英语听力精选进阶版 6411（在线收听）

The economy might be depressed, but the British are still splashing out on wellies. One shoe company has reported sales of the boots are up 673% this year - they're selling 15 pairs a minute. They thank the snow for our enthusiastic welly-buying. It's true we have had a few cold winters in recent years, but our love of wellingtons probably has more to do with fashion sense than common sense.

Ten years ago, wellies came in black or dull green. Farmers wore them. But now shops are selling wellingtons of every colour, decorated with stripes, spots, flowers, animals and even fake diamonds.

That's because the Wellington boot has been fashionable since around 2004, when fashionistas in New York were spotted wearing them. British model Kate Moss made a splash in 2005 when she wore wellies to the Glastonbury Festival.

But the welly has been fashion-forward before. It began in 1817 when the Duke of Wellington started wearing a narrower, simpler boot. Being a famous war hero, men were quick to copy his style and the Wellington boot was soon all the rage. It went out of fashion at the end of the 19th century, but farmers, workers, dog walkers carried on wearing them.

So why have they become fashionable again? It's part of a general trend for big boots: biker boots, cowboy boots and Doc Martens are all popular. Wellies also benefit from music festival chic, with models and music stars being photographed in them at muddy outdoor events. But surely it's a class thing too. The British upper classes have an outdoorsy image – often seen with waterproof coats, dogs and wellington boots. This aristocratic connection gives wellies a certain social cachet which trainers will never have.

But retailers should enjoy the welly craze while they can. Wellington boots are probably at their peak now, and will soon start to lose favour. The last big boot fad was Ugg boots. Worn by the stars, they were soon so desirable that everyone had a pair – or a cheaper copycat version. And that was their downfall. Now everyone has them, they're not special anymore and sales have fallen by a third.

Quiz 测验

1. What is welly short for?

Wellington boot.

2. According to the article, are British shoppers buying fewer wellies?

No, they're buying more.

3. Who invented the Wellington boot in 1817?

The Duke of Wellington.

4. According to the article, who has an outdoorsy image?

The British upper classes.

5. Is the following true, false or not given? Wellies are only available in black and dull green.

False. They're available in many colours.

Glossary 词汇表

splashing out on 在某物上花很多钱

wellies (Wellington boots) 长筒雨靴

common sense 常识

came in 上市可供选择

fake diamonds 假钻石

fashionistas 时尚达人

spotted 被看见

made a splash 引起轰动

fashion-forward 前卫的

all the rage 风靡一时的东西

music festival chic 音乐节时尚

it's a class thing 这和阶级地位有关

outdoorsy 户外的，爱好户外活动的

aristocratic 贵族的

social cachet 社会声望

craze （一时的）风行

at their peak在鼎盛时期

lose favour 失宠

fad 一时的流行

copycat version 山寨版

that was their downfall 那就是它们失败的原因