1 . Liu Yexi has taken Douyin by storm. As of Nov 17, the virtual idol, who performed on the social media platform on Oct 31, had only released two short videos but attracted over 5 million followers.
Different from other virtual idols, Liu is defined as a “virtual beauty vlogger”. In her first video, Liu is doing makeup with an eye brush while dressed in a traditional Chinese costume.
When she turns around, the onlookers are terrified, except one boy. Then Liu slightly brushes the boy’s eyes, allowing him to see the fantasy world in her own eyes. The internet users marveled(使...惊叹) at its storyline, science-fiction elements and special visual effects with cyberpunk style. Liang Zikang, the CEO of the production team, told China Newsweek that the team spent two months making the video.
Liu’s instant popularity online further reflects that the virtual idol industry in China has been booming. There are over 32,400 virtual idols that have opened accounts on video-sharing platform Bilibili in the past year, seeing a year-on-year rise of 40 percent, Chen Rui, the CEO of Bilibili, said in a speech.
“Compared with real idols and stars, the virtual ones seem to be more approachable for fans,” Shine News noted. Additionally, these virtual web celebrities(名人) won’t have scandals(丑闻).
As more young people are fascinated by these virtual figures, their commercial(商业的) value has been on the rise. Generally, they earn money by online concerts, livestreaming and related products. For example, Luo Tianyi, a well-known virtual singer, cooperated with livestreamer Li Jiaqi to promote goods in 2020.
Therefore, some people are wondering whether they will replace real humans. “These socalled virtual idols have real human teams to back them up and control them. They are not really virtual.” Ding Daoshi, an independent analyst in the internet sector, told the Global Times. The real virtual idol will come when artificial intelligence achieves a new level of selflearning and self-training and then interacts with others, he added.
1. What do we know about Liu Yexi?| A．She becomes an online celebrity. | B．She creates a virtual fantasy world. |
| C．Her song becomes famous overnight. | D．Her costume wins her great popularity. |
| A．Beginning. | B．Arriving. | C．Growing. | D．Falling. |
| A．Their various styles. | B．Their friendly character. |
| C．Their commercial value. | D．Their wonderful performance. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Objective. | C．Favorable. | D．Indifferent. |
2 . Do you find yourself waiting for the next MrBeast video to drop so you can see his latest challenge? Or perhaps the newest experiment from Mark Rober? Maybe you’re wild about Harry Styles or Timothee Chalamet. You follow them on social media, connect with other fans online and maybe even message them now and again. Even though these people are celebrities, you feel like you know them.
Most of us form relationships of some sort with celebrities and fictional characters. We imagine having a conversation with that person or asking for advice. Sometimes we develop a more romantic crush. Embarrassing as it may sometimes feel, this is perfectly normal. Scientists call these faux friendships “parasocial relationships”. Social relationships involve two or more people. Parasocial ones, on the other hand, are completely one-sided.
Decades ago, parasocial relationships happened between TV viewers and the people on screen. This was especially true for talk-show hosts and newscasters who spoke directly to the camera. People watching felt as though these TV personalities were talking directly to them. Over time, they felt a close connection with them. It wasn’t just people on TV. Beatles fans went wild for the band, just as Harry Styles fans do today.
More recently, parasocial relationships have shifted to other types of screens. Many people, from children to adults, have some form of screen that they use for entertainment. Even young children form parasocial relationships with on-screen personalities. Big Bird and Elmo from Sesame Street can seem like friends. So can animated characters or superheroes.
“We root for them,” says Kristin Drogos. “We want them to do well.” Drogos is a communication researcher at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. It’s that positive feelings toward these on-screen personalities that cause us to form a parasocial bond with them. And that connection can be powerful.
1. What does the author intend to do in Paragraph 1?| A．To suggest several ways to kill time. |
| B．To reflect the diversity of people’s interests. |
| C．To show people’s attachment to famous people. |
| D．To confirm the benefits of watching celebrities. |
| A．Innocent. | B．Imaginary. | C．Fashionable. | D．Abnormal. |
| A．They can exist between human beings and non-humans. |
| B．People are more willing to become friends with talk-show hosts. |
| C．Superheroes are more popular among adults as on-screen friends. |
| D．Celebrities make the best of parasocial relationships to attract more fans. |
| A．How parasocial relationships benefit people. |
| B．What can influence a parasocial relationship. |
| C．How to communicate with on-screen friends. |
| D．What people share in parasocial relationships. |
首先，请阅读以下有关音乐会的信息。
A. Raymond’s Solo Concert: Raymond, the talented singer who shifts freely between musical, folk songs and hip hop, is to give a solo concert this weekend. The event will be part of the Asian tour promoting his new album. His concert has very high ticket prices, but his fans have bought tickets worth one million yuan in just four days.
Place: Grand Theatre
Time: 8:30 – 10:30 pm, January 6
Price: 380 – 2,000 yuan
Tel: 7322-3411
B. Prince of the Piano: Clayderman has established a truly international career as a best selling recording artist and concert performer. He has recorded over 1,000 melodies and created a "New Romantic" style through a repertoire which combines his 'trademark' originals with classics and pop standards. In fact, despite his natural shyness and reserve, he is completely in his element on stage; a Richard Clayderman concert is a real 'Spectacular'.
Place: The Great Hall of the People
Time: 8:00 – 10:00 pm, January 7
Price: 180 – 1680 yuan
Tel: 7310-5266
C. Live Music: Audiences in the city will be able to make a date with one of the most famous German Orchestras on the evening of Jan. 27 at Century Center. Conducted by Florian Stubenvoll, the orchestra will perform 11 classics including Beethoven's "Fledermaus Ouverture," Mozart's "Symphony No. 40," and four pieces by Johann Strauss.
Place: Century Theatre
Time: 8:00 – 10:30 pm, January 10
Price: 120 – 680 yuan
Tel: 7988-7311
D. Jazz Night: Enjoy real American jazz from Herbie Brown, the famous trumpet player. He’s coming with his new 7–piece band, Herbie’s Heroes. Herbie is known to play well into the early hours, so don’t expect to get much sleep. This is Herbie’s third visit to China. The first two have been sold out, so get your tickets quickly.
Place: The Jazz Club
Time: 10:00 pm till late! January 7, 9, 11
Price: 100 – 200 yuan,
Tel: 7599-7862
E. Scottish Dancing: Want to get your body some exercise while enjoying live music? Take your partner here and get ready to dance till you drop. Scottish dancing is fun and easy to learn. There will be instructors demonstrating the dances. The live band is also excellent.
Place: Jack Stein’s
Time: 7:30 – 10:00 pm, January 5 – 7
Price: 70 yuan including one drink
Tel: 7832-1788
F. Beijing Rocks: “The Night of Chinese Rock” is set to bring rock fans special performance. Eight Chinese rock bands will perform at the concert, including older generation bands, middle generation and some recent arrivals. The audience can even decide what songs they want to hear, which is sure to bring a storm.
Time: January 8, 9
Place: Worker’s Stadium
Time: 8:00 – 11:30 pm, January 4
Tel: 7633-0640
Price: 90 – 680 yuan
请阅读以下观众的信息，然后匹配与其适合的音乐会。
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