The English have a difficult and, generally speaking, dysfunctional (不协调的) relationship with clothes. Their main problem is that they have a desperate need for rules, and are unable to get along without them. This helps to explain why they have an international reputation for dressing in general very badly, but with specific areas of excellence, such as highclass men's suits, ceremonial costume, and innovative (革新的) street fashion. In other words, the English dress best when they are “in uniform”．
You may be surprised that I am including “innovative street fashion” in the category of uniform. Surely the parrothaired punks (朋克摇滚乐迷) or the Victorian vampire Goths are being original, not following rules? It's true that they all look different and eccentric (奇特的) but in fact they all look eccentric in exactly the same way. They are wearing a uniform. The only truly eccentric dresser in this country is the Queen, who pays no attention to fashion and continues to wear what she likes, a kind of 1950s fashion, with no regard for anyone else's opinion. However, it is true that the styles invented by young English people are much more eccentric than any other nation's street fashion. We may not be individually eccentric, apart from the Queen, but we have a sort of collective eccentricity, and we appreciate originality in dress even if we do not individually have it.
Another “rule” of behavior I had discovered was that it is very important for the English not to take themselves too seriously, to be able to laugh at themselves. However, it is well known that most teenagers tend to take themselves a bit too seriously.
The Goths, in their scaring black costumes, certainly look as if they are taking themselves seriously. But when I got into conversation with them, I discovered that they too had a sense of humor. I was once chatting to a Goth in the full vampire costume — with a white face, deep purple lipstick, and black parrothair. I saw he was also wearing a Tshirt with “Goth”. “Why are you wearing that？” I asked. “It's in case you don't realize I'm a Goth，”he answered, pretending to be serious. We both burst out laughing.
作者以自己的所见所闻，给我们详细介绍了英国各类人的穿衣特点，以及其共性和个性等。
1．What can we know about the English people?
A．They need rules to dress well.
B．They are in need of uniforms.
C．They are creative in general.
D．They lead the world trend.
答案：A
解析：细节理解题。根据第一段中的Their main problem is that they have a desperate need for rules, and are unable to get along without them.可知，英国人在穿衣方面有规则束缚。
2．Who is individually eccentric in dressing?
A．A highclass man. B．A parrothaired punk.
C．The Queen. D．The fashion innovator.
答案：C
解析：细节理解题。根据第二段中的The only truly eccentric dresser in this country is the Queen和We may not be individually eccentric, apart from the Queen可知，在穿衣方面真正奇特的是女王，女王对时尚毫不在意，继续穿着她喜欢的衣服，一种20世纪50年代的时尚，不考虑别人的意见。
3．Which of the following can best describe the Goths?
A．They dress badly.
B．They dress in an amusing way.
C．They are unable to laugh at the way they dress.
D．They are less fashionable than the other English people.
答案：B
解析：推理判断题。根据最后一段中的The Goths, in their scaring black costumes和．..a Goth in the full vampire costume—with a white face, deep purple lipstick, and black parrothair.可判断出，哥特人的穿着很有趣。
4．What may be the best title for the text?
A．How the English Dress
B．How the English Admire Fashion
C．Why the English Like Uniforms
D．Why the English Are Eccentric in Dress
答案：A
解析：标题判断题。本文主要介绍了英国各类人的穿衣特点，以及其共性和个性。故A项“英国人如何穿着”最适合作为文章标题。
