Feeling pressure from the Internet is nothing new for Lizzie Velasquez, an anti-bullying advocate, who found that browsing social media had a negative impact on her self-esteem.
In 2006, when she was just 17, a video calling her “The World’s Ugliest Woman” went viral on YouTube. It was a difficult period for her, who had been dealing with a lifetime of bullying due to a rare health condition. “I was diagnosed with neonatal progeroid syndrome (新生儿早衰症), which doesn’t allow me to gain weight and severely affects my eyes, my bones and my heart.”
Growing up, Velasquez says that she lived in two different worlds. At home, her family treated her just like everyone else. Her parents raised her to be optimistic and confident. Yet, things got hard when she started school. “I didn’t become aware of it until I entered this other world where I had to face the reality of, ‘I do not look like everybody else,’” says Velasquez.
As Velasquez transitioned into high school, she gained more understanding about her condition. This new level of self-acceptance inspired Velasquez to make new friends, join the cheerleading squad, and write for the school newspaper. She had started to feel gratitude for what she had accomplished, but then came the YouTube video, which threatened her already-shaky foundation. “To just see a video that says ‘the world’s ugliest woman,’ it felt like, within two seconds, everything that I had worked for up to that point was just sort of knocked over and done.” says Velasquez.
According to DoSomething. org, about 37 percent of teenagers have been bullied online. Among them, only one in 10 teen victims will inform a parent or trusted adult of their abuse. But Velasqez did speak up. That moment of bullying inspired Velasquez to use her newfound platform for good. In 2013, she gave a TEDxAustin Women talk about her experiences, reaching millions with her uplifting messages about beauty and happiness.
“My mission is just to remind people that no matter how different you are, you are meant to be in this world. Your purpose in life is out there waiting for you,” says the motivational speaker.
1. What can we learn about Lizzie Velasquez?| A．She hasn’t received any support from her families. |
| B．She has been aware of her difference since she was born. |
| C．She has suffered from cyberbullying due to a rare disease. |
| D．She feels horrible every time she browses social media. |
| A．Velasquez’s efforts to establish confidence was destroyed by the video. |
| B．Velasquez’s status at school has been threatened because of the video. |
| C．Velasquez’s health-has been negatively affected after watching the video. |
| D．Velasquez’s achievement in high school became worthless due to the video. |
| A．To share her experience as a victim of online bullying. |
| B．To show people the importance of beauty and happiness. |
| C．To encourage people to enjoy life whatever their differences. |
| D．To gain fame through the newly established online platform. |
| A．The world’s ugliest woman |
| B．A woman with a rare disease |
| C．The impact of cyberbullying |
| D．A fighter against cyberbullying |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】A few hours after my first mission, returning to Earth on the space shuttle Endeavour, I completed all of my medical tests after the flight, met with NASA officials, and reunited with my family. Finally, I was alone in my office room in astronaut crew quarters at the Kennedy Space Center. I turned on the TV. The television news started up: Such and such happened, people were shocked, blah blah blah. Sports scores. Silly commercials.
It didn’t take more than a minute before I had to turn it off. It felt like my body was refusing all this input, just as it would refuse an organ donation that had the wrong blood type. All of this noise was just completely foreign to who I was—or, more appropriately, who I had become. A few hours before, I had been orbiting Earth, seeing our planet from space, flying the most amazing machine ever built by human hands, and working with a team that was the absolute success of humans. And now here in my room watching what was being sold as news, and with my newfound perspective, I just could not stomach it. My world view was changed forever in a profound (深刻的) way.
The biggest change by far and the one for which I will always be most grateful is this big-picture perspective. That will stick with me for the rest of my life.
Whenever I feel the pressure of modern life, the stress about work, or worry about the future, I remember my time in the space station. Back to seeing the sun set. Or watching our galaxy rise on the horizon. Or seeing a sea of lightning flash a hundred times a second. Or simply back to floating weightlessly.
When I’m there in my mind and realize how many billions of these beautiful sunsets there have been and will be in the future, the cares of the world just don’t seem that pressing. It goes that, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” Living daily life down here on the planet is so much better with this attitude!
1. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “stomach” in Para. 2?| A．Accept. | B．Achieve. | C．Afford. | D．Attend. |
| A．He has a broader view of the world. |
| B．He doesn’t like watching TV anymore. |
| C．He’ll always be most grateful for everything. |
| D．He can fly the most amazing machine by hand. |
| A．A caged bird longs for clouds. |
| B．Tomorrow is always the best. |
| C．Live in the present moment. |
| D．Time works great changes. |
【推荐2】Last weekend, a couple, Katie and Zack Watson, headed to Birmingham to see Garth Brooks’ concert. They were supposed to attend the show with an old friend, but their friend was in hospital because of his long-term staying up late to work and couldn’t go.
“We have the third ticket. We try to give it away. It is just sitting out there, no takers,” Katie said. They were staying in a Homewood hotel and thought a Uber would be the best way to get to the concert. Their first Uber driver canceled the order, and the clock was ticking. Katie called another Uber driver and hoped for the best. “Your driver is Vicky,” came the message from Uber.
On the way to the stadium, Vicky told the couple about how much she loved Garth Brooks. She was not even from Birmingham but came to drive people in the area. “I guess you’re heading to the Garth Brooks’ concert,” said Vicky. “I love Garth so much-seeing one of his concerts is on my dream list. Someday I might get a chance to see him in person. He has such a beautiful soul.”
Zack and Katie looked at one another and smiled. “Would you like to go to the concert with us?” Katie asked. Vicky’s heart jumped. A country girl from Guin, Alabama, got a chance to see Garth Brooks? “Look, there’s an empty parking spot!” shouted Katie. “Quick, Vicky! Pull in to the space and you can go to the concert with us!”
The three new friends sat together for hours at Protective Stadium-a memory of all three would last forever.
“There’s no doubt that getting to take Vicky to the concert makes me feel good,” Katie said. “It is the least we can do, and we believe it really made Vicky’s night.”
Vicky said she felt exultant, and she was reminded that there are good people in the world. “Zack and Katie are so kind. I still can’t believe I once was inside the stadium,” she said. “I’m just a country girl at heart. A country girl who achieved a dream.”
1. What made the couple’s old friend unable to attend Garth Brooks’ concert?| A．The bad weather. | B．His little interest. |
| C．His illness. | D．The busy work. |
| A．Vicky used it. | B．No one took it. |
| C．It was left in the hotel. | D．It was kept for the couple’s old friend. |
| A．Confused. | B．Excited. | C．Stressed. | D．Bored |
| A．She is a bus driver. | B．She is a fan of Garth Brooks. |
| C．She was born in Birmingham. | D．She is an old friend of the couple’s. |
【推荐3】On a cold February evening, while her mother slept peacefully, a kid slipped out of her home and into the darkened streets of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dressed only in a T-shirt, socks and a diaper (尿布), the 3-year-old girl wandered around the abandoned parking lots of the city’s southwest side all by herself. She was cold and almost certainly afraid, but most of all, she was not safe. Thankfully, the right person saw her out alone and knew something wasn’t right.
Gabe Botello was delivering pizzas for Villa Pizza when he saw the unattended child at around 3: 00 am. He caught sight of her in the McConnell parking lot, but by the time he’d dropped off the food to his clients and retraced his steps, she had disappeared into the night.
A father of three kids himself, Gabe refused to go back to work until he located the little girl. He started pulling into empty parking lots to search for her. He finally spotted her curling up (蜷缩) between two walls at a factory across the street.
The concerned father jumped out of his car, pulled off his coat and wrapped her up to keep her warm. He put her into his car and gave her some water while he called 911.
The police arrived and were able to locate the kid’s home, where they discovered her mother was sound asleep and thought her daughter was, too. Gabe didn’t judge the child’s mother, and he hoped no one else would, either. He said, “As a parent, I know that children are quick and don’t always listen when they are told what’s best for them.”
Gabe not only did the right thing by finding the child and calling the police, but his level-headed and compassionate response to her mother warms our heart. It truly does take a village sometimes to take good care of a child, and we’re so glad this experienced dad was there when a child needed him most:
1. What was the girl’s mother doing when she was in the parking lots?| A．Sleeping at home. | B．Searching for her. |
| C．Wandering in the street. | D．Curling up at a factory. |
| A．He called 911 to help the girl. | B．He comforted the girl. |
| C．He drove the girl home directly. | D．He tried to find the girl. |
| A．The little girl behaved well. | B．It’s not easy to care for kids. |
| C．Kids usually listen to parents. | D．The girl’s mother was to blame. |
| A．Talented and humble. | B．Hard-working and honest. |
| C．Ambitious and adventurous. | D．Warm-hearted and understanding. |
【推荐1】In early January this year, I decided that it was high time for me to return to the world of academic studies. It wasn’t that I longed to be in the daily company of young people or to become a model father for my children. That was the year I finally decided to re-enter the world of academia in an effort to earn a degree and emerge (显现) as an educated naturalist.
I was convinced that the curriculum administrators of my local college would agree that since I had not, during the past two decades, used any mathematical equations (方程式), there would be no reason for me to study geometry and algebra at this stage of my life. I was wrong. Thus it was in late June that I found myself searching for a math course that would occupy the next two months of my summer.
You might think that registering for a math course would be a fairly simple matter, but very little came easy to me. Such was the case when I attempted to sign up for Math 108.
When I was finally in class, I found myself pouring through a textbook that could only be described as full of the most confusing terms and problems. Just then, a voice from deep within my heart whispered, “Gary, you can do it. You will make it through the fires of math and emerge with an ‘A’ for your efforts.”
Over the next two months, I not only listened to the voice, but also to Pete’s wonderful teachings. In addition, I devoted what seemed to be hundreds of hours to my homework assignments and preparation for tests.
I emerged from my experiences with Math 108 as the top student in the class. In fact, I was the only person to get an “A” for the course.
1. Why did the author decide to go back to college?| A．To receive further education. |
| B．To have a totally new career. |
| C．To set a good example for his children. |
| D．To seek the company of young people. |
| A．He was actually good at math. |
| B．He was required to take a math course. |
| C．He gave up studying geometry and algebra. |
| D．He had used some mathematical equations. |
| A．He lost confidence. | B．He encouraged himself. |
| C．He chose another subject. | D．He asked other students for help. |
【推荐2】Today, I’ve been recording an audiobook. I am excited that I have realized my life-long dream.
I will never forget at primary school I used to wait with breathless anticipation to take my turn reading out a paragraph of great works in front. At my secondary school, when students were encouraged to select and present a reading at “morning talk”, I often added my name to the list.
This was all handy background for my career in broadcasting. But, much as I enjoy hosting shows and interviewing people, I often find myself missing the simple pleasures of reading out loud. I’d thought about putting myself forward as a narrator for audiobooks. But I’m not an actor. I can’t do regional accents or play female voice. Non-fiction, then, seemed the obvious target, but I felt that such books were best read by their original authors. If it were authors’ own voice, their stories would touch me.
Recently, delivering my son’s nightly bedtime story has reawakened my love for reading out loud — highlights so far have included Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Charlotte’s Web. But I never thought I’d get the opportunity to do it professionally.
Then, last month, I was contacted by James Plunkett, writer of End State, a forthcoming book about political ideas. He had no desire to read his book out loud, but as a fan of my program, he thought I might do a reasonable job.
So, I’ve spent this week in a studio, simply reading stuff out loud. And I’m LOVING IT!
Mind you, it’s an entirely unexpected experience. It’s disheartening when the recording needs to be stopped because I’ve just carelessly skipped over a “the”, or had to clear my throat, or catch my breath. I’ve also learned how many words I’ve been mispronouncing my entire life: behavioural is BE-HAYVE-YOU-RAL, not BE-HAYVE-EE-AH-RUL.
Though tackling this 339-page book doesn’t turn out to be that easy, I’ve found the whole process awesome, and hope this becomes the first of many.
1. What does the author want to show by mentioning his experiences at school?| A．The power of dreaming. |
| B．His love for reading aloud. |
| C．The impact of schooling. |
| D．His talent for reading. |
| A．He regrets being a TV host. |
| B．He has no taste for non-fiction. |
| C．He has rich acting experience. |
| D．He is aware of his disadvantages. |
| A．He was specifically invited. |
| B．He applied for it in person. |
| C．He loved reading bedtime stories. |
| D．He had a big crowd of fans. |
| A．Demanding but enjoyable. |
| B．Risky but fruitful. |
| C．Tiring but stress-free. |
| D．Boring but rewarding. |
【推荐3】From the outside, Taylor Swift — an 11-time Grammy Award winner with 55.5 million monthly online listeners — seems to be used to success.
But at New York University’s graduation ceremony in May of 2022, the 32-year-old country music singer-songwriter told her schoolmates that her achievements were really a result of something else: moments of rejection (否决). “The times I was told ‘no’ or wasn’t included, wasn’t chosen, didn’t win-looking back, it really feels like those moments were as important as. If not more significant than, the moments I was told ‘yes.’ ” Swift said.
Swift said those depressing moments made her feel “hopelessly lonely” growing up, starting at a very young age. As a kid, she said, she would be angry about not getting invited to sleepovers (在外过夜). She remembered connecting with music managers at age 13, and being told that “only 35-year-old housewives listen to country music.”
Her responses to those moments were impressive. Alone in her room, she’d write songs “that would get me a ticket somewhere else.” She posted songs online and connected with other teenage country fans online.
Working on her music and herself — instead of thinking about being told “no” — paid off. She signed a development deal at age 13, had a songwriting contract a year later and a recording contract by age 15, released her first album at age 16, and won four Grammys at age 20 in 2010.
Her advice to the class of 2022: Learn to live with those discouraging experiences. “My experience has been that my mistakes led to the best things in my life,” she said. “And being embarrassed when you mess up? It’s part of the human experience. Getting back up, dusting yourself off and seeing who still wants to hang out with you afterward and laugh about it, that’s a gift.”
1. What led to her success according to Taylor Swift?| A．Her ambition to win an award. | B．The support from online listeners. |
| C．The important moments in her life. | D．Her experiences of being refused. |
| A．Composing songs. | B．Sharing her stories. |
| C．Making friends online. | D．Reflecting on her failure. |
| A．Education is the key to success. | B．Our attitude towards failure matters. |
| C．It’s important to avoid our mistakes. | D．We should work hard since an early age. |
