知，他们的生活完全被媒体多报道，生活中的隐私已经处于了没有任何保护的状态了。故选择C.
小题2:段落大意题：根据第三段的中心句，即第一句“The phenomenon of tracking celebrities has been around for ages”可知，该段落主要讲的是追踪名人已经有了很久的历史了。即A选项
小题3:细节题：根据第四段的“Superstars cannot move about without worrying about photographers with modern cameras. When they say something silly or do something ridiculous, there is always the Internet to spread the news in minutes and keep their “story” alive forever”可知，他们做任何事情都会被现代照相机、英特网等当代媒体捕捉到，因此，这些现代媒体让今天的人成为名人不容易。选D
小题4:作者态度题：通读全文可知，作者介绍了很多名人受成名所累，失去了生活的隐私，失去了自我，变得孤独、变得被世界隔离，因此可以推断出作者对他们抱有支持的态度。即选择C |
核心考点
试题【Does Being Famous Drive You Crazy?Although being famous might sound like a dream】；主要考察你对
题材分类等知识点的理解。
[详细]举一反三
Stop Spam!
When I first got an e-mail account ten years ago, I received communications only from family, friends, and colleagues. Now it seems that every time I check my e-mail, I have an endless series of advertisements and other correspondence that do not interest me at all. If we want e-mail to continue to be useful, we need specific laws that make spamming (发送垃圾邮件) a crime.
If lawmakers do not do something soon to prohibit spam, the problem will certainly get much worse. Computer programs allow spammers to send hundreds of millions of e-mails almost instantly. As more and more advertisers turn to spam to sell their products, individual (个人的) e-mail boxes are often flooded with spam e-mails. Would people continue to use e-mail if they had to deal with an annoying amount of spam each time?
This problem is troubling for individuals and companies as well. Many spam e-mails contain computer viruses that can shut down the entire network of a company. Companies rely on e-mail for their employees to communicate with each other. Spam frequently causes failures in their local communications networks, and their employees are thus unable to communicate effectively. Such a situation results in a loss of productivity and requires companies to repeatedly repair their networks. These computer problems raise production costs of companies, which are, in the end, passes on to the consumer.
For these reasons, I believe that lawmakers need to legislate (立法) against spam. Spammers should be fined, and perhaps sent to prison if they continue to disturb people. E-mail is a tool which helps people all over the world to communicate conveniently, but spam is destroying this convenience.
小题1:What does the underlined word “correspondence” in the Paragraph 1 probably mean? | A．messages | B．ideas | C．connections | D．programs |
小题2:According to the text, what is the major cause of the flooding spam? | A．Companies rely on e-mail for communications. | | B．More people in the world communicate by e-mails. | | C．Many computer viruses contain spam e-mail. | | D．More advertisers begin to promote sales through spam. |
小题3:According to Paragraph 3, who is the final victim of spam? | A．The business | B．The advertiser. | | C．The employee | D．The consumer. |
小题4:What is the purpose of the text?| A．To inform. | B．To educate. | C．To persuade. | D．To instruct. |
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Although Paris is often considered the city of romance, close to a million adults who call it home are single. Many single people say that France’s capital is one of the most difficult places to meet people. The complaints(抱怨) of this lonely group have inspired a new phenomenon known as “supermarket dating.” At Galerie Lafayette Gourmet, singles can shop for more than just the items on their grocery list. They can look for someone who has blue eyes, brown hair, and is 1.8 meters tall, or whatever may be on their romantic shopping list.
At this Paris location, single people of all ages can schedule their shopping for Thursday nights between 6:30 and 9:00 p.m. When they walk through the door, they pick up a purple basket to advise that they are looking for love. They try to arrive early because the baskets disappear quickly, and then they have to wait in line for their turn to wander the store aisles(过道) .
With purple baskets in hand, shoppers can consider their romantic options while they pick out their groceries. When they are ready to pay, they can go to the checkout line for singles who want to chat.
Most of the people who look for love in the supermarket are skeptical of Internet dating. They know that it is easy to embellish(美化) one’s appearance or to lie about one’s age over the Internet. The supermarket, on the other hand, is considered a safe and casual environment in which to meet a potential match. In addition, what one finds in another’s grocery basket can say a thing or two about that person’s character or intentions. Buying pet food can be a man’s way of showing a potential match that he has a sensitive side. Women who fill their baskets with low-fat food show their healthy style of living. These days it’s possible to find much more than food at a grocery store.
小题1:What do many single people in Pairs complain about?| A．The difficulty in meeting people. | | B．The idea of supermarket dating. | | C．The items on their grocery list. | | D．The inconvenience in shopping. |
小题2:Which of the following can be inferred but is not clearly stated in the second paragraph?| A．The dating supermarket is located in Paris. | | B．The dating supermarket is open only on Thursday evenings. | | C．People looking for love must get a basket of a particular colour | | D．The dating supermarket has very good business. |
小题3:According to the writer, a possible way to win a woman’s heart is to _______.| A．pick up a purple basket | | B．Buy low-fat food | | C．embellish your appearance | | D．buy pet food |
小题4:Why do the people prefer the supermarket dating to Internet dating?| A．The supermarket dating is more convenient. | | B．The supermarket dating is more casual. | | C．The supermarket dating can be trusted more. | | D．The supermarket dating is less expensive. |
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A report consistently brought back by visitors to the US is how friendly，courteous and helpful most Americans were to them．To be fair，this observation is also frequently made of Canada and Canadians，and should best be considered North American．There are，of course，exceptions．Small-minded officials，rude waiters，and ill-mannered taxi drivers are hardly unknown in the US．Yet it is an observation made so frequently that it deserves comment．For a long period of time and in many parts of the country, a traveler was a welcome break in an otherwise dull existence．
Dullness and loneliness were common problems of the families who generally lived distant from one another．Strangers and travelers were welcome sources of diversion，and brought news of the outside world．The harsh realities of the frontier also shaped this tradition of hospitality．
Someone traveling alone，if hungry，injured，or ill，often had nowhere to turn except to the nearest cabin or settlement．It was not a matter of choice for the traveler or merely a charitable impulse on the part of the settlers．It reflected the harshness of daily life： if you didn‘t take in the stranger and take care of him，there was no one else who would．And someday，remember，you might be in the same situation．Today there are many charitable organizations which specialize in helping the weary traveler．Yet，the old tradition of hospitality to strangers is still very strong in the US，especially in the smaller cities and towns away from the busy tourist trails．“I was just traveling through，got talking with this American，and pretty soon he invited me home for dinner—amazing．” Such observations reported by visitors to the US are not uncommon，but are not always understood properly．
小题1:In the eyes of visitors from the outside world，___________．| A．rude taxi drivers are rarely seen in the US | | B．small-minded officials deserve a serious comment | | C．Canadians are not so friendly as their neighbors | | D．most Americans are ready to offer help |
小题2:It could be inferred from the last paragraph that ___________．| A．culture exercises an influence over social interrelationship | | B．courteous convention and individual interest are interrelated | | C．various virtues manifest themselves exclusively among friends | | D．social interrelationships equal the complex set of cultural conventions |
小题3:Families in frontier settlements used to entertain strangers ___________．| A．to improve their hard life | | B．in view of their long-distance travel | | C．to add some flavor to their own daily life | | D．out of a charitable impulse |
小题4:The tradition of hospitality to strangers ___________．| A．tends to be superficial and artificial | | B．is generally well kept up in the united States | | C．is always understood properly | | D．has something to do with the busy tourist trails |
小题5:What’s the author’s attitudes toward the American‘s friendliness？ | A．Favorable． | B．Unfavorable． | | C．Indifferent． | D．Neutral． |
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There was a 17% fall in the number of first year undergraduates at UK universities in the first year of higher tuition fees, official figures show.
In 2012-13 UK universities were allowed to treble their yearly fees to ￡9,000.
England saw a 12% fall in new full-time undergraduate students overall.
The government acknowledged the fall but stressed that demand for full time higher education has already "returned to record levels".
A spokesperson for Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said the figures were influenced by a higher number of students taking up places the previous year, rather than having a gap year.
"A reduction in entrants in 2012 was well documented and the numbers were affected by the significant number of students who opted not to defer their place from the year before," she said.
"Direct consequence"
The decline had not continued into the current year, she added.
"Application rates for some of the most disadvantaged young people have risen to an all time high in England and more students than ever before are being successful in securing a place at their first choice institution."
The figures, collated by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa), are official confirmation of other indications that there was a fall in the number of people going to university last year.
Previously released figures had shown declines in applications and offers of places, and the admissions body Ucas also reported a fall.
小题1:What is the main idea of the passage?| A．The number of undergraduates in Uk has decreased due to the higher fees . | | B．The government says undergraduate numbers have "returned to record levels". | | C．The reduction is the direct result of the significant number of students who opted not to defer their place from the year before. | | D．Application rates for some of the most disadvantaged young people have risen to an all time high in England |
小题2:What does the underlined word “treble” in paragragh 2 mean?| A．make a change | B．cut down on | C．increase three times | D．bring down |
小题3:Which of the following is Not True according to the passage?| A．The government refused to admit the decrease. | | B．The demand for full time higher education has already "returned to record levels". | | C．More than one media reported the same result. | | D．The number of the students who are successful in applying for their first choice institution is the largest. |
小题4:What is the attitude of the spokesperson for Department for Business, Innovation and Skills?| A．contradictory | B．positive | C．negative | D．indifferent |
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Thanks to a combination of young businessmen, large numbers of university students and revitalization (新生) efforts by the local and national governments, today’s Nanjing has an of youthful exuberance (繁茂) that would have been only a few decades ago. , the city, a booming city of 6.5 million on the banks of the Yangtze River some 185 miles west of Shanghai, bears resemblance to the former capital of China that suffered the worst cruelty and violence of World War II.
Nanjing has shown a remarkable capacity for reinvention during its 2,500-year history. And in recent years, the city has moved its tragic past to become a vital engine of China’s economic growth, thanks to its position in the middle of China’s prosperous eastern seaboard. Growth has also thanks to improved ground transportation: A new bullet train linking Nanjing and Shanghai started service last year, travel time between the cities from several hours to just 75 minutes, and a Beijing-Shanghai high-speed line is to open later this year, with a stop in Nanjing. Within the city, two metro lines were built in the last few years; 15 more are planned to begin service by 2030.
Signs of Nanjing’s wealth and optimism can be seen everywhere. In the heart of the downtown Xinjiekou district, a bronze statue of Sun Yat-sen, the father of modern China, looks over a busy area.
There is perhaps no more symbol of the city’s transformation than the Zifeng Tower, a 1,480-foot skyscraper that opened its doors last May. offices, restaurants and an InterContinental hotel, the tower is the second-tallest building in China and billed as the seventh-tallest in the world.
Underlying all this development is a large Chinese and student population — there are several major universities, plus a branch of Johns Hopkins’s international studies school. In fact, art and music in all sorts of places.
On a larger , local government officials and private investors are pushing the city as a rising center for contemporary art and architecture, hoping to attract from the neon-bathed streets of its neighbor Shanghai.
| 小题1: | | A．advance | B．affection | C．air | D．ability |
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| 小题2: | | A．unforgettable | B．unthinkable | C．unbearable | D．unnecessary |
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| 小题3: | | A．Actually | B．Regretfully | C．Hopefully | D．Consequently |
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| 小题4: | | A．close | B．slight | C．much | D．little |
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| 小题5: | | A．Because | B．But | C．As | D．Since |
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| 小题7: | | A．in addition | B．in all | C．in part | D．in fact |
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| 小题8: | | A．started | B．enlarged | C．existed | D．accelerated |
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| 小题9: | | A．removing | B．cutting | C．dividing | D．lowering |
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| 小题10: | | A．scheduled | B．invented | C．desired | D．meant |
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| 小题11: | | A．attractive | B．well-received | C．newfound | D．discovered |
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| 小题12: | | A．thought | B．treated | C．considered | D．elected |
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| 小题14: | | A．remote | B．regional | C．rural | D．commercial |
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| 小题15: | | A．universal | B．visible | C．traditional | D．political |
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| 小题16: | | A．Keeping | B．Consisting | C．Opening | D．Housing |
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| 小题17: | | A．British | B．western | C．American | D．foreign |
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| 小题18: | | A．spring up | B．stand up | C．set up | D．keep up |
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| 小题19: | | A．extent | B．degree | C．scale | D．level |
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| 小题20: | | A．businessmen | B．students | C．tourists | D．painters |
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