One hundred years ago, people became famous for what they had achieved. Men like J. P. Morgan, E. H. Harriman and Jay Gould were

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问题     One hundred years ago, people became famous for what they had achieved. Men like J. P. Morgan, E. H. Harriman and Jay Gould were all notable achievers. Their accomplishments are still evident in our own day. Today’s celebrities, however, often do not become known for any enduring achievement. The people we most admire today are usually those who are most highly publicized by the media. In 1981, a Gallup poll revealed that Nancy Reagan was the nation’s "most admired woman". The year before, that distinction went to President Carter’s wife, Rosalynn. In fact, the wife of the current president is always one of the nation’s most admired women. Today’s celebrities, as the writer Daniel Boorstin says, are "people well-known for their well-knownness. " To become such a celebrity, one needs luck, not accomplishment. As Boorstin says, "The hero was distinguished by his accomplishment; the celebrity by his image or trademark. The hero created himself; the celebrity is created by the media. The hero was a big man; the celebrity is a big name. "
    There is another distinction: heroes inspire respect; celebrities inspire envy. Few of us believe we could be another Jonas Salk or Eleanor Roosevelt, but we could be another TV star like Telly Savalas or Suzanne Somers. Except for the attention they get from the media, these people are exactly like us.
    Today an appearance on a television talk show is the ultimate proof of "making it" in America. Actually, the term "talk show" is misleading. Celebrities do not appear on such a program because of an actual desire—or ability—to talk, but simply to gain recognition, and prove, merely by showing up, that they are "somebody. " Being a guest on a talk show does not require qualities of wit, eloquence, brilliance, insight, or intelligence. Most hosts are grateful just to get someone who will fill the room with sound. One talk show coordinator comments, "We look for the guest who is sure to talk no matter what. Ten seconds of silence appears very awkward on television; thirty seconds is disastrous. A guest who’s got to stop to think about everything he says before he opens his mouth is a ratings nightmare. " This kind of attitude rewards smooth, insincere talk, and makes hesitancy look like stupidity. "We wouldn’t have used George Washington on our show," says one talent coordinator. "He might have been first in the hearts of his countrymen, but today he’d be dragging his bottom in the ratings. "
The best title of this text may be

选项 A、The Role of Media in Creating Celebrities.
B、Heroes and Celebrities.
C、Talk Show and Celebrities.
D、Celebrities and Recognition.

答案B

解析 本文的最佳题目可能是[A]媒体在造星方面的作用。[B]英雄和名人。[C]脱口秀和名人。[D]名人和公认度。通观全文,本文是一篇比较类型的文章。文章开头前两句话就提出主题:英雄因其事迹而成名,今天的名人因媒体而成名,然后分析了这两种人的不同特点,最后指出使人成名的脱口秀节目的实质。由此可见,文章的主题就是[B]。[A]、[C]、[D]均为文章细节。
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