Who are the most beautiful women in the world? Looking at the records, people might think Venezuelan women are. They win the Miss Latin America, Miss Universe, and Miss World contests more frequently than women from any other country. In Venezuela, the term “Miss” as in “Miss Universe” is an honored title.
These days, people in some cultures consider beauty contests to be silly. They have tried to stop these contests, saying the contests treat women as objects and place too much importance on women's looks. But in Latin America, beauty contests are a source of pride.
Are Venezuelan women really more beautiful than other women? “They are not really more beautiful here,” says Selena, who trains girls for the contest. “It's just that the girls here work harder and prepare more than anyone else.”
The preparation takes many hours a day. The contestants stretch their bodies and practice their walks down the runway. They work on their speeches and practise answering questions such as, “Whom do you admire most in the world?" They starve to stay slim. They take classes to learn how to style their hair and apply makeup.
It isn't easy. One Miss Universe winner immediately put on 20 pounds after the contest. She said the only thing she wanted to do after the contest was to eat. The cost is high as well. Fortunately the television station that holds the contest pays the costs.
Yet most of the contestants say it's worth the effort. A former Miss Universe is now mayor of a district in a large city. Although she had no political experience before that, she has been asked to run for higher political office. Another winner has her own television show. Winners have an advantage they could not get anywhere else. “It's the only chance you have to make it.” says one contestant. “You can't get these opportunities any other way.”
(317 words)
Choose the best answer:
1. The passage is mainly about __________.
A. beauty contests around the world
B. different opinions on beauty contests
C. why Venezuelan women are more successful in beauty contests
D. the training of beauty contestants
2. According to Selena, the reason why Venezuelan women win more beauty contests is that __________.
A. they are more beautiful
B. they are better educated
C. they are better prepared
D. they get more support
3. When the Venezuelan contestants say “it's worth the effort", they really mean __________.
A. they gain more fame from beauty contests
B. the money spent in beauty contests is worth while
C. they gain an advantage over anyone else in politics
D. beauty contests lead to a better career
4. We can infer from the passage that __________.
A. women are GREatly respected and honored in Venezuela
B. beauty contests put more importance on women's looks than anything else
C. Venezuelan people are proud of their beauty contests winners
D. people in different cultures have the same opinion about beauty
参考答案：1.C 2.C 3.D 4.C
