雅思阅读理解分类高分特训100篇(第10节 雅思阅读事物及其特征搭配题(Reading Passag

1 / 14 十万种考研考证电子书、题库视频学习平台 圣才电子书 www.100xuexi.com 第10节 雅思阅读事物及其特征搭配题（Reading Passage 99-100） ◆ Reading Passage 99 Is Different Taste of Things to Come The French are turning their noses up at wine and rejecting their croissant in favour of breakfast cereal, the English are turning from tea to mineral water and the Spanish are turning to pizza at an alarming rate. In short, we are beginning to see the evolution of the Euro consumer. That seems to be the message from research conducted by Europanel, an association of research companies across 23 countries which monitor buying patterns using consumer panels. Social and demographic factors and the marketing strategies of multinational food and drink companies are combining to make the lifestyles of different European nations more alike. The main demographic factors leading to this increasing uniformity across the continent are falling birth rates and easier divorce, according to one member of Europanel. He said: “The result is smaller households, which rely more on things such as microwaves and convenience foods, whatever the nationality.” Even the French, who are proud of their cuisine, are turning to the microwave. Latest Europanel figures show that 38% of French kitchens have a microwave, just 2 / 14 十万种考研考证电子书、题库视频学习平台 圣才电子书 www.100xuexi.com under the figure of 40% in western Germany. In Britain, the figure is 57%. The French are also becoming “less French” as they continue to shy away from wine. Wine consumption in France fell by an average of 6% a year between 1986 and 1992. By contrast, the British are drinking more. A key demographic factor is average household size, measured by the number of adult residents. Already the spread between nations is quite narrow. Western Germany has the lowest figure in western Europe at 2.2 adults, and Spain the highest at 3.2, followed by Italy at 2.8. The gap will narrow still further because, surprisingly enough, the birth rates in Catholic countries such as Spain and Italy are falling. Another factor is the rise of the one-person household, frequently misinterpreted to mean harbouring an unmarried or divorced man or woman living alone. Statistically, one-person households include single-person households include single-parent households, the numbers of which are shooting up. The phenomenon is growing. Forty per cent of Swedish homes are now one-person households, compared with 29% ten years earlier. In western Germany the figure is 35% (30% ten years ago), in the Netherlands 29% (16%), and in Ireland 21% (17%). 3 / 14 十万种考研考证电子书、题库视频学习平台 圣才电子书 www.100xuexi.com In Spain, the one-adult household was so rare a decade ago it did not register statistically: now the figure is 10%. Hence the growth in demand for convenience foods. In Spain, the annual growth rate for pizza sales between 1986 and 1992 was 34% while growth last year slowed a little to 16%. Other factors affect consumer habits. For instance, Piper says that the wider prevalence of central heating in chilly Britain is the chief cause of the decline in the popularity not just of tea, but of all hot drinks. Another major factor is aggressive multinational marketing. After all, the French cannot indulge a craving for sliced bread if all that is on offer is a baguette. The products have to be on the supermarket shelves. In fact, there have to be supermarket shelves. There must be enough space to put new choices on offer. Once a major manufacturer has won a dominant share in a mature market, it will look abroad for pastures new. Breakfast cereals are one such product. With growth opportunities in the mature British market slowing, manufacturers crossed the Channel. As a result, cereal sales in France grew by 18% a year between 1986 and 1992, and continued to grow by 10% last year. Similarly, tomato ketchup sales have boomed in such unlikely places as Spain and France, with growth rates of 28% and 18% respectively. 4 / 14 十万种考研考证电子书、题库视频学习平台 圣才电子书 www.100xuexi.com How far the process will go is anybody’s guess. Increased choice is all very well, but the prospect of every kitchen in Europe serving up milk-sodden cereal in the morning and microwaved pizza in the evening is surely a depressing one. Questions 1-5 Below are listed some of the lifestyle changes affecting various European nations. Match each change with the country in which it is said to occur by writing the appropriate letter A～F in the spaces numbered 1-5 on the answer sheet. One has been done for you as an example. Example Answer eating more pizza A 1. eating more cereals 2. drinking less wine 3. using more central heating 4. drinking less tea 5. having fewer children List of Countries A. Spain B. Sweden C. France 5 / 14 十万种考研考证电子书、题库视频学习平台 圣才电子书 www.100xuexi.com D. German E. Britain 『长难句分析』 ·That seems to be the message from research conducted by Europanel, an association of research companies across 23 countries which monitor buying patterns using consumer panels. 分析：本句主干是That seems to be the message from research，后面的过去分词短语conducted by Europanel做research的后置定语。短语an association of...是Europanel的同位语。句末which引导的定语从句的先行词是countries。 ·The gap will narrow still further because, surprisingly enough, the birth rates in Catholic countries such as Spain and Italy are falling. 分析：本句的主干是The gap will narrow...，后面是because引导的原因状语从句。该从句中，surprisingly enough是插入语，主干是the birth rates are falling，in Catholic countries是对主语birth rates的修饰和限定。 『答案解析』 1. C 根据第一段首句The French are turning their noses up at wine and rejecting their croissant in favor of breakfast cereal可知法国人开始变得不喜欢喝红酒转而喜欢吃谷物早餐。 2. C 根据第一段首句The French are turning their noses up at wine and rejecting