Instead of going on a trip or buying herself new clothes, Xiao Tong from Wuhan, Hubei province, chose to celebrate her senior high school graduation in a different way. She went to a beauty clinic to undergo plastic surgery on her nose. “I want to make a good impression and start my university life with a brand new look,” the 18-year-old told Changjiang Daily.
Like Xiao Tong, many young Chinese are anxious about their looks, and face themselves with cosmetic surgery. A medical beauty industry white paper by iResearch Global said 19 percent of Chinese medical beauty consumers in 2020 were aged 18 or under. Young people have cosmetic surgery for different reasons, and improving self-confidence is one of them.
Wang Fang, 18, from Beijing, felt that her eyes were too small. In 2019, after she got in university, Wang had a minor operation done on her eyelids. “Before I had the surgery, I had a negative perception of myself. Therefore, I had low self-esteem and no confidence,” Wang told Beijing Youth Daily. “The cosmetic surgery changed the situation.”
But Jiang Wenxiu of the Department of Psychiatry, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University in Jiangsu, held a different view. “Medical beauty apps only show how great plastic surgery can be,” Jiang told China Daily. “They leave out all the negative stuff.”
Today beauty clinics that see students as lucrative (有利可图的) plastic surgery clients are well aware that these young people are mostly short of money, so they use summer discounts, installment plans and other ways to attract their attention.
Xiao Zhen, 17 from Chengdu, Sichuan province, is one of the victims. She took out a loan of about 20,000 yuan to get cosmetic surgery. But the large sum of money became a big burden. She had to drop out of school and go to work to pay off the loan.
Besides the financial burden, some other factors also need to be considered. “Even though you have big problems with your look, you should think twice before going under the knife.” Jiang said.
12. The writer gives an example of Xiao Tong at the beginning of the passage to ________.
A.stimulate the readers’ interest |
B.draw the readers’ attention to the topic |
C.show the importance of plastic surgery |
D.invite students to have cosmetic surgery |
13. Why do many young Chinese have cosmetic surgery according to the passage?
A.To celebrate high school graduation in a different way. |
B.To follow the rising popularity of plastic surgery in China. |
C.To avoid others’ negative perception of them in life. |
D.To make them feel better and believe in themselves. |
14. What can be inferred about plastic surgery?
A.Young people are mostly short of money for plastic surgery. |
B.Students have to take out a loan to get cosmetic surgery. |
C.Promotions of cosmetic surgery don’t give a full picture. |
D.A student should wait until he becomes a full adult. |
15. In the next part following the last paragraph, the author would most probably discuss with the readers _________.
A.potential health risks of plastic surgery |
B.a choice between inner and outer beauty |
C.what kind of plastic surgery suits you |
D.how to have cosmetic surgery appropriately |