As a contestant on The X Factor, 13-year-old Rachel Crow seemed to have exactly what it took to win: strong praise from judges, a beautiful voice, and a lovable personality. Then she was voted off.
When the results were read, Rachel broke down, sobbing and screaming for her mom, who had to rush onstage to comfort her.
It was a humiliating moment for Rachel, but a great moment for The X Factor — just the kind of drama TV audiences love.
Some fans said Rachel’s breakdown proved she was too young to be on the show. And though there was nothing exceptional about someone Rachel’s age being on reality TV — children and teens appear in everything from Dance Moms to The Biggest Loser — Rachel’s meltdown did raise an important question: Should kids be on reality TV at all? Many psychologists are saying “No”.
It’s well known that early fame can be harmful and that many former child stars struggle as adults. Being followed by photographers 24/7 and having everything they do reported in newspapers and blogs can be hard for young people to deal with. It can make them feel as though their worth depends on what others say. Reality TV takes the pressure of early fame to a whole new level. Kids on reality TV don’t play characters. They play themselves. Cameras expose their most private moments for our entertainment.
Laws exist that protect child actors, making sure they go to school and limiting the hours they can work. In many states, though, these laws do not apply to kids on reality TV, because they are not considered actors.
Dangers aside, there’s no doubt that reality shows do offer exciting opportunities and the potential to make money. A 7-year-old girl who attends a TV show earns about $36,000 per season. After competing on The X Factor, One Direction went on to become international stars. Even Rachel made out OK. She released an album and voices a character in the movie Rio 2. And she showed resilience (适应力). “I’m not feeling great, but I’ll be fine,” she told reporters after breakdown. “I’m Rachel still.”The underlined word “humiliating” in Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to “ _______”.
| A．exciting | B．precious |
| C．important | D．embarrassing |
We can learn from Paragraph 4 that some of Rachel’s fans thought that she _______.
| A．was not good enough |
| B．deserved better results |
| C．should have been much stronger |
| D．shouldn’t have been on the show |
Paragraph 5 is mainly about _______.
| A．how kids should deal with pressure |
| B．why early fame can be harmful to kids |
| C．the importance of kids being themselves |
| D．what some former child stars have achieved |
What can we infer from the last paragraph?
| A．Kids should look for more challenges. |
| B．Reality shows may change a kid forever. |
| C．Reality shows can benefit kids in some ways. |
| D．Kids can earn little money from reality shows. |
I was waiting in a check-in line at Arlanda International Airport. The man ahead of me was quite a big guy. As an airport baggage handler checked through a customer at the roadside, he accidentally knocked over the man’s luggage. He quickly collected the fallen bags and apologized for his mistake. However，the traveler burst into anger, shouting at the baggage handler for his carelessness.
The baggage handler calmly apologized and smiled all the time. The customer continued to berate(痛斥) the man, even as he turned away and headed for his gate. Through it all the baggage handler smiled and remained calm.
The other customers in line witnessed the incident and admired the baggage handler’s professionalism and self-control. “I have never seen such restraint and humility,” one of the customers sighed, “How do you keep your cool when somebody is attacking you so viciously?”
“It’s easy,” the baggage handler answered. “He’s going to London, but his bags are going to Tokyo.”
I won’t recommend that we use revenge to relieve stress. But let me tell you about one of my friends who has found a way to go through most of his life unaffected by theturbulence that disturbs most people. He is one of the calmest people I’ve ever known and he describes how he keeps his cool no matter how turbulent a situation becomes. He says, “I look at it this way. A traffic jam has no power to make me angry. It just stops my car. And that’s the way I try to look at most of what happens to me.” With that philosophy, this guy goes through life with a calmness I can only envy.
My friend likes to say things like, “A rude customer has no power to make me angry; he just fusses.” And, “A mistake I made has no power to make me upset; it’s just a chance to do better.” He shows how we can truly find calmness in the midst of chaos.
The airport baggage handler remained calm during the customer’s berating because ______.
| A．he was good at self-control |
| B．he wanted to show his professionalism |
| C．he wanted to revenge the customer |
| D．he knew well the airport rules |
What is the author’s attitude towards the baggage handler?
| A．Appreciative. | B．Disapproving. |
| C．Concerned. | D．Sympathetic. |
Why does the author tell us about his friend?
| A．To tell us what is true calmness. |
| B．To explain a special philosophy. |
| C．To show his envy to the friend. |
| D．To advise us to have good manners. |
What does the underlined word “turbulence” mean?
| A．an uneasy or a disturbing state of mind |
| B．a confusing or uncontrolled situation |
| C．a person that makes people angry |
| D．violence that hurts people |
Which of the following could be the best title for the passage?
| A．A Clever Baggage Handler |
| B．Restraint and Humility in Life |
| C．A Philosophy for Everyone |
| D．Calmness in Chaos |
阅读理解。阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
While you are online there are plenty of perfectly legal sites where you can listen to music for free. This gives you the chance to listen to music before buying it, discover new music, and create great online playlists that you can share with others.
The Sixty One
The Sixty One is devoted to showcasing obscure or unknown artists of all genres. There’s a range of musical styles from classical to rock and roll, folk to jazz, and everything in between. Don’t expect to find big name musicians on here; you’re more likely to find the musicians playing at local coffee shops than bands you hear on the radio..
Pow Wow
Pow Wows are the Native American people’s way of meeting together, to join in dancing, singing, visiting, renewing old friendships, and making new ones. This is a time method to renew Native American culture and preserve the rich heritage of American Indians. PowWows.com has 2 online radio stations that play Native American Music 24/7 free! Here you can listen to your favorite artists and drum groups on your computer or mobile device and add your music to our station.
Playlist
Playlist has an enormous library, so you can create playlists with almost any musician you can think of. They have both some lesser known artists and big names, so you have a really good selection. The worst part: Due to licensing laws, many of the songs on Playlist are now restricted to certain countries. So unless you live inside the US, it is likely that you might not be able to find all of your favorite songs.
Pandora
Pandora is an intelligent Internet radio site. Basically, as you listen, you can give each song a thumbs up or thumbs down. You can create your own radio station that only plays music you like. The best part: It listens to your opinion, so that after a while it’s only playing music you like, but the list is always changing and expanding.
My Space
Combine a major social networking site with thousands of artists around the world. Each musician has their own page, which normally has a playlist of several of their songs. But it has a huge range of musicians ranging from huge stars to the up-and-coming, and you can listen to the music and interact with the rest of the page.
If you enjoy listening to some new music, you can pay a visit to ______.
| A．Pow Wow | B． Playlist | C．The Sixty One | D．Pandora |
You can’t listen to some music on Playlist possibly because ______.
| A．it is only open to those who are in the United States |
| B．you are not one of the members of the website |
| C．you don’t have any playlist |
| D．the music is played only by the local people |
Pandora is different from the other websites of music in that ____.
| A．listening to music is free of charge |
| B．the website keeps changing and expanding |
| C．it is built according to your suggestions |
| D．you can always enjoy your favorite music |
Which or the following is true of My Space?
| A．Thousands of artists visit it every day. |
| B．It is unnecessary to create your own playlist. |
| C．There are many songs of each musician. |
| D．It is possible to meet the stars around the world. |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Best Free Music Websites. |
| B．All Kinds of Music Online. |
| C．Create Your Own Playlist. |
| D．Listen to Music for free. |
Most people I meet want to develop more harmonious and satisfying relationships. But we may not realize that this can only be achieved by partnering with two new and strange allies(盟友)：uncertainty and confusion. Most of us aren’t trained to like confusion or to admit we feel hesitant and uncertain. In our schools and organizations, we place value on sounding certain and confident.
As life continues to speed up, I believe our changing world requires less certainty and far more curiosity. I’m not suggesting we let go of our beliefs, but that we become curious about what someone else believes. As we become open to the disturbing differences, sometimes we discover that another’s way of interpreting the world is actually essential to our survival.
For me, the first step in becoming curious is to admit that I’m not succeeding in figuring things out by myself. If my solutions don’t work as well as I’d like, I take these as signs that it’s time to begin asking others what they think. I try to become a conscious listener, actively listening for differences.
There are many ways to listen for differences. Lately, I’ve been listening for what surprises me. This isn’t easy — I’m accustomed to sitting there, nodding my head as someone voices his opinions. But when I notice what surprises me, I’m able to see my own views more clearly, including my assumptions.
If you’re willing to be disturbed and confused, I recommend you begin a conversation with someone who thinks differently from you. Listen for what’s different and what surprises you. Try to stop the voice of judgement or opinion and just listen. At the end, notice whether you’ve learned something new.
We have the opportunity many times a day to be the one who listens to others and the one who is curious rather than certain. When we listen with fewer judgements, we always develop better relationships with each other. It’s not differences that divide us. It’s our judgements that do. Curiosity and good listening bring us back together.
As I consider partnering with confusion and uncertainty, I’m learning that we don’t have to agree with each other in order to think well together. There is no need for us to be joined at the head. We are already joined by our hearts.According to the passage, when communicating with others, most of us try to behave____.
| A．hesitantly and confusedly |
| B．honestly and harmoniously |
| C．responsibly and actively |
| D．confidently and convincingly |
According to the author, in order to cope with our changing world, we should ______.
| A．reconsider traditional beliefs before accepting them. |
| B．learn to interpret other people’s behavior. |
| C．become more curious about other people’s opinions. |
| D．try to develop more harmonious relationships with others. |
What does the passage advise you to do when you hear different ideas?
| A．We should let go of our beliefs. |
| B．We should admit that we are not succeeding in figuring out things. |
| C．We should be accustomed to sitting there and listening. |
| D．We should listen and find out the valuable points |
69. What do the underlined sentences in the passage imply?
| A．We should listen more and judge less. |
| B．We should make decisions based on sound judgement. |
| C．Differences among people separate them. |
| D．It is important to seek common ground and reserve differences. |
Which of the following best describes the author’s attitude to uncertainty and confusion?
| A．Favorable. | B．Resistant. | C．Curious. | D．Doubtful. |
Here are four pieces of news from China Daily:
SHANGHAI---The Huachen Group, which has put 83 million yuan in the development of the commerce market since its official registration late last year, recently held a meeting in Shanghai to show the use of its newly opened tourism business payment network. The network aims to serve tourists from all over the world, but especially from Europe and the United States where credit cards are popularly used. After opening the www.ehinaeonet.com website, netizens can get information about hotels and tourism services on tourism page. Hotels and services can be reserved and payment made through credit cards. The network opened in February in Beijing.
SYDNEY---The Sydney Olympic flame will travel underwater on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef during the torch relay following a successful test.
Scuba diver Wendy Craig, a marine biologist, will carry the torch on three-to-four-minute underwater journey at Agincourt Reef on June 27, creating Olympic history, organizers said yesterday.
Burning at 2,000 degrees, the torch is expected to remain alight three meters underwater because of a special kind of technology which creates a “fierce flame”--- too powerful to be drowned out by water. Charles Tegner, managing director of torch creator, said the flame would burn like a flame from oxygen-producing chemicals.
BEIJING---The election of a new leader in Taiwan cannot change the fact that Taiwan is part of China. “Taiwan Independence” in whatever form will never be allowed, according to a statesman of China’s central government.
“We should listen to what the new leader in Taiwan says and watch what he does. We will observe where he will lead Cross-Straits relations. We are willing to exchange views on Cross-Straits relations and peaceful reunification(统一) with all parties, organizations and people in Taiwan who favor the one-China principle,” says the statesman, from Taiwan Affairs Office of the CPC Central Committee.
HAIKOU---Customs officers in Haikou, capital of South China’s Hainan Province, recently stopped a boat loaded with 781 cases of foreign-brand cigarettes being smuggling into China. The cigarettes are estimated to be worth more than 1.8 million yuan, said a customs officer. They discovered the smuggling boat as they were going around the northern sea area of Yangpu Port.
The smuggled cigarettes cases, packed into two containers, were disguised to avoid being examined. The boat was registered in the coastal city Xiamen in East China’s Fujian Province. All eight suspects aboard the boat were kept by the police in Haikou.
Why does the network aim to serve tourists especially from Europe and the USA?
| A．Because they are from developed countries. |
| B．Because the payments of hotels and services are usually made through credit cards in these places. |
| C．Because people in these countries travel much more than those in other countries. |
| D．Because they have more computers than others. |
Which is the best title for the third piece of news?
| A．Ready to Fight | B．No Good End |
| C．Wait and See | D．Peace Comes First |
Which of the following best explains the underlined word “disguised” in the last piece of news?
| A．Made different from the normal so as to hide the truth. |
| B．Designed for a good purpose. |
| C．Hidden out of people’s sight. |
| D．Covered with unattractive things. |
To prevent the deserts coming near, China has planted billions of trees---to replace destroyed forests and as barriers against the sand. This isn’t a cure, though, say experts, as thirsty trees can make the problem worse by taking in groundwater.
“Planting tress is one way, but it isn’t that simple. It doesn’t solve the basic issue of water resources,” says Wu Bo, a professor. “We need to calculate how much water the trees will absorb, or else it could have a negative effect.”
Villagers in Zhengxin have taken on this challenge, with limited success. When the irrigation channels began to run dry, Lu Xianglin switched from wheat to cotton on his land. He also planted trees to protect his fields from sandstorms. He says he still gets good yields（产量） using flood irrigation and earns a good income for his family.
Other farmers haven’t stuck it out（坚持到底）: about one in three have left Zhengxin in the past 10 years after their wheat crops died. Young people who can find jobs in the towns rarely return.
Last week, Mr Lu joined the other men in his village on a government-arranged trip to see the land that has been set aside for their relocation, nearly 40 miles to the south. The next day, he was back, shaking his head at the plan. The idea of uprooting his family troubles him, as does the idea of giving up the land that fed his forefathers. He prefers to stay and keep up the fight.
“With enough water, this problem can be solved,” Lu says. “We can plant trees and grass, and they will grow bigger. That will stop the desert.”
Experts say that farmers could switch to drip irrigation （滴灌）to lessen their water intake for growing crops. Elsewhere in the region, farmers have built brick greenhouses as part of a plan to grow vegetables using less water. Roadside signs urge farmers to “Save Water, Protect the Environment”. The negative effect of planting trees in deserts is that __________.
| A．it can make groundwater become less |
| B．it can prevent the sand moving freely |
| C．it can stop crops growing well |
| D．it can get the soil to become poor |
Why did Mr. Lu NOT accept the idea of relocation?
| A．Because the plan of relocation will cost him much money. |
| B．Because his family had trouble moving away. |
| C．Because he was reluctant to give up his land. |
| D．Because he would rather stay than fight against the deserts. |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．The deserts drive more and more people to leave their homes for their lives. |
| B．People have no means to fight against the land becoming desert. |
| C．Water is the biggest barrier for people to stop the desert. |
| D．Planting trees cannot solve the problem of desertification of farmland. |
What advice is given by experts to save water?
| A．To plant more trees. |
| B．To build greenhouses. |
| C．To change crops. |
| D．To use drip irrigation. |
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