新视野大学英语 读写教程第二册 unit6-c

Section C

The Pain in Wearing High Heels（高跟鞋）

They are wearing high heels this year.
Are you?
Since I was a little girl, I've been trying to figure out exactly who "they" are and why the rest of us are supposed to dress just like them. The heavier I was, the more I would make fun of my sister and mother for their imitating: "Don't you have any taste of your own?"
But even I was interested in what shoes they were wearing. Everyone likes shoe-shopping. Your size isn't your fault. There's nothing you can do about it. And at least in theory, anyone can wear any shoe: That's why they come in so many sizes.
As foot specialists will tell you, shoes can be dangerous to your feet. The thinner and higher the heel, the greater the risk of foot and back problems. Standing¹ in high heels inevitably² hurts after an hour on foot. This results in aches and pains.
It gets worse. The popularity³ of tennis shoes has led women's feet literally⁴ to get bigger — especially wider — but the sizing of shoes hasn't changed. Most women wear shoes that fit poorly, usually ones that are too small, which adds pain to high-heel hell（痛苦）.
So why do we do it? The traditional criticism is that women are slaves to male ideas. Fashion culture controlled by models leads us to offer our toes and our check books to satisfy some men's idea of sexy（性感的）shoes. Much of the advertising⁵ of this year's return to heels as high as 6 inches focuses on the shoes and the short skirts that go with them as a statement by women of their sexiness and female charm⁶. Apparently⁷, wearing high heels pushes your breasts（胸脯）out by changing your center of gravity（重心）. In Florence and Milan, men were reportedly salivating（垂涎）.
In Bloomingdale's shoe department, all the salivating was done by women, myself included. Strictly⁸ as research, of course, I tried on shoes and observed other women doing the same. Almost everyone is trying on the new higher heels. We strut（高视阔步）around. We throw our heads a little, and laugh.
Feet look smaller in high heels. Most women in America have big feet. Believe it or not, 91/2 is the most popular size. It isn't just you. And it isn't just feet. High heels make a woman's leg look longer, and everyone looks better with longer legs. There is a story that holds that high heels were first brought to America by a famous New Orleans madam who discovered that she could charge twice as much when a woman wore high heels.
In fact, none of the women I talked to were buying shoes to please the men in their lives. "My husband won't even notice the shoes," a woman told me. More than one said husbands or boyfriends wouldn't like her because they'd make her too tall. Most men seem to prefer keeping the height advantage to heels, pushed-out（挺出）breasts notwithstanding（尽管）. The higher the heels get, the more men who face the tradeoff（权衡）.
No one pretends high heels are as comfortable as flats. It's what they do to your head, not your feet. That's what makes women walk differently and look differently in high heels.
I almost succumbed⁹, but they are too costly¹⁰, and how often can I wear them? Not sensible. Not practical. Definitely not right for work and kids.
But the next day in Leohmann's, on sale yet, I find a pair that are just as good. Now I just have to get invited somewhere in my high heels.
Words: 598

1 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

2 inevitably   

adv.不可避免地；必然发生地

参考例句：

• In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。
• Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。

3 popularity   

n.普及，流行，名望，受欢迎

参考例句：

• The story had an extensive popularity among American readers.这本小说在美国读者中赢得广泛的声望。
• Our product enjoys popularity throughout the world.我们的产品饮誉全球。

4 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

5 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

6 charm   

vt.使着迷，使陶醉；n.招人喜欢之处，魅力

参考例句：

• With all imperfections the short play has a real charm.尽管有不少缺欠，这出小戏仍颇具魅力。
• He could resist her charm no longer.他再也抗拒不住她的魅力。

7 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

8 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。

9 succumbed   

不再抵抗（诱惑、疾病、攻击等）( succumb的过去式和过去分词 )； 屈从； 被压垮； 死

参考例句：

• The town succumbed after a short siege. 该城被围困不久即告失守。
• After an artillery bombardment lasting several days the town finally succumbed. 在持续炮轰数日后，该城终于屈服了。

10 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。