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】 推断题。根据France定位到文章前两段，第一段讲法国决定时装业失去了定义(define)形体美(physical beauty)的绝对权力。法国的立法者通过了一项法律，雇用超瘦的模特属于犯罪，议会也禁止网站通过推崇极端节食“鼓动过度瘦弱”。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. 他们建议美丽不应该以伤害身体健康为代价的外表来界定。”由此可知，法国通过立法手段来改变法国时装业模特超瘦的现状，即[A]项的“形体美将会被重新定义”，是对原文内容的合理推断。[B]项“将会建造新的舞台”，[C]项“有关节食的网站将会兴起”，[D]项“时装业将会衰退”，均不能从文中推测出来，属于“无中生有”。

　　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】猜词题。定位到第二段第二句“They suggest beauty should not be defined by looks that end up impinging on health. 他们建议美丽不应该以 身体健康为代价的外表来界定。”impinging on后面的宾语为“health”，即对健康的某种影响。根据第二段第三句“对超瘦模特的禁令似乎不仅仅是在防止模特挨饿致死——正如曾有人这么做过的”，可见法国目前的对美丽的定义导致了有人为了保持身材，挨饿致死，因此推测出这一短语在这里的意思为“侵犯，伤害”，[D]项“对……有害”正确。[A]项“增强了……的价值”，[B]项“反映了……的状态”，[C]项“对……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】细节题。根据第五段第二句话“In Denmark,...it is trying to set voluntary standards for models and fashion... 在丹麦，它正尝试为模特设定自愿的标准……”，可知[B]项“在丹麦新的标准正在被设定”是对原文的同义替换。[A]项“法国的措施失败了”;[C]项“不再有来自同行执法的压力”，文章第五段第二句后半句提到“images that rely more on peer pressure for enforcement”，属于“正反混淆”;[D]项“它固有的问题变得更严重了”，文中第五段只提及时装业有固有的问题，并未提及“变得更严重”，属于“无中生有”。

　　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】推断题。题设为“一个设计师很可能因为什么原因被CFW拒绝”，根据关键词CFW可回到文中定位至倒数第二段，该段提到丹麦的时尚界就有关模特的年龄、健康及其他特性的内容达成一致意见，且一项新法案也明确规定，他们已经意识到时尚界对于人们尤其是年轻人的身体健康所带来的影响，并且应该对此承担责任，这一法规的执行方式就是拒绝一些设计师和模特经纪机构参加哥本哈根时装周(CFW)。因此[C]项的“不关心健康因素”符合题意，为正确答案。[D]项“追求完美的身体状况”，[B]项的“过多关注模特的性格”，[A]项“设定了一个模特高龄门槛”，均不符合题意。

　　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】主旨题。本文从首段就开始阐述法国通过立法禁止雇用超瘦的模特，时装业已经失去了定义女性身体之美的绝对权力，且议会也禁止网站通过宣传过度节食来强调过度消瘦。第二段继续说明美丽不能只看外表，更不能以牺牲健康为代价，时装业应该为传递给女性的不良信息负责。第三段说明女性不该让他人来评判自己的美丽。第四段讲法国的措施更多的是依靠严厉的惩罚。最后三段提到了丹麦与法国截然不同的措施。纵观全文，文章主要在讲各个国家对解决目前模特超瘦的现状的措施，因此[D]项的“对时装业身体典范的挑战”是对原文的“高度概括”。

　　Text 2

　　For the first time in history, more people live in towns than in the county. In Britain this has had a curious result. While polls show Britons rate “the countryside” alongside the royal firmly, Shakespeare and the National Health Service (NHS) as what makes them proudest of their country, this has limited political support.

　　A century ago Octavia Hill launched the National Trust not to rescue stylish houses but to save “the beauty of natural places for everyone forever.” It was specifically to provide city dwellers with spaces for leisure where they could experience “a refreshing air.” Hill’s pressure later led to the creation of national parks and green belts. They don’t make countryside any more, and every year concrete consumes more of it. It needs constant guardianship.

　　At the next election none of the big parties seem likely to endorse this sentiment. The conservatives’ planning reform explicitly gives rural development priori over conservation, even authorizing “off-plan” building where local people might object. The concept of sustainable development has been defined as profitable. Labour likewise wants to discontinue local planning where councils oppose development. The Liberal Democrats are silent. Only Ukip, sensing its chance, has sided with those pleading for a more considered approach to using green land. Its Campaign to Protect Rural England struck terror into many local Conservative parties.

　　The sensible place to build new houses, factories and offices is where people are.in cities and towns where infrastructure is in place. The London agents Stirling Ackroyd recently identified enough sites for half a million houses in the London area alone, no intrusion on green belt. What is true of London is even truer of the provinces.

　　The idea that “housing crisis” equals “concreted meadows” is pure lobby talk. The issue is not the need for more house but, as always, where to put them. Under lobby pressure, George Osborne favours rural new-build against urban renovation and renewal. He favours out-of-town shopping sites against. high streets. This is not a free market but a biased one. Rural towns and villages have growl and will always grow. They do so best where building sticks to their edges and respects their character. We do not ruin urban conservation areas. Why ruin rural ones?

　　Development should be planned .not let rip. After the Netherlands, Britain is Europe’s most crowded country. Half a century of town and country planning has enabled it to retain an enviable rural coherence, while still permitting low-density urban living. there is no doubt of the alternative - the corrupted landscapes of southern Portugal Spain or Ireland avoiding this rather than promoting it should unite left and right of the political spectrum.

　　26. Britain’s public sentiment about the countryside

　　[A] didn’t start till the Shakespearean age.

　　[B] has brought much benefit to the NHS.

　　[C] is fully backed by the royal family.

　　[D] is not well reflected in politics.

　　【答案】 [D] is not well reflected in politics

　　【解析】细节题。根据题干回到原文精确定位到首段最后一句：“然而民意调查显示英国人把乡村与皇室家族、莎士比亚和国家医疗服务体系一起视为使他们为自己国家感到最自豪的事物，这拥有有限的政治支持”，该句中的polls“民意调查“对应题干中的public sentiment，“this has limited political support”对应[D]项“is not well reflected in politics”，意为“在政治上没有得到很好的反响”，是对原文的同义替换。[B]项“给国家医疗服务体系带了了很多益处”，[A]项“直到莎士比亚时期才开始”，[C]项“得到了皇室家族的全力支持”，文章均未提及，属于“无中生有”。

　　27. According to Paragraph 2, the achievements of the National Trust are now being

　　[A] gradually destroyed.

　　[B] effectively reinforced..

　　[C] properly protected.

　　[D] largely overshadowed.

　　【答案】 [D] largely overshadowed

　　【解析】细节题。根据题干中的the National Trust定位到第二段首句。第二段首句提到这一项目的目的是为每个人永久保存自然地区的美丽。再根据第二段的第三句“Hill的项目创造出国家公园和绿地。他们不再制造乡村了，而且每年钢筋混凝土消耗的乡村越来越多。乡村需要持久的保护”。可知当时的项目取得的成就已经不再发挥影响，[D]项“被大大夺去了光辉(即失去了影响力)”为正确选项。[A]项“被渐渐破坏”，[B]项“被有效地加强了”，[C]项“被合理地保护”，均不符合题意。

　　28. Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 3?

　　[A] Labour is under attack for opposing development

　　[B] The Conservatives may abandon “off-plan” building.

　　[C] The Liberal Democrats are losing political influence.

　　[D] Ukip may gain from its support for rural conservation.

　　【答案】 [D] Ukip may gain from its support for rural conservation

　　【解析】推断题。根据题干定位到第三段。第二段提到乡村亟待保护，第三段首句提到在接下来的选举中似乎没有一个大的政党支持这种(公众)情绪。第六七句提到：只有Ukip意识到其机会，支持那些恳求在使用绿地上有更周全的方法的人，它发起的“保护英国乡村”的运动使许多当地的保守党感到恐惧。可见Ukip的做法符合大众情绪，会因此获益。[A]项的“Ukip可能因支持保护乡村而获益”是对原文的同义替换。

　　29. The author holds that George Osborne’s preference

　　[A] reveals a strong prejudice against urban areas.

　　[B] shows his disregard for the character of rural areas.

　　[C] stresses the necessity of easing the housing crisis.

　　[D] highlights his firm stand i against lobby Pressure.

　　【答案】[B] shows his disregard for the character of rural areas

　　【解析】 细节题。根据关键词George Osborne定位至第五段，第五段第二句提到Osborne支持乡村新建住宅反对城市改造和重建，支持郊区购物场所反对城市商业街。由此可知Osborne的是支持城市保护，反对乡村保护。接下来几句作者表达了自己的观点：这不是一个自由的市场而是一个有偏见的市场。接着提到：乡村的小镇和农村已经得到发展并将继续发展，它们在建筑坚持界线和尊重它们的特点方面做的非常好，我们没有破坏城市受保护的区域，为什么要破坏乡村的呢?可见Osborne的观点只强调城市，忽视了乡村，[B]项“表明他对乡村区域特色的忽视”符合文意，为正确选项。[A]项“揭示出对城市区域的强烈偏见”，Osborne重视城市反对乡村，与文意相悖;[C]项“强调了缓解住房压力的必要性”，[D]项“突出了他反对游说团压力的坚定立场”，文中并未提及，属于“无中生有”。

　　30. In the last paragraph, the author shows his appreciation of

　　[A] the size of population in Britain.

　　[B] the enviable urban lifestyle in Britain.

　　[C] the town-and-country planning in Britain.

　　[D]the political life in today’s Britain.

　　【答案】 [C] the town-and-country planning in Britain

　　【解析】 细节题。根据题干定位到最后一段第二句：“Half a century of town and country planning has enabled it to retain an enviable rural coherence, while still permitting low-density urban living.”，[C]项的“the town-and-country planning in Britain”是对原文的同义替换，为正确选项。[A]项“英国人口的规模”，[B]项“英国令人羡慕的都市生活方式”，[D]项“当今英国的政治生活”，均不符合题意。