Clothing rental is a hot new industry and retailers (零售商) are demanding to get on board in hopes of attracting green shopper.
But is renting fashion actually more environmentally-friendly than buying it, and if so, how much more? Journalist and author Elizabeth Cline investigated (调查) this question and concluded that it's not as sustainable as it seems.
Take shipping, for example, which has to go two ways if an item is rented — receiving and returning. Cline writes that consumer transportation has the second largest carbon footprint of our collective fashion habit after manufacturing.
She writes, ''An item ordered online and then returned can send out 20 kilograms of carbon each way, and increases up to 50 kilograms for rush shipping. By comparison, the carbon impact of a pair of jeans purchased from a physical store and washed and worn at home is 33.4 kilograms, according to a 2015 study by Levi's.''
Then there's the burden of washing, which has to happen for every item when it's returned, regardless of whether or not it was worn. For most rental services, this usually means dry cleaning, a high impact and polluting process. All the rental services that Cline looked into have replaced perchloroethylene (氯乙烯), a carcinogenic (致癌的) air pollutant, still used by 70 percent of US dry cleaners, with alternatives, although these aren't great either.
Lastly, Cline fears that rental services will increase our appetite for fast fashion, simply because it's so easily accessible. There's something called ''share washing'' that makes people waste more precisely because a product or service is shared and thus is regarded as more eco-friendly. Uber is one example of this, advertised as ''a way to share rides and limit ear ownership.'' and yet ''it has been proven to discourage walking,bicycling, and public transportation use.''
Renting clothes is still preferable to buying them cheap and throwing them in the dustbin after a few wears, but we shouldn't let the availability of these services make us too satisfied. There's an even better step — that's wearing what is already in the closet.
1.What is Elizabeth Cline's attitude toward clothing rental?
A.Approving. B.Unfavorable.
C.Objective. D.Enthusiastic.
2.The Uber example in Paragraph 6 indicates that .
A.rental services are on the rise
B.clothing rental will be as successful as Uber
C.renting clothes might waste more than expected
D.renting clothes might make people lose interest in fast fashion
3.The author suggests that we should .
A.give up renting any clothing
B.purchase inexpensive clothes
C.rent clothes rather than buy them
D.make full use of clothes we've possessed
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A.Clothing rental is a new fashion.
B.Clothing rental is retailers' preference.
C.Renting clothes is not that eco-friendly.
D.Renting-clothes business is in a dilemma.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
Clothing rental is a hot new industry and retailers (零售商) are demanding to get on board in hopes of attracting green shopper.
But is renting fashion actually more environmentally-friendly than buying it, and if so, how much more? Journalist and author Elizabeth Cline investigated (调查) this question and concluded that it's not as sustainable as it seems.
Take shipping, for example, which has to go two ways if an item is rented — receiving and returning. Cline writes that consumer transportation has the second largest carbon footprint of our collective fashion habit after manufacturing.
She writes, ''An item ordered online and then returned can send out 20 kilograms of carbon each way, and increases up to 50 kilograms for rush shipping. By comparison, the carbon impact of a pair of jeans purchased from a physical store and washed and worn at home is 33.4 kilograms, according to a 2015 study by Levi's.''
Then there's the burden of washing, which has to happen for every item when it's returned, regardless of whether or not it was worn. For most rental services, this usually means dry cleaning, a high impact and polluting process. All the rental services that Cline looked into have replaced perchloroethylene (氯乙烯), a carcinogenic (致癌的) air pollutant, still used by 70 percent of US dry cleaners, with alternatives, although these aren't great either.
Lastly, Cline fears that rental services will increase our appetite for fast fashion, simply because it's so easily accessible. There's something called ''share washing'' that makes people waste more precisely because a product or service is shared and thus is regarded as more eco-friendly. Uber is one example of this, advertised as ''a way to share rides and limit ear ownership.'' and yet ''it has been proven to discourage walking,bicycling, and public transportation use.''
Renting clothes is still preferable to buying them cheap and throwing them in the dustbin after a few wears, but we shouldn't let the availability of these services make us too satisfied. There's an even better step — that's wearing what is already in the closet.
1.What is Elizabeth Cline's attitude toward clothing rental?
A.Approving. B.Unfavorable.
C.Objective. D.Enthusiastic.
2.The Uber example in Paragraph 6 indicates that .
A.rental services are on the rise
B.clothing rental will be as successful as Uber
C.renting clothes might waste more than expected
D.renting clothes might make people lose interest in fast fashion
3.The author suggests that we should .
A.give up renting any clothing
B.purchase inexpensive clothes
C.rent clothes rather than buy them
D.make full use of clothes we've possessed
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A.Clothing rental is a new fashion.
B.Clothing rental is retailers' preference.
C.Renting clothes is not that eco-friendly.
D.Renting-clothes business is in a dilemma.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Shopping on the net is more and more popular. Taobo is Asia's largest retail (零售的) network platform, ______ people can buy and sell many kinds of things.
A. which B. where C. what D. whose
高三英语简单题查看答案及解析
Perhaps Taobao is Asia’s largest and most popular retail(零售的)network platform , _____ people can buy and sell a great variety of things .
A.which | B.where | C.when | D.that |
高三英语单项填空困难题查看答案及解析
Taobao is Asia's largest retail(零售的) network platform, ______ people can buy and sell many kinds of things.
A. when B.whose C.that D.where
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Taobo is Asia's largest retail(零售的) network platform, ______ people can buy and sell many kinds of things.
A.where | B.when | C.that | D.whose |
高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
Wal-Mart is not just the world's largest retailer (零售商). It's the world's largest company, which sells in three months what number-two retailer Home Depot sells in a year.
Wal-Mart exercises its power for just one purpose: to bring the lowest possible prices to its customers. At Wal-Mart, that goal is never reached. The retailer has a clear policy for suppliers: On basic products that don't change, the price Wal-Mart will pay, and will charge shoppers, must drop year after year. But what almost no one outside the world of Wal-Mart and none of its 21,000 suppliers know is the high cost of those low prices. To survive in the face of its pricing demands, makers of everything from bikes to jeans have had to close US plants in favor of obtaining products from abroad.
Indeed, the real story of Wal-Mart, the story that never gets told, is the story of the pressure the biggest retailer constantly applies to its suppliers in the name of bringing us "every day low prices".
The giant retailer' s low prices often come with a high cost. Wal-Mart' s pressure can crush the companies it does business with and force them to send jobs overseas. Are we shopping our way straight to the unemployment line? Of course, US companies have been moving jobs offshore for decades, long before Wal-Mart was a retailing power. But there is no question that the chain is helping accelerate the loss of American jobs to low-wage countries such as Thailand.
People ask, "How can it be bad for things to come into the US cheaply?" Sure, it's great to have bargains. But you can' t buy anything if you' re not employed.
There is no question that Wal-Mart's drive to squeeze out cost has benefited consumers. By now, it is accepted wisdom that Wal-Mart makes the companies it does business with more efficient and focused. Wal-Mart itself is known for continuous improvement in its ability to handle, move, and track goods. It is legendary (传奇) for forcing its suppliers to redesign everything from their packaging to their computer systems. It is also legendary for quite straightforwardly telling them what it will pay for their goods.
1. How do suppliers meet the requirements of Wal-Mart?
A. To sell even more goods in three months.
B. To cut down the employment rate sharply.
C. To charge shoppers at a much higher price.
D. To run the business in a well-organized way.
2. Wal-Mart's low price policy results in ____.
A. more high-paying jobs
B. better designed packages
C. bigger profit of its partners
D. more jobless American workers
3. What can we infer from the passage?
A. Still more quality goods will be provided.
B. The food you get at Wal-Mart costs least.
C. The value of Mal-Mart is over assessed.
D. Wal-Mart is a very demanding company.
4.What's the best title for the passage?
A. The Fortune Wal-Mart Makes
B. The Wal-Mart you don't Know
C. The Biggest Retailer—Wal-Mart
D. The Money Saving Tip in Wal-Mart
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Showrooming
One of the biggest challenges facing brick-and-mortar retailers(实体零售店) in recent years has been the “showrooming”.Driven by the desire to get the best prices, many shoppers are now visiting brick-and-mortar stores to personally check on products that interest them, only to leave and then buy the items online.The new trend is forcing retailers to find out new ways to keep consumers from leaving their store for cheaper prices online.
Recent research found that 40 percent of U.S.shoppers have showroomed previously, with big-box retailers suffering the most.Specifically, the study shows that Best Buy, Walmart and Target are the most likely brick-and-mortar stores to have shoppers test out a product in-store and then purchase it online later, while Amazon is benefiting most from the practice, with nearly 60 percent of shoppers using the online retail giant(巨人) most often to make their showrooming purchases.
Smartphones have pushed showrooming into the front.Shoppers no longer have to wait until they get home to see if they can find a cheaper price for the products they’re considering buying.With smartphones, consumers can now compare virtual prices, at both other brick-and-mortar stores and online ones while still inside a retail store.If they can find what they’re seeking for less online, the majority will be seeking the first exit.A recent study showed that 45 percent of customers shopping at brick-and-mortar stores walk out and buy their purchase online for a discount of as little as 2.5 percent.
This puts pressure on retailers to provide both an in-store experience worth staying for and an online presence that can attract shoppers who are showrooming in other businesses.
To cut down on showrooming, many retailers are adopting new methods to keep shoppers in their stores.Among the steps they’re taking are price-matching guarantees that allow shoppers to pay a discounted price if they find it cheaper online.This ensures that even a showrooming shopper can make the purchase in the store—regardless of whether they find the cheaper price online.
Another popular method to fight against showrooming is to give shoppers the ability to buy something online and pick it up at the store.This reduces shipping costs and gets customers in the store, where they may be encouraged to make an additional purchase.
It is also important for businesses to take into consideration what makes shoppers purchase something in-store rather than online, and meet those needs.Research has found that more than 8 in 10 Americans consider being able to take the goods home immediately and the ability to touch and feel them—the most important aspects when deciding to purchase in a store rather than online.
1.According to the passage, a showrooming shopper tends to ______.
A. pay for everything online
B. have better bargaining skills
C. rush to buy things in a store
D. purchase online for a lower price
2.What contributes to the growing popularity of showrooming?
A. The wide use of smartphones.
B. The competition between big stores.
C. The advertisement by online retail giants.
D. The decline of the brick-and-mortar stores.
3.The underlined words “seeking the first exit” in Paragraph 3 probably mean ______.
A. searching for lower prices
B. leaving as soon as possible
C. locating the first exit quickly
D. making a purchase on the spot
4.The last three paragraphs mainly talk about ways of ______.
A. increasing sales at stores
B. preventing purchase online
C. satisfying customers’ needs
D. advising shoppers to buy more
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Amazon is breaking into physical retail in a new way. The online retail giant revealed a new kind of physical store concept in a video published on Monday.
The store, called Amazon Go, doesn't work like a typical Walmart or supermarket. Instead, it's designed so that shoppers will use an app, also called Amazon Go, to automatically add the products that they plan to buy to a digital shopping cart by scanning a QR code(二维码). They can then walk out of the building without waiting in a checkout line because Amazon will charge their Amazon account and send them a receipt.
The first Amazon Go store is located in Seattle, where Amazon is headquartered. For years, there have been rumors the e-commerce company would expand its dominance from digital to physical shopping. Amazon began experimenting with physical bookstores a year ago, but Amazon Go may mark its boldest bet on physical ones yet. By removing much of the staff needed to operate a store, Amazon keeps costs lower than traditional competitors. It's also in a strong position to bring together data on its customers' shopping habits online and offline to make better suggestions in all situations.
However, Amazon's move deeper into physical retail shops comes in a sensitive political climate. The company could be perceived as being a threat to some of the 3.4 million Americans who work as cashiers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. On the campaign trail, Donald Trump repeatedly criticized Amazon and its founder Jeff Bezos for “getting away with murder tax-wise” and having “a huge antitrust(反垄断) problem.” Will the President& shy; elect add “job killer” to the list of criticisms?
Amazon's effort to launch a new kind of retail store predates(在……之前) the rise of Donald Trump. “Four years ago we asked ourselves: what if we could create a shopping experience with no lines and no checkout? Could we push the boundaries of computer vision and machine learning to create a store where customers could simply take what they want and go?” The company says on an informational page about Amazon Go. For now, Amazon is starting slow. The Amazon Go is only open to Amazon employees in our Beta program, and is scheduled to open to the public in early 2017.
1.In Amazon Go, people can ________ .
A. buy products by paying cash
B. buy carts without scanning a QR code
C. have no bother to check out and queue
D. use an app to wait in a checkout line
2.What can we infer from the third paragraph?
A. Amazon has dominated the physical bookstores.
B. Amazon can contribute to reducing the cost of staff.
C. Amazon manages to take the place of physical shopping.
D. Amazon can ignore each customer's advice in all situations.
3.The reason why Donald Trump repeatedly criticized Amazon Go is that Amazon Go ________ .
A. would result in a political crisis
B. would threaten the career of cashiers
C. may result in a huge antitrust
D. is No.1 job killer in the list of criticisms
4.The main purpose of writing the passage is ________ .
A. to introduce the Amazon Go store
B. to explain how Amazon Go works
C. to arouse people's interest in Amazon
D. to indicate Trump's attitude to Amazon
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
A new retail phenomenon from Japan which allows customers to walk away with free products is to launch in Britain.
From tomorrow, visitors to Sample Trend’s central London store can try anything on its shelves, and all of the products can be taken home without charge. For a nominal annual membership fee of £60, users are free to enter the shop once a month and help themselves to no less than £250 worth of goods every year. The only ‘catch’ is that shoppers are asked to complete a simple questionnaire about each product they try.
Known as ‘try-vertising’, the concept allows manufacturers to test products and receive consumer feedback before launching onto the open market. It is already very popular in Japan and now looks set to transform the fortunes of the embattled(严阵以待的) UK retail industry. According to new figures, stores are facing a Christmas crisis with the weakest High Street trading for six months.
Michael Ghosh, the brainchild(创意者)behind Sample Trend, said: “The concept behind Sample Trend is unique in the UK. It allows shoppers the opportunity to walk away with a number of real, full-size products of their choosing without handing over a penny.”
The concept of in-store try-vertising is simple but effective. Businesses across all sectors, from cosmetic manufacturers to beverage(饮料) makers, place new products on the shelves at Sample Trend and wait for consumers to try them out.
Customers complete a short 10-point questionnaire about the product, and the feedback they provide is used to make any last-minute improvement before the product is brought officially to market. The Sample Trend store stocks everything from cosmetics, food and drink, and household goods.
Ghosh, the former advertising and sales director for Disney Europe, said such feedback may also build brand loyalty from the outset---a particularly appealing prospect for new businesses.
1.What can we know about the Sample Trend?
A. It has turned out to be a success in London.
B. The goods in the shop are free for everyone
C. The customers can only go to it once a month.
D. It sells everything people need.
2.The word “catch” (in para2) can be replaced by _________
A. advantage B. disadvantage C. problem D. requirement
3.The customers need to fill a questionnaire to________
A. give suggestions for the products
B. recommend the products
C. give feedback about the products
D. express their thanks
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
A new retail phenomenon from Japan which allows customers to walk away with free products is to launch in Britain. From tomorrow, visitors to SampleTrend’s central London store can try anything on its shelves, and all of the products can be taken home without charge.
For an annual membership fee of £60,users are free to enter the shop once a month and help themselves to no less than £250 worth of goods every year. The only ‘catch’ is that shoppers are asked to complete a simple questionnaire about each product they try. Known as ‘try-vertising’,the concept allows manufacturers to test products and receive consumer feedback(反馈)before launching onto the open market. It is already a sensation in Japan and now looks set to transform the fortunes of the embattled UK retail industry. If everything goes well, countries such as Germany and France will give it a try. According to new figures, stores are facing a Christmas crisis with the weakest high street trading for six months. Michael Ghosh, the founder behind SampleTrend, said, “The concept behind SampleTrend is unique in the UK. It allows shoppers the opportunity to walk away with a number of real, full-size products of their choosing without handing over a penny.” The concept of in-store try-vertising is simple but effective. Businesses across all sectors from cosmetic manufacturers to beverage makers, place new products on the shelves at SampleTrend and wait for consumers to try them out.
Customers complete a short 10-point questionnaire about the product. The feedback they provide is used to make any finishing touches before the product is brought officially to market. The SampleTrend store stocks everything from cosmetics, food and drink, and household goods. Ghosh, the former advertising and sales director for Disney Europe, said such feedback may also build brand loyalty from the outset— a particularly appealing prospect for new businesses.
1.The most attractive part of the idea for customers is that_____.
A. they only pay £60 for a life-long membership
B. they can help to make the products better
C. it won’t take much time to finish the questionnaire
D. they can take things home without paying for them
2.The idea of ‘try-vertising’ originates from_____.
A. Germany B. Britain C. Japan D. France
3.The purpose of ‘try-vertising’ is to_____.
A. get feedback for their new products
B. sell more products at Christmas time
C. encourage people to buy more products
D. give customers free products as gifts
4.What does Michael Ghosh think of this business idea?
A. Puzzling. B. Unpractical.
C. Promising. D. Surprising.
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析