What accounts for the astounding popularity of Dr.Phil McGraw? Why have so many TV viewers and book buyers embraced this tough warrior of a psychologist who tells them to suck it up and deal with their own problems rather than complaining and blaming everyone else? Obviously, Oprah Winfrey has a lot to do with it. She made him famous with regular appearances on her show, and is co-producing the new “Dr.Phil” show that’s likely to be the hottest new daytime offering this fall. But we decided to put Dr. Phil on the cover not just because he’s a phenomenon. We think his success may reflect an interesting shift in the American spirit of time. Could it be that we’re finally getting tired of the culture of victimology?
This is a tricky subject, because there are very sad real victims among us. Men still abuse women in alarming numbers. Racism and discrimination persist in subtle and not-so-subtle forms. But these days, almost anyone can find a therapist or lawyer to assure them that their professional relationship or health problems aren’t their fault. As Marc Peyser tells us in his terrific profile of Dr. Phil, the TV suits were initially afraid audiences would be offended by his stern advice to “get real!” In fact, viewers thirsted for the tough talk. Privately, we all know we have to take responsibility for decisions we control. It may not be revolutionary advice (and may leave out important factors like unconscious impulses). But it’s still an important message with clear echoing as, a year later, we contemplate the personal lessons of September 11.
Back at the ranch (livestock farm)—the one in Crawford, Texas—President Bush continued to issue mixed signals on Iraq. He finally promised to consult allies and Congress before going to war, and signaled an attack isn’t coming right now (“I’m a patient man”). But so far there has been little consensus-building, even as the administration talks of “regime change” and positions troops in the gulf. Bush’s team also ridiculed the press for giving so much coverage to the Iraq issue. Defense Secretary Rumsfeld called it a “frenzy,” and Press Secretary Ari Fleischer dismissed it as “self-inflicted silliness.” But as Michael Hirsh notes in our lead story, much of the debate has been inside the Republican Party, where important voices of experience argue Bush needs to prepare domestic and world opinion and think through the global consequences before moving forward. With so much at stake, the media shouldn’t pay attention? Now who’s being silly?
1. Faced with diversified issues of injustice, Dr. Phil McGraw advised that people should __.
[A] strongly voice their condemnation of those responsible
[B] directly probe the root of their victimization
[C] carefully examine their own problems
[D] sincerely express their sympathy for the victims
2. One possible response, when the program “Dr. Phil” was first presented on TV, that people were afraid of was _____.
[A] suspicion
[B] satisfaction
[C] indifference
[D] indignation
3. The word “tough”(Line 7, Paragraph 2) most probably means_____.
[A] piercing to the truth
[B] using vulgar language
[C] mean and hostile
[D] difficult to understand
4. The author advises the public to _____.
[A] leave out factors such as unconscious impulses
[B] draw lessons of their own from September 11
[C] respond decisively to September 11 tragedy
[D] accept decisions beyond our control
5. With a series of questions at the end of the text, the author _____.
[A] feels uncertain of what his own opinion is
[B] differentiates two conflicting views
[C] criticizes the Bush Administration
[D] argues for the US policy on Iraq
答案：1.C 2.D 3.A 4.B 5.C
1.[精解] 本题考查事实细节。第一段第二句中who引导的定语从句介绍了菲尔·麦格劳博士的观点。他告诉人们“要忍气吞声，找自己的问题而不要抱怨或责备其他人”。因此[C]正确。
2.[精解] 本题考查推理引申。第二段第五句提到，正如马克·佩瑟在他对菲尔博士的精彩简介中告诉我们的，电视工作组起初害怕观众会被他“面对现实”的强硬建议惹怒(be offended)。因此[D]正确。
3. [精解] 本题考查词义理解。tough一词出现在第二段第六句，该句指出，观众渴望这种tough谈话。其上文提到，电视工作组起初害怕观众会被菲尔博士“面对现实”的强硬(stern)建议惹怒。因此tough talk指的就是上文stern advice，即呼吁人们“面对现实”的建议。因此最接近的含义是[A]。
4. [精解] 本题考查推理引申。第一段提到，菲尔博士告诉人们要找自己的问题而不要抱怨或责备其他人。第二段最后两句提到，菲尔博士呼吁人们“面对现实”的建议不是革命性的建议，甚至没有考虑到影响人们行为的基本因素，但它仍然是有意义的，并得到了公众的回应。比如，它在我们对“9·11”事件的反省中就很有意义。由此可推知，作者认为对待“9·11”事件我们可以采用菲尔博士的建议，即面对现实，总结自己的经验教训，不把责任推卸到别人身上。因此[B]正确。[A]在第二段倒数第二句的括号中出现，是作者认为菲尔博士的建议中可能忽略的一些重要因素，并不是作者建议大家做的事情。[C]也无从推知。[D]项是根据第二段倒数第三句臆造的选项，也不是作者提倡的观点。
5. [精解] 本题考查写作目的。文章最后作者提问到，有这么多的利害关系在里面，媒体难道不应该关注吗?到底是谁愚蠢呢? 由上文可知，“这么多的利害关系”指的是“对国家和世界可能带来的不良影响”，“愚蠢”是在回应“新闻秘书长批评新闻界过多报道伊拉克问题是自寻烦恼的愚蠢行为”，显然，作者是在讽刺布什政府一意孤行地发动战争。因此[C]正确。