托福写作素材：名人对青年人的影响

 Celebrity¹, youth culture and the question of role models

　　The recent 2015 MTV Video Music Awards event was notable - not for the recognition of award recipients², but for the public spat³ between host Miley Cyrus and hip-hop artist Nicki Minaj.

　　Whether real or staged, the hurling⁴ of insults and aggressive behavior dominated mainstream⁵ press coverage⁶ of the ceremony surely much to the delight of MTV.

　　Both Minaj and Cyrus are known for courting controversy⁷ and have been criticized for being "bad" role models for young people, particularly girls and young women. But what if the mainstream media considered that young people actually use incidents such as this and celebrity culture in a wider sense in a whole host of complex ways to negotiate their identities?

　　A well-publicized survey of UK parents with children under ten years old voted both Cyrus and Minaj as the worst role models for their daughters. This came even before the recent spat.

　　The dislike of Minaj and Cyrus appears to be centered on their penchant⁸ for dressing⁹ provocatively¹⁰ and being outspoken¹¹ about their sexuality. In predictable contrast, the Duchess of Cambridge was considered the most positive influence on young girls. The worst male offenders¹² were musicians and performers Kanye West, Justin Bieber and former One Direction band member Zayn Malik.

　　Obsessed¹³ with celebrity

　　Discourse¹⁴ in this vein¹⁵ is not a new phenomenon. Musicians and performers have long been considered to influence young people in negative ways. In the 21st century, the impact of celebrity culture on society, especially on young people, has come under scrutiny¹⁶.

　　Are today's youth obsessed with celebrity? Is this detrimental¹⁷ to society? Can celebrities¹⁸ ever have a positive influence on young people? Does celebrity culture really matter? These are complex and plural¹⁹ questions to which there are few, if any, concrete answers. However, what is routinely ignored in mainstream media is young people's sense of agency.

　　Much of the research and commentary surrounding such questions is centred on how celebrity culture may impact upon health and well being in terms of eating disorders²⁰ or mental health issues.

　　The rise and dominance of social media sites such as Instagram and their links to the glorification²¹ of "super-skinny" celebrities have been cited as influences in the rise of eating disorders in young people.

　　The British Psychological Society recently said experts warned that youngsters are finding it increasingly difficult to cope with images permeating²² from a celebrity culture in which thin bodies are celebrated²³, larger ones are ridiculed²⁴ and children are sexualised.

　　Sense of identity

　　It is logical to suggest that continual exposure to celebrity culture impacts in negative ways on some young people's senses of identity. This may well affect health and well being, but how this happens and to what degree is incredibly complex. We must also consider the ways in which the media choose to present rather narrow ideas about how celebrities - particularly female ones - should behave and how they should look.

　　Those whose behaviour falls outside of these narrow ideas are often condemned²⁵ as being wayward, controversial and difficult. Indeed young people may well negotiate their own gendered identities through the celebrity and by talking about them with their peers. The Celeb Youth project in the United Kingdom is an excellent example of much needed academic research into the field of celebrity and identity. It focused on the influence of celebrities in the construction of young people's aspirations²⁶.

　　What is omitted from the media conversation about celebrities as role models is that many young people are more than capable of making informed, intelligent choices about which celebrities they follow and are becoming increasingly aware of the ways in which the media positions celebrities against each other in terms of race and class.

　　Young people may connect with those that they feel best represent them as well as those that do not. Indeed, it is also fair to suggest that many young people have no interest in celebrity culture at all.

　　It is the active and complex use of celebrity culture by young people to negotiate the world around them that is often lost in favor of sweeping²⁷ generalizations²⁸ about negative impacts. Perhaps rather than eliminating celebrity culture from the classroom, it could be used productively and constructively²⁹ to allow young people to make sense of the world they are growing up in.

　　Citation³⁰：

　　http://theconversation.com/celebrity-youth-culture-and-the-question-of-role-models-46945

　　适用题目：

　　Celebrities are more important to younger people than they are to older people.

　　The opinions of celebrities such as entertainers and athletes are more important to younger people than to older people.

　　重点搭配和句子摘抄：

　　public spat between： xxx跟xxx公共争吵

　　the hurling of insults and aggressive behavior ：

　　激烈的侮辱性和挑衅性的行为

　　dominated mainstream press coverage ：

　　主导于主流媒体报道

　　courting controversy ：追求争议

　　have been criticized for being "bad" role models for ：

　　作为一个糟糕的楷模被批评

　　mainstream media ：主流媒体

　　A well-publicized survey：广为人知的调查

　　to be centered on：主要是关于

　　The dislike of Minaj and Cyrus appears to be centered on their penchant for dressing provocatively and being outspoken about their sexuality.

　　对Minaj和Cyrus的厌恶主要体现在他们的暴露穿着和大谈她们的性观念的倾向。

　　Discourse in this vein is not a new phenomenon.

　　这个风格的论述不是新的现象。

　　have long been considered to influence ：

　　一直被认为影响

　　come under scrutiny：

　　接受审查

　　be obsessed with ：着迷于

　　Is detrimental to society：对社会有危害

　　complex and plural questions ：复杂的、复合的问题

　　Much of the research and commentary surrounding such questions is centered on ：

　　很多研究和评论关于这种问题主要集中在xxx

　　impact upon health and well being ：影响健康和幸福

　　eating disorders or mental health issues:饮食不规律、心理健康问题

　　The rise and dominance of social media sites ：

　　社交媒体网站的崛起和

　　finding it increasingly difficult to cope with ：

　　发现应对xxx更加困难了

　　continual exposure to celebrity culture ：

　　继续接触名人文化

　　is incredibly complex：难以想象的复杂

　　are more than capable of making informed, intelligent choices about ：

　　完全有能力做关于xxx的基于信息的、智慧的决定

　　becoming increasingly aware of ：越来越意识到xxx

　　falls outside of ：不属于

　　condemned as being wayward, controversial and difficult：

　　被指责太反复无常、争议和困难

　　connect with those that they feel best represent them ：

　　跟他们觉得可以最好代表他们的人建立联系

　　sweeping generalizations about negative impacts：

　　不加区分的归为负面的影响

　　eliminating celebrity culture from the classroom：

　　从教室里面消除名人文化

　　could be used productively and constructively ：

　　可以高效的、建设性的使用

　　to make sense of the world ：更好的体会这个世界

　　适用题目：

　　Celebrities are more important to younger people than they are to older people.

　　The opinions of celebrities such as entertainers and athletes are more important to younger people than to older people.

　　Now, in an age where we have more contact with celebrity gossip than we have ever had, we are faced with a question: what are the effects that superstars have on our youth?

　　Celebrities influence fans in almost every negative way. Since we live in a technological³¹ era, teens can always see what their favorite celebrities are doing, what they are wearing, and where they are checking in. Fans are able to feel a part of their favorite celebrity's everyday life by tracking their whereabouts. They feel up to date on what's happening in their lives. This gives them a connection and a sense of closeness to their favorite superstar. Teens, knowing what their favorite star is doing affects their lives, will feel the need be just like them. So they imitate their clothes, accessories, and especially their behavior. The power of the celebrity has taken control of these teens and ended with negative influences.

　　Teens are confused as to who they are and who they want to be. Since teens are trying to figure out who they are and want to be, they look to what is popular for ideas. This is where celebrities have the most influence. Teens' strong desire to be "cool" has them willing to do, say, and act how they see fit. Teenagers are so obsessed with having the perfect image that they will go to any length to acquire it. They have put an emphasis on how important material objects are, and how they can boost their self-esteem³² and image. They must have the best and most popular designer brands, hairstyles, cell phones, purses, and so forth³³. Teenagers at this point in their lives find their identity through these material objects. Brands have infiltrated³⁴ preteens and adolescents' inner lives. As long as they have the most popular items and are up to date with the latest trends, they have obtained great self-esteem, and for that moment in time, their identity. Teenage girls do not have wholesome³⁵ idols³⁶ to look up to. When mothers ask their daughters whom they want to be like, many of them will answer Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears, and Taylor Momsen. All of whom dress provocatively and are all caught doing something inappropriate such as drugs, getting tattoos³⁷ before eighteen, or they have been to rehab and so on.

　　…

　　Teens are fans of Miley Cyrus, who was caught on film smoking marijuana, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, who went to jail for drinking and drugs. So by now teens consider this to be okay, and do not let instances like this hinder their idols' like-ability. They have become immune to things that are wrong because they constantly see celebrities conducting themselves in this manner in the media. Reality shows have become very popular and teens have begun to realize that you can become famous just by being a bad girl, teen mom, or a crazy party animal who likes to do nothing but drink. Tv shows and stars are just bad examples for young teens. They broadcast that it is okay to constantly fight, be drunk, and have random³⁸ hookups. Some people are even paid for that and become famous. So why would teenagers see anything wrong with this if the media is telling them it is okay? It is not fair to teenagers because they are being influenced by negative actions. They imitate what they see, and what they see is all messed up.

　　…

　　"Yes, celebrities are a bad influence on teenagers. In your debate you can talk about how celebrities emphasize on looks. They make you think that they set the standards for beauty and what they say is beautiful, is beautiful and what they say is ugly, is ugly.  seeing celebrities being so beautiful and perfect although, they wear too much make up, they have their hair professionally done, plastic surgery, etc they lower teens self esteem. You can also talk about how celebrities promote negativity like sex, naked pictures, smoking, drinking, partying, etc instead of good things. You can also talk about how celebrities in a way tell you what is the right thing to be. Like the way you dress, act, look, etc, they do not promote individuality or uniqueness, they tell you how to be."

　　重点搭配和句子摘抄：

　　what their favorite celebrities are doing, what they are wearing, and where they are checking in：

　　他们最喜欢的名人做了、他们穿什么、他们都去哪里

　　tracking their whereabouts：

　　跟踪他们的行踪

　　gives them a connection and a sense of closeness to ：

　　给他们建立一种联系和一些亲密感

　　imitate their clothes, accessories, and especially their behavior:

　　模仿他们的穿戴特别是他们的行为

　　Teens are confused as to who they are and who they want to be.

　　青年人会为自己到底是什么样的人、要做什么样的人感到困扰。

　　Teenagers are so obsessed with having the perfect image that they will go to any length to acquire it.

　　年轻人都着迷于并将竭尽全力获得最完美的形象。

　　go to any length to ：竭尽全力

　　boost their self-esteem and image:提升自信和形象

　　best and most popular designer brands, hairstyles, cell phones, purses, and so forth：

　　最好、最流行的设计师品牌、发型、手机、钱包等等

　　material objects：物质的东西

　　up to date with the latest trends：

　　紧跟最新的潮流

　　dress provocatively ：穿着暴露

　　doing drugs, getting tattoos before eighteen, or they have been to rehab ：

　　吸毒、不到18岁就纹身、并且去过戒毒所

　　was caught on film smoking marijuana：

　　抽大麻的时候被录像

　　went to jail for drinking and drugs：

　　因为酗酒、吸毒被关监狱

　　become immune to ：对xxx免疫

　　constantly fight, be drunk, and have random hookups：

　　经常打架、醉酒并有随机勾搭的人

　　set the standards for ： 为xxx建立标准

　　plastic surgery：整形

　　promote negativity like sex, naked pictures, smoking, drinking, partying

　　promote individuality or uniqueness：

　　促使负面的东西比如：性、裸露的招聘、抽烟、酗酒、排队；

　　促进个性和独特性

　　Citation：

　　https://aberzinji.wordpress.com/2012/11/22/editorial-celebrities-good-influence-or-not/

　　适用题目：

　　Celebrities are more important to younger people than they are to older people.

　　The opinions of celebrities such as entertainers and athletes are more important to younger people than to older people.

1 celebrity   

n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望

参考例句：

• Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
• He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。

2 recipients   

adj.接受的；受领的；容纳的；愿意接受的n.收件人；接受者；受领者；接受器

参考例句：

• The recipients of the prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者的姓名登在报上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The recipients of prizes had their names printed in the paper. 获奖者名单登在报上。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 spat   

n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声

参考例句：

• Her parents always have spats.她的父母经常有些小的口角。
• There is only a spat between the brother and sister.那只是兄妹间的小吵小闹。

4 hurling   

n.爱尔兰式曲棍球v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的现在分词 )；大声叫骂

参考例句：

• The boat rocked wildly, hurling him into the water. 这艘船剧烈地晃动，把他甩到水中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Fancy hurling away a good chance like that, the silly girl! 想想她竟然把这样一个好机会白白丢掉了，真是个傻姑娘！ 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 mainstream   

n.（思想或行为的）主流；adj.主流的

参考例句：

• Their views lie outside the mainstream of current medical opinion.他们的观点不属于当今医学界观点的主流。
• Polls are still largely reflects the mainstream sentiment.民调还在很大程度上反映了社会主流情绪。

6 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

7 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

8 penchant   

n.爱好，嗜好；（强烈的）倾向

参考例句：

• She has a penchant for Indian food.她爱吃印度食物。
• He had a penchant for playing jokes on people.他喜欢拿人开玩笑。

9 dressing   

n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料

参考例句：

• Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself.别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
• The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes.孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。

10 provocatively   

参考例句：

• Democracy or dictatorship, the golden ships still hung in the sky and shone provocatively. 民主也好，独裁也罢，那些金晃晃的飞船依然高悬天际，闪熠发光，向我们挑衅。 来自英汉非文学 - 科幻

11 outspoken   

adj.直言无讳的，坦率的，坦白无隐的

参考例句：

• He was outspoken in his criticism.他在批评中直言不讳。
• She is an outspoken critic of the school system in this city.她是这座城市里学校制度的坦率的批评者。

12 offenders   

n.冒犯者( offender的名词复数 )；犯规者；罪犯；妨害…的人（或事物）

参考例句：

• Long prison sentences can be a very effective deterrent for offenders. 判处长期徒刑可对违法者起到强有力的威慑作用。
• Purposeful work is an important part of the regime for young offenders. 使从事有意义的劳动是管理少年犯的重要方法。

13 obsessed   

adj.心神不宁的,鬼迷心窍的,沉迷的

参考例句：

• He's obsessed by computers. 他迷上了电脑。
• The fear of death obsessed him throughout his old life. 他晚年一直受着死亡恐惧的困扰。

14 discourse   

n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述

参考例句：

• We'll discourse on the subject tonight.我们今晚要谈论这个问题。
• He fell into discourse with the customers who were drinking at the counter.他和站在柜台旁的酒客谈了起来。

15 vein   

n.血管，静脉；叶脉，纹理；情绪；vt.使成脉络

参考例句：

• The girl is not in the vein for singing today.那女孩今天没有心情唱歌。
• The doctor injects glucose into the patient's vein.医生把葡萄糖注射入病人的静脉。

16 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

17 detrimental   

adj.损害的，造成伤害的

参考例句：

• We know that heat treatment is detrimental to milk.我们知道加热对牛奶是不利的。
• He wouldn't accept that smoking was detrimental to health.他不相信吸烟有害健康。

18 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目

19 plural   

n.复数；复数形式；adj.复数的

参考例句：

• Most plural nouns in English end in's '.英语的复数名词多以s结尾。
• Here you should use plural pronoun.这里你应该用复数代词。

20 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 glorification   

n.赞颂

参考例句：

• Militant devotion to and glorification of one's country; fanatical patriotism. 对国家的军事效忠以及美化；狂热的爱国主义。
• Glorification-A change of place, a new condition with God. 得荣─在神面前新处境，改变了我们的结局。

22 permeating   

弥漫( permeate的现在分词 )； 遍布； 渗入； 渗透

参考例句：

• His grace was more permeating because it found a readier medium. 他的风度因为有人赏识显得更加迷人。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Thoughts are a strangely permeating factor. 思想真是一种会蔓延的奇怪东西。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

23 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

24 ridiculed   

v.嘲笑，嘲弄，奚落( ridicule的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Biosphere 2 was ultimately ridiculed as a research debade, as exfravagant pseudoscience. 生物圈2号最终被讥讽为科研上的大失败，代价是昂贵的伪科学。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She ridiculed his insatiable greed. 她嘲笑他的贪得无厌。 来自《简明英汉词典》

25 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

26 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。

27 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

28 generalizations   

一般化( generalization的名词复数 )； 普通化； 归纳； 概论

参考例句：

• But Pearlson cautions that the findings are simply generalizations. 但是波尔森提醒人们，这些发现是简单的综合资料。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 大脑与疾病
• They were of great service in correcting my jejune generalizations. 他们纠正了我不成熟的泛泛之论，帮了我大忙。

29 constructively   

ad.有益的，积极的

参考例句：

• Collecting, by occupying spare time so constructively, makes a person contented, with no time for boredom. 如此富有意义地利用业余时间来进行收藏，会使人怡然自得，无暇烦恼。
• The HKSAR will continue to participate constructively in these activities. 香港会继续积极参与这些活动。

30 citation   

n.引用，引证，引用文；传票

参考例句：

• He had to sign the proposition for the citation.他只好在受奖申请书上签了字。
• The court could issue a citation and fine Ms. Robbins.法庭可能会发传票，对罗宾斯女士处以罚款。

31 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

32 esteem   

n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• The veteran worker ranks high in public love and esteem.那位老工人深受大伙的爱戴。

33 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

34 infiltrated   

adj.[医]浸润的v.（使）渗透，（指思想）渗入人的心中( infiltrate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The headquarters had been infiltrated by enemy spies. 总部混入了敌方特务。
• Many Chinese idioms have infiltrated into the Japanese language. 许多中国成语浸透到日语中。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

35 wholesome   

adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的

参考例句：

• In actual fact the things I like doing are mostly wholesome.实际上我喜欢做的事大都是有助于增进身体健康的。
• It is not wholesome to eat without washing your hands.不洗手吃饭是不卫生的。

36 idols   

偶像( idol的名词复数 )； 受崇拜的人或物； 受到热爱和崇拜的人或物； 神像

参考例句：

• The genii will give evidence against those who have worshipped idols. 魔怪将提供证据来反对那些崇拜偶像的人。 来自英汉非文学 - 文明史
• Teenagers are very sequacious and they often emulate the behavior of their idols. 青少年非常盲从，经常模仿他们的偶像的行为。

37 tattoos   

n.文身( tattoo的名词复数 )；归营鼓；军队夜间表演操；连续有节奏的敲击声v.刺青，文身( tattoo的第三人称单数 )；连续有节奏地敲击；作连续有节奏的敲击

参考例句：

• His arms were covered in tattoos. 他的胳膊上刺满了花纹。
• His arms were covered in tattoos. 他的双臂刺满了纹身。 来自《简明英汉词典》

38 random   

adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动

参考例句：

• The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。
• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。