Question

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 psychologist 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 that 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.

1.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

2.What is the main idea of Paragraph3?

A.Great heroes of the past were generally admired.

B.Works of popular writers often have a lot of readers.

C. Well-known actors are usually targets of tabloids.

D. The problem faced by celebrities has a long history.

3.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.

4.What is author’s attitude toward modern celebrity?

A. Sincere.          B.Skeptical.           C. Disapproving   D.Sympathetic.

Answer

1.B

2.D

3.A

4.D

【解析】

试题分析：本文叙述了现在的名人面临许多问题。们人们没有隐私可言，那些小报记者，用先进的摄像机躲在名人家附近拍照，通过网络快速的传播。其实名人面临的问题已经有很长的历史。许多名人已经厌倦出名了。

1.推理判断题。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.可知现在的名人有很多媒体关注着，因此没有隐私可言。故选B。

2.主旨大意题。根据第三段的The phenomenon of tracking celebrities has been around for ages. 可知名人面临大家的关注，没有隐私的现象已经有很长的历史。故选D。

3.推理判断题。根据第四段的 photographers with modern cameras.和there is always the Internet to spread the news in minutes and keep their “story” alive forever.可知现在的媒体越来越先进，报道的又快有多，因此名人的境况更难了。故选A。

4.推理判断题。根据最后一段的They are tired of being famous already.可知作者认为名人已经厌倦出名了，从中可推测作者同情名人。故选D。

考点：社会现象类短文阅读。