阅读理解：If women are mercilessly exploited year after year, they have only themselves to blame

Questions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage.

If women are mercilessly exploited year after year, they have only themselves to blame. Because they tremble at the thought of being seen in public in clothes that are out of fashion, they are always taken advantage of by the designers and the big stores. Clothes which have been worn only a few times have to be put aside because of the change of fashion. When you come to think of it, only a woman is capable of standing in front of a wardrobe(衣柜) packed full of clothes and announcing sadly that she has nothing to wear.

Changing fashions are nothing more than the intentional creation of waste. Many women spend vast sums of money each year to replace clothes that have hardly been worn. Women who cannot afford to throw away clothing in this way, waste hours of their time altering the dresses they have. Skirts are lengthened or shortened; necklines are lowered or raised, and so on.

No one can claim that the fashion industry contributes anything really important to society. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with vital things like warmth, comfort and durability(耐用). They are only interested in outward appearance and they take advantage of the fact that women will put up with any amount of discomfort, as long as they look right. There can hardly be a man who hasn't at some time in his life smiled at the sight of a woman shaking in a thin dress on a winter day, or delicately picking her way through deep snow in high-heeled shoes.

When comparing men and women in the matter of fashion, the conclusions to be drawn are obvious. Do the constantly changing fashions of women's clothes, one wonders, reflect basic qualities of inconstancy and instability？ Men are too clever to let themselves be cheated by fashion designers. Do their unchanging styles of dress reflect basic qualities of stability and reliability？ That is for you to decide.

36. Designers and big stores always make money .

A) by mercilessly exploiting women workers in the clothing industry

B) because they are capable of predicting new fashions

C) by constantly changing the fashions in women's clothing

D) because they attach great importance to quality in women's clothing

37. To the writer, the fact that women alter their old-fashioned dresses is seen as .

A) a waste of money B) a waste of time

C) an expression of taste D) an expression of creativity

38. The writer would be less critical if fashion designers placed more stress on the of clothing.

A) cost B) appearance

C) comfort D) suitability

39. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE？

A) New fashions in clothing are created for the commercial exploitation of women.

B) The constant changes in women's clothing reflect their strength of character.

C) The fashion industry makes an important contribution to society.

D) Fashion designs should not be encouraged since they are only welcomed by women.

40. By saying "the conclusions to be drawn are obvious" (Lines 1-2, Para. 4) the writer means that .

A) women's inconstancy in their choice of clothing is often laughed at

B) women are better able to put up with discomfort

C) men are also exploited greatly by fashion designers

D) men are more stable and reliable in character