1 . The Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week held in Ethiopia in November attracted over 5,000 visitors. Though the number is not extremely high, the continent is becoming a new global fashion leader, according to a UNESCO report.
Although most African fashion businesses are small and medium-sized enterprises (企业), the report identified a growing number of high-fashion brands concentrated in key markets on the continent. What makes African fashion unique is its authenticity (真实性), according to Kenyan designer Aulga Nato. “If you check most fashion houses elsewhere in the world, they have done so much that they have less creativity in what they are putting out now. Africa, on the other hand, is rich in cloth. We are huge cotton growers, and we are rich in every single way. That’s our fashion,” she explained.
Africa is a major producer of raw materials (原材料) for the fashion industry, with 37 out of 54 African countries producing cotton and textile exports from the continent averaging $15.5 billion (about 110.2 billion yuan) a year. The continent also has a huge animal population from which it sources animal skins. However, there’s a huge shortage of chemicals to make the materials needed to treat the leather (皮革) from animals used in the clothing industry. And the continent still faces challenges related to the movement of people.
Despite these challenges, African designers are giving their best to their work and leading the world in sustainable fashion and practices. African governments have also taken measures to help designers in achieving their aims. It seems that their efforts have paid off. After checking clothing exhibits at a fashion event, Ghanaian exhibitor Solomon Dodoo noticed that every single cloth is unique and there are no two pieces of cloth that look alike.
1. What makes Africa have an unusual fashion?| A．Its increasing tourism. | B．Its huge cotton production. |
| C．A report from the UNESCO. | D．The authenticity of its fashion. |
| A．A great need for animal skins. |
| B．Lack of chemicals for treating leather. |
| C．The development of cotton production. |
| D．Shortage of creativity among designers. |
| A．They are supported by African governments. |
| B．They abandon unique and sustainable fashion. |
| C．They lead the world in the clothing industry. |
| D．They check clothing exhibits at a fashion event. |
| A．African Fashion is Popular in the World |
| B．African Designers Face Difficulties in Fashion |
| C．African Countries Have Materials for the Fashion Industry |
| D．Africa’s Advantages Promote Its Fashion Industry’s Success |
1. What does the woman recommend first?
| A．A gray silk tie. |
| B．A brown leather wallet. |
| C．A black leather wallet. |
| A．His father might dislike its design. |
| B．He dislikes its color. |
| C．It’s too expensive for him. |
| A．$35. | B．$40. | C．$55. |
1. What kind of room does the man want?
| A．A suite facing the sea. |
| B．A room with a bathroom. |
| C．A single room with an ocean view. |
| A．$280. | B．$560. | C．$840. |
| A．In a club. |
| B．In a store. |
| C．On the playground. |
1. Why does the man want to buy a bookshelf?
| A．He is preparing a birthday gift. |
| B．He just moved to a new house. |
| C．He accidentally broke the old one. |
| A．The price. | B．The material. | C．The color. |
| A．15% | B．20% | C．10% |
| A．Make the payment. | B．See some other stores. | C．Ask his brother’s opinion. |
1. Where does this conversation take place?
| A．On a tennis court. |
| B．In a sporting goods shop. |
| C．In an equipment rental store. |
| A．Instructor and player. |
| B．Salesgirl and customer. |
| C．Delivery man and buyer. |
| A．What present to buy. | B．Which dress to wear. | C．When to attend the party. |
| A．It is broken. | B．It was bought on sale. | C．It was bought over a week ago. |
| A．It’s necessary for work. | B．It’s her favorite style. | C．It’s very cheap. |
10 . For Western designers, China and its rich culture have long been an inspiration for Western creative.
“It’s no secret that China has always been a source (来源) of inspiration for designers,” says Amanda Hill, chief creative officer at A+E Networks, a global media company and home to some of the biggest fashion (时尚) shows.
Earlier this year, the China Through A Looking Glass exhibition in New York exhibited 140 pieces of China-inspired fashionable clothing alongside Chinese works of art, with the aim of exploring the influence of Chinese aesthetics (美学) on Western fashion and how China has fueled the fashionable imagination for centuries. The exhibition had record attendance, showing that there is huge interest in Chinese influences.
“China is impossible to overlook,” says Hill. “Chinese models are the faces of beauty and fashion campaigns that sell dreams to women all over the world, which means Chinese women are not just consumers of fashion — they are central to its movement.” Of course, not only are today’s top Western designers being influenced by China—some of the best designers of contemporary fashion are themselves Chinese. “Vera Wang, Alexander Wang, Jason Wu are taking on Galliano, Albaz, Marc Jacobs—and beating them hands down in design and sales,” adds Hill.
For Hill, it is impossible not to talk about China as the leading player when discussing fashion. “The most famous designers are Chinese, so are the models, and so are the consumers,” she says. “China is no longer just another market; in many senses it has become the market. If you talk about fashion today, you are talking about China—its influences, its direction, its breathtaking clothes, and how young designers and models are finally acknowledging that in many ways.”
What do the underlined words “taking on” in paragraph 4 mean?| A．learning from |
| B．looking down on |
| C．working with |
| D．competing against |
