阅读理解。
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.
Changing fashions are nothing more than the intentional creation of waste. Many women spend
large 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 changing their old-fashioned
dresses. Skirts are lengthened or shortened; neck-lines are lowered or raised, and so on.
No one can claim that the fashion industry contributes anything really important to society. Fashion
designers are rarely concerned with necessary 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 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(稳定耐用)? That is for you to decide.
1. 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
2. To the writer, the fact that women change 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 love beauty
3. New fashions in clothing are created for ___________.
A. the commercial exploitation of women
B. the women's strength of character
C. basic qualities of inconstancy and instability
D. an important contribution to society
4. By saying "the conclusions to be drawn are obvious" (Line One to Line Two, Paragraph Four), 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
