Given that a good year in the haute couture(高级定制女装)business is one where you lose even more money than usual, the prevailing mood in Paris last week was sensational. The big-name designers were falling over themselves to boast of how many outfits they had sold at below cost price, and how this proved that the fashion business was healthier than ever. Jean—Paul Gaultier reported record sales. “But we don’t make any money out of it”, the designer assured journalists backstage. “No matter how successful you are, you can’t make a profit from couture,” explained Jean—Jacques Picart, a veteran fashion PR man, and co—founder of the now—bankrupt Lacroix house.
Almost 20 years have passed since the unusual economics of the couture business were first exposed. Outraged that he was Losing money on evening dresses costing tens of thousands of pounds, the couturier Jean-Louis Scherrer published of his costs. One outfit he described curtained over half a mile of gold thread 1 8, 000sequins(亮片), and had required hundreds of hours of hand—stitching in an atelier(制作室). A fair price would have been~50, 000, but the couturier could only get~35, 000 for it. Rather than riding high on the foolishness of the super—rich, he and his team could barely feed their hungry families.
The result was an outcry and the first of a series of government-and industry—sponsored inquiries into the surreal(超现实的)world of ultimate fashion. The trade continues to insist that couture offers you more than you pay for, but it’s not as simple as that. When such a temple of old wealth starts talking about value for money, it isn’t to convince anyone that dresses costing as much as houses are a bargain. Rather, it is to preserve the peculiar mystique(神秘), lucrative(利润丰厚的)associations and threatened interests that couture represents.
Essentially, the arguments couldn’t be simpler. On one side are those who say that the business will die if it doesn’t change. On the other are those who say it will die if it is highly dated. Huge in its costs, tiny in its clientele and questionable in its influence, it still remains one of the great themes of Parisian life. In his book, The Fashion Conspiracy, Nicholas Coleridge estimates that the entire couture industry rests on the whims(一时兴起)of less than 30 immensely wealthy women, and although the number may have grown in recent years with the new prosperity of Asia, the number of couture customers worldwide is no more than 4.000.
To qualify as couture, a garment must be entirely handmade by one of the 11 Paris couture houses registered to the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. Each house must employ at least 20 people. and show a minimum of 75 new designs a year. So far, so traditional. But the Big Four operators——Chanel, Dior, Givenchy and Gaultier—increasingly use couture as a marketing device for their far more profitable ready—to—wear, fragrance and accessory lines.
41. What is the main idea of the first paragraph?
A. The haute couture business is expanding quickly.
B. The haute couture designers make much profit in their sales.
C. The haute couture designers claim losses in their sales.
D. The haute couture businessmen are happy with their profit.
42. According to the second paragraph, Jean-Louis Scherrer_____.
A was very angry as he was losing money.
B. was in a worse financial position than other couturiers.
C. was one of the best-know couturiers.
D. stopped producing haute couture dresses.
43. The writer says that the outfit Jean-Louis Scherrer described_____.
A. was worth the price that was paid for it.
B. cost more to make than it should have.
C. was never sold to anyone.
D. should have cost the customer than it did.
44. The writer says in Paragraph 4 that there is disagreement over_____.
A. the future of haute couture.
B. the history of haute couture.
C. the real costs of haute couture.
D. the changes that need to be made in haute couture.
45. What is the writer’s tone toward haute couture business?
A. Somewhat ironical
B. Quite supportive.
C. Fairly friendly.
D. Rather indifferent.
答案：
41 C 第一段讲到，许多着名设计师都在大肆宣扬他们以低于成本价的价格卖了多少件衣服，后面又引用了几位设计师的话，说他们不会从服装设计上赚任何钱，因此第一段的主题是高级定制女装设计师们宣称自己在亏损。
42 A 第二段第二句的开头是：Outraged that he was losing money on evening dresses costing tens of thousands of pounds,……说明Jean-Louis对自己的亏损很生气。其他三项中所提到的事文中并未提及。
43 D 第二段倒数第二句：A fair price would have been￡50,000,but the couturier could only get￡35, 000 for it.说明服装的价格应该更高，可实际卖不到那么多钱。
44 A 第四段第二句、第三句：On one side are those who say that the business will die if it doesn't change. On the other are those who say it will die if it does.人们是在为定制女装的未来争论。
45 A 此题通过文章的标题和正文的讨论便可判断作者的态度有些讽刺的意味。
