大学英语四级阅读Section C讲解与分析【5】
Section C
Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C) and D). You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on Answer Sheet 2with a single line through the centre.
Passage One
Questions 46 to 50 are based on the following passage.
【46】The Shoppers in the UK are spending less money on toilet paper to save money, research has shown.
Penny-pinching UK consumers choose cheaper products from discounters such as Aldi and Lidl rather than luxury alternatives.
This has wiped 6% off the value of the soft tissue paper market in the UK. It has shrunk from £1.19 billion in 2011 to £1.12 billion in 2015,according to a new report from market research company Mintel. Furthermore, 【47】the future of the market looks far from rosy, with sales expected to fall further to £1.11 billion in 2016.
In the last year alone, despite an increase in the UK population and a subsequent rise in the number of households, sales of toilet paper fell by 2%, with the average household reducing their toilet roll spending from £43 in 2014 to £41 in 2015.
Overall, almost three in five people say they try to limit their usage of paper—including facial tissue and kitchen roll―to save money. “Strength，softness and thickness remain the leading indicators of toilet paper quality, with just a small proportion of consumers preferring more luxurious alternatives, such as those with flower patterns of perfume,said Mintel analyst Jack Duckett.【48】 ''These extra features are deemed unnecessary by the majority of shoppers, which probably reflects how these types of products are typically more expensive than regular toilet paper, even when on special offer.”
【49】While consumers are spending less on toilet paper, they remain fussy―in theory at least—when it comes to paper quality. Top of Britons’ toilet paper wish list is softness (57%) followed by strength (45%) and thickness (36%).
One in 10 buyers rand toilet rolls made from recycled paper among their top considerations, 【50】highlighting how overall the environment is much less of a consideration for shoppers than product quality. In a challenge for manufacturers, 81% of paper product users said they would consider buying recycled toilet tissue if it were comparable in quality to standard paper.
【杀掉拦路虎】
1. Penny-pinching [ˈpeniˌpintʃiŋ]
adj.一毛不拔的，吝啬的，小气的
2. tissue [ˈtɪʃu:]
n.薄纸，棉纸 [生]组织 一套
3. subsequent [ˈsʌbsɪkwənt]
adj.后来的 随后的 作为结果而发生的 附随的
4. household [ˈhaʊshəʊld]
n.家庭，户 （集合词）全家人，（包含人在内的）家眷，家属，家里人 家庭 （英）王室
adj.家庭的，家内的，一家的 日常的，家常的，普通的 家喻户晓的 王室的
5. toilet roll [ˈtɔɪlɪt rəul]
n.成卷的纸
6. luxurious [lʌgˈʒʊəriəs]
adj.奢侈的 豪华的 放纵的 词藻华丽的
7. perfume [ˈpɜ:fju:m]
n.香水 香料 香味，香气
vt.使…充满香气 喷香水于…
8. deem [di:m]
vt.认为，视为 主张，断定
vi.认为，视为，以为 作某种评价
9. fussy [ˈfʌsi]
adj.大惊小怪的 难取悦的 易烦恼的 （衣着，字句等上）充分讲究的
10. rand [rænd]
n.鞋后根与鞋底中间的垫皮，边缘
11. manufacturer [ˌmænjuˈfæktʃərə(r)]
n.制造商，制造厂 厂主 [经]厂商
- The market sales of toilet paper have decreased because .
- Britons have cut their spending on it
- its prices have gone up over the years
- its quality has seen marked improvement
- Britons have developed the habit of saving
【答案】A
【解析】本题为推理题， 由【46】The Shoppers in the UK are spending less money on toilet paper to save money, research has shown.可知：研究发现为了节省费用，英国购物者在卫生纸上花费更少了，结合给出的四个选项，a项最为恰当，以及英国人在卫生纸节省经费。因此正确答案为A选项。
- What does the author think of the future of the tissue paper market in the UK?
- It will expend in time.
- It will remain gloomy.
- It will experience ups and downs.
- It will recover as population grows.
【答案】B
【解析】本题为细节题， 由 【47】the future of the market looks far from rosy, with sales expected to fall further to £1.11 billion in 2016.可知：未来的市场并非繁荣的，预计2016年将持续跌至11.1英镑，因此正确答案为B选项，将持续处在低迷状态。
- What does Jack Duckett say about toilet paper?
- Special offers would promote its sales.
- Consumers are loyal to certain brands.
C) Luxurious features add much to the price.
D) Consumers have a variety to choose from.
【答案】C
【解析】本题为细节题， 由【48】 ''These extra features are deemed unnecessary by the majority of shoppers, which probably reflects how these types of products are typically more expensive than regular toilet paper, even when on special offer.”可知：对于大多数消费者来说，奢华的功能是不必须的，但这导致了此类型产品比常规的卫生纸要贵的多，甚至在促销的时候。做这种类型时采取排除法，b，d两项明显错误，a项不符合题意，为干扰题。因此正确答案为C选项。
49. What do we learn about Britons concerning toilet paper?
A) They are particular about the quality of toilet paper.
B) They emphasize the strength of toilet paper the most.
C) They prefer cheap toilet paper to recycled toilet paper.
D) They reject using toilet paper with unnecessary features.
【答案】A
【解析】本题为细节题， 由【49】While consumers are spending less on toilet paper, they remain fussy―in theory at least—when it comes to paper quality. 可知：虽然英国人在卫生纸上花费很少，但是她们对卫生纸的质量很讲究，fussy的意思是讲究的，因此正确答案为A选项。
50. What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A) More and more Britons buy recycled toiler paper to protect the environment.
B) Toilet paper manufacturers are facing a great challenge in promoting its sales.
C) Toilet paper manufacturers compete with one another to improve product quality.
D) Environmental protection is not much of a concern when Britons buy toilet paper.
【答案】D
【解析】本题为推理题， 由【50】highlighting how overall the environment is much less of a consideration for shoppers than product quality. 可知：对消费者来说，产品质量比整体环境要重要，本题需要用排除法，b，c文中没有体现，可以先排除掉，很多同学可能错选了a项，但通读最后一段，确实出现了环境，这一词，但文中并不是说要保护环境，而是对整体的环境而言，他们更注重产品的质量，故A项排除，因此正确答案为D选项。
