A. action B. admiration C. adopted D. changed E. personal
F. plain G. practicality H. published I. recognized J. unhappy K. weird
Why People Use Pseudonyms(艺名)
You can’t choose the name given at birth, but in many countries you can change it legally when you reach adulthood. Of course, most people never change their names even if they feel (31)_____ about them. However, some people do take this course of (32)______- particularly artists! What makes an artist want to change their name? Sometimes it’s for purely (33)______ reasons, such as the Nobel Prize winning poet from Chile, Neftali Reyes. He didn’t want his father to know he was writing poems, so he changed his name to Pablo Nenda when he was a young man. At other times the reason may appear (34)______; take the case of Portuguese poet Femando Pessoa, who wrote under 75 different names. The reason? “When I use a different name, I always write in a different way,” he explained. In most cases, however, people do it for social, historical, political, or cultural reasons. Here are some of the most common:1111]
The person’s name is just too long and difficult to remember. Let’s be honest, Madonna Louise Ciccone is not as easy to remember as just (35)______ “Madonna”. And short names are easier to remember. William Bradley became Brad Pitt and Edson Arantes do Nascimento became Pele.
Sometimes names are changed for marketing purpose. For example, if a name sounds too foreign, it may be changed to something that is more (36)______ in a market. So in the film world, Ramon Estevez (37)______ the name Martin Sheen. Or maybe the artist’s real name doesn’t sound very attractive --- Chad Everett does sound a lot better than Raymond Cramton!
Artists sometimes choose the name of someone they admire. Robert Zimmerman changed his name to Bob Dylan because of his (38)______for the Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas.
Another reason may be (39)______: in the past, women found it very difficult to become a well-received writer. To avoid this situation, they sometimes gave themselves men’s name, so the English author Mary Ann Evans consequently became George Eliot, and she did get her books (40)______!
JAEKF ICBGH
Some people believe that greed and selfishness has become the basis of modern society, and we should return to the old traditions of family and community then we will have a better life. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the above opinion?
In this fast-paced world, many values are undergoing major changes. While people traditionally prioritize caring, sharing and generosity in life and work, modern people seem to be more self-absorbed and self-concerned.
Modern people act selfishly to survive the harsh competition of life. They say that it is a jungle out there. To survive, you have to fight with whatever means that come handy. Obviously greedy and selfishness go perfectly well with such ideas. In a company, employees do everything they can to get better pay and higher position, even at the cost of colleagues. We are in any way advocating any selfish conduct. It is just that people are pressured to act in a certain way due to outside influences.
In spite of common practice, it is hard to conclude that modern society is built on greed and selfishness, both of which are not newly invented vocabulary. In ancient times people also did greedy and selfish things though such behaviors were more condemned then. But we can not ignore the fact that people in the past lived a relatively more isolated life and faced less pressure compared with their modern counterparts.
Are we happier to share with others and be generous to them? There is no fixed answer either. Some people take great pleasure helping and giving to others while others feel happy doing the opposite. But I personally think that people should not be too selfish. Caring for others can actually encourage the development of a mutually beneficial relationship.
In conclusion, modern people appear to be more self-centered than those in the past due to strong outside pressure. However, we should encourage people to know the importance of being caring and generous and to build a mutually beneficial relationship with others.
Are Modern People Becoming More Selfish?
Main comparisons | Contexts |
__76__ are changing | In the past people put caring, sharing and generosity in the first ___77____. |
Nowadays, people seem to be more ____78____about themselves. | |
___79___are changing too. | People in the past appeared to be modest and self-effacing(谦让的). |
People may strive to achieve their own __80___ at the price of their coworkers. | |
The author’s understanding | |
___81____ for the changes in author’s eyes | Fierce __82___ and great __83___on modern people may be responsible for the changes. |
The author’s ___84____towards topic | A relationship which can ___85___ two sides should be established. |