①France, which prides itself as the global innovator of fashion, has decided its fashion industry has lost an absolute right to define physical beauty for women. Its lawmakers gave preliminary approval last week to a law that would make it a crime to employ ultra-thin models on runways. The parliament also agreed to ban websites that “incite excessive thinness” by promoting extreme dieting.

②Such measures have a couple of uplifting motives. They suggest beauty should not be defined by looks that end up impinging on health. That’s a start. And the ban on ultra-thin models seems to go beyond protecting models from starving themselves to death—as some have done. It tells the fashion industry that it must take responsibility for the signal it sends women, especially teenage girls, about the social tape-measure they must use to determine their individual worth.

③The bans, if fully enforced, would suggest to women (and many men) that they should not let others be arbiters of their beauty. And perhaps faintly, they hint that people should look to intangible qualities like character and intellect rather than dieting their way to size zero or wasp-waist physiques.

④The French measures, however, rely too much on severe punishment to change a culture that still regards beauty as skin-deep and bone-showing. Under the law, using a fashion model that does not meet a government-defined index of body mass could result in a $85,000 fine and six months in prison.

⑤The fashion industry knows it has an inherent problem in focusing on material adornment and idealized body types. In Denmark, the United States, and a few other countries, it is trying to set voluntary standards for models and fashion images that rely more on peer pressure for enforcement.

⑥In contrast to France’s actions, Denmark’s fashion industry agreed last month on rules and sanctions regarding the age, health, and other characteristics of models. The newly revised Danish Fashion Ethical Charter clearly states: “We are aware of and take responsibility for the impact the fashion industry has on body ideals, especially on young people.” The charter’s main tool of enforcement is to deny access for designers and modeling agencies to Copenhagen Fashion Week (CFW), which is run by the Danish Fashion Institute. But in general it relies on a name-and-shame method of compliance.

⑦Relying on ethical persuasion rather than law to address the misuse of body ideals may be the best step. Even better would be to help elevate notions of beauty beyond the material standards of a particular industry. 

1.According to the first paragraph, what would happen in France?

A Physical beauty would be redefined.

B New runways would be constructed.

C Websites about dieting would thrive.

D The fashion industry would decline.

解析：选A。A推理判断题。根据题目定位到第一段，可知法国国会议员初步初步批准了一项法律，规定雇佣过于瘦弱的模特为犯罪行为，国会还同意禁止那些通过推广极端节食来“煽动过度瘦身”的网站。可见在法国，外在美将被重新定义，故选A。

2.The phrase “impinging on” (Para. 2) is closest in meaning to _________

A indicating the state of.

B heightening the value of.

C losing faith in.

D doing harm to.

解析：选D。D词义猜测题。根据题目定位到第二段第二句，可知他们认为美不应该由最后impinging on健康的外表来定义。结合上文可知“他们”指的是反对过度节食瘦身的法国议员，结合常识过度节食有害健康，可知D最符合原文，故选D。

3.Which of the following is true of the fashion industry?

A The French measures have already failed.

B Its inherent problems are getting worse.

C Models are no longer under peer pressure.

D New standards are being set in Denmark.

解析：选D。D细节理解题。根据第五段第二句可知，丹麦、美国和一些其他国家正试图为模特和时尚形象设定自愿标准，故选D。

4.A designer is most likely to be rejected by CFW for _________

A pursuing perfect physical conditions.

B caring too much about models’ character.

C showing little concern for health factors.

D setting a high age threshold for models.

解析：选A。A推理判断题。根据CFW定位到第六段，可知《丹麦时尚道德宪章》明确指出已经意识到时尚行业对身材理想的影响，尤其是对年轻人的影响，并为此负责。禁止设计师和模特机构参加CFW是该宪章的主要执行工具。可见一位设计师遭到CFW拒绝可能是因为不关注健康状况，违反了宪章。故选A。

5.Which of the following may be the best title of the text?

A The Great Threats to the Fashion Industry

B Just Another Round of Struggle for Beauty

C A Dilemma for the Starving Models in France

D A Challenge to the Fashion Industry’s Body Ideals

解析：选D。D主旨大意题。根据全文可知，法国禁止以超瘦为美，丹麦等国家采取相应措施重新定义外表美，综合全文可知文章主要论述传统的“以瘦为美”正面临新的挑战，越来越多的国家更注重健康，故选D。