英语听力精选进阶版 6167（在线收听）

An Unlikely Superstar? 不被看好的新星？

Less than a few weeks ago Susan Boyle was a virtual unknown. However since auditioning for Britain’s got Talent, a televised talent competition, she has experienced a stratospheric rise to fame.

A YouTube video of her audition has been watched by more than 26 million people, making it one of the most watched videos on the internet in recent times. It is undeniable that technology such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter has helped spread the word about Susan’s performance.

So just what is it about Susan that the people find so fascinating? Arguably, it is the fact she is such a class act. However, many have suggested that her biggest appeal lies in her unassuming persona.

Susan’s persona and appearance have been somewhat controversial and the initial reaction to her audition has made many people question whether they are guilty of judging a book by its cover. With her plain Jane, middle-aged looks and her no-nonsense approach to life, Susan is perhaps the most unlikely star to be discovered of late.

Commenting on her rise to fame, Max Clifford, a renowned PR guru said that the massive public interest in her is partly due to people having to challenge their own assumptions and prejudices.

Talking about her audition, Susan said "I expected people to be a wee bit cynical." However, she must have been pleased as punch when she heard the deafening applause and saw the audience’s standing ovation.

So what’s next for Susan? For the moment, she is preparing for her next appearance on Britain’s got Talent and she is the odds-on-favourite to win.

Looking forward, with talk of record contracts and celebrity duets, it is very likely that we’ll soon be seeing a Susan Boyle album in the charts.

GLOSSARY 词汇表

virtual unknown 不出名的

auditioning 试音

stratospheric 同温层的

spread the word 传出消息

class act 出类拔萃的人

unassuming 不爱显示自己的，谦逊的

persona 面具

judging a book by its cover 以貌取人

plain Jane 外表朴素的女孩子

no-nonsense 严肃的

renowned PR guru 有声望的公关专家

assumptions 假想

prejudices 偏见

wee 稍微有一点儿

cynical 愤世嫉俗的

pleased as punch 非常高兴

applause 掌声

standing ovation 长时间的喝彩

odds-on-favourite 有希望获胜的

talk 议论