大学英语四级考试：阅读笔记（14）

　Questions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage:
　　36. Designers and big stores always make money ________.
　　A) by mercilessly exploiting women workers in the clothing industry
　　B) because they are capable of predicting new fashions
　　C) by constantly changing the fashions in women's clothing
　　D) because they attach great importance to quality in women s clothing
　　37. To the writer, the fact that women alter their old-fashioned dresses is seen as _________.
　　A) a waste of money
　　B) a waste of time
　　C) an expression of taste
　　D) an expression of creativity
　　38. The writer would be less critical if fashion designers placed more stress on the ________of clothing.
　　A) cost
　　B) appearance
　　C) comfort
　　D) suitability
　　39. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
　　A) New fashions in clothing are created for the commercial exploitation of women.
　　B) The constant changes in women's clothing reflect their strength of character.
　　C) The fashion industry makes an important contribution to society.
　　D) Fashion designs should not be encouraged since they are only welcomed by women.
　　40. By saying "the conclusions to be drawn are obvious" (Para. 4, Line 1-2), the writer means that _________.
　　A) women's inconstancy in their choice of clothing is often laughed at
　　B) women are better able to put up with discomfort
　　C) men are also exploited greatly by fashion designers
　　D) men are more reasonable in the matter of fashion
　　If women are mercilessly exploited (剥削) year after year, they have only themselves to blame. Because they tremble at the thought of being seen in public in clothes that are out of fashion, they are always taken advantage of by the designers and the big stores. Clothes which have been worn only a few times have to be put aside because of the change of fashion. When you come to think of it, only a woman is capable of standing in front of a wardrobe (衣柜) packed full of clothes and announcing sadly that she has nothing to wear.
　　注：1.merciless 无情的
　　2.第一句结论主题句
　　3.taken advantage of 利用；tremble 颤抖
　　4.fashion 时尚，时装，形势；一词多义的现象：blue 蓝色；忧郁的；社会地位比较高的妇女，blues 蓝调音乐
　　36. Designers and big stores always make money ________.
　　A) by mercilessly exploiting women workers in the clothing industry
　　B) because they are capable of predicting new fashions
　　C) by constantly changing the fashions in women's clothing
　　D) because they attach great importance to quality in women s clothing
　　注：考得是首段第二和第三句之间的关系
　　Changing fashions are nothing more than the intentional creation of waste. Many women spend vast sums of money each year to replace clothes that have hardly been worn. Women who cannot afford to throw away clothing in this way, waste hours of their time altering the dresses they have. Skirts are lengthened or shortened; neck-lines are lowered or raised, and so on.
　　注：1.nothing/no more than = only
　　2.changing fashion 改变中的时尚
　　3.alter 改变；afford 承担，支付
　　4.本段首句结论句，末句细节句
　　No one can claim that the fashion industry contributes anything really important to society. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with vital things like warmth, comfort and durability (耐用). They are only interested in outward appearance and they take advantage of the fact that women will put up with any amount of discomfort, as long as they look right. There can hardly be a man who hasn't at some time in his life smiled at the sight of a woman shaking in a thin dress on a winter day, or delicately picking her way through deep snow in high-heeled shoes.
　　注：1.首句为结论句，后面开始解释
　　2.vital 重要的 vit 词根，意思是“重要”
　　VIP = very important person 重要的人
　　3.put up with 忍受= stand
　　4.末句为细节句，速读

When comparing men and women in the matter of fashion, the conclusions to be drawn are obvious. Do the constantly changing fashions of women' s clothes, one wonders, reflect basic qualities of inconstancy and instability? Men are too clever to let themselves be cheated by fashion designers. Do their unchanging styles of dress reflect basic qualities of stability and reliability? That is for you to decide.
　　37. To the writer, the fact that women alter their old-fashioned dresses is seen as _________.
　　A) a waste of money
　　B) a waste of time
　　C) an expression of taste
　　D) an expression of creativity
　　注：通过alter 一词定位于第二段
　　Changing fashions are nothing more than the intentional creation of waste. Many women spend vast sums of money each year to replace clothes that have hardly been worn. Women who cannot afford to throw away clothing in this way, waste hours of their time altering the dresses they have. Skirts are lengthened or shortened; neck-lines are lowered or raised, and so on.
　　38. The writer would be less critical if fashion designers placed more stress on the _________of clothing.
　　A) cost
　　B) appearance
　　C) comfort
　　D) suitability
　　注：1.place stress on 重视
　　2.本句为虚拟语气，说明应该是设计师没有重视而被作者批判的东西。反过来想，定位第三段第二句，考得是列举现象
　　No one can claim that the fashion industry contributes anything really important to society. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with vital things like warmth, comfort and durability (耐用). They are only interested in outward appearance and they take advantage of the fact that women will put up with any amount of discomfort, as long as they look right. There can hardly be a man who hasn't at some time in his life smiled at the sight of a woman shaking in a thin dress on a winter day, or delicately picking her way through deep snow in high-heeled shoes.
　　39. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
　　A) New fashions in clothing are created for the commercial exploitation of women.
　　B) The constant changes in women's clothing reflect their strength of character.
　　C) The fashion industry makes an important contribution to society.
　　D) Fashion designs should not be encouraged since they are only welcomed by women.
　　注：1.exploitation 剥削，探索
　　2.A 选项为文章首句前半句的同义改写
　　3.B 陈述句表示确定语气，与文章中疑问句的不确定语气不同；C 项与文中意思相反，D 选项中only 绝对化语气词
　　If women are mercilessly exploited (剥削) year after year, they have only themselves to blame. Because they tremble at the thought of being seen in public in clothes that are out of fashion, they are always taken advantage of by the designers and the big stores. Clothes which have been worn only a few times have to be put aside because of the change of fashion. When you come to think of it, only a woman is capable of standing in front of a wardrobe (衣柜) packed full of clothes and announcing sadly that she has nothing to wear.
　　40. By saying "the conclusions to be drawn are obvious" (Para. 4, Line 1-2), the writer means that __________.
　　A) women's inconstancy in their choice of clothing is often laughed at
　　B) women are better able to put up with discomfort
　　C) men are also exploited greatly by fashion designers
　　D) men are more reasonable in the matter of fashion
　　注：1.A 和 B 都是涉及第三段内容，是窜段选项。C选项与末段Men are too clever to let themselves... 意思冲突
　　2.D 项为最后一段 Men are too clever to let themselves be cheated by fashion designers. 的同义改写
　　No one can claim that the fashion industry contributes anything really important to society. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with vital things like warmth, comfort and durability (耐用). They are only interested in outward appearance and they take advantage of the fact that women will put up with any amount of discomfort, as long as they look right. There can hardly be a man who hasn't at some time in his life smiled at the sight of a woman shaking in a thin dress on a winter day, or delicately picking her way through deep snow in high-heeled shoes.
　　When comparing men and women in the matter of fashion, the conclusions to be drawn are obvious. Do the constantly changing fashions of women' s clothes, one wonders, reflect basic qualities of inconstancy and instability? Men are too clever to let themselves be cheated by fashion designers. Do their unchanging styles of dress reflect basic qualities of stability and reliability? That is for you to decide.