Does Fame Drive You Crazy?
Although being famous might sound like a dream come true, today's stars, 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 personal lives.Just imagine not being able to do anything without being photographed or interrupted for a signature!
According to pyschologist Christina Villarreal, celebrities—famous people—worry constantly about their public appearance.Eventually, 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 tracking 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 (抱怨) 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.Still, even stars who enjoy full justice often complain about how hard their lives are.They are tired of being famous already.It can be learned from the passage that stars today________.
| A．are often misunderstood by the public |
| B．can no longer have their privacy protected |
| C．spend too much on their public appearance |
| D．care little about how they have come into fame |
What is the main idea of Paragraph 3?
| A．Great heroes of the past were generally admired. |
| B．The problem faced by celebrities has a long history. |
| C．Well－known actors are usually targets of tabloids. |
| D．Works of popular writers often have a lot of readers. |
What makes it much harder to be a celebrity today?
| A．Availability of modern media. |
| B．Inadequate social recognition. |
| C．Lack of favorable chances. |
| D．Huge population of fans. |
What is the author's attitude toward modern celebrity?
| A．Sincere. | B．Sceptical. |
| C．Disapproving. | D．Sympathetic. |
Our surroundings are being polluted faster than nature and man’s present efforts cannot prevent it. Time is bringing us more people, and more people will bring us more industry, more cars, larger cities, and the growing use of man-made materials.
What can explain and solve this problem? The fact is that pollution is caused by man — by his desire for a modern way of life. We make “increasing industrialization” our chief aim. So we are often ready to offer everything: clean air, pure water, good food, our health and the future of our children. There is a constant flow of people from the countryside into the cities, eager for the benefits of our modern society. But as our technological achievements have grown in the last twenty years, pollution has become a serious problem.
Isn’t it time we stopped to ask ourselves where we are going — and why? It makes one think of the story about the airline pilot who told his passengers over the loudspeaker, “I’ve some good news and some bad news. The good news is that we’re making rapid progress at 530 miles per hour. The bad news is that we’re lost and don’t know where we’re going.” The sad fact is that this becomes a true story when spoken of our modern society. Man cannot prevent the world from being polluted mainly because ______.
| A．the population of the world is decreasing fast |
| B．people use too many man-made materials |
| C．we have more and more industry |
| D．we are producing more cars, trucks and buses |
People crowd into the cities because ______.
| A．they want very much to find well-paid jobs |
| B．they are anxious to enjoy the achievements of our society |
| C．they have become tired of their homeland |
| D．they have a strong wish to become industrial workers |
According to the passage, what does man value most?
| A．Industry. | B．Health. |
| C．Clean air. | D．The future of the children. |
The story about the airline pilot tells us that ______.
| A．man knows where the society is going |
| B．people do not welcome the rapid development of modern society |
| C．man can do little about the problem of pollution |
| D．the writer is worried about the future of our society |
What does the writer really want to say in this passage?
| A．With the development of technology, pollution has become a serious problem. |
| B．Lower the speed of development to stop pollution. |
| C．It’s time we did something to reduce pollution. |
| D．As industry is growing fast, pollution is the natural result. |
Mr and Mrs Smith had always spent their summer holidays in New Jersey in the past, staying in a small inn(旅店) at the foot of a hill. One year, however, Mr. Smith made a lot of money in his business, so they decided to go to London and stay at a really good hotel while they went touring around that famous city.
They flew to London and arrived at their hotel late one evening. They expected that they would have to go to bed hungry, because in that small inn in New Jersey, no meals were served after seven. They were therefore surprised when the man who received them in the hall asked whether they would take dinner there that night.
“Are you still serving dinner?” asked Mr Smith.
“Yes, certainly, sir,” answered the man. “We serve it until half past nine.”
“What are the times of meals then?” asked Mr Smith.
“Well, sir,” answered the man, “We serve breakfast from seven to half past eleven in the morning, lunch from twelve to three in the afternoon, tea from four to five, and dinner from six to half past nine.”
“But that hardly leaves any time for us to see the sights of London!” said Mrs Smith.Mr and Mrs Smith _________ in the past.
| A．had often stayed in a big hotel in New Jersey |
| B．had traveled to many places |
| C．had often stayed in a small inn |
| D．had made a lot of money |
They decided to go to a really good hotel because _________.
| A．it was famous |
| B．it was difficult to find a cheap hotel |
| C．it was near many interesting places |
| D．they now had enough money |
When they arrived at the hotel, they found _________.
| A．no meals were served after seven |
| B．dinner was still being served |
| C．their plane had arrived too late |
| D．they had to go to bed hungry |
When the man told them the times of meals at the hotel, Mrs Smith felt _________.
| A．disappointed | B．excited | C．delighted | D．satisfied |
Mrs. Smith _________.
| A．thought she would have plenty of time to see the sights |
| B．was afraid they would have no time to tour around London |
| C．thought the hotel was not as good as the small inn |
| D．thought the hotel was much better than the small inn for its good meals |
The first ting we do is to put an APB and this goes to all the police stations in the country.
Next we telephone the hospitals. Often the personwearelookingforhas been in an accident.
Thenwemighttryparents,friendsorrelativestheymightbewith.Wetrytofollowtheirmovementsandtofindthelastpersontheysawinlocalornationalpapers—especiallypaperstheymightread.Thereareotherthingswecando: put postersinplaces where they might be, go on television.
HereinAmericathereisamagazineinwhichtherearephotographsofmissingchildren.Thisisoftenthelasthope.Ofcourse,withnearlytwomillionmissingchildreneveryyear,wecan’tdoallthesethingsforeveryone.Wehaven’tgotthetime,orthemoney, or thepeople who work for it. Who do they look for?
| A．Criminals. |
| B．The drivers who have caused accidents. |
| C．News reports. |
| D．Missing children. |
How many ways to find the missing children are mentioned in the passage?
| A．Five. | B．Six. | C．Two. | D．Seven. |
When a person is reported to be missing, they
| A．might not know the exact reason | B．might find out the reason first |
| C．set out to look for him at once | D．first turn to the police for help |
They put photos in newspapers or put posters because they think
| A．people will tell them what will happen to the missing persons |
| B．the missing persons might come back after reading them |
| C．everyone will know the missing persons |
| D．all the people will read them |
According to the passage, when they are looking for a missing child, they
| A．can always find him |
| B．couldn’t always try every way mentioned above |
| C．just try one way or another |
| D．won’t give up until they find him |
Suppose you work in a big firm and find English important for your job because you often deal with foreign businessmen. Now you are looking for a place where you can improve your English, especially your spoken English. Here are some advertisements about English language training from newspapers. You may find the information you need.
Global English Centre
☆General English in all four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
☆3-month (700 yuan), 6-month (1,200 yuan) and one year (2000 yuan) courses.
☆Choice fo morning or evening classes, 3 hours per day, Mon. ~Fri.
☆Experienced college English teachers.
☆Close to city centre and bus stops.
Tel:67605270
Add:105 Zhongshan Road,100082
Modern Language School
☆ Special courses in English for business, travel, banking, hotel management and office skills.
☆ Small classes (12~16 students) on Sat.&Sum.from2:00 to 5:00 p.m.
☆ Native English teachers from Canada and USA.
☆ Language lab and computers supplied.
☆ 3-month course: (1050 yuan), 6-month course: (1850 yuan)
Write or phone: Modern Language School, 675 Park Road, 100056
Tel: 67353019
The 21 sty Century English Training Centre
☆ We specialize in effective teaching at all levels.
☆ We offer morning or afternoon classes, both of which last three months and a half at a cost of 800 yuan. Entrance exams:1 June and 1 Dec.
☆ We also have a six-week TOEFL preparation class during winter and summer holidays.
☆ Only 15-minute walk from city centre.
Call 67801642 for more information.
The International House of English
☆ 3/6-month English courses for students of all levels at very low cost: 60 yuan for 12 hours per week; convenient class hours:9~12 a.m. and2~5 p.m.
☆ A 4-month evening classes for developing speaking skills (same cost as day classes).
☆ Well-trained Chinese and foreign teachers experienced in teaching English as a 2nd foreign language.
☆ Free sightseeing and social activities。
☆ Very close to the Central Park.
For further information call 67432308.You work from 9:00a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day. Which school will you choose?
| A．Global English Centre and Modern Language School. |
| B．Global English Centre and the International House of English. |
| C．Modern Language School and the 21st Century English Training. |
| D．The 21st Century English Training Center and the International House of English. |
The 21st Century English Training Center is different from the other three schools in that.
| A．its teaching quality is better | B．it is nearest to the city centre |
| C．its courses are more advanced | D．it requires an entrance examination |
You’ll probably prefer to go to the International House of English because it.
| A．offers free sightseeing and social activities |
| B．has a special course in spoken English |
| C．costs less than the other schools |
| D．has native English teachers |
If you take the evening classes at the International House of English, you’ll pay aboutyuan.
| A．60 | B．240 | C．720 | D．960 |
A friend of mine named Paul received an expensive car from his brother as a Christmas present. Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office，a street urchin(顽童) was walking around the shining car．“Is this your car，Paul？” he asked．
Paul answered，“Yes, my brother gave it to me for Christmas.” The boy was surprised．“You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn’t cost you anything？Boy，I wish…” He hesitated Of course， Paul knew what he was going to wish for．He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the boy said surprised Paul greatly.
“I wish,” the boy went on，“that I could be a brother like that.” Paul looked at the boy in surprise, then he said again, “Would you like to take a ride in my car？”
“Oh yes，I’d love that.”
After a short ride，the boy turned and with his eyes shining，said，“Paul，would you mind driving in front of my house？”
Paul smiled a little．He thought he knew what the boy wanted．He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big car. But Paul was wrong again. “Will you stop where those two steps are？ the boy asked．
He ran up to the steps. Then in a short while Paul heard him coming back, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled（残疾） brother. He sat him down on the step and pointed to the car.
“There it is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn’t cost him a cent. And some day I’m going to give you one just like it…then you can see for yourself all the nice things in the Christmas windows that I’ve been trying to tell you about.”
Paul got out and lifted the boy to the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began an unforgettable holiday ride.The street urchin was very surprised when ________．
| A．Paul received an expensive car | B．Paul told him about the car |
| C．he saw the shining car | D．he was walking around the car |
From the story we can see the urchin ________．
| A．wished to give his brother a car |
| B．wanted Paul’s brother to give him a car |
| C．wished he could have a brother like Paul’s |
| D．wished Paul could be a brother like that |
The urchin asked Paul to stop his car in front of his house ________．
| A．to show his neighbors the big car | B．to show he had a rich friend |
| C．to let his brother ride in the car | D．to tell his brother about his wish |
We can infer（推断）from the story that ________．
| A．Paul couldn’t understand the urchin |
| B．the urchin had a deep love for his brother |
| C．the urchin wished to have a rich brother |
| D．the urchin’s wish came true in the end |
The best name of the story is _________．
| A．A Christmas Present | B．A Street Urchin |
| C．A Brother Like That | D．An Unforgettable Holiday Ride |