英语能力提升练习三.docx

英语能力提升练习三阅读理解For Christmas last year, Marie’s grandma wanted to get her something special. So Marie asked her grandma for her dream gift: abrand-new pair of UGG boots. All her friends had them.On Christmas morning, Marie really got a pair of boots. They fit perfectly. The quality was superb. There was only one thing missing: the tiny label on the heel that says UGG.Marie thanked her grandma. But she’s only worn those boots twice — both times to visit her grandma. “I would never wear them in public,” she says.Marie’s grandma would be heartbroken to know the truth. But at UGG headquarters (总部), a room full of sales managers would be cheering. Through clever marketing and expensive advertising, the makers of UGGs have convinced Marie — and millions of others — that the name UGG has value far beyond what the homely slipper boots should really cost. UGGs, like North Face jackets, Nike sneakers, and other brand-name items are “status symbols”. People pay double, triple, even 10 times more for brand names than for similar items. Is a pair of $400 True Religion jeans really better than the $18 Wranglers you can get at Walmart? Maybe the quality is a bit higher. Maybe they shrink less. But are brand names really worth the exorbitant prices? Some pricey brands do, in fact, use higher-quality materials that fit better and feel nice on your skin.However, the truth is that the value of a brand has little to do with quality and a lot to do with status. A recent study by Consumer Reports found that some of the least expensive jeans are better made than the more expensive jeans. But that doesn’t matter. Wearing a certain label tells the world “I belong” or “I can afford it.”A few decades ago, the idea of a kid refusing to wear a pair of boots because the label was wrong would have seemed as crazy as talking on a phone the size of your hand.Clearly, times have changed.28. When she received the Christmas gift from her grandma, Marie seemed .A. excited B. worriedC. moved D. disappoin