The miniskirt is a fashion product that has become closely connected with youthful liberation (解放). Its fascinating history reflects changing social standards and shifts in the world of fashion.
The miniskirt, as we know it today, owes much of its popularity to the British fashion designer Mary Quant. In the early 1960s, Quant challenged the traditional fashion of the time. She introduced the world to the miniskirt, a daringly short skirt that stopped several inches above the knee. The miniskirt, named after Quant’s favourite car, the Mini, allowed women to move, jump and run for the bus if need be.
The miniskirt also reflected the changing social landscape of the 1960s. The youth culture was booming, and young people were eager to express their newfound freedom and independence. It became a symbol of this liberation, and quickly gained popularity around the world.
On the other hand, it also faced some criticism. Some feminist critics argued that it objectified (物化) women, strengthening traditional gender roles. However, ultimately many feminists saw the miniskirt as a form of self-expression. Women were choosing to wear it because they liked it, not because they were pressured to satisfy social expectations.
As the 1970s rolled around, hemlines (下摆) dropped, and more conservative styles came into style. However, the miniskirt didn’t disappear entirely. It made occasional comebacks, and its influence could still be seen in various forms of fashion, from disco dresses to punk rock outfits.
The miniskirt remains popular even today, since it remains a multifunctional and enduring fashion statement, continually adjusting itself to fitting the trends of the moment. Designers have experimented with materials, patterns, and lengths, offering a wide range of options to suit various tastes.
Whether as a symbol of liberation, equality, or self-expression, the miniskirt continues to inspire and influence fashion today. As it has for decades, the miniskirt will likely continue to develop and surprise us with its ever-changing forms.
1. What is the text mainly about?| A．The development of miniskirt. |
| B．An introduction to Mary Quant. |
| C．The significance of miniskirt for women. |
| D．The influence of fashion on the young generation. |
| A．She was influenced by social expectations. |
| B．She dared to challenge the traditional style. |
| C．She invented the miniskirt to win more popularity. |
| D．She suggested the miniskirt reflect social standards. |
| A．Because it is a form of self-expression. |
| B．Because it is favored by the young generation. |
| C．Because it is a big part of British youth culture. |
| D．Because it fits the current trends through self-adjustment. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Uncertain. | C．Positive. | D．Critical. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】One day, Mr. Smith went to a dinner party. He was wearing very old clothes. He came into the room. But people in the room didn't look at him. They didn't ask him to sit at the table. He wasn't happy. But he said nothing. Mr. Smith went home quickly and put on his best clothes. He went back to the party. Everyone in the room stood up and looked at him. They gave him good food to eat. Mr. Smith took off his coat, and put it on the food and said, "Eat, coat!" The other people were surprised and asked, "What are you doing? Why do you do that?" Mr. Smith answered, "I am asking my coat to eat food. When I wore old clothes, you didn't look at me. You didn't ask me to sit down. Now I am wearing these nice clothes. And you give me good food. Now I see, you give the food to my coat, not to me."
1. One day, Mr. Smith went to ________.| A．a birthday party | B．a dinner party |
| C．an English party | D．a movie |
| A．Because Mr. Smith wore old clothes. |
| B．Because the people didn't ask him to come. |
| C．Because Mr. Smith didn't say hello to them first. |
| D．Because it was night, they didn't see him. |
| A．Because he didn't want to stay here. |
| B．Because he went home for his best clothes. |
| C．Because the people there asked him to leave. |
| D．Because he didn't like the food there. |
| A．高兴的 | B．不满的 |
| C．感到惊讶的 | D．生气的 |
| A．A person in good clothes should eat good food. |
| B．A good coat should eat good food. |
| C．We can't judge (判断) a man by his clothes. |
| D．Mr. Smith is stupid (愚蠢的). |
【推荐2】It is hardly surprising that clothing manufacturers (生产商) follow certain uniform standards for different features of clothes. What seems strange, however, is that the standard used for women is the opposite of the one for men. Take a look at the way your clothes button. Men’s clothes tend to button from the right, and women’s from the left. Considering most of the world’s population — men and women — are right-handed, the men’s standard would appear to make more sense (更有道理) for women. So why do women’s clothes button from the left?
History really seems to matter here. Buttons first appeared only on the clothes of the rich in the 17th century, when rich women were dressed by servants. For the mostly right-handed servants, having women’s shirts button from the left would be easier. On the other hand, having men’s shirts button from the right made sense, too. Most men dressed themselves, and a sword (剑) drawn from the left with the right hand would be less likely to get caught in the shirt.
Today women are seldom dressed by servants, but buttoning from the left is still the standard for them. Is it interesting? Actually, a standard, once it is set, resists change. At a time when all women’s shirts buttoned from the left, it would have been risky for any single manufacturer to offer women’s shirts that buttoned from the right. After all, women had grown so used to shirts which buttoned from the left and would have to develop new habits and skills to switch. Besides, some women might have found it socially awkward to appear in public wearing shirts that buttoned from the right, since anyone who noticed that would believe they were wearing men’s shirts.
1. What is surprising about the standard of the clothing industry?| A．It has been followed by the industry for over 400 years. |
| B．It is different for men’s clothing and women’s. |
| C．It woks better with men than with women. |
| D．It fails to consider right-handed people. |
| A．They tended to wear clothes without buttons. |
| B．They drew their swords from the left. |
| C．They were mostly dressed by servants. |
| D．They were interested in the historical matters. |
| A．customs are hard to change |
| B．manufacturers should follow standards |
| C．modern women dress themselves |
| D．using men’s style is improper for women |
| A．analyzing causes | B．making comparisons |
| C．examining differences | D．following the time order |
Jeans are usually made from denim (粗布), but may also be made from other materials. The earliest known cloth for jeans was a thick cotton cloth from the Indians. At first they were working clothes. They became popular among teenagers in the 1950s. Today jeans are a very popular form of casual wear around the world and come in many styles and colors.
Jeans were first made in Genoa in Italy. The trousers were made for the Genoese navy (海军) because they needed trousers which could be worn wet or dry, and whose legs could be easily rolled up while the men were cleaning the ships. These jeans would be washed by pulling them in large fishing nets behind the ship, and the sea water would make them white.
In the 1850s Levi Strauss, a business man living in San Francisco, was selling blue jeans under the “Levi’s” name to the coal workers of California.
During World War II, the coal workers liked jeans very much because they were strong and did not tear easily. In the 1950s, jeans became popular with young people in the United States. Wearing of blue jeans by teenagers was the symbol of rebels (反叛者) in TV programmes and movies. Some cinemas and restaurants refused to let people in if they wore blue jeans. In the 1980s, jeans finally became high fashion clothing, when famous designers started making their own styles of jeans, with their own labels on them. Sales of jeans went up and up.
1. From the first paragraph we know that ________.
| A．cowboys wear jeans only |
| B．cowboys live a good life |
| C．American culture is cowboy culture |
| D．cowboy culture is usually related to the West of America |
| A．Italy | B．America | C．Spain | D．China |
| A．the name of a worker |
| B．the brand (名牌) of a kind of jeans |
| C．the name of a kind of cloth |
| D．the nickname of a businessman |
| A．Because jeans were made for workers. |
| B．Because jeans were made of denim. |
| C．Because it was during the time of war. |
| D．Because wearing jeans was the symbol of rebels. |
【推荐1】To deal with a changing world, we have to change as well. Transforming land into farms removes forests and worsens climate change. But we need to grow more food to support a growing global population. What can we do?
Scientists have discovered that plants grow best under a certain type of light, which can be provided by red and blue LEDs. The combination of these lights at the right level makes a space look pink. Since “pinkhouses” supply their own light, they don’t need to have fragile glass walls and ceilings. And they can be set up anywhere, including places that don’t get the amount of light greenhouses need.
Since pinkhouses can pack food in huge columns, one of these farms doesn’t need a lot of land. Farmers can set up pinkhouses in cities. They completely control temperature and light, which can help some plants grow twice as well in pinkhouses as they do in traditional farming. Pinkhouses can allow for many more harvests per year since farming doesn’t have to stop in the winter.
Even though pinkhouses are a great way to grow crops, lighting and heating an indoor space is very expensive. It doesn’t make sense to grow foods that take up a lot of space or that we need to grow lots of, like wheat, rice, and corn, in a pinkhouse. We will still need to grow those crops in fields. We can start farming smarter.
Farmers will use satellite imagery to figure out exactly where to plant each crop. Think of a mixture of just the fight crops, rather than a rectangle of one type of plant. Sensors in the fields will measure the soil’s water level：temperature, and chemical content. They will even be able to detect insects and send out notifications to a smartphone app. Irrigation systems will be tied to weather forecasting programs, allowing very precise watering and care, all calculated to get the best plant growth and yield.
1. From the text, we know that the pinkhouse________.| A．covers lots of space | B．needs enough sunlight |
| C．is made of glass or plastic | D．can make plants grow larger |
| A．Summarize the previous paragraphs. | B．Emphasize the advantage of pinkhouses. |
| C．Introduce a new topic of the discussion. | D．Add some background information. |
| A．Farmers will have a better harvest. | B．Farmers can grow different plants. |
| C．Farmers needn’t care about the weather. | D．Plants can protect themselves against insects. |
| A．Building Pinkhouses | B．Feeding the Future |
| C．Changing the World | D．Getting Outdoor Farming Smart |
【推荐2】Commercial airlines alone contribute around 3% of total global carbon emissions. But the industry is actively looking for green solutions in the form of sustainable jet fuel, and in one case, that fuel may have had a previous life as your household food waste. In a study released this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers detail a method of transforming food waste into sustainable jet fuel that can be used in existing engines.
Biomass (生物质), such as manure (粪便) and food waste, can be transformed into bio-fuels, which are renewable liquid fuels made from organic matter. Derek Vardon, a senior research engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), says that their fuel worked as a mixture of 90% conventional petrol jet fuel and 10% alternative jet fuel required by the industry currently. They also show they could push it to a 70/30 mixture, which will be possible in real world with more time and testing.
Major airline companies are eager to get involved in sustainable aviation fuel because some sustainable solutions, such as battery-operated commercial planes, just aren’t possible yet with current battery technology. A battery-powered plane would be too heavy to fly long distances, so fuel that works in the same way as the fuel we have is a simpler way to trade out emission-heavy fossil fuels.
Vardon says that because the wet waste used in the process would normally go to a landfill (垃圾填埋场) and break down to release greenhouse gases, the process of making and using sustainable aviation fuel could actually have a negative carbon footprint when scaled up.
Commercial airlines are on board to find an affordable and sustainable solution to the carbon-intensive process of air travel. Airlines are looking to hit aggressive sustainability goals by 2050, including decreasing net carbon dioxide emissions by 50%.
1. Which of the following is used for sustainable airline power?| A．Fossil fuel. | B．Liquid fuel. | C．Battery power. | D．Biomass. |
| A．Fuel-powered planes are likely to travel lighter and farther. |
| B．Biofuel is environmentally friendly and sustainable. |
| C．It’s convenient to create the proper fuel mixture. |
| D．Biofuel proves less costly and easier to produce. |
| A．taking off. | B．holding a meeting. |
| C．participating in. | D．appearing on stage. |
| A．Alternative Energy to Fossil Fuel. |
| B．How to Get Fossil Fuel Sustainable. |
| C．Changing Food Waste into Airplane Fuel. |
| D．How to Decrease Carbon Dioxide Emissions. |
【推荐3】Do you prefer working on school projects with a friend, rather than alone? Neuroscientists (神经科学家) from Keio University in Japan have discovered that when two people work together on a task their brains actually start working in the same way.
For their study, the scientists picked 78 people, paired them up and set them a task to design the inside of a room without any limits on time or how much they spoke to each other. Each pair sat opposite each other and completed one task together and one on their own. When they worked together, the participants had to create a room that satisfied them both.
The pairs sat with their brains wired up through a special kind of headwear that monitors how the brain’s neurons react to different situations. Neurons send signals around the brain and to other parts of the body. The researchers also studied how often each pair looked at each other and compared this with what was happening in their brains at the same time. The experiment showed that, for people working together, when groups of neurons in one participant’s brains were activated, similar groups of neurons in their partner’s brain were also activated. Yasuyo Minagawa, a researcher working on the study, said it was “as if the two brains functioned together as a single system”.
They called this group brain activity “between-brain synchronisations”, and it was particularly strong when the participants raised their gaze from the activity to look at each other. Minagawa says the study proved something called the “we-mode”, which is when two people “share their minds”. There is a lot scientists don’t know about how brains operate when humans are interacting with each other. Now the researchers are hoping to develop the technology to study how other social interactions, like conversations and facial expressions, affect what’s going on inside the brain.
1. What did the study find?| A．Pair work matters. | B．Task itself influences brains. |
| C．Working together bonds brains. | D．Conversations affect how brains work! |
| A．create a room. | B．send signals to researchers |
| C．finish a school project | D．conduct a survey |
| A．Each one in the pair independently designed the inside of a room as well. |
| B．Each pair finished the task within a limited time and with limited communication. |
| C．The reactions of brain’s neurons to different situations were monitored by a headwear. |
| D．The frequency of looking at each other was compared with the reactions of brain’s neurons. |
| A．A book review. | B．A travel brochure. |
| C．A textbook. | D．A science magazine. |
