Birkin包(柏金包)是由生產(chǎn)皮革及成衣的制造商愛瑪仕(Hermès)于1984年推出的一款手提包。這款包是以長期居住在法國的英國歌手簡·柏金(Jane Birkin)命名的。然而近期Jane Birkin發(fā)布聲明要求愛馬仕停止使用她的名字,原因是Birkin包使用鱷魚皮制作,而供應(yīng)商殺死鱷魚的過程十分殘忍。
測試中可能遇到的詞匯和知識:
slaughter 屠宰(動物)
alleged 聲稱的
gruesome 可怕的
issue 發(fā)布
implicate 牽涉
By Catherine Bennett in Paris
British singer and actress Jane Birkin has demanded that her name be removed from one of luxury brand Hermès' most distinctive handbags.
The Birkin bag,which can command prices of more than £40,000,comes in a crocodile leather version,which has led to protests by animal rights activists.
Ms Birkin released a statement on Tuesday evening saying: “Having been alerted to the cruel practices reserved for crocodiles during their slaughter to make Hermès handbags carrying my name,I have asked Hermès to debaptise the Birkin Croco until better practices in line with international norms can be put in place.”
Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals(Peta)recently released an exposé into the cruel treatment and slaughter of crocodiles,in which alleged employees of a crocodile farm part-owned by Padenga Holdings in Texas were recorded stating that the farm supplied Hermès. The video then went on to show the crocodiles being killed by various,gruesome means.
Ingrid Newkirk,president and co-founder of Peta,said of Ms Birkin's request: “Peta,on behalf of all kind souls in the world,thanks Ms Birkin for ending her association with Hermès……soon,no one will want to be caught dead carrying one,and animal advocates will then breathe a sigh of relief.”
Hermès?did not respond to a request for comment. According to Reuters,the company issued a statement on Wednesday saying that it was equally “shocked by the images” broadcast.
It denied that the farms portrayed in the video belonged to the group,and promised that “an investigation is under way at the Texas farm which was implicated in the video. Any breach of rules will be rectified and sanctioned.”
The bag was named after a chance meeting on an aeroplane in 1981 between Ms Birkin and Jean-Louis Dumas,Hermès' then-chief executive. He created the Birkin bag in her honour three years later. A fuchsia Hermès Birkin bag was the most expensive handbag ever sold,fetching HK$1.7m(US$222,000)at a Christie's auction in Hong Kong last month.
Hermès reported €4.1bn in revenue last year. Its leather goods and saddlery division,which manufactures the Birkin bag,accounted for 45 per cent of the group's sales in 2014,with a turnover of €1.8m and 15 per cent growth compared with the previous year.
In recent years,luxury manufacturers have been buying up tanneries and crocodile farms over the world in order to secure a supply of the raw materials needed to make their luxury products. It takes up to three crocodiles to make a Birkin bag.
1.Why did Ms Birkin demand that her name be removed from Hermès' handbags?
A.She was aware that the crocodiles being cruelly slaughtered.
B.Her name had been used without her consent.
C.The contract between Ms Birkin and Hermès was due.
D.Ms Birkin had not received proper payment.
[1] 答案
2.Which of the following is mentioned as the part-owner of the crocodile farm in the video?
A.Hermès
B.Lone Star
C.Padenga Holdings
D.PETA
[2] 答案
3.Which of the following is mentioned as part of Hermès' statement?
A.An investigation is being held at the farm implicated in the video.
B.The farm implicated in the video will be closed in the near future.
C.The company has consented the request made by Jane Birkin.
D.It has been confirmed that the farm belonged to Hermès.
[3] 答案
4.How much did Hermès' leather goods and saddlery division account for the group's sales in 2014?
A.60%
B.30%
C.45%
D.50%
[4] 答案
[1]答案:A.She was aware that the crocodiles being cruelly slaughtered.
解釋:文章第三段提到Jane Birkin之所以要求愛馬仕停止使用她的名字是由于她獲悉用于制作愛馬仕皮包的鱷魚皮來自被殘酷屠殺的鱷魚。
[2]答案:C.Padenga Holdings
解釋:文章第四段提到PETA組織近期曝光一段虐殺鱷魚的視頻,其中牽涉的鱷魚農(nóng)場屬于德州Padenga Holdings旗下。
[3]答案:A.An investigation is being held at the farm implicated in the video.
解釋:文章第六段和第七段提到愛馬仕于周三發(fā)布聲明,宣稱涉事鱷魚農(nóng)場正在接受調(diào)查,且否認(rèn)該農(nóng)場屬于愛馬仕旗下。
[4]答案:C.45%
解釋:文章倒數(shù)第二段提到愛馬仕的皮制商品和馬具銷售占到2014年度總利潤的45%。