1、专业八级-505 及答案解析(总分：100.00，做题时间：90 分钟)一、READING COMPREHENSIO(总题数：8，分数：100.00)A celebrity is a widely-recognized or famous person who commands a high degree of public and media attention; therefore, one may not become a celebrity unless public and mass media interest is piqued. On the other hand, mass
2、entertainment personalities such as soap opera actors or music stars are likely to become celebrities even if the person deliberately avoids media attention. Each culture and region has its own independent celebrity system, with a hierarchy of popular film, television, and sports stars. Celebrities
3、who are very popular in one country might be unknown abroad, except with culturally-related groups, such as within a diaspora. In some cases, a country-level celebrity might command some attention outside their native country, but not to the degree that they can be considered a global celebrity. Sub
4、national entities or regions, or cultural communities (linguistic, ethnic, religious) also have their own “celebrity systems“, especially in linguistically or culturally-distinct regions such as Quebec and Wales. Regional radio personalities, newscasters, politicians or community leaders can be cons
5、idered as local or regional celebrities. A local celebrity can be more of a household name than a national celebrity and may often experience the same type of attention from the public as a national celebrity albeit in the confines of their particular region. For example, in New York City, fashion d
6、esigner Marisol Deluna is well known for her design work to the Park Avenue set, but perhaps would not be recognized as easily in Greenwich Village, a nearby neighborhood in Manhattan. In a smaller country, linguistic or cultural community, a figure will be less likely to gain a broader celebrity. F
7、or example, Spanish actors Penlope Cruz and Antonio Banderas, who were country-level celebrities in their native Spain, were able to become global celebrities only after they became Hollywood actors in English-speaking films. English-speaking media commentators and journalists will sometimes refer t
8、o celebrities as A-List, B-List, C-List, D-List or Z-List. These informal rankings indicate a placing within the hierarchy. However, due to differing levels of celebrity in different regions, it is difficult to place people within one bracket. An objective method of placing celebrities from any coun
9、try into categories from A-List to H-List based on their number of Google hits has been proposed, but while this method is quantitative, it only works for individuals with distinctive names, e.g., Jason Mewes, not Kevin Smith. In the 1970s, academics began analyzing the phenomenon of celebrity and s
10、tardom. In Bob Greene“s article “The New Stardom That Doesn“t Require Paying Any Dues,“ he argues that for “most of man“s history. people of talent would work to create somethingsomething written, something painted, something sculpted, something acted outand it would be passed on to audiences.“ With
11、 the rise of reality TV shows, Greene points out that audiences have been turned into the creators. He argues that the “alleged stars of the reality shows “Survivor“ and “Big Brother“ have become famous not for doing, but merely for being.“ Celebrities often have fame comparable to that of royalty.
12、As a result, there is a strong public curiosity about their private affairs. Celebrities may be resented for their accolades, and the public may have a love/hate relationship with celebrities. Due to the high visibility of celebrities“ private lives, their successes and shortcomings are often made v
13、ery public. Celebrities are alternately portrayed as glowing examples of perfection, when they garner awards, or as decadent or immoral if they become associated with a scandal. Clive James, the Australian writer, broadcaster and performer, wrote a book on the phenomenon of fame in the 20th century.
14、 He contends that true fame was almost unknown before the 20th century, because of the lack of global mass media, and the first true media celebrity was Charles Lindbergh, initially because of his aviation feats and later because of the tragic kidnapping and murder of his son. James points out that
15、celebrity eventually became distinctly different from fame, resulting in the phenomenon of people who are famous for being famous. He cites Elizabeth Taylor as an early example, whose private life made her more of a celebrity than her film career had. He also contends that fame sometimes backfires o
16、n those who seek it by depriving them of their privacy for life, a point illustrated by the rise of the paparazzi and their fanatic desire for pictures and personal stories about celebrities.（分数：9.00）(1).By citing the example of “diaspora“, the author indicates that diaspora _.（分数：3.00）A.don“t have
17、their own independent celebrity system in their communityB.don“t have the condition to foster celebrities since they scatter all over the worldC.belong to a cosmopolitan community that shares the celebrity of their own cultureD.hold an exclusive culture whose celebrities are difficult to be accepted
18、 by others(2).From the passage, we can infer that _.（分数：3.00）A.“Kevin Smith“ is a name that is quite common and widely usedB.one would become a celebrity only if he acts in Hollywood filmsC.whether one would become a celebrity depends on audiences“ preferenceD.celebrities in the present day are not
19、as welcome as those in the past(3).According to the passage, the people who are more likely to become celebrities are _.（分数：3.00）A.individuals with distinctive namesB.mass entertainment figures who avoid media attentionC.entertainers who like to reveal their personal privaciesD.actors who act in Eng
20、lish-speaking filmsSince the Titanic vanished beneath the frigid waters of the North Atlantic 85 years ago, nothing in the hundreds of books and films about the ship has ever hinted at a connection to Japanuntil now. Director James Camerons 200 million epic Titanic premiered at the Tokyo Internation
21、al Film Festival last Saturday. Among the audience for a glimpse of Hollywoods costliest film there are descendants of the liners only Japanese survivor. The newly rediscovered diary of Masabumi Hosono has Titanic enthusiasts in a frenzy. The document is scrawled in 4,300 Japanese character on a rar
22、e piece of RMS Titanic stationery. Written as the Japanese bureaucrat steamed to safety in New York aboard the ocean liner Carpathia, which rescued 706 survivors, the account and other documents released by his grandchildren last week offer a freshand poignantreminder of the emotional wreckage left
23、by the tragedy. Hosono, then 42 and an official at Japans Transportation Ministry, was studying railway networks in Europe. He boarded the Titanic in Southampton, en route home via the US. According to Hosonos account, he was awakened by a “loud knock“ on the door of his second-class deck with the s
24、teerage passengers. Hosono tried to race back upstairs, but a sailor blocked his way. The Japanese feigned ignorance and pushed past. He arrived on deck to find lifeboats being lowered into darkness, flares bursting over the ship and an eerie human silence. He wrote: “Not a single passenger would ho
25、wl or scream.“ Yet Hosono was screaming inside. Women were being taken to lifeboats and men held back at gunpoint. “I tried to prepare myself for the last moment with no agitation, making up my mind not to do anything disgraceful as a Japanese,“ he wrote. “But still I found myself looking for and wa
26、iting for any possible chance of survival.“ Then an officer shouted, “Room for two more!“ Hosono recalled: “I myself was deep in desolate thought that I would no more be able to see my beloved wife and children.“ Then he jumped into the boat. When Hosono arrived in Tokyo two months later, he was met
27、 with suspicion that he had survived at someone else“s expense. The culture of shame was especially strong in prewar Japan. In the face of rumors and bad press, Hosono was dismissed from his post in 1914. He worked at the office part-time until retiring in 1923. His grandchildren say he never mentio
28、ned the Titanic again before his death in 1939. Even then, shame continued to haunt the family. In newspapers, letters and even a school textbook, Hosono was denounced as a disgrace to Japan. Readers Digest reopened the wound in 1956 with an abridged Japanese version of Walter Loads best seller. A N
29、ight to remember, which described “Anglo-Saxons“ as acting bravely on the Titanic, while “Frenchmen, Italians, Americans, Japanese and Chinese were disgraceful.“ Citing his father“s diary, one of Hosonos sons, Hideo, launched a letter-writing campaign to restore the family name. But nobody in Japan
30、seemed to care. The diary resurfaced last summer. A representative for a US foundation that plans to hold an exhibition of Titanic artifacts in Japan next August found Hosono“s name on a passenger list. A search led him to Haruomi Hosono, a well-known composer, and to his cousin Yuruoi, Hideos daugh
31、ter. She revealed that she had her grandfathers dairy as well as a collection of his letters and postcards. “I was floored,“ says Michael Findley, cofounder of the Titanic International Society in the US. “This is a fantastic, fresh new look at the sinking and the only one written on Titanic station
32、ery immediately after the disaster.“ The information allows enthusiasts to rearrange some historical minutes, such as which lifeboat Hosono jumped into. More chilling, the account confirms that the crew tried to keep foreigners and third-class passengers on the ships lower deck, effectively ensuring
33、 their name. The diary cannot correct injustice, but Hosono“s family hopes it will help clear his name. The Titanic foundation also hopes to capitalize on the diary and the movie to promote its upcoming exhibition. To that end, Haruomi Hosono, the composer, has been asked to give a talk at next mont
34、h“s public premiere of Titanic! The diary cannot, of course, match Camerons fictionalized epic for drama and intrigue. But at least Masabumi Hosono“s tale really happened.（分数：9.00）(1).From the description in the passage, “Carpathia“ was _.（分数：3.00）A.the ocean liner sent to rescue the sinking victims
35、B.the ocean liner Hosono boarded to return to JapanC.the boat Hosono jumped into when “Titanic“ was sinkingD.the ocean liner sailing together with “Titanic“(2).Which of the following is NOT likely to happen after the rediscovery of the diary?（分数：3.00）A.People will reconsider some of the details rela
36、ted to the “Titanic“ tragedy.B.The oppressive condemnation on Hosono from his country fellows will be erased.C.Some businessmen will take advantage of the diary for their own purpose.D.Hosono“s descendents would seize the opportunity to clear their family name.(3).The author“s attitude towards the J
37、apanese survivor is _.（分数：3.00）A.positiveB.negativeC.neutralD.unconcernedIt might seem unusual that oil businessman David Mitchell would give up vacations for so-called staycations: taking time off from work to enjoy life at home. In contrast to destination vacations, Mitchell feels like he gets “th
38、e most bang for my buck“ staying home. He enjoys “the freedom of choice“ to do whatever he pleases. During past travels, “I had to feel like I got my money“s worth so it was go, go, go all the time to see all the sites,“ Mitchell said. Sarah Outland, 24, started a new job last year, and never got a
39、chance to explore her new surroundings. After nine months as a resident, she finally took a weeklong “staycation“ to explore her new surroundings by visiting famous landmarks, museums and shopping centers that were fight under her nose. But it took some initiative to make herself a tourist where she
40、 lives. “It“s so easy in the morning when I wake up and I make my coffee and I start to watch TV. I would think, “Well, what“s on after this?“. I just had to force myself to get out. And once I got out, I didn“t want to go back in.“ Without the logistical worries of travel, both Mitchell and Outland
41、 say they returned to work refreshed and with a positive outlook. However, experts warn that convenient modern technology poses dangers that may ruin a good idea. About 1.3 percent fewer Americans are expected to fly this summer than last summer, according to the Air Transport Association. And for t
42、he first time since the economic shock after the September 11 attacks, Americans were projected to drive less over Memorial Day weekend, the traditional kickoff of the summer travel season. AAA Vice President Mark Brown says the slowing economy and high fuel prices “have pushed some Americans to wha
43、t we call the traveling tipping point.“ Gas prices appear to “have nowhere to go but up, and consumers and airlines in the United States are being dragged along for a very uncomfortable fide,“ Brown said. Economics aside, “staying at home for a vacation can be enormously restorative and transformati
44、ve and fits much, much better into a lot of people“s schedules and logistics,“ said Kristie McLean, a life coach in Seattle, Washington. If you do decide to skip travel for a staycation, it“s easy to fall into sloth mode. So experts advise treating it similarly to a regular vacation, and that includ
45、es making plans. “Decide up front what you want to have at the end of the vacation,“ said Diane Brennan, life coach and president of the International Coach Federation. “That means setting guidelines or boundaries for yourself; if you want to do nothing for a week, that“s OK, but it should be a choi
46、ce.“ Staying productive can help you refresh and recharge yourself, says Dr. Ilene Serlin of the San Francisco Psychological Association. She warns that too much downtime can actually drain energy. Being close to home probably means you“ll have e-mail access and you“re physically close to work. But
47、just because you can check your e-mail or scroll through your BlackBerry doesn“t mean you should. The technology that allows people to be available all the time can cause “terrible stress. and there“s no respite from it,“ Serlin said. When you take your work home with you, it will defeat the purpose
48、 of making your home a refreshing oasis, which is why many people feel the need to travel to recharge, Serlin says. Still, it“s hard to prescribe “unplugging“, she says. Over the course of a week, Outland couldn“t resist checking her work e-mail daily, knowing that it was a potentially unhealthy hab
49、it. “I think it“s pretty ridiculous, because I have a personal e-mail account and a work e-mail account. So it“s not as if, by checking my work, I was seeing if my mom had e-mailed me,“ she says. Brennan recommends completely swearing off e-mail and letting co-workers know that you“ll get back to them when you return from staycation, just as you would if you were removed from the technology. The staycation alternative also can be a welcome relief from travel stress. Airports can be dehumanizing, Serlin says. “It“s very disorienting to be in those tunnels, indoors
