大學(xué)英語四級考試模擬卷四（帶答案）

大學(xué)英語四級考試模擬卷四

（總分：32.00,做題時間：130分鐘）

一、單選題（總題數(shù)：30,分?jǐn)?shù)：30.00）

1.Bullyingisadistinctivepatternofharmingandhumiliatingothers.Thosewhoarein

somewaysmallerzweaker,youngerormore26thanthebullyoftenfallvictims.Bullying

isnotcommonaggression;itisadeliberateandrepeated27tocauseharmtoothers

oflesserpower.Bulliesaremade?notborn,andithappensatanearlyage,ifthe28

aggressionof2-year-oldsisn'thandledwell.Manystudiesshowthatbullieslackpro-social

behavior,are29byanxiety,anddonotfeelempathyforothers*situations.Thosewho

chronicallybullyhavestrainedrelationshipswithparentsandpeers.

Bulliescouldn'texistwithoutvictims,andtheydon'tpickonjustanyone——those

30outlackassertivenessandradiatefearlongbeforetheyeverencounterabully.The

psychologicaldifficultiesvictimsexperiencedinchildhoodandadolescencemayproduce

negative31wellintoadulthood.Unfortunately,parents?teachers,andotheradultsare

not32awareofhowwidespreadbullyingisandhowdamagingitcanbeto

psychologicalhealth.

Increasingly,childrenaregrowingupwithoutthekindsofexperiencesthatleadtothe

developmentofsocialskills,andfreeplayhasbeenin33.Yet,it'sinplayingwithpeers,

withoutadultmonitoring,thatchildren34theskillsthatmakethemwell-likedby

age-matesandlearnhowtosolvesocialproblems.Butchildrenlearnalotabout35

theirsocialworldsbyseekingguidancefromtheirparents?sodiscussingwithyourchildren

normsandvaluesdoesmatter.

空白處26.應(yīng)填

無（分?jǐn)?shù)：1.00）

A.acquire

B.alarmingly

C.attempt

□.decline

E.dropped

F.indifferent

G.navigating

H.normal

l.outcomes

J.preferences

K.restraining

L.singled

M.sufficiently

N.untroubled

O.vulnerableJ

解析：空格位于連詞or之后，與之并列的smaller、weaker和younger均為形容詞，

因此，空格處應(yīng)填入形容詞且感情色彩應(yīng)與前面幾個單詞一致，故選O）vulnerable“脆

弱的，易受……傷害的”。

2.Bullyingisadistinctivepatternofharmingandhumiliatingothers.Thosewhoarein

somewaysmaller,weaker,youngerormore26thanthebullyoftenfallvictims.Bullying

isnotcommonaggression;itisadeliberateandrepeated27tocauseharmtoothers

oflesserpower.Bulliesaremade,notborn,andithappensatanearlyage,ifthe28

aggressionof2-year-oldsisn'thandledwell.Manystudiesshowthatbullieslackpro-social

behavior,are29byanxiety,anddonotfeelempathyforothers*situations.Thosewho

chronicallybullyhavestrainedrelationshipswithparentsandpeers.

Bulliescouldn'texistwithoutvictims,andtheydon'tpickonjustanyone—those

30outlackassertivenessandradiatefearlongbeforetheyeverencounterabully.The

psychologicaldifficultiesvictimsexperiencedinchildhoodandadolescencemayproduce

negative31wellintoadulthood.Unfortunately,parents,teachers,andotheradultsare

not32awareofhowwidespreadbullyingisandhowdamagingitcanbeto

psychologicalhealth.

Increasingly,childrenaregrowingupwithoutthekindsofexperiencesthatleadtothe

developmentofsocialskills,andfreeplayhasbeenin33.Yet,it'sinplayingwithpeers,

withoutadultmonitoring,thatchildren34theskillsthatmakethemweU-likedby

age-matesandlearnhowtosolvesocialproblems.Butchildrenlearnalotabout35

theirsocialworldsbyseekingguidancefromtheirparents,sodiscussingwithyourchildren

normsandvaluesdoesmatter.

空白處27應(yīng)填

無（分?jǐn)?shù)：1.00）

A.acquire

B.alarmingly

C.attemptJ

□.decline

E.dropped

F.indifferent

G.navigating

H.normal

I.outcomes

J.preferences

K.restraining

L.singled

M.sufficiently

N.untroubled

□.vulnerable

解析：空格位于不定冠詞和形容詞之后，應(yīng)填入可數(shù)名詞單數(shù)形式。上文提到，“霸

凌是一種傷害和羞辱他人的獨(dú)特形式”，而空格所在句提到“霸凌不是一般的攻擊性行

為，而是故意的、反復(fù)的對弱小者造成傷害的一因此可推斷應(yīng)填入C)attempt”試

圖，嘗試"，attempt作名詞時可數(shù)。備選項中的J)preferences“偏愛的事物，喜愛的

東西”雖然句意上說得通，但它是名詞復(fù)數(shù)形式，不能和不定冠詞a搭配，故排除。

3.Bullyingisadistinctivepatternofharmingandhumiliatingothers.Thosewhoarein

somewaysmaller,weaker,youngerormore26thanthebullyoftenfallvictims.Bullying

isnotcommonaggression;itisadeliberateandrepeated27tocauseharmtoothers

oflesserpower.Bulliesaremade,notborn,andithappensatanearlyage,ifthe28

aggressionof2-year-oldsisn'thandledwell.Manystudiesshowthatbullieslackpro-social

behavior,are29byanxiety,anddonotfeelempathyforothers'situations.Thosewho

chronicallybullyhavestrainedrelationshipswithparentsandpeers.

Bulliescouldn'texistwithoutvictims,andtheydon'tpickonjustanyone——those

30outlackassertivenessandradiatefearlongbeforetheyeverencounterabully.The

psychologicaldifficultiesvictimsexperiencedinchildhoodandadolescencemayproduce

negative31wellintoadulthood.Unfortunatelyzparents,teachers,andotheradultsare

not32awareofhowwidespreadbullyingisandhowdamagingitcanbeto

psychologicalhealth.

Increasingly,childrenaregrowingupwithoutthekindsofexperiencesthatleadtothe

developmentofsocialskills*andfreeplayhasbeenin33.Yet,it'sinplayingwithpeers,

withoutadultmonitoring,thatchildren34theskillsthatmakethemwell-likedby

age-matesandlearnhowtosolvesocialproblems.Butchildrenlearnalotabout35

theirsocialworldsbyseekingguidancefromtheirparents,sodiscussingwithyourchildren

normsandvaluesdoesmatter.

空白處28.應(yīng)填

無(分?jǐn)?shù)：1.00)

A.acquire

B.alarmingly

C.attempt

0.decline

E.dropped

F.indifferent

G.navigating

H.normalV

l.outcomes

J.preferences

K.restraining

L.singled

M.sufficiently

N.untroubled

□.vulnerable

解析：空格位于定冠詞和名詞之間，應(yīng)填入形容詞作定語。上文提到，“即凌不是

一般的攻擊性行為”，if引導(dǎo)的從句假設(shè)“兩歲孩子的一攻擊行為得不到妥善處理”,

就會出現(xiàn)主句中交代的“小小年紀(jì)就會出現(xiàn)霸凌行為”，推測得知這時的攻擊行為應(yīng)該

屬于程度比較輕的、比較常見的行為，對應(yīng)上文的8mmon,因此填入H)normal”一般

的，正常的備選項中的F)indifferent作“冷淡的”講時，一般用來修飾人而非行為；

作“一般的”講時，指的是質(zhì)量、技藝方面一般，不符合此處語境，故排除。

4.Bullyingisadistinctivepatternofharmingandhumiliatingothers.Thosewhoarein

somewaysmaller,weaker,youngerormore26thanthebullyoftenfallvictims.Bullying

isnotcommonaggression;itisadeliberateandrepeated27tocauseharmtoothers

oflesserpower.Bulliesaremade,notborn,andithappensatanearlyage?ifthe28

aggressionof2-year-oldsisn'thandledwell.Manystudiesshowthatbullieslackpro-social

behavior,are29byanxiety,anddonotfeelempathyforothers'situations.Thosewho

chronicallybullyhavestrainedrelationshipswithparentsandpeers.

Bulliescouldn'texistwithoutvictims,andtheydon'tpickonjustanyone—those

30outlackassertivenessandradiatefearlongbeforetheyeverencounterabully.The

psychologicaldifficultiesvictimsexperiencedinchildhoodandadolescencemayproduce

negative31wellintoadulthood.Unfortunately,parents,teachers,andotheradultsare

not32awareofhowwidespreadbullyingisandhowdamagingitcanbeto

psychologicalhealth.

Increasingly,childrenaregrowingupwithoutthekindsofexperiencesthatleadtothe

developmentofsocialskills*andfreeplayhasbeenin33.Yet,it'sinplayingwithpeers,

withoutadultmonitoring,thatchildren34theskillsthatmakethemwell-likedby

age-matesandlearnhowtosolvesocialproblems.Butchildrenlearnalotabout35

theirsocialworldsbyseekingguidancefromtheirparents,sodiscussingwithyourchildren

normsandvaluesdoesmatter.

空白處29.應(yīng)填

無(分?jǐn)?shù)：1.00)

A.acquire

B.alarmingly

C.attempt

□.decline

E.dropped

F.indifferent

G.navigating

H.normal

I.outcomes

J.preferences

K.restraining

L.singled

M.sufficiently

N.untroubledV

0.vulnerable

解析；空格位于系動詞和介詞by之間，應(yīng)填入形容詞或動詞的過去分詞作表語。

空格前后的并列結(jié)構(gòu)中出現(xiàn)了lackpro-socialbehavior”缺乏親社會行為”和donotfeel

empathy”缺乏同理心”這樣的表達(dá)，要保持感情色彩一致，故應(yīng)填入N)untroubled”不

受影響的，不為所動的”，表示霸凌者不會受焦慮影響。備選項中的F)indifferent作“冷

淡的”講時，一般搭配介詞to,故排除。

5.Bullyingisadistinctivepatternofharmingandhumiliatingothers.Thosewhoarein

somewaysmaller;weaker,youngerormore26thanthebullyoftenfallvictims.Bullying

isnotcommonaggression;itisadeliberateandrepeated27tocauseharmtoothers

oflesserpower.Bulliesaremade,notborn,andithappensatanearlyage,ifthe28

aggressionof2-year-oldsisn'thandledwell.Manystudiesshowthatbullieslackpro-social

behavior,are29byanxiety,anddonotfeelempathyforothers'situations.Thosewho

chronicallybullyhavestrainedrelationshipswithparentsandpeers.

Bulliescouldn'texistwithoutvictims,andtheydon'tpickonjustanyone—those

30outlackassertivenessandradiatefearlongbeforetheyeverencounterabully.The

psychologicaldifficultiesvictimsexperiencedinchildhoodandadolescencemayproduce

negative31wellintoadulthood.Unfortunatelyzparents,teachers,andotheradultsare

not32awareofhowwidespreadbullyingisandhowdamagingitcanbeto

psychologicalhealth.

Increasingly,childrenaregrowingupwithoutthekindsofexperiencesthatleadtothe

developmentofsocialskills*andfreeplayhasbeenin33.Yet,it'sinplayingwithpeers,

withoutadultmonitoring,thatchildren34theskillsthatmakethemweU-likedby

age-matesandlearnhowtosolvesocialproblems.Butchildrenlearnalotabout35

theirsocialworldsbyseekingguidancefromtheirparents,sodiscussingwithyourchildren

normsandvaluesdoesmatter.

空白處30.應(yīng)填

無（分?jǐn)?shù)：1.00）

A.acquire

B.alarmingly

C.attempt

0.decline

E.dropped

F.indifferent

G.navigating

H.normal

l.outcomes

J.preferences

K.restraining

L.singledJ

M.sufficiently

N.untroubled

□.vulnerable

解析：空格位于主語those之后，本來應(yīng)該是謂語動詞，但空格后已經(jīng)出現(xiàn)了動詞

lack和radiate充當(dāng)謂語,故推測空格處極有可能是后置定語來修飾主語those且能和out

搭配，應(yīng)填入形容詞或過去分詞，破折號前面提到“霸凌者并不是隨便挑選受害者的”，

破折號后的句子解釋說明了受害者的特點，由此可知，空格處指的是“被挑選出來的”，

修飾代指“受害者”的those,故選L）singled,動詞短語singleout意為“挑出,選出”,

singledout為過去分詞短語作后置定語。

6.Bullyingisadistinctivepatternofharmingandhumiliatingothers.Thosewhoarein

somewaysmaller,weaker,youngerormore26thanthebullyoftenfallvictims.Bullying

isnotcommonaggression;itisadeliberateandrepeated27tocauseharmtoothers

oflesserpower.Bulliesaremade,notborn,andithappensatanearlyage,ifthe28

aggressionof2-year-oldsisn'thandledwell.Manystudiesshowthatbullieslackpro-social

behavior,are29byanxiety,anddonotfeelempathyforothers'situations.Thosewho

chronicallybullyhavestrainedrelationshipswithparentsandpeers.

Bulliescouldn'texistwithoutvictims,andtheydon'tpickonjustanyone—those

30outlackassertivenessandradiatefearlongbeforetheyeverencounterabully.The

psychologicaldifficultiesvictimsexperiencedinchildhoodandadolescencemayproduce

negative31wellintoadulthood.Unfortunately,parents,teachers,andotheradultsare

not32awareofhowwidespreadbullyingisandhowdamagingitcanbeto

psychologicalhealth.

Increasingly,childrenaregrowingupwithoutthekindsofexperiencesthatleadtothe

developmentofsocialskills*andfreeplayhasbeenin33.Yet,it'sinplayingwithpeers,

withoutadultmonitoring,thatchildren34theskillsthatmakethemwell-likedby

age-matesandlearnhowtosolvesocialproblems.Butchildrenlearnalotabout35

theirsocialworldsbyseekingguicancefromtheirparents,sodiscussingwithyourchildren

normsandvaluesdoesmatter.

空白處31.應(yīng)填

無（分?jǐn)?shù)：1.00）

A.acquire

B.alarmingly

C.attempt

0.decline

E.dropped

F.indifferent

G.navigating

H.normal

I.outcomesV

J.preferences

K.restraining

L.singled

M.sufficiently

N.untroubled

□.vulnerable

解析：空格前為謂語動詞produce和形容詞negative,因此空格應(yīng)填入名詞作produce

的賓語，而且前面無不定冠詞，故應(yīng)填入可數(shù)名詞復(fù)數(shù)或不可數(shù)名詞?？崭袼诰涮岬?/p>

受害者在兒童和青少年時期經(jīng)歷的心理困難會在他們成年時期產(chǎn)生負(fù)面—，可推知這

些經(jīng)歷對他們造成了負(fù)面影響，故應(yīng)填入I）outcomes"后果，結(jié)果“，negativeoutcomes

表示“消極的后果”。

7.Bullyingisadistinctivepatternofharmingandhumiliatingothcrs.Thoscwhoarcin

somewaysmaller,weaker,youngerormore26thanthebullyoftenfallvictims.Bullying

isnotcommonaggression;itisadeliberateandrepeated27tocauseharmtoothers

oflesserpower.Bulliesaremade,notborn,andithappensatanearlyage,ifthe28

aggressionof2-year-oldsisn'thandledwell.Manystudiesshowthatbullieslackpro-social

behavior,are29byanxiety,anddonotfeelempathyforothers'situations.Thosewho

chronicallybullyhavestrainedrelationshipswithparentsandpeers.

Bulliescouldn'texistwithoutvictims,andtheydon'tpickonjustanyone——those

30outlackassertivenessandradiatefearlongbeforetheyeverencounterabully.The

psychologicaldifficultiesvictimsexperiencedinchildhoodandadolescencemayproduce

negative31wellintoadulthood.Unfortunately,parents,teachers,andotheradultsare

not32awareofhowwidespreadbullyingisandhowdamagingitcanbeto

psychologicalhealth.

Increasingly,childrenaregrowingupwithoutthekindsofexperiencesthatleadtothe

developmentofsocialskills*andfreeplayhasbeenin33.Yet,it'sinplayingwithpeers,

withoutadultmonitoring,thatchildren34theskillsthatmakethemwell-likedby

age-matesandlearnhowtosolvesocialproblems.Butchildrenlearnalotabout35

theirsocialworldsbyseekingguidancefromtheirparents,sodiscussingwithyourchildren

normsandvaluesdoesmatter.

空白處32.應(yīng)填

無（分?jǐn)?shù)：1.00）

A.acquire

B.alarmingly

C.attempt

0.decline

E.dropped

F.indifferent

G.navigating

H.normal

I.outcomes

J.preferences

K.restraining

L.singled

M.sufficientlyV

N.untroubled

□.vulnerable

解析：空格所在句結(jié)構(gòu)完整，因此應(yīng)填入副詞修飾謂語動詞或整句話。上文提到霸

凌會對受害者造成不良影響，本句以unfortunately“不幸的是”開頭，由此可知霸凌行

為并沒有得到社會各方的充分認(rèn)識，故填入M)sufficiently*'充分地，足夠地"。BAlarmingly

“驚人地，值得警惕地”一般放在消極意義的形容詞前面作程度副詞，不符合此處語境，

故排除。

8.Bullyingisadistinctivepatternofharmingandhumiliatingothers.Thosewhoarein

somewaysmallecweaker,youngerormore26thanthebullyoftenfallvictims.Bullying

isnotcommonaggression;itisadeliberateandrepeated27tocauseharmtoothers

oflesserpower.Bulliesaremade?notborn,andithappensatanearlyage?ifthe28

aggressionof2-year-oldsisn'thandledwell.Manystudiesshowthatbullieslackpro-social

behavior,are29byanxiety,anddonotfeelempathyforothers*situations.Thosewho

chronicallybullyhavestrainedrelationshipswithparentsandpeers.

Bulliescouldn'texistwithoutvictims,andtheydon'tpickonjustanyone——those

30outlackassertivenessandradiatefearlongbeforetheyeverencounterabully.The

psychologicaldifficultiesvictimsexperiencedinchildhoodandadolescencemayproduce

negative31wellintoadulthood.Unfortunately,parents?teachers,andotheradultsare

not32awareofhowwidespreadbullyingisandhowdamagingitcanbeto

psychologicalhealth.

Increasingly,childrenaregrowingupwithoutthekindsofexperiencesthatleadtothe

developmentofsocialskills,andfreeplayhasbeenin33.Yet,it'sinplayingwithpeers,

withoutadultmonitoring,thatchildren34theskillsthatmakethemweU-likedby

age-matesandlearnhowtosolvesocialproblems.Butchildrenlearnalotabout35

theirsocialworldsbyseekingguidancefromtheirparents,sodiscussingwithyourchildren

normsandvaluesdoesmatter.

空白處33.應(yīng)填

無（分?jǐn)?shù)：LOO）

A.acquire

B.alarmingly

C.attempt

□.declineJ

E.dropped

F.indifferent

G.navigating

H.normal

l.outcomes

J.preferences

K.restraining

L.singled

M.sufficiently

N.untroubled

□.vulnerable

解析：空格所在句子已有主語和系動詞部分freeplayhasbeen,空格前面又出現(xiàn)了

介詞，因此應(yīng)填入名詞，和介詞in一起構(gòu)成介詞短語作表語。空格前一個并列分句提

到“越來越多的孩子缺乏可以培養(yǎng)社交技能的各類體驗”，空格后的句子又強(qiáng)調(diào)了讓孩

子自由玩耍的重要性，由此推測，自由玩耍是越來越少的，indecline意為“下降”，故

選D）decline”減少,下降

9.Bullyingisadistinctivepatternofharmingandhumiliatingothers.Thosewhoarein

somewaysmaller,weaker,youngerormore26thanthebullyoftenfallvictims.Bullying

isnotcommonaggression;itisadeliberateandrepeated27tocauseharmtoothers

oflesserpower.Bulliesaremade,notborn,andithappensatanearlyage,ifthe28

aggressionof2-year-oldsisn'thandledwell.Manystudiesshowthatbullieslackpro-social

behavior,are29byanxiety,anddonotfeelempathyforothers'situations.Thosewho

chronicallybullyhavestrainedrelationshipswithparentsandpeers.

Bulliescouldn'texistwithoutvictims,andtheydon'tpickonjustanyone—those

30outlackassertivenessandradiatefearlongbeforetheyeverencounterabully.The

psychologicaldifficultiesvictimsexperiencedinchildhoodandadolescencemayproduce

negative31wellintoadulthood.Unfortunately,parents,teachers,andotheradultsare

not32awareofhowwidespreadbullyingisandhowdamagingitcanbeto

psychologicalhealth.

Increasingly,childrenaregrowingupwithoutthekindsofexperiencesthatleadtothe

developmentofsocialskills,andfreeplayhasbeenin33.Yet,it'sinplayingwithpeers,

withoutadultmonitoring,thatchildren34theskillsthatmakethemweU-likedby

age-matesandlearnhowtosolvesocialproblems.Butchildrenlearnalotabout35

theirsocialworldsbyseekingguidancefromtheirparents,sodiscussingwithyourchildren

normsandvaluesdoesmatter.

空白處34.應(yīng)填

無（分?jǐn)?shù)：1.00）

A.acquireV

B.alarmingly

C.attempt

□.decline

E.dropped

F.indifferent

G.navigating

H.normal

I.outcomes

J.preferences

K.restraining

L.singled

M.sufficiently

N.untroubled

□.vulnerable

解析：空格所在句是強(qiáng)調(diào)句型，把it's和that去掉后，會發(fā)現(xiàn)句了已經(jīng)有了主語

children和賓語skills以及修飾賓語的定語從句thatmakethemwell-likedbyage-mates,

因此空格處只能填入動詞作謂語，且能和后面的動詞原形learn一起構(gòu)成并列謂語，故

選和learn“學(xué)習(xí)”意義相近的A)acquire”掌握，獲得”。

10.Bullyingisadistinctivepatternofharmingandhumiliatingothers.Thosewhoarein

somewaysmaller,weaker,youngerormore26thanthebullyoftenfallvictims.Bullying

isnotcommonaggression;itisadeliberateandrepeated27tocauseharmtoothers

oflesserpower.Bulliesaremade,notborn,andithappensatanearlyage,ifthe28

aggressionof2-year-oldsisn'thandledwell.Manystudiesshowthatbullieslackpro-social

behavior,are29byanxiety,anddonotfeelempathyforothers*situations.Thosewho

chronicallybullyhavestrainedrelationshipswithparentsandpeers.

Bulliescouldn'texistwithoutvictims,andtheydon'tpickonjustanyone——those

30outlackassertivenessandradiatefearlongbeforetheyeverencounterabully.The

psychologicaldifficultiesvictimsexperiencedinchildhoodandadolescencemayproduce

negative31wellintoadulthood.Unfortunatelyzparents>teachers,andotheradultsare

not32awareofhowwidespreadbullyingisandhowdamagingitcanbeto

psychologicalhealth.

Increasingly,childrenaregrowingupwithoutthekindsofexperiencesthatleadtothe

developmentofsocialskills,andfreeplayhasbeenin33.Yet,it'sinplayingwithpeers,

withoutadultmonitoring,thatchildren34theskillsthatmakethemwell-likedby

age-matesandlearnhowtosolvesocialproblems.Butchildrenlearnalotabout35

theirsocialworldsbyseekingguidancefromtheirparents,sodiscussingwithyourchildren

normsandvaluesdoesmatter.

空白處35.應(yīng)填

無（分?jǐn)?shù)：LOO）

A.acquire

B.alarmingly

C.attempt

□.decline

E.dropped

F.indifferent

G.navigatingV

H.normal

l.outcomes

J.preferences

K.restraining

L.singled

M.sufficiently

N.untroubled

□.vulnerable

解析：空格位于介詞about和名詞結(jié)構(gòu)theirsocialworlds之間，應(yīng)填入動詞的-ing

形式構(gòu)成動名詞詞組作介詞賓語，備選項中只剩G)navigating和K)restrainingoK)

restraini喈控制，阻止”一般指的是控制情緒或者抑制某種結(jié)果的產(chǎn)生，搭配socialworlds

“社交圈”說不通，故排除。G)navigating"駕馭，成功應(yīng)對”符合此處語境，故為答

案。

11.(A)AmongtheboutiquesinthecanaldistrictofAmsterdamisashoeshop,called

W-21,thathasaselectionofstylishfootwearinthewindow.Aselectgroupofcustomers

wererecentlyinvitedtheretohavetheirfeetscannedbyalaser?andthentospend30

secondswalkingonamodifiedtreadmillinaspecialpairofshoesstuffedwith

accelerometers,pressuregauges?thermometersandhygrometers.AIIthisgenerateda

wealthofdata,whichwasdisplayedonalargescreenalongwithamodelofhowthe

walker'sfeetweremoving.

(B)Fromthesedataanalgorithmdeterminedtheidealsolesforthecustomer's

shoes.Upstairs>acoupleof3Dprintersbeganhummingawaytomakethosesoles.lnabout

twohourstheywerereadytobefittedtoanewpairofshoes,uniquelytailoredtoeach

person'sfeet.

(C)Somelevelofcustomisationisnothingnewforbuyersofapparel.Butthereisabig

differencebetweenclothes,whicharerelativelystraightforwardtotailorandalter,and

shoes,whicharesolidandcomposedoflotsofmaterialsthatrequiredifferentskillsand

specialequipmenttoproduce.ltispossibletoacquireorthopaedicandspecialistshoes,such

asskiboots,inwhichthesoleshavebeenshapedtosuitanindividual'sfeet.Completely

tailor-madeshoesarealsoavailableifyouhavedeeppocketsandarepatient.Atthetopend

ofthemarket,JohnLobb,aLondonbootmakerestablishedin1866,willhappilyhand-stitch

youapairofOxfordbrogues(粗革厚底皮鞋)shapedaroundeverydimpleandbumpinyour

feet,buttheywillcost￡4,000($5,500)andmaytakesixmonthstodeliver.Whatwasgoing

oninAmsterdamwasanexperimentbyECCO,alargeDanishshoebrandthatownsW-21,

tobringbespokeshoemakingtothemass-markethighstreet.

(D)Lobb,andfirmslikeit,makeshoesusingpatternscalledlasts.Thesearesolidblocks

ofwoodcarvedpreciselyintotheshapeofacustomer'sfeet.Thetimeandlabourrequiredto

createtheselastsexplainthecostandtardinessofthefinishedproduct.ThoughECCOstill

usesshoesmadeinstandardsizes,atleastfornow,itcustomisesthemidsole.Thisisthepart

ofashoethatfitsbetweentheoutsole(thebottomoftheshoethatcomesintocontactwith

theground)andtheinsole(onwhichthefootrests).Themidsoleisthefunctionalheartofa

shoe,saysPatrizioCarlucci,theheadofECCO'sInnovationLab,whichisinchargeofthe

project.Onthebasisofthelaserscans*ofdatafromtheshoesensorsandtreadmilltests,

andofinformationaboutthecustomer(someonewhostandsaroundalotmayrequirea

softerfeelthandoesanotherwhowalkseverywhere)，individualisedleftandrightmidsoles

areengineeredtosuitthepersonconcerned.

(E)Oncethemidsoledesignsarecomplete,thecomputerfiledescribingthemis

transferredtothe3Dprinters.ThesearemadebyafirmcalledGermanRepRapandare

adaptedtoprintatypeofsiliconedevelopedbytheDowChemicalCompanyforthis

purpose.Theprintersbuildlayersofsiliconeintohundredsofcloselypackedcells.Theshape

andsizeofeachcellvariesthroughoutthemidsole,toprovidetherequireddistributionof

support.Whencomplete,themidsolesareinsertedintoapairofshoeschosenbythe

customer.

(F)Furthertrialsoftheproductionsystem,whichECCOcallsQuant-U,willbeheldin

W-21laterthisyearandatotherstoresaroundtheworldasthecompanycontinuesto

developtheprocessandtakeaccountoffeedbackfromcustomerswhotakepart.Atthe

moment,ECCOischargingapremiumofaround￡100($120)orsoontopofthepriceof

theshoesforthebespokesole-designingservice.lfallgoesweILQuant-Ucouldbeintroduced

insomestoresforwalk-incustomers.

(G)Othershoemakersarealsotryingnewproductiontechniques.Bignamessuchas

NikeandAdidasareprintingsomeofthecomponentsthatgointotheirhigh-endtrainers,

althoughindividualcustomisationhaslargelybeenlimitedtomakingrunningshoesfortop

athletes.

(H)Smallerconcerns,too,areshowinganinterestinbespokeautomation.InMilan

AndreaandFrancescoCarpineti,andtheircolleagueMicheleLuconi,aretryingtoblendthe

newwiththeold.Theirstartup,DesignItalianShoes(DIS),providesshoeshopswithadevice

theycalltheTotemTouchScreen.Customersplacetheirfeetinthebottomofthisdeviceto

havethemscanned.Theythenuseatouchscreentoselectastyleoftheshoesandto

customiseit,fromcolourstomaterials,typesofthesolesandeventheeyeletsand

laces.Some50mcombinationsareavailable.Personalmonograms(交織字母)and

inscriptionscanbeadded.

(I)Insteadofsendingthedesigntoa3D-printer,DISpassesittoagroupofartisan

shoemakersinthe"shoesvalley"ofLeMarche,aregionineasternItalythatisfamousforits

cobblers(鞋匠).Whichcraftsmanapairofshoesisassignedtodependsonthestyletobe

made,foreachhashisspecificareasofexpertise.Hewillthenmaketheshoesbyhand，using

apairofexistinglaststhataretheclosestmatchavailabletothedatafromtheTotem.The

Carpinetibrothersclaimthatthefirmcan,inthisway?rustleupapairofhandmadeOxfords

inaslittleastendays,forabout￡360—lessthanatenthofLobb'sprice.Thecompany

hopestooffercompletelybespokesizeseventually,usingfeetscanstocreatedigitallasts

whichwouldgeneratepatternsforleatherandothercomponentsofashoe.

(J)Thecompanydecidedtoadoptthismarriageofhigh-techandlow-tech,saysAndrea

Carpineti>tohelppreserveshoemakingjobsinLeMarche.Sofar,15shoeshopsinEurope

haveTotemsinstalled?andheexpectsthedevicestobeinseveralhundredstoresinChina

soon.Onewayoranother,then,shoemakersarestridingtowardsabespokefutur