Michelle Obama is not a Barbie doll, a shape-shifting Hollywood starlet, a chameleon model or the female equivalent of Justin Bieber. And so, I have reached a saturation point on the small talk about her clothes. Fashion fatigue has set in. I cannot countenance any more breathless, fanzine-style chronicling of her attire. Surely, I cannot be alone.
To be clear, there is still plenty to be written about the first lady and her wardrobe choices. Clothes are part of the historic record Mrs. Obama will leave behind—regardless of whether her husband is reelected. Whoever occupies the East Wing plays an important role in supporting this country's fashion industry. And without question, the inaugural gown remains a cultural touchstone.
Sometimes, Mrs. Obama's clothes convey significant messages about economics, female power, and the potency of the creative spirit. Upon occasion, she has used fashion as silent support of women and minorities, and as a nonverbal rebuke to those who would see the design world as only frivolity and nothing serious. But more often, her clothes are simply lovely frocks, worth admiring in slideshows and picture books, but not worth discussing.
It has been over four years since Mrs. Obama stepped into the role of first lady, but she had already been in the public spotlight on the campaign trail long before that. During that time, she captured the eye of fashion aficionados with her eclectic approach to style, her willingness to indulge in trends and the skill with which she used fashion to help shape her public image.
Here was a first lady who not only took apparent pleasure in clothes, but—with her tall, fit physique—also wore them well. In 2009, when she stood alongside her husband as he took the oath of office, she wore a lemongrass-yellow dress and matching coat by Cuban-American designer Isabel Toledo. Hers was a savvy fashion choice, one that spoke of the importance of small businesses, female entrepreneurs, and the immigrant experience. Her inaugural gown was equally filled with subtext. Designed by Jason Wu, who was born in Taipei, Taiwan, it celebrated the next generation of American designers. For a campaign that had been based on hope and change, the dress announced a shifting of the guard within the fashion industry's elite.
Mrs. Obama's lean and sculpted arms were admired, not simply from an aesthetic perspective but because they acknowledged that she was from a generation of post-Title IX women who played sports, lifted weights, and were proud of their athleticism. Whose strong arms also served as emblems of her “Let's Move” campaign to get the country's children exercising and eating more healthily.
For a lot of women in their 30s and beyond, who often felt estranged from the fashion industry, Mrs. Obama provided encouragement and reassurance. They, too, could participate. Fashion, from high end to low, had something to offer them.
All of this was good for fashion and it was good for the American woman's psyche. And indeed, there were times throughout the last four years when Mrs. Obama's clothes seemed to deliver a particularly important message.
1. The fact that fashion fatigue has set in implies that _____.
[A] Michelle Obama isn't a person that follows the crowd
[B] famous stars have overused fashion
[C] Michelle Obama has her unique wisdom towards fashion
[D] many agree to chronicle Michelle Obama's attire as breathless, fanzine-style
2. The wisdom of Mrs. Obama's clothes is embodied in the following ones except _____.
[A] reflection of economics, female power, and the potency of the creative spirit
[B] her rebuke to those who would see the design world as insignificant
[C] her eclectic approach to style
[D] her tall, fit physique
3. The inaugural gown as a cultural touchstone implies that _____.
[A] the inaugural gown is important to the country's fashion industry
[B] the inaugural gown reflects and directs the nation's fashion taste
[C] the inaugural gown is worth admiring
[D] people should follow the taste of the inaugural gown
4. What did Mrs. Obama bring to fashion?
[A] She was always smartly dressed at any occasion.
[B] Her dress announced a shifting of the guard within the fashion industry's elite.
[C] She brought novel and healthy concept to fashion.
[D] She brought real aesthetic perspective to fashion.
5. The best title for this passage is _____.
[A] Mrs. Obama is Leading New Fashion
[B] Mrs. Obama Can Be Said as a Cultural Touchstone
[C] Mrs. Obama: A Novel and Healthy Perspective to Fashion
[D] Mrs. Obama: Where the Fashion Trend is Going?
1. The fact that fashion fatigue has set in implies that _____.
[A] Michelle Obama isn't a person that follows the crowd
[B] famous stars have overused fashion
[C] Michelle Obama has her unique wisdom towards fashion
[D] many agree to chronicle Michelle Obama's attire as breathless, fanzine-style
1. 時尚元素已泛濫成災,這一事實暗示了 _____。
[A] 米歇爾·奧巴馬不是一個愛從眾的人
[B] 明星們已經(jīng)濫用時尚
[C] 米歇爾·奧巴馬對時尚有自己的獨特智慧
[D] 很多人同意用例如驚艷或長期受時尚發(fā)燒友雜志鐘愛的風格等詞語來描述米歇爾·奧巴馬的裝束
答案:C 難度系數(shù):☆☆☆
分析:推理題。文章第一段就指出米歇爾·奧巴馬不像芭比娃娃那樣徒有其表等,說明奧巴馬夫人并不愛從眾,而是個對時尚有自己獨特看法的人。第一段第三句提到,時尚元素已泛濫成災,作者不能再用例如驚艷或長期受時尚發(fā)燒友雜志鐘愛的風格等詞語來稱贊她的裝束了,進一步說明奧巴馬夫人對時尚的獨特見解。D選項表述錯誤,A和B選項描述的只是表面現(xiàn)象,只有C選項挖掘到了深層含義,最符合題意,故為答案。
2. The wisdom of Mrs. Obama's clothes is embodied in the following ones except _____.
[A] reflection of economics, female power, and the potency of the creative spirit
[B] her rebuke to those who would see the design world as insignificant
[C] her eclectic approach to style
[D] her tall, fit physique
2. 以下方面,除_____外,均體現(xiàn)了奧巴馬夫人的著裝智慧。
[A] 傳遞出了經(jīng)濟、女權以及創(chuàng)新精神的影響力方面的信息
[B] 她譴責那些認為設計領域無關緊要的人
[C] 她不拘一格的穿衣風格
[D] 她高挑、健康的體型
答案:D 難度系數(shù):☆☆☆
分析:細節(jié)題。文章第三、四、五段都在講述奧巴馬夫人著裝的獨特風格:奧巴馬夫人的著裝時常傳遞出有關經(jīng)濟、女權以及創(chuàng)新精神的影響力方面的重要信息,她譴責那些把設計領域僅僅看成是浮夸且無關緊要的人,她以不拘一格的穿衣風格博取了時尚愛好者的注意力。因此,A、B和C選項都是奧巴馬夫人穿衣風格的體現(xiàn)。只有D選項講的是奧巴馬夫人的體型,與題意無關,故D選項為答案。
3. The inaugural gown as a cultural touchstone implies that _____.
[A] the inaugural gown is important to the country's fashion industry
[B] the inaugural gown reflects and directs the nation's fashion taste
[C] the inaugural gown is worth admiring
[D] people should follow the taste of the inaugural gown
3. 就職演說時的著裝是文化的試金石暗示了_____。
[A] 就職演說時的著裝對整個國家的時尚產(chǎn)業(yè)非常重要
[B] 就職演說時的著裝反映并引領整個國家的時尚品位
[C] 就職演說時的著裝值得贊賞
[D] 人們應當追隨就職演說時的著裝品位
答案:B 難度系數(shù):☆☆☆
分析:推理題。文中第二段提到,無論誰入主“東翼”(成為第一夫人),都將對國家時尚產(chǎn)業(yè)的發(fā)展起到重要的支持作用。毫無疑問,就職演說時的著裝仍舊是檢驗文化的試金石。根據(jù)上下文可以推出,就職演說時的著裝會傳遞出關于經(jīng)濟和政治方面的態(tài)度,反映出領導人的時尚品位,進而也可能引領整個國家的時尚品位。據(jù)此可知,只有B選項的說法最符合題意,故為答案。
4. What did Mrs. Obama bring to fashion industry?
[A] She was always smartly dressed at any occasion.
[B] Her dress announced a shifting of the guard within the fashion industry's elite.
[C] She brought novel and healthy concept to fashion.
[D] She brought real aesthetic perspective to fashion.
4. 奧巴馬夫人給時尚產(chǎn)業(yè)帶來了什么?
[A] 她在任何場合下總是著裝得體。
[B] 她的著裝向時尚界精英宣告時尚風向標開始轉向了。
[C] 她為時尚產(chǎn)業(yè)帶來了新穎和健康的觀念。
[D] 她為時尚產(chǎn)業(yè)帶來了真正的美學視角。
答案:C 難度系數(shù):☆☆☆☆
分析:推理題。文章第四、五、六段提到,奧巴馬夫人獨特得體的穿衣風格受到了贊揚。她不僅對服裝很感興趣,而且還能以自己高挑、健康的體型把它們穿得非常得體。而且,她是出生于后現(xiàn)代的女性。這一代的女性可以參加體育項目,可以舉重,并且以崇尚運動為榮。因此,她為時尚產(chǎn)業(yè)帶來了新穎和健康的觀念。A和B選項與題意無關,D選項說法太籠統(tǒng),只有C選項最符合題意,故為答案。
5. The best title for this passage is _____.
[A] Mrs. Obama is Leading New Fashion
[B] Mrs. Obama Can Be Said as a Cultural Touchstone
[C] Mrs. Obama: A Novel and Healthy Perspective to Fashion
[D] Mrs. Obama: Where the Fashion Trend is Going?
5. 最適合這篇文章的題目為_____。
[A] 奧巴馬夫人正在引領新時尚
[B] 奧巴馬夫人堪稱文化試金石
[C] 奧巴馬夫人:一種新穎健康的時尚視角
[D] 奧巴馬夫人:時尚潮流將去往何處?
答案:C 難度系數(shù):☆☆
分析:主旨題。本文主要講述奧巴馬夫人獨特得體的穿衣風格給時尚產(chǎn)業(yè)帶來了新穎和健康的視角。選項C最符合此主題,故為答案。
米歇爾·奧巴馬不像芭比娃娃那樣徒有其表,也不像剛出道的好萊塢明星那樣身材百變,更不像著裝打扮風格多變的模特或賈斯汀·比伯那樣的閃閃新星。但是對于她的著裝,卻絕對有話可談。時尚元素已泛濫成災,我不能再用例如驚艷或長期受時尚發(fā)燒友雜志鐘愛的風格等詞語來稱贊她的裝束了。當然,這樣想的也不止我一人。
很顯然,關于第一夫人和她的著裝品位確有很多可談。無論她的丈夫能否連任,奧巴馬夫人的著裝都將被載入史冊。其實無論誰入主“東翼”(成為第一夫人),都將對國家時尚產(chǎn)業(yè)的發(fā)展起到重要的支持作用。毫無疑問,就職演說時的著裝仍然是檢驗文化的試金石。
奧巴馬夫人的著裝時常傳遞出有關經(jīng)濟、女權以及創(chuàng)新精神的影響力方面的重要信息。比如,在某些場合,她會用時尚默默支持著女性和少數(shù)人群體,同時又無聲地譴責了那些把設計領域僅僅看成是浮夸且無關緊要的人。但是更多的時候,我們看到,她不過身著簡單又得體的連衣裙,這些裙裝值得我們在幻燈片或圖集中慢慢欣賞,但并不具有討論價值。
奧巴馬夫人成為美國第一夫人已有四年多,但她在公眾視野下進行競選游說可遠不止四年。那時,她以不拘一格的穿衣風格,對流行趨勢的鉆研,以及運用時尚來塑造自己公眾形象的技巧博取了時尚愛好者的注意力。
這就是第一夫人。顯然,她不僅對服裝很感興趣,而且還能以自己高挑、健康的體型把它們穿得非常得體。還記得2009年,當她身著由古巴裔美國設計師伊莎貝爾·托萊多設計的檸檬草黃色的連衣裙和與之相配的外套,站在進行就職宣誓的丈夫旁邊時,她明智的著裝無不闡述著小企業(yè)、女企業(yè)家以及具有移民背景的重要性。她就職演說的著裝也同樣暗含著潛臺詞。出生于臺北的華裔設計師吳季剛為她設計的這套演說服裝標志著新一代美國設計師的誕生。對于一場意味著希望和改變的競選來說,她的著裝向時尚界精英宣告:時尚界的風向標開始轉向了。
人們敬慕奧巴馬夫人那剛毅如刻的手臂,不僅僅是從審美的角度覺得它美,更重要的是因為她是出生于后現(xiàn)代的女性。這一代的女性可以參加體育項目,可以舉重,并且以崇尚運動為榮。也正是這雙強健的手臂成就了她的競選口號“行動起來”,讓美國的孩子多鍛煉,健康飲食。
對于許多三十歲及以上,常常感覺自己與時尚脫節(jié)的女性來說,奧巴馬夫人為她們樹立了勇氣和信心。她們同樣可以參與其中。時尚,無論高端還是低端,總有一款適合她們。
所有這些都有益于時尚,也有益于美國女性健康心智的培養(yǎng)。事實上,在過去的四年中,奧巴馬夫人的著裝似乎多次傳達了特別重要的信息。