Is the Tie a Necessity?
Ties, or neckties, have been a symbol of politeness and elegance in Britain for centuries. But the casual Prime Minister Tony Blair has problems with them. Reports suggest that even the civil servants may stop wearing ties. So, are the famously formal British really going to abandon the neckties?
Maybe. Last week, the UKs Cabinet Secretary Andrew Turnbull openly welcomed a tieless era. He hinted that civil servants would soon be tree of the costliest 12 inches of fabric that most men ever buy in their lives.
In fact, Blair showed this attitude when he had his first guests to a cocktail party. Many of them were celebrities without ties, which would have been unimaginable even in the recent past.
For some more conservative British, the tie is a must for proper appearance. Earlier, Labor leader Jim Callaghan said he would have died rather than have his children seen in public without a tie. For people like Callaghan, the tile was a sign of being complete, of showing respect. Men were supposed to wear a tie when going to church, to work in the office, to a party - almost every social occasion.
But today, people have begun to accept a casual style even for formal occasions.
The origin of the tie is tricky. It started as something called simply a band. The term could mean anything around a mans neck. It appeared in finer ways in the 1630s. Frenchmen showed a love of this particular fashion statement. Their neckwear impressed Charles II, the king of England who was exiledto France at that time. When he returned to England in 1660, he brought this new fashion item along with him.
It wasnt, however, until the late 18th century that fancy young men introduced a more colorful, flowing piece of cloth that eventually became known as the tie. Then, clubs military institutions and schools began to use colored and patterned ties to indicate the wearers membership in the late 19th century. After that, the tie became a necessary item of clothing for British gentlemen.
But now, even gentlemen are getting tired of ties. Anyway, the day feels a bit easier when you wake up without having to decide which tie suits you and your mood.
1 The tie symbolizes all of the following except
A respect
B elegance
C politeness
D democracy
2 Why does Blair sometimes show up in a formal event without a tie?
A Because he wants to make a show,
B Because he wants to attract attention.
C Because ties are costly.
D Because he wants to live in a casual way.
3 Which of the following is NOT a social occasion?
A Going to church.
B Going to work in the office.
C Staying at home.
D Going to a party.
4 Who brought the Frenchmens neckwear to Britain?
A Tony Blair.
B Charles ll.
C Jim Callaghan.
D Andrew Turnbull.
5 When did British gentlemen begin to wear ties regularly?
A After the late 19th century.
B In the 1630s.
C In 1660.
D In the late 18th century.
参考答案
1 D 2 D 3 C 4 B 5 A
常见公共标识的英文
被“裸婚”的80后
有关于工作和生活的6个词
孩子们眼中的爱是什么?
伦敦骚乱继续蔓延 首相紧急回国应对
夏天台风频发 安全指南
国际英语资讯:Perus ex-president Toledos extradition could take a year: FM
研究:适当嘈杂声有助睡眠
梦露说了这些 你信不信?
国内英语资讯:Report warns of prominent security risks on cloud platforms in China
美国政府急需黑客人才 保卫国家安全
“大脚”问题日益困扰英国女性
国内英语资讯:China allocates disaster relief supplies to flood-hit Hunan
关于爱和生命的种种
科学家:开放式办公弊大于利
喜欢自嘲的人更健康 事业易成功
外媒:电子商务带来便利 快递交通安全等问题也不容忽视
国内英语资讯:Xi meets Chinese diplomatic envoys to foreign countries
《裸婚时代》刘易阳的经典语录
日本千人示威 反对播韩国电视节目
生活如同月亮的阴晴圆缺一般
你见过吗? 千奇百怪的快递服务
疑似梦露性爱短片拍卖会竟是骗局
调查:英国多数人患有手机狂躁综合症
好莱坞抢滩中国在线视频市场
夫妻共同朋友圈可致丈夫性冷淡
英国25%的老板会打扰员工休假
科学家揭秘如何延缓衰老
国际英语资讯:UN envoy decries killing of Turkish diplomat in Iraqs Erbil
为你的健康默默做贡献的食物
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |