
    Like many of my generation, I have a weakness for hero worship. At some point, however, we all begin to question our heroes and our need for them. This leads us to ask. What is a hero?
　　Despite immense differences in cultures, heroes around the world generally share a number of characteristics that instruct and inspire people.
　　A hero does something worth talking about.
　　A hero has a story of adventure to tell and a community who will listen. But a hero goes beyond mere fame.
　　Heroes serve powers or principles larger than themselves. Like high-voltage transformers, heroes take the energy of higher powers and step it down so that it can be used by ordinary people.
　　The hero lives a life worthy of imitation. Those who imitate a genuine hero experience life with new depth, enthusiasm, and meaning. A sure test for would-be heroes is what or whom do they serve? What are they willing to live and die for? If the answer or evidence suggests they serve only their own fame, they may be famous persons but not heroes. Madonna and Michael Jackson are famous, but who would claim that their fans find life more abundant?
　　Heroes are catalysts (催化剂) for change. They have a vision from the mountaintop. They have the skill and the charm to move the masses. They create new possibilities. Without Gandhi, India might still be part of the British Empire. Without Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr., we might still have segregated (隔离的) buses, restaurants， and parks. It may be possible for large-scale change to occur without leaders with magnetic personalities, but the pace of change would be slow, the vision uncertain, and the committee meetings endless.
1.[单选题]Madonna and Michael Jackson are not considered heroes because _____.
  • A.they are popular only among certain groups of people
  • B.their performances do not improve their fans morally
  • C.their primary concern is their own financial interests
  • D.they are not clear about the principles they should follow
  • 解题思路：推论题。依据第五段末句Madonna and Michael Jackson are famous，but who would claim that fans find life more abundant?属于同义重述。
2.[单选题]According to the passage, heroes are compared to high-voltage transformers in that _____.
  • A.they have a vision from the mountaintop
  • B.they have warm feelings and emotions
  • C.they can serve as concrete examples of noble principles
  • D.they can make people feel stronger and more confident
  • 解题思路：细节推论题。本题要求找出英雄与变压器相似的地方。第四段第二句英雄要服务于比他们力量更大的政权与原则。如同高压变压器，英雄掌握了高能，然后把他降下来供老百姓使用。即他们自己身体力行成为崇高原则的具体执行的典范，如同变压器把高压能变成低压能成为百姓能接受使用的能量，故C为答案。B项和D项是推理，文中未那样讲，A项是对原文的机械理解，曲解了原意。
3.[单选题]Gandhi and Martin Luther, King are typical examples of outstanding leaders who _____.
  • A.are good at demonstrating their charming characters
  • B.can move the masses with their forceful speeches
  • C.are capable of meeting all challenges and hardships
  • D.can provide an answer to the problems of their people
  • 解题思路：细节题。英雄促进社会的变革是本文的主题，他们高瞻远瞩，给民众指点方向。D项具体说明这一实质，其余诸项则与文章不符。
4.[单选题]Although heroes may come from different cultures, they _____.
  • A.generally possess certain inspiring characteristics
  • B.probably share some weaknesses of ordinary people
  • C.are often influenced by previous generations
  • D.all unknowingly attract a large number of fans
  • 解题思路：细节题。第二段，尽管文化上的差异很大，但全世界的英雄都有很多鼓舞人民斗志的共同特征。原文并未提到英雄人物有什么弱点，也未接受前辈影响，故不选B、C，也未提及大批崇拜者，故D也不对。
5.[单选题]The author concludes that historical changes would _____.
  • A.be delayed without leaders with inspiring personal qualities
  • B.not happen without heroes making the necessary sacrifices
  • C.take place if there were heroes to lead the people
  • D.produce leaders with attractive personalities
  • 解题思路：作者态度题。最后一段，没有那些品质吸引人的领袖，大变革可能也会发生，但变革的步伐要来得迟一些。A项与此意相同，其余诸项则与原文不同。
  • 参考答案：B,C,D,A,A