Question

With big handbags becoming a key fashion accessory (配件) for working women, health experts are warning they can also become a key health concern.

    Bags for women have become bigger and heavier as designers combine briefcases with handbags and straps have become longer, resulting in many users complaining of neck, shoulder and back problems.

"I see so many women with neck pains and headaches and what I usually do is look for their purse and pick it up," said Jane Sadler, a family practice physician at Baylor Medical Center in Garland, Texas. "We take it over to the scale and weigh it and usually they're anywhere from 7 to10 pounds...We're really going to see women with more and more problems later on if we continue the big purse craze."

William Case, a physical therapist (临床医生) in private practice in Houston, Texas, urged designers "to place a cute, educational caution tag (标签) on all bags to inform of potential neck and shoulder dangers." Above all, he recommended correct posture while carrying big purses, keeping the head and shoulders upright. Patients should also frequently change the size and weight of purses carded.

"The extra-large purses are quite phenomenal. They look beautiful when the women wear them, but I don't know how aware they are of the potential problems," Case said.

Placing objects on one shoulder was one of the least efficient (有效率的) ways of carrying a load, according to a professor from Cornell University in New York State. "This causes a great imbalance," he said. "If a big bag is a fashion accessory, then occasional and symbolic use is fine. If not, then keep it light."

1. Bags for women are designed to be bigger because they ____

A. are supposed to carry more things      B. are more comfortable to wear

C. make the wearers look nicer            D. show the status of the wearers

2. Jane Sadler would "look for their purse and pick it up" in order" to see whether the purses _________.

A. contained enough money              B. were worth a lot of pounds

C. were too heavy                      D. were too large

3. Which correctly explains the meaning of the underlined word "posture" in the 4th paragraph?

A. The way you position your body.

B. The part of your body where you place a weight.

    C. The strength you use to carry a weight.

    D. The height of the weight you carry.

4. Which of the following belongs to the kind of bags causing the health problems?

     A                 B.                 C.               D.

5. None of the experts advised big bag users to ___________.

A. be aware of the big-bag problems

B. wear big bags in the right way

    C. avoid using big bags very often

    D. sacrifice the fashion to keep fit

Answer 1

ACADD