PopstarstodayenjoyastyleoflivingwhichwasoncetheprerogativeonlyofRoyalty.Wherevertheygo,peopleturnoutintheirthousandstogreetthem.Thecrowdsgowildtryingtocatchabriefglimpseoftheirsmiling,colorfullydressedidols.ThestarsaretransportedintheirchauffeurdrivenRolls-Royces,privatehelicoptersorexecutiveaeroplanes.Theyaresurroundedbyapermanententourageofmanagers,pressagentsandbodyguards.Photographsofthemappearregularlyinthepressandalltheircomingsandgoingsarereported,for,likeRoyalty,popstarsarenews.IftheyenjoymanyoftheprivilegesofRoyalty,theycertainlysharemanyoftheinconveniencesaswell.Itisdangerousforthemtomakeunscheduledappearancesinpublic.Theymustbeconstantlyshieldedfromtheadoringcrowdswhichidolizethem.Theyarenolongerprivateindividuals,butpublicproperty.Thefinancialrewardstheyreceiveforthissacrificecannotbecalculated,fortheirratesofpayareastronomical.
Andwhynot?Societyhasalwaysrewardeditstopentertainerslavishly.ThegreatdaysofHollywoodhavebecomelegendary:famousstarsenjoyedfame,wealthandadulationonanunprecedentedscale.Bytoday'sstandards,theexcessesofHollywooddonotseemquitesospectacular.Asinglegramophonerecordnowadaysmayearnmuchmoreinroyaltiesthanthefilmsofthepasteverdid.Thecompetitionforthetitle'TopofthePops'isfierce,buttherewardsaretrulycolossal.
Itisonlyrightthatthestarsshouldbepaidinthisway.Don'tthetopmeninindustryearnenormoussalariesfortheservicestheyperformtotheircompaniesandtheircountries?Popstarsearnvastsumsinforeigncurrency–oftenmorethanlargeindustrialconcerns–andthetaxmancanonlybegratefulfrotheirmassiveannualcontributionstotheexchequer.Sowhowouldbegrudgethemtheirrewards?
It'sallverywellforpeopleinhumdrumjobstomoanaboutthesuccessesandrewardsofothers.Peoplewhomakeenviousremarksshouldrememberthatthemostfamousstarsrepresentonlythetipoftheiceberg.Foreveryfamousstar,therearehundredsofothersstrugglingtoearnaliving.Amanworkinginasteadyjobandlookingforwardtoapensionattheendofithasnorighttoexpectveryhighrewards.Hehaschosensecurityandpeaceofmind,sotherewillalwaysbealimittowhathecanearn.Butamanwhoattemptstobecomeastaristakingenormousrisks.Heknowsattheoutsetthatonlyahandfulofcompetitorsevergettotheverytop.Heknowsthatyearsofconcentratedeffortmayberewardedwithcompletefailure.Butheknows,too,thattherewardsforsuccessareveryhighindeed:theyaretherecompenseforthehugerisksinvolvedandifheachievesthem,hehascertainlyearnedthem.That'stheessenceofprivateenterprise.
1.ThesentencePopstars'styleoflivingwasoncetheprerogativeonlyofRoyaltymeans
[A]theirlifewasasluxuriousasthatofroyalty.
[B]Theyenjoywhatonceonlybelongedtotheroyalty.
[D]Theirwayoflivingwasthesameasthatoftheroyalty.
2.Whatistheauthor'sattitudetowardtopstars'highincome?
3.Itcanbeinferredfromthepassage
[A]thereexistsfiercecompetitioninclimbingtothetop.
[B]Peopleareblindinidolizingstars.
[C]SuccessfulPopstarsgivegreatentertainment.
[D]Thetaxtheyhavepaidaregreat.
4.Whatcanwelearnfromthepassage?
[A]Successfulmanshouldgethigh-incomerepayment.
[B]Popstarsmadegreatcontributiontoacountry.
[C]Popstarscanenjoythelifeofroyalty.
[D]Successfulmenrepresentthetipoftheiceberg.
5.Whichparagraphcoversthemainidea?
1.B他们享受一度只属于贵族享用的一切。第一段集中谈了这些：他们走到哪里，成千上万人们出来欢迎，却中发疯地要看一眼穿着花哨的偶像的笑容。这些歌星坐着司机开动的Rolls-Royces汽车、私人直升飞机，高级长官飞机到处走，永远围着一批经纪人、报界记者和保镖随从人员。他们的照片定期登在报刊上，因为歌星象贵族一样是新闻人物。A.他们的生活和贵族一样奢侈。C.他们很富。D.他们的生活方式和贵族生活方式一个样。
2.A赞成。在第一段最后一句：“他们为他们的牺牲所获取的报酬难以计算，支付率惊人。”第二段一开始就点明“为什么不惊人?社会对高级表演者总是慷慨解囊。好莱坞的鼎盛时期名扬天下，著名歌星先手空前绝后的名、利、奉承。”第三段更明确指出：应该这样支付星族，这完全正确。企业中的顶尖人物因为他们为公司和国家所作的一切不也挣得高额工资?税务员应感谢他们每年为国库做出了巨大的贡献。所以谁会忌妒他们的报酬呢?最后一段进一步说明：欲成为星族的人冒着很大的风险，谁都知道只有一小撮人能成为顶尖人物，也可能多年的努力以彻底失败而告终，而成功的报酬确实很高，这是对他们冒险的补偿。这些内容都说明作者赞成巨额报酬。A.不同意。C.讽刺的。D.批评的。
3.A在攀登顶峰中存在着激烈的竞争。这在第三段最后一句明确指出：获取顶尖的流行歌星的称号竞争激烈，但其报酬确实惊人。最后一段的风险说。还有最后一段第二句：说忌妒话的人应记住：最有名的星族代表的只是冰山之巅――人极少。每个成名的歌星身后就有成千上百个其他歌者为生存而奋斗。这都说明“竞争激烈”。B.人们盲目崇拜偶像歌星。C.成功的流行歌星演出给人极大的享受。D.他们支付的税收巨大。
4.D成功者只是冰山的顶尖――少极了。A.成功的人应当获得高收入。B.流行歌星对国家做出巨大贡献。C.流行歌星能享受贵族生活。
5.D第四段。主旨句是倒数第一、二句，成功的报酬确实很高，这是对其高度风险的还报补偿，如果他成功了，他肯定挣得多。那就是私人事业的根本/本质。A.第一段。这段之对比了贵族和歌星的生活方式。B.第二段。这段讲了挣得多，但竞争激烈。C.第三段。歌星和企业顶尖人物对比。
