In today’s world of cell phones, mini laptops and MP5 players, most people have at least one time-telling tool with them. Since these devices are so common, is time running out for the 500-year-old watch? According to some consumers, yes. New Jersey teenager Charlie Wollman says a watch is “an extra piece of equipment with no necessary function”. Many young adults agree and use their cell phones to tell time. It is said that fewer young people wear watches today than five years ago. As a result, some people claim that the watch industry is at a crossroads.
However, watchmakers optimistically say that watches redeem popularity when consumers reach their 20s and 30s. By then, they are willing to spend money on a quality watch that doesn’t just keep good time. Fifty years ago, watchmakers boasted about their products’ accuracy. But in recent years, the watch industry has transformed itself into an accessory（饰品）business. And for many today, the image a watch communicates has become more important than the time it tells.
“Complications” --- features that go beyond simple timekeeping--- are an important part of a watch’s image. Today’s watches offer lots of features that meet almost any personality. These features include compasses, lunar calendars, USB drives, and even devices that measure the effectiveness of golf swings（挥棒方式）!
Creativity is also a key element in today’s watches. For example, Japanese watchmaker Tokyoflash makes watches that don’t even look like watches. The company’s popular Shinshoku model uses different color lights to tell the time. It looks more like a fashionable bracelet (手镯) than a watch.
Whether a watch communicates fashion sense, creative flair or a love of sports, consumers want their timepieces to stand out. Nowadays, everyone has the same kind of gadget(小玩意儿) in their bags, so people want to make a statement with what’s on their wrists. Will this interest in wrist fashion last? Only time will tell!
小题1:The underlined word “redeem” in Paragraph 2 can be best replaced by “__________”.
A．enlarge
B．regain
C．prove
D．lose小题2:According to the passage, a multi-function watch can _________.
A．store the list of phone numbers
B．remind you of your daily affairs
C．be used as a calculator
D．show the direction小题3:In Paragraph 4, Japanese watchmaker Tokyoflash is mentioned to _________.
A．prove today’s watches are fashionable
B．compare a watch with a cool bracelet
C．show how popular Shinshoku watches are.
D．stress it’s Tokyoflash that makes Shinshoku watches小题4:What might be the most suitable title for the passage?
A．Japanese watches stand out
B．Watches tell more than time
C．Watch industry is in a bad situation
D．Watches are becoming less popular
