France, which prides itself as the global innovator of fashion, has decided its fashion industry has lost an absolute right to define physical beauty for women. Its lawmakers gave preliminary approval last week to a law that would make it a crime to employ ultra-thin models on runways. The parliament also agreed to ban websites that “incite excessive thinness” by promoting extreme dieting.
Such measures have a couple of uplifting motives. They suggest beauty should not be defined by looks that end up impinging on health. That’s a start. And the ban on ultra-thin models seems to go beyond protecting models from starving themselves to death as some have done. It tells the fashion industry that it must take responsibility for the signal it sends women, especially teenage girls, about the social tape-measure they must use to determine their individual worth.
The bans, if fully enforced, would suggest to women (and many men) that they should not let others be arbiters of their beauty. And perhaps faintly, they hint that people should look to intangible qualities like character and intellect rather than dieting their way to size zero or wasp-waist physiques.
The French measures, however, rely too much on severe punishment to change a culture that still regards beauty as skin-deep and bone-showing. Under the law, using a fashion model that does not meet a government-defined index of body mass could result in a $85,000 fine and six months in prison.
The fashion industry knows it has an inherent problem in focusing on material adornment and idealized body types. In Denmark, the United States, and a few other countries, it is trying to set voluntary standards for models and fashion images that rely more on peer pressure for enforcement.
In contrast to France’s actions, Denmark’s fashion industry agreed last month on rules and sanctions regarding the age, health, and other characteristics of models. The newly revised Danish Fashion Ethical Charter clearly states: “We are aware of and take responsibility for the impact the fashion industry has on body ideals, especially on young people.” The charter’s main tool of enforcement is to deny access for designers and modeling agencies to Copenhagen Fashion Week (CFW), which is run by the Danish Fashion Institute. But in general it relies on a name-and-shame method of compliance.
Relying on ethical persuasion rather than law to address the misuse of body ideals may be the best step. Even better would be to help elevate notions of beauty beyond the material standards of a particular industry.
1. According to the first paragraph, what would happen in France?
2. The phrase “impinging on” is closest in meaning to ________.
3. Which of the following is true of the fashion industry?
4. A designer is most likely to be rejected by CFW for ________.
5. Which of the following may be the best title of the text?
问题1选项
A.New runways would be constructed.
B.Physical beauty would be redefined.
C.Websites about dieting would thrive.
D.The fashion industry would decline.
问题2选项
A.heightening the value of
B.indicating the state of
C.losing faith in
D.doing harm to
问题3选项
A.New standards are being set in Denmark.
B.The French measures have already failed.
C.Models are no longer under peer pressure.
D.Its inherent problems are getting worse.
问题4选项
A.pursuing perfect physical conditions
B.caring too much about models’ character
C.showing little concern for health factors
D.setting a high age threshold for models
问题5选项
A.A Challenge to the Fashion Industry’s Body Ideals
B.A Dilemma for the Starving Models in France
C.Just Another Round of Struggle for Beauty
D.The Great Threats to the Fashion Industry
第1题:B
第2题:D
第3题:A
第4题:C
第5题:A
第1题:
【整体分析】
来源：The Christian Science Monitor《基督教科学箴言报》于2015年4月5日刊登的文章A Challenge to the Fashion Industry’s Body Ideals（对时尚界理想身材的挑战）。
主题：本文主要介绍了法国时尚行业将禁止雇用过瘦的模特走秀，并禁止通过极端节食来鼓励“过度骨感”的网站，这表明时尚界不应该以极端的身材标准来定义女性美。然而，法国的措施过于依赖惩罚，丹麦等国家则更多地依赖道德规范和自愿标准来解决这个问题。更好的方法是帮助时尚行业意识到内在问题，提升美的观念至行业标准之上。
结构：
【选项释义】
According to the first paragraph, what would happen in France? 根据第一段，在法国会发生什么？
A. New runways would be constructed. A. 将会建造新的走秀台。
B. Physical beauty would be redefined. B. 形体美将被重新定义。
C. Websites about dieting would thrive. C. 关于节食的网站将蓬勃发展。
D. The fashion industry would decline. D. 时尚业会衰退。
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词first paragraph可以定位到文章第一段第一句“以全球时尚创新者自居的法国承认，其时尚业已经失去了定义女性外表美的绝对权利（its fashion industry has lost an absolute right to define physical beauty for women）”，说明法国时尚业之前对美的定义已经不再适用，形体美将会有新的定义。因此B选项“形体美将被重新定义。”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“将会建造新的走秀台。”在文中没有提及，属于无中生有；
C选项“关于节食的网站将蓬勃发展。”，由The parliament also agreed to ban websites that “incite excessive thinness” by promoting extreme dieting.（议会还同意禁止那些通过提倡极端节食来“煽动过度骨感”的网站。）可知，关于节食的网站将受到打击，而不是蓬勃发展，属于反向干扰；
D选项“时尚业会衰退。”，文中只是说时尚业失去了定义女性外表美的绝对权利，不代表时尚业会就此衰退，属于过度推断。
第2题:
【选项释义】
The phrase “impinging on” is closest in meaning to ________. 短语“impinging on”的含义最接近________。
A. heightening the value of A. 提高价值
B. indicating the state of B. 表明状态
C. losing faith in C. 失去信心
D. doing harm to D. 造成伤害
【考查点】词汇推断题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词impinging on可以定位到文章第二段第二句“它们表明，美不应该以最终会impinging on健康的外貌来定义”，下文说到“对于超瘦模特的禁令似乎不仅仅是为了保护模特们免于饿死（starving themselves to death）”，说明有些人为了追求美会伤害身体健康。因此D选项“造成伤害”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“提高价值”，B选项“表明状态”和C选项“失去信心”在文中均无法体现，属于无中生有。
第3题:
【选项释义】
Which of the following is true of the fashion industry? 以下哪项是时尚行业的真实情况？
A. New standards are being set in Denmark. A. 在丹麦正在制定新的标准。
B. The French measures have already failed. B. 法国的措施已经失败了。
C. Models are no longer under peer pressure. C. 模特不再受到同行的压力。
D. Its inherent problems are getting worse. D. 其内在问题越来越严重。
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据选项关键词Denmark可以定位到文章第五段第二句“在丹麦、美国和其他一些国家，正试图为模特和时尚形象制定一套自愿的标准（set voluntary standards）”，说明丹麦正在制定新的标准。因此A选项“在丹麦正在制定新的标准。”正确。
【干扰项排除】
B选项“法国的措施已经失败了。”，由The French measures, however, rely too much on severe punishment（然而，法国的措施过于依赖严厉的惩罚）可知，文中只是指出了法国措施的不足之处，不代表已经失败了，属于过度推断；
C选项“模特不再受到同行的压力。”，由rely more on peer pressure for enforcement（这些标准更多地依赖于同行的压力来执行）可知，模特仍然受到同行的压力，属于反向干扰；
D选项“其内在问题越来越严重。”，由The fashion industry knows it has an inherent problem（时尚行业意识到了自己的内在问题）可知，文中只是说时尚行业意识到了内在问题，没有提到内在问题越来越严重，属于无中生有。
第4题:
【选项释义】
A designer is most likely to be rejected by CFW for ________. 一个设计师最有可能因为________，而被CFW拒绝。
A. pursuing perfect physical conditions A. 追求完美的形体条件
B. caring too much about models’ character B. 过分关心模特的性格
C. showing little concern for health factors C. 对健康因素关心不够
D. setting a high age threshold for models D. 为模特设定了较高的年龄门槛
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词CFW可以定位到文章第六段第三句“该规章的主要执行手段是禁止设计师和模特经纪公司参加哥本哈根时装周（deny access for designers and modeling agencies to Copenhagen Fashion Week）”，说明设计师被拒绝参加哥本哈根时装周是因为违反了上文提到的规章，即“丹麦的时尚行业在上个月就模特的年龄、健康状况和其他特征（regarding the age, health, and other characteristics of models）的相关规定和制裁达成了一致”。因此C选项“对健康因素关心不够”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“追求完美的形体条件”，B选项“过分关心模特的性格”和D选项“为模特设定了较高的年龄门槛”，由Denmark’s fashion industry agreed last month on rules and sanctions regarding the age, health, and other characteristics of models.（丹麦的时尚行业在上个月就模特的年龄、健康状况和其他特征的相关规定和制裁达成了一致。）可知，文中提到的health和other characteristics与选项的physical conditions和character不符，且没有提及设定的具体年龄门槛，属于曲解原文。
第5题:
【选项释义】
Which of the following may be the best title of the text? 以下哪项可能是本文的最佳标题？
A. A Challenge to the Fashion Industry’s Body Ideals A. 对时尚界理想身材的挑战
B. A Dilemma for the Starving Models in France B. 法国饥饿的模特们的困境
C. Just Another Round of Struggle for Beauty C. 只是另一轮为美丽而挣扎的过程
D. The Great Threats to the Fashion Industry D. 对时尚业的巨大威胁
【考查点】主旨大意题。
【解题思路】本文主要讨论了时尚行业狭隘的审美标准如何对模特和消费者产生有害影响，然后讨论了不同国家为解决这些问题所采取的各种措施，比如法国禁止过瘦模特，丹麦对时尚行业的道德准则。文章表达了作者对时尚行业应该如何应对理想身材问题的看法，即通过提高美的观念和意识来塑造更加健康、多样化的审美标准。因此A选项“对时尚界理想身材的挑战”正确。
【干扰项排除】
B选项“法国饥饿的模特们的困境”只在文章的某部分提及，不能概括全文的主旨大意，属于以偏概全；
C选项“只是另一轮为美丽而挣扎的过程”在文中没有提及，属于无中生有；
D选项“对时尚业的巨大威胁”，文章只提到了时尚行业如何应对理想身材的问题，不代表整个时尚业受到了巨大威胁，属于过度推断。
【重点词汇】
preliminary /ˌprɛləˈmɪnəri/ adj. 初步的；预备的
incite /ɪnˈsaɪt/ v. 煽动；激起
impinge /ɪmˈpɪndʒ/ v. 撞击；影响
arbiter /ˈɑrbɪtər/ n. 裁决人；仲裁人
intangible /ɪnˈtændʒəbl/ adj. 无形的；触摸不到的
physique /fɪˈzik/ n. 身材；体格
inherent /ɪnˈhɛrənt/ adj. 固有的；内在的
adornment /əˈdɔrnmənt/ n. 装饰；装饰品
idealized /aɪˈdiəlaɪzd/ adj. 理想化的；典型化的
enforcement /ɪnˈfɔrsmənt/ n. 实施；执行
sanction /ˈsæŋkʃən/ n. 制裁；处罚
ethical /ˈɛθɪkəl/ adj. 道德的；伦理的
compliance /kəmˈplaɪəns/ n. 顺从；遵守
misuse /ˌmɪsˈjuz/ v. 滥用；误用
ultra-thin 极其瘦的
social tape-measure 社会衡量标准
peer pressure 同辈压力
name-and-shame method 点名批评
【长难句分析】
1. It tells the fashion industry that it must take responsibility for the signal it sends women, especially teenage girls, about the social tape-measure they must use to determine their individual worth.
【结构分析】
【补充分析】
① that引导宾语从句，作tells的直接宾语，说明这些措施告诉时尚产业的内容是它必须对其发出的信号负责；
② it sends women, especially teenage girls, about the social tape-measure是省略了引导词的定语从句，修饰signal，说明这些信号是发送给女性（尤其是青少年女性）关于社会衡量标准的；
③ they must use to determine their individual worth是省略了引导词的定语从句，修饰social tape-measure，说明女性必须用这些社会标准来确定自己的个人价值。
【参考译文】它还告诉时尚界，它必须对自己向女性，尤其是十几岁的女孩发出的信号负责，即她们必须用社会标准来确定自己的个人价值。
2. The bans, if fully enforced, would suggest to women (and many men) that they should not let others be arbiters of their beauty.
【结构分析】
【补充分析】
① if引导条件状语从句，说明禁令所产生的影响是在完全执行的情况下才能够实现，从句主语和主句的主语The bans一致，所以可以省略；
② that引导宾语从句，作suggest的宾语，说明禁令表明的内容是不应该让别人来评判自己的美貌。
【参考译文】这些禁令如果得到全面执行，将会告诉女性（以及许多男性），他们不应该让别人来评判自己的美貌。
【全文翻译】
以全球时尚创新者自居的法国承认，其时尚业已经失去了定义女性外表美的绝对权利。上周，该国立法者初步批准了一项法律，该法律将雇用超瘦模特走秀定为犯罪。议会还同意禁止那些通过提倡极端节食来“煽动过度骨感”的网站。
这些措施有一些令人振奋的动机。它们表明，美不应该以最终会影响健康的外貌来定义。这是一个开始。对于超瘦模特的禁令似乎不仅仅是为了保护模特们免于饿死——有些人已经被饿死。它告诉时尚界，它必须对自己向女性，尤其是十几岁的女孩发出的信号负责，即她们必须用社会标准来确定自己的个人价值。
这些禁令如果得到全面执行，将会告诉女性（以及许多男性），他们不应该让别人来评判自己的美貌。或许还隐约暗示，人们应该关注性格和智力等无形的品质，而不是通过节食来让自己穿进零号衣服或拥有蜂腰。
然而，法国的措施过于依赖严厉的惩罚，来改变现在依然崇尚肤浅的外在美、追求骨感的文化。根据该法律，雇用不符合政府规定的体重指数的时装模特可能会被处以8.5万美元的罚款和6个月的监禁。
时尚行业意识到了自己的内在问题：专注于物质装饰品和理想体型。在丹麦、美国和其他一些国家，正试图为模特和时尚形象制定一套自愿的标准，这些标准更多地依赖于同行的压力来执行。
与法国的做法形成鲜明对比的是，丹麦的时尚行业在上个月就模特的年龄、健康状况和其他特征的相关规定和制裁达成了一致。新修订的《丹麦时尚道德规章》明确指出：“我们意识到时尚行业对身材理想的影响，尤其是对年轻人的影响，并为此承担责任。”该规章的主要执行手段是禁止设计师和模特经纪公司参加哥本哈根时装周，该时装周由丹麦时尚协会主办。但总的来说，它依靠的是“点名批评”的顺从方法。
依靠道德上的规劝而不是法律来解决对理想身材的误用可能是最好的手段。更好的做法是，帮助促进美的观念提升至某一行业的物质标准之上。
