题目内容
For Christmas last year, Marie’s grandma wanted to get her something special. So Marie asked her grandma for her dream gift: a brand-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 (标签) 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 (使信服) Marie — and millions of others — that the name UGG has value far be
yond 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.
1.When she received the Christmas gift from her grandma, Marie seemed .
A. excited B. worried C. moved D. disappointed
2.UGG’s managers would be cheering probably because of .
A. its particular design
B. its successful marketing
C. its high-quality products
D. its better customer service
3.The underlined word “exorbitant” in Paragraph 5 probably means .
A. high B. good C. average D. attractive
4.In the author’s opinion, people wear brand-name products as a way to .
A. follow the fashion
B. show themselves off
C. keep pace with the times
D. improve their quality of life
