雅思阅读真题（Part 2）
消费时代的开端：大众消费文化如何兴起
本篇也叫：消费时代、消费社会、大众消费、消费文化、消费主义兴起、百货商店时代
Part 2 · 考频：中频 · 最近考试：2026.4.22长沙保险学院
本篇为雅思阅读真题（Part 2）《The beginning of the consumer age》，共 12 题，2026.4.22长沙保险学院雅思考试真题回忆，页面提供完整原文、题目、答案与解析，并支持在线机考模式免费练习。本页同时提供 Markdown 版本 供 AI 助手与搜索引擎直接读取。
文章讲述19世纪末20世纪初欧美工业化国家如何进入大众消费时代：人们通过购买商品炫耀新财富、彰显社会地位，style成为身份标志；制造商细分市场、改进生产，百货商店（巴黎Bon Marché、纽约Macy's、伦敦Harvey Nichols）与连锁店兴起，Singer缝纫机公司开创分期付款，广告与邮购共同推动商品走进千家万户。
How the public became mass consumers in the late 19 and early 20 centuries
A
By 1900 all major industrialised countries had become aware of the importance not only of production, but also of the consumption of goods by their citizens. As a result, a culture of consumption emerged, and this played an important role in the shaping of a country's social and economic identity. One feature of this new culture was a heightened awareness of social status and a strong desire at all levels to show off newly acquired wealth. New social aspirations were expressed most visibly through the acquisition of consumer goods, and the concept of style became increasingly significant as a measure of social status.
B
One of the ways in which manufacturers tried to encourage consumption was by identifying a particular market and deliberately making their goods look attractive to potential customers. However, the dissemination of goods to a mass market depended on more than the efforts of manufacturers and designers to inject style into products. It also required a whole network of activities and institutions. These included changes in production methods so that more goods could be manufactured; the development of new kinds of retail outlets; and the expansion of advertising to promote sales. The introduction of a credit system of buying, initiated by the Singer Sewing Machine Company in the US in the 1860s and later adopted elsewhere by furniture and electrical appliance manufacturers. also went a long way towards making more goods available to more people.
C
There were also changes to the selling environment. The department stores established in the second half of the 19th century-Bon Marche in Paris, Macy's in New York. Harvey Nichols in London-were joined, about the turn of the century, by multi-branch retailers appealing to the lower end of the market, such as John Jacobs' furniture stores in England. In US department stores, interior areas expanded and large shop windows were introduced to show off new products to their best advantage. Electric lighting increased their visual appeal. This idea was pioneered in 1877 by the US store-owner John Wanamaker, who persuaded inventor Thomas Edison to install electricity in his Philadelphia department store.
D
In the United States. where there were large distances between urban centres, mail order became a vital means whereby the rural population could acquire goods that they would not otherwise have been able to buy. Chicago entrepreneur Montgomery Ward launched the concept. producing a single-sheet mail-order catalogue in 1872. Three years later, his catalogue had nearly four thousand items listed on it Businessman Richard Sears followed suit in 1891, and together with partner Alvah C. Roebuck, moved on to develop the largest mail-order company of the 20th century.
E
By the end of the 19th century, consumer culture had taken root in industrialized countries and was changing the way people lived and perceived their own status. People were becoming increasingly conscious of their own social status, which was expressed through the acquisition of consumer goods and the concept of style. In response, manufacturers began to create goods that were more appealing to the public and retailers expanded their advertising and sales efforts.
F
Retail stores adapted to meet the demands of consumers, with large department stores opening in major cities and multi-branch retailers appealing to the lower end of the market. The selling environment was changed with large shop windows, electric lighting, and the expansion of interior areas to showcase goods. Additionally, mail-order catalogs became popular in the United States as a way for rural populations to access goods they wouldn't otherwise have access to. These developments helped to drive the growth of consumer culture and the associated economy.
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答案：the interplay of social aspirations consumer goods and style in shaping consumer culture
原文定位：One feature of this new culture was a heightened awareness of social status and a strong desire at all levels to show off newly acquired wealth;New social aspirations were expressed most visibly through the acquisition of consumer goods, and the concept of style became increasingly significant as a measure of social status
同义替换：「social aspirations」↔「social status」，「shaping」↔「new」
答案：the strategies adopted by manufacturers to promote consumption
原文定位：One of the ways in which manufacturers tried to encourage consumption was by identifying a particular market;These included changes in production methods;the development of new kinds of retail outlets;the expansion of advertising;The introduction of a credit system;also went a long way towards making more goods available to more people
同义替换：「strategies」↔「introduction of」，「promote」↔「encourage」
答案：the innovations in the selling environment to enhance product presentation
原文定位：There were also changes to the selling environment;large shop windows were introduced to show off new products to their best advantage;Electric lighting increased their visual appeal
同义替换：「innovations」↔「changes」，「enhance product presentation」↔「increased their visual appeal」
答案：the significance of mail order in bridging the rural-urban divide
原文定位：In the United States. where there were large distances between urban centres, mail order became a vital means whereby the rural population could acquire goods that they would not otherwise have been able to buy
同义替换：「significance」↔「vital means」，「rural-urban divide」↔「large distances between urban centres」，「bridging」↔「acquire goods that they would not otherwise have been able to buy」
答案：the emergence of consumer culture and its impact on social and economic identity
原文定位：By the end of the 19th century, consumer culture had taken root in industrialized countries and was changing the way people lived and perceived their own status
同义替换：「emergence of consumer culture」↔「consumer culture had taken root」，「impact on social and economic identity」↔「changing the way people lived and perceived their own status」
答案：the underlying drivers behind the growth of consumer culture and its economy
原文定位：Retail stores adapted to meet the demands of consumers;Additionally, mail-order catalogs became popular;These developments helped to drive the growth of consumer culture and the associated economy
同义替换：「underlying drivers」↔「developments」
答案：production
原文定位：By 1900 all major industrialised countries had become aware of the importance not only of production, but also of the consumption of goods by their citizens
答案：social
原文定位：this played an important role in the shaping of a country's social and economic identity
同义替换：「crucial」↔「important」
答案：consumer
原文定位：New social aspirations were expressed most visibly through the acquisition of consumer goods
答案：institutions
原文定位：It also required a whole network of activities and institutions
答案：electricity
原文定位：This idea was pioneered in 1877 by the US store;owner John Wanamaker;who persuaded inventor Thomas Edison to install electricity in his Philadelphia department store;Electric lighting increased their visual appeal;
同义替换：「first to use」↔「pioneered」
答案：The department stores established in the second half of the 19th century,The expansion of interior areas in retail stores
原文定位：The department stores established in the second half of the 19th century;were joined by multi;branch retailers;In US department stores;interior areas expanded and large shop windows were introduced to show off new products