阅读理解。

　　Like many people you may be dreaming of a career as a rock and roll star．There are two ways to go about getting one．First there is the traditional(传统的)way．Find some friends and form a group．Learn to play the guitar or the drums．Write your own songs．Spend hours arguing about the band name．then go out on the road．

　　The next step is to spend a year or two touring．If you are any good, the crowds will get bigger．In the end an artist from a record(唱片)company may come to a show．If he or she likes you, there may be a deal(交易)．This is the path traditionally followed by bands in the music industry．Success means fame and wealth．And failure gives you some interesting stories to tell your children．

　　Over the last few years a different path to success has become known．Boy bands like Boyzone and girl bands like Spice Girls don't come together on their own．They are created by managers and record companies．Their image(形象)is strictly controlled．Professional(专业)song writers usually write their music．This is a convenient arrangement(安排)and the public seems to love the result．

　　Though boy and girl bands have become very popular recently, there is a long tradition of making music in this way．In the early 1960's an American businessman called Berry Gordy founded Motown Records．Motown is short for “motor town”．The record company was based in the city of Detroit, where thousands of African-Americans had moved to work in the car industry．They brought with them a cultural tradition of writing and performing music．This style later became known as “soul music”．Berry Gordy was a diamond miner．Motown stars were not just given songs to sing．They were also taught how to dress well and speak properly．

阅读理解

　　Around the world young people are spending unbelievable sums of money to listen to rock music．Forbes Magazine reports that at least fifty rock stars have incomes between two million and six million dollars per year．

　　“It doesn't make sense,”says Johany Mathis, one of the older music millionaires, who made a million dollars a year when he was popular in 1950s．“Performers aren't worth this kind of money．In fact, nobody is．”

　　But the rock star's admirers seem to disagree．Those who love rock music spend about two billion dollars a year for records．They pay 150 million to see rock stars in person．

　　Luck is a key word for explaining the success of money．In 1972 one of the luckiest was Kon Mclean, who wrote and sang“American Pie”．Mclean writes his own music, so he earns an additional(附加的)two cents on every single record of the song．

　　Neil Young who performs in torn blue jeans, sometimes sings to an audience(观众)of 10, 000, each of whom has paid five dollars for a ticket．After paying expenses, Young leaves with about ＄18, 000 in his blue jeans at the end of an evening．

　　How do the rock stars use their money?What do they do when the money starts pouring in like water?Most of the young stars simply show the money around．England's Eltom John gave someone a ＄38, 000 Rolls Royce car and bought himself 5, 000 pairs of eyeglasses, then lighted up and spelt E-L-T-O-M．He also bought himself two cars, “one for each foot”．

　　Many rock stars live like Grace Slick and Jefferson Airplane．Those performers return from a tour, pay their bills, and buy new toys．Then when they need money again, they do another tour．They save no money and live from hand to mouth．

　　In the end the rock stars' life is unrewarding．After two or three years riches and fame are gone．Left with his memories and his tax problems, the lonely ex-performer spends his remaining years trying to attract strangers．New stars have arrived to take his place．