Question

【题目】Do you love Beats headphones, True Religion jeans, and UGG shoes? These are some of the most popular brands (牌子) around. They are also expensive. But some experts say they are not much better than cheaper brands.

For example, Jim Wilcox works for Consumer Reports. He tested all kinds of headphones. He says that $80 Koss Pro headphones provide basically the same quality and comfort as Beats. So why do people pay twice or even 10 times as much for the hottest brands?

Experts say it's because fashionable, expensive brands send a message. Brands say “I belong” or “I can afford it.”

Some people think that expensive brand names are worth the price. They say that some designer clothes really are top quality and that they last longer than cheaper brands. Some teenagers choose to wear popular brands because these brands make them feel good about themselves.

Alexandra Allam, 17, likes to buy brand-name products. “I'd rather spend the extra money to get something I know I'll be satisfied with,” she says. Her friend Emmy Swan agrees, saying “As long as you can afford it, it seems reasonable to buy what you want.” But not all teenagers agree. “Spending hundreds of dollars for designer sunglasses is stupid and unreasonable,” says Daniel Steinbrecher, 16. “It's fake (假的) happiness.”

People who are against wearing expensive brand names say that many designer brands aren't any better. “It's wasteful to buy things just because they are popular,” says Edmund Williams, 15. “You'll feel better if you buy things because you like them. If you have extra money to spend, it would be better to give it to people in need.”

【1】The example of Jim's report wants to tell us _____.

A. popular brands make people comfortable

B. Koss Pro headphones are better than Beats

C. the hottest brands are of the highest quality

D. lesser-known brands may offer the same quality as name brands

【2】According to experts, people choose the hottest brands probably _____.

A. to show off

B. for their better quality

C. for their better designs

D. to belong to a special group

【3】What does Edmund think of expensive brands?

A. They are not worth the price.

B. They make him feel confident.

C. They need to improve their quality.

D. They pay too much attention to personal likes.

【4】The text is mainly about _____.

A. how to buy things reasonably

B. the competition between brands

C. the different values of teenagers

D. whether expensive brands are worth high prices

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】D

【2】A

【3】A

【4】D

【解析】

试题分析：文章讨论的是昂贵品牌值不值得问题。

【1】D. 推理总结题。Jim Wilcox works for Consumer Reports. He tested all kinds of headphones. He says that $80 Koss Pro headphones provide basically the same quality and comfort as Beats. Jim Wilcox为消费者报告。他测试了各种耳机。他说，80美元的耳机Koss Pro和Beats提供基本相同的质量和舒适。由此可知消费者们对于品牌了解不够，lesser-known brands may offer the same quality as name brands一些鲜为人知的品牌可以像品牌商品一样提供相同质量的。故选D。

【2】A.推理推断题。根据第三段的Brands say “I belong” or “I can afford it.”可知，人们选择最热门的品牌是出于炫耀心理，故选A。

【3】A.推理推断题。根据最后一段Edmund所说的“It's wasteful to buy things just because they are popular,” 仅仅因为它们受欢迎为买东西是一种浪费。可知他认为昂贵品牌并不值那个价，故选A。

【4】D.主旨大意题。文章第一段提出本文要谈论的话题：They are also expensive. But some experts say they are not much better than cheaper brands.这些品牌价格如此昂贵，但是一些专家说受欢迎的品牌价格昂贵然而却不见得比便宜的品牌好。随后文章从正反两面对此进行了讨论。由此可知，文章主要是讨论昂贵的品牌到底值不值这一话题。故选D。