Section Ⅱ Reading Comprehension

Part A

　　Text 1

　　France, which prides itself as the global innovator of fashion, has decided its fashion industry has lost an absolute right to define physical beauty for women. Its lawmakers gave preliminary approval last week to a law that would make it a crime to employ ultra-thin models on runways.

　　The parliament also agreed to ban websites that “incite excessive thinness” by promoting extreme dieting.

　　Such measures have a couple of uplifting motives. They suggest beauty should not be defined by looks that end up impinging on health. That’s a start. And the ban on ultra-thin models seems to go beyond protecting models from starving themselves to death - as some have done. It tells the fashion industry that it must take responsibility for the signal it sends women, especially teenage girls, about the social tape-measure they must use to determine their individual worth.

　　The bans, if fully enforced, would suggest to women (and many men) that they should not let others be arbiters of their beauty. And perhaps faintly, they hint that people should look to intangible qualities like character and intellect rather than dieting their way to size zero or wasp-waist physiques.

　　The French measures, however, rely too much on severe punishment to change a culture that still regards beauty as skin-deep — and bone-showing. Under the law, using a fashion model that does not meet a government-defined index of body mass could result in a $85,000 fine and six months in prison.

　　The fashion industry knows it has an inherent problem in focusing on material adornment and idealized body types. In Denmark, the United States, and a few other countries, it is trying to set voluntary standards for models and fashion images that rely more on peer pressure for enforcement.

　　In contrast to France’s actions, Denmark’s fashion industry agreed last month on rules and sanctions regarding the age, health, and other characteristics of models. The newly revised Danish Fashion Ethical Charter clearly states: “We are aware of and take responsibility for the impact the fashion industry has on body ideals, especially on young people.’ The charter’s main tool of enforcement is to deny access for designers and modeling agencies to Copenhagen Fashion Week, which is run by the Danish Fashion Institute. But in general it relies on a name-and-shame method of compliance.

　　Relying on ethical persuasion rather than law to address the misuse of body ideals may be the best step. Even better would be to help elevate notions of beauty beyond the material standards of a particular industry.

　　21. According to the first paragraph, what would happen in France?

　　[A] Physical beauty would be redefined.

　　[B] New runways would be constructed.

　　[C] Websites about dieting would thrive.

　　[D] The fashion industry would decline.

　　【答案】 [A] Physical beauty would be redefined

　　【解析】 推斷題。根據France定位到文章前兩段，第一段講法國決定時裝業失去了定義（define）形體美（physical beauty）的絕對權力。法國的立法者通過了一項法律，雇用超瘦的模特屬于犯罪，議會也禁止網站通過推崇極端節食“鼓動過度瘦弱”。第二段第二句提到“They suggest beauty should not be defined by looks that end up impinging on health. That’s a start. 他們建議美麗不應該以傷害身體健康為代價的外表來界定。”由此可知，法國通過立法手段來改變法國時裝業模特超瘦的現狀，即[A]項的“形體美將會被重新定義”，是對原文內容的合理推斷。[B]項“將會建造新的舞臺”，[C]項“有關節食的網站將會興起”，[D]項“時裝業將會衰退”，均不能從文中推測出來，屬于“無中生有”。

　　22. The phrase “impinging on” (Line 2, Para 2) is closest in meaning to____

　　[A] heightening the value of.

　　[B] indicating the state of.

　　[C] losing faith in.

　　[D] doing harm to.

　　【答案】 [D] doing harm to

　　【解析】猜詞題。定位到第二段第二句“They suggest beauty should not be defined by looks that end up impinging on health. 他們建議美麗不應該以 身體健康為代價的外表來界定。”impinging on后面的賓語為“health”，即對健康的某種影響。根據第二段第三句“對超瘦模特的禁令似乎不僅僅是在防止模特挨餓致死——正如曾有人這么做過的”，可見法國目前的對美麗的定義導致了有人為了保持身材，挨餓致死，因此推測出這一短語在這里的意思為“侵犯，傷害”，[D]項“對……有害”正確。[A]項“增強了……的價值”，[B]項“反映了……的狀態”，[C]項“對……失去信心”均不符合句意。

　　23. Which of the following is true of the fashion industry?

　　[A] The French measures have already failed.

　　[B] New standards are being set in Denmark.

　　[C] Model are no longer under peer pressure.

　　[D] Its inherent problems are getting worse.

　　【答案】 [B] New Standards are being set in Denmark

　　【解析】細節題。根據第五段第二句話“In Denmark,...it is trying to set voluntary standards for models and fashion... 在丹麥，它正嘗試為模特設定自愿的標準……”，可知[B]項“在丹麥新的標準正在被設定”是對原文的同義替換。[A]項“法國的措施失敗了”；[C]項“不再有來自同行執法的壓力”，文章第五段第二句后半句提到“images that rely more on peer pressure for enforcement”，屬于“正反混淆”；[D]項“它固有的問題變得更嚴重了”，文中第五段只提及時裝業有固有的問題，并未提及“變得更嚴重”，屬于“無中生有”。

　　24. A designer is most likely to be rejected by CFW for ____

　　[A] setting a high age threshold for models.

　　[B] caring too much about models’ character.

　　[C] showing little concern for health factors.

　　[D] pursuing perfect physical conditions.

　　【答案】 [C] showing little concern for health factors

　　【解析】推斷題。題設為“一個設計師很可能因為什么原因被CFW拒絕”，根據關鍵詞CFW可回到文中定位至倒數第二段，該段提到丹麥的時尚界就有關模特的年齡、健康及其他特性的內容達成一致意見，且一項新法案也明確規定，他們已經意識到時尚界對于人們尤其是年輕人的身體健康所帶來的影響，并且應該對此承擔責任，這一法規的執行方式就是拒絕一些設計師和模特經紀機構參加哥本哈根時裝周（CFW）。因此[C]項的“不關心健康因素”符合題意，為正確答案。[D]項“追求完美的身體狀況”，[B]項的“過多關注模特的性格”，[A]項“設定了一個模特高齡門檻”，均不符合題意。

　　25. Which of the following may be the best title of the text?

　　[A] The Great Threats to the Fashion Industry

　　[B] Just Another Round of Struggle for Beauty

　　[C] A Dilemma for the Starving Models in France

　　[D] A Challenge to the Fashion Industry’s Body Ideals

　　【答案】 [D] A challenge to the Fashion Industry’s Body Ideals

　　【解析】主旨題。本文從首段就開始闡述法國通過立法禁止雇用超瘦的模特，時裝業已經失去了定義女性身體之美的絕對權力，且議會也禁止網站通過宣傳過度節食來強調過度消瘦。第二段繼續說明美麗不能只看外表，更不能以犧牲健康為代價，時裝業應該為傳遞給女性的不良信息負責。第三段說明女性不該讓他人來評判自己的美麗。第四段講法國的措施更多的是依靠嚴厲的懲罰。最后三段提到了丹麥與法國截然不同的措施。縱觀全文，文章主要在講各個國家對解決目前模特超瘦的現狀的措施，因此[D]項的“對時裝業身體典范的挑戰”是對原文的“高度概括”。