Question

【题目】 In the world of entertainment, TV talk shows have undoubtedly flooded every inch of space on daytime television. And anyone who watches them regularly knows that each one varies in style and format. But no two shows are more profoundly opposite in content, while at the same time standing out above the rest, than the Jerry Springer and the Oprah Winfrey shows.

Jerry Springer could easily be considered the king of “trash talk”. The topics on his show are as shocking as shocking can be. For example, the show takes the ever common talk show themes of love, sex, cheating, guilt, hate, conflict and morality to a different level. Clearly, the Jerry Springer show is a display and exploitation of society’s moral catastrophes, yet people are willing to eat up the intriguing predicaments of other people’s lives.

Like Jerry Springer, Oprah Winfrey takes TV talk show to its extreme, but Oprah goes in the opposite direction. The show focuses on the improvement of society and an individual’s quality of life. Topics range from teaching your children responsibility, managing your work week, to getting to know your neighbors.

Compared to Oprah, the Jerry Springer show looks like poisonous waste being dumped on society. Jerry ends every show with a “final word”. He makes a small speech that sums up the entire moral of the show. Hopefully, this is the part where most people will learn something very valuable.

Clean as it is, the Oprah show is not for everyone. The show’s main target audiences are middle-class Americans. Most of these people have the time，money, and stability to deal with life’s tougher problems. Jerry Springer, on the other hand, has more of an association with the young adults of society. These are 18 to 21 year olds whose main troubles in life involve love, relationship, sex，money and peers. They are the ones who see some value and lessons to be learned underneath the show’s exploitation.

While the two shows are as different as night and day, both have ruled the talk show circuit for many years now. Each one caters to a different audience while both have a strong following from large groups of fans. Ironically, both could also be considered pioneers in the talk show world.

【1】Though the social problems Jerry Springer talks about appear distasteful, the audience ____.

A.remain indifferent to themB.are ready to face up to them

C.remain fascinated by themD.are willing to get involved in them

【2】Which of the following is likely to be a topic of the Oprah Winfrey show?

A.A new type of robot.B.Family budget planning.

C.Racist hatred.D.Street violence.

【3】Despite their different approaches, the two talk shows are both ____.

A.ironicB.instructiveC.sensitiveD.cynical

【4】We can learn from the passage that the two talk shows ____.

A.are targeted at different audiencesB.exploit the weakness in human nature

C.appear at different times of the dayD.have monopolized the talk show circuit

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】C

【2】B

【3】B

【4】A

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章介绍了两种不同风格的电视谈话类节目。一个针对美国中产阶级，他们大多有金钱，有能力解决生活中的问题；一个针对社会阴暗面中存在的问题，更适合社会上的年轻人。

【1】细节理解题。根据第二段最后一句Clearly, the Jerry Springer show is a display and exploitation of society’s moral catastrophes, yet people are willing to eat up the intriguing predicaments of other people’s lives.（很明显，Jerry Springer节目是对社会道德灾难的一种展示和利用，然而，人们仍然愿意把别人生活中有趣的困境一饱眼福。）可知虽然Jerry Springer谈论的社会问题似乎令人反感，但观众仍然对它们着迷。故选C。

【2】推理判断题。根据第三段中The show focuses on the improvement of society and an individual’s quality of life. Topics range from teaching your children responsibility, managing your work week, to getting to know your neighbors.（这个节目关注的是社会的进步和个人生活质量的提高。话题从教你的孩子的责任，管理你的工作周，到了解你的邻居。）分析选项A. A new type of robot.新型机器人；B. Family budget planning.家庭预算计划；C. Racist hatred.种族歧视；D. Street violence.街头暴力。可知B选项最符合Oprah Winfrey的话题。故选B。

【3】推理判断题。根据第三段The show focuses on the improvement of society and an individual’s quality of life. Topics range from teaching your children responsibility, managing your work week, to getting to know your neighbors.（这个节目关注的是社会的进步和个人生活质量的提高。话题从教你的孩子的责任，管理你的工作周，到了解你的邻居。）；以及倒数第三段最后一句Hopefully, this is the part where most people will learn something very valuable.（希望大多数人都能在这部分学到一些非常有价值的东西。）中可知Oprah Winfrey和Jerry Springer的脱口秀尽管他们的方法不同，这两个谈话节目都是有启发性的、有益的。故选B。

【4】推理判断题。根据倒数第二段中The show’s main target audiences are middle-class Americans.（该剧的主要观众是中产阶级美国人。）可知Oprah Winfrey的目标观众是中产阶级；以及下文Jerry Springer, on the other hand, has more of an association with the young adults of society.（另一方面，Jerry Springer与社会上的年轻人有更多的联系。）可知Jerry Springer的观众是社会年轻人居多。故这两个谈话节目针对不同的观众。故选A。