Does Fame Drive You Crazy?

    Although being famous might sound like a dream come true, today's star, feeling like zoo animals, face pressures that few of us can imagine. They are at the center of much of the world's attention. Paparazzi (狗仔队) camp outside their homes, cameras ready. Tabloids (小报) publish thrilling stories about their personal lives. Just imagine not being able to do anything without being photographed or interrupted for a signature!

    According to psychologist Christina Villareal, celebrities — famous people — worry constantly about their public appearance. Eventually, they start to lose track of who they really are, seeing themselves the way their fans imagine them, not as the people they were before everyone knew their names. “Over time,” Villareal says, “they feel separated and alone.”

    The phenomenon of tracking celebrities has been around for ages. In the 4th century B.C., painters followed Alexander the Great into battle, hoping to picture his victories for his admirers. When Charles Dickens visited America in the 19th century, his sold-out readings attracted thousands of fans, leading him to complain (抱怨) about his lack of privacy. Tabloids of the 1920s and 1930s ran articles about film-stars in much the same way that modern tabloids and websites do.

    Being a public figure today, however, is a lot more difficult than it used to be. Superstars cannot move about without worrying about photographers with modern cameras. When they say something silly or do something ridiculous, there is always the Internet to spread the news in minutes and keep their “story” alive forever.

    If fame is so troublesome, why aren't all celebrities running away from it? The answer is there are still ways to deal with it. Some stars stay calm by surrounding themselves with trusted friends and family or by escaping to remote places away from big cities. They focus not on how famous they are but on what they love to do or whatever made them famous in the first place.

    Sometimes a few celebrities can get a little justice. Still, even stars who enjoy full justice often complain about how hard their lives are. They are tired of being famous already.

In a new move, doctors are using feature films in order to encourage their patients to talk more freely about their problems. Supporters of "film therapy (疗法)" say that discussing characters and plot lines from a proper film can help people to understand their feelings better.

One of those using the method is Bernie Wooder, a doctor from Elstree, who charges £45 for a one-hour "film therapy" session. He said, "I was treating a woman who had been badly let down in a relationship, and who was experiencing such strong feelings that it was difficult for her to speak about them. I told her that her situation reminded me of On the Waterfront, when Marlon Brando's character realizes his brother is dishonest and he feels a great sense of betrayal (背叛). My patient identified so easily with him that she started to cry. Watching and discussing the film unlocked all the feelings she had buried. Each time she watched and cried, she felt better."

Mr Wooder admits that film therapy does not work for everyone, but says he has used it successfully with about a third of his clients. "Through the films' characters, plots and even music, it allows people to face their problems." He said that Falling Down, in which Michael Douglas plays the part of an unemployed man who is so frustrated (沮丧的) that he uses violence, was an example of the dangerous implications (后果) of not letting anger go. "I used this film with a patient who was very upset because he was holding on to a lot of the anger he felt towards people who had frustrated him," said Mr Wooder. "We talked about Michael Douglas's character and the disastrous path he takes, and my patient then realized that he needed to let go of his feelings more regularly so as not to erupt (爆发) like a time bomb."

    Millions of people along the US mid-Atlantic region should be preparing for severe snow, the National Weather Service has said. Forecasters say two feet of snow could fall over the weekend in some areas. A light dusting of snow on Wednesday night caused a traffic jam in Washington, but it is what lies ahead that is occupying the thoughts of millions of people living on the US east coast.

    Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser tweeted an apology to her constituents(选民), saying that the city government had “failed to use the necessary resources effectively in response to the snow-for that I am sorry.” Among those affected was President Barack Obama, whose motorcade spent an hour and 12 minutes trying to get him from an airport back to the White House-a trip that typically takes about a half hour.

    Routine commutes lasted up to three hours and some people abandoned their cars, after an inch fell-a small amount compared to what is expected on Friday and Saturday. Long queues have formed at supermarkets, as people expect shop closures over the weekend. “Heavy snow and blowing snow will cause dangerous conditions and will be threat to life and property,” the National Weather Service warned.

    Across the US east coast at a glance:

    Classes were cancelled at schools in Kentucky and Tennessee, the first states being affected by the storm.

    Washington has requested Humvees from the National Guard so that emergency responders can reach isolated(孤立的) people and places. Besides, its underground train system will close throughout the weekend.

    West Virginia Govemor Earl Ray Tomblin has activated the National Guard to assist.

    In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania officials are calling on people to keep large salt stockpiles and plough vehicles in good repair.

    Hobbs was an orphan. He worked in a factory and every day he got a little money. Hard work made him thin and weak.  He wanted to borrow a lot of money to learn to paint pictures, but he did not think he could pay off the debts.

    One day a lawyer said to him, “One thousand dollars, and here is the money.” As Hobbs took the package of notes, he was very dumbfounded. He didn't know where the money came from and how to spend it. He said to himself, “I could go to find a hotel and live like a rich man for a few days；or I give up my work in the factory and do what I'd like to do: painting pictures. I could do that for a few weeks, but what would I do after that? I should have lost my place in the factory and have no money to live on. If it were a little less money, I would buy a new coat, or a radio, or give a dinner to my friends. If it were more, I could give up the work and pay for painting pictures. But it's too much for one and too little for the other.”

    “Here is the reading of your uncle's will,” said the lawyer, “telling what is to be done with this money after his death. I must ask you to remember one point. Your uncle has said you must bring me a paper showing exactly what you did with his money, as soon as you have spent it.”

    “Yes I see. I'll do that,” said the young man.

    Bob was born in Cambridge. When he was in elementary school, he asked his mother to take him to parks in their community so he could collect empty soda cans to recycle. His mother agreed, as long as he saved part of the money he earned for college.

    Bob's mother remembers Bob as the most determined of her seven kids. Bob's hard work paid off. On Friday, he will become the first person in his family, originally from El Salvador, to graduate from college. And he's graduating with university honors.

    For his honors thesis（毕业论文）he researched unmanned solar-powered（太阳能）airplanes, which BYU students have been building and testing for about 10 years. Bob's study helps discover the best way to fly a solar-powered airplane so that it uses the least amount of power. The goal is to design and build an airplane that flies uncertainly. Bob's thesis helps lay the basis for this work.

    “My parents were always hard-working,” Bob said. “They often tell us hard work leads to success.” Bob's father taught him to read at the age of 3, and his mother is now a student at Utah Valley University in a way to becoming a dentist.

    Bob recognized he overcame some obstacles（障碍）to get where he is. For starters, English is his second language. He also faced stereotypes（模式化的形象）. Although Bob never doubted that he would be a college graduate, other people believed he wouldn't because he didn't come from a family of high income. There were other obstacles as well, but Bob viewed them all as opportunities.

    Bob's mother says she feels very happy and proud that her son is about to graduate with honors, and remembers the effort he's made to get there. “He has worked very hard. He started something, and now he has finished it,” Cathy says. “I have always told him, 'If this is your dream, then you can get it! Keep working hard and you can get it!'”

    Many Chinese people have awakened their interest in classical Chinese poetry recently thanks to a popular TV show that aims to “appreciate classical Chinese poetry, explore cultural genes and enjoy the beauty of life” by combining traditional literary form with light-hearted TV quizzes.

    The ten-episode “Chinese Poetry Competition”, since its broadcast, has been praised for injecting vitality(活力) into TV programs with fantastic performances of contestants, impressive comments from judges as well as its innovative interactive mode. In the show, poems can be adapted into songs or depicted(描绘) through artistic pictures. Any contestant who can memorize the largest number of poems may not necessarily be the final winner, while fast reaction and usage of poems matter a lot more in the competition.

    Wu Yishu, a 16-year-old student from the High School Attached to Fudan University in Shanghai, is the champion of this season. Her rich knowledge of classical poetry impressed everyone and she rose to become famous online. In an earlier episode, Wu wowed the audience when performing in a section. She amazingly recited lines from the Classic of Poetry(《诗经》), the earliest collection of poems in China.

    “Learning poems isn't about winning or losing. The power of poetry lies in shaping one's view of life and developing one's inner world,” said Li Bo, an expert guest at the Chinese Poetry Competition's second season.

    When it comes to teaching people about poetry, Li Dingguang, the show's academic advisor, suggested that teachers should explain more about the beauty of the poetry from both the aesthetic(审美的) and emotional sides, and guide students to lose themselves in the poems' rhythmic and rhyming(押韵的) lines.

    “Although the proportion（比例) of ancient Chinese poems in the textbooks of primary and secondary schools has increased, many students still learn them for exams,” Li Dingguang said.“ Therefore, it's important to help students truly appreciate the artistry and fun of poetry.”