凯程考研集训营，为学生引路，为学员服务！2014考研英语阅读专项冲刺练习及答案(十六)Historianshaveonlyrecentlybeguntonotetheincreaseindemandforluxurygoodsandservicesthattookplaceineighteenth-centuryEngland.McKendrickhasexploredtheWedgwoodfirm’sremarkablesuccessinmarketingluxurypottery;Plumbhaswrittenabouttheproliferationofprovincialtheater,musicalfestivals,andchildren’stoysandbooks.Whilethefactofthisconsumerrevolutionishardlyindoubt,threekeyquestionsremain:Whoweretheconsumers?Whatweretheirmotives?Andwhatweretheeffectsofthenewdemandforluxuries?Ananswertothefirstofthesehasbeendifficulttoobtain.Althoughithasbeenpossibletoinferfromthegoodsandservicesactuallyproducedwhatmanufacturersandservicingtradesthoughttheircustomerswanted,onlyastudyofrelevantpersonaldocumentswrittenbyactualconsumerswillprovideaprecisepictureofwhowantedwhat.Westillneedtoknowhowlargethisconsumermarketwasandhowfardownthesocialscaletheconsumerdemandforluxurygoodspenetrated.Withregardtothislastquestion,wemightnoteinpassingthatThompson,whilerightlyrestoringlaboringpeopletothestageofeighteenth-centuryEnglishhistory,hasprobablyexaggeratedtheoppositionofthesepeopletotheinroadsofcapitalistconsumerismingeneral;forexample,laboringpeopleineighteenth-centuryEnglandreadilyshiftedfromhome-brewedbeertostandardizedbeerproducedbyhuge,heavilycapitalizedurbanbreweries.Toanswerthequestionofwhyconsumersbecamesoeagertobuy,somehistorianshavepointedtotheabilityofmanufacturerstoadvertiseinarelativelyuncensoredpress.This,however,hardlyseemsasufficientanswer.MckendrickfavorsaVeblemmodelofconspicuousconsumptionstimulatedbycompetitionforstatus.The“middlingsort”boughtgoodsandservicesbecausetheywantedtofollowfashionssetbytherich.Again,wemaywonderwhetherthisexplanationissufficient.Donotpeopleenjoybuyingthingsasaformofself-gratification?Ifso,consumerismcouldbeseenasaproductoftheriseofnewconceptsofindividualismandmaterialism,butnotnecessarilyofthefrenzyforconspicuouscompetition.Finally,whatweretheconsequencesofthisconsumerdemandforluxuries?McKendrickclaimsthatitgoesalongwaytowardexplainingthecomingoftheIndustrialRevolution.Butdoesit?What,forexample,doestheproductionofhigh-qualitypotteryandtoyshavetodowiththedevelopmentofironmanufactureortextilemills?Itisperfectlypossibletohavethepsychologyandrealityofaconsumersocietywithoutaheavyindustrialsector.Thatfutureexplorationofthesekeyquestionsisundoubtedlynecessaryshouldnot,however,diminishtheforceoftheconclusionofrecentstudies:theinsatiabledemandineighteenth-centuryEnglandforfrivolousaswellasusefulgoodsand凯程考研集训营，为学生引路，为学员服务！servicesforeshadowsourownworld.1.Inthefirstparagraph,theauthormentionsMcKendrickandPlumbmostprobablyinorderto[A]contrasttheirviewsonthesubjectofluxuryconsumerismineighteenth-centuryEngland.[B]indicatetheinadequacyofhistoriographicalapproachestoeighteenth-centuryEnglishhistory.[C]giveexamplesofhistorianswhohavehelpedtoestablishthefactofgrowingconsumerismineighteenth-centuryEngland.[D]supportthecontentionthatkeyquestionsabouteighteenth-centuryconsumerismremaintobeanswered.2.Whichofthefollowingitems,ifpreservedfromeighteenth-centuryEngland,wouldprovideanexampleofthekindofdocumentsmentionedinlines3-4,paragraph2?[A]Awrittenagreementbetweenasupplierofrawmaterialsandasupplierofluxurygoods.[B]Adiarythatmentionsluxurygoodsandservicespurchasedbyitsauthor.[C]Atheat...
