課文內容

詞匯：F eet 腳

Many believe high heels make women look good. It's no surprise that the Cannes Film Festival's organisers seem to favour having stars walking up the red carpet in them. But all this glam comes at a cost: wearing heels over 10cm high can damage your ankles.

A study by the Hanseo University in South Korea suggests that continuous wearing exposes women to the risk of strains and makes them prone to losing their balance.

A total of 40 women who wear high heels at least three times a week took part in the study. The strength of their ankles was measured regularly and two of the four main muscles became dominant after a period of between one and three years. It created an imbalance in their feet.

Dr Yong-Seok Jee from Hanseo University said that the habit of wearing heels can result in deformed feet, back pain and unhealthy walking patterns. He recommends women limit the use of these kinds of shoes and exercise their ankle muscles properly.

High heels are considered by some sexy and feminine, but ironically the fashion started with men's feet. These shoes were a form of riding footwear, and would be seen on the feet of 17th Century Persian soldiers. Elizabeth Semmelhack of the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto says: "When the soldier stood up in his stirrups, the heel helped him to secure his stance so that he could shoot his bow and arrow more effectively."

Before becoming a staple of modern women's wardrobes, high heels were used by Louis XIV of France. These shoes were status symbols. Let's face it - nothing screams privilege like uncomfortable, luxurious and impractical clothing. They say the wearer doesn't have to work in fields or walk very far.

What do you think: are high heels a symbol of women's elevation in society or just something to be booted out of fashion?

詞匯表

glam （口語）魅力
an ankle 腳踝
a strain 扭傷，拉傷
to be prone (to something) 易于…的
balance 平衡
a muscle 肌肉
an imbalance 不平衡
to be deformed 變形的，畸形的
footwear 鞋類（總稱）
a stirrup 馬鐙
impractical 不實用的
to boot out 趕出去，趕走

測驗與練習

1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. How high are the heels that can cause injury to feet, according to the study?
2. What makes high heel wearers prone to losing balance?  
3. What were high heels used for in the past?
4. According to the article, what made high heel wearers look privileged during Louis XIV's rule?
5. Which word in the text means 'efficiently'?

2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. These trainers are perfect for the gym but they are __________. Maybe I could try a bigger size.

impractical                  uncomfortable               imbalanced              footwear

2. Rice and beans are __________ foods in Brazil. Most people eat them several times a week.

privileged                     habit                             staple                      continuous

3. I must go to the doctor. I can hardly sit down. I have __________ pain.

an unhealthy                 back                             ankle                       strains

4. I don't care if nobody uses hair nets anymore. I'm in the __________ of wearing them and it won't change!

trend                          habit                              fashion                     regular

5. I miss my mother. She has always been the __________ force in my life.

strong                          dominant                       deformed                 balanced

答案

1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. How high are the heels that can cause injury to feet, according to the study?
10cm or more.

2. What makes high heel wearers prone to losing balance?
Two of the four main muscles on their feet become dominant and it disrupts their walking.  

3. What were high heels used for in the past?
Riding.

4. According to the article, what made high heel wearers look privileged during Louis XIV's rule?
They are not practical and it shows the wearer doesn't do hard work and doesn't have to walk much.

5. Which word in the text means 'efficiently'?
Effectively.

2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. These trainers are perfect for the gym but they are uncomfortable. Maybe I could try a bigger size.

2. Rice and beans are staple foods in Brazil. Most people eat them several times a week.

3. I must go to the doctor. I can hardly sit down. I have back pain.

4. I don't care if nobody uses hair nets anymore. I'm in the habit of wearing them and it won't change!

5. I miss my mother. She has always been the dominant force in my life.