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问题详情：

Being seen in a fancy sports car or enjoying a beach holiday in a five-star hotel were once signs of having ‘‘made it”.

But a new study suggested that having people think of you as constantly busy and overworked is now a far better way to show social status.

According to Harvard University in the US, people are increasingly leaning toward the phenomenon of “humblebragging (谦虚自夸)”. This is when people make a seemingly modest statement that actually draws attention to something they want to brag (吹嘘) about.

Phrases such as “I have no life” and “I desperately need a holiday” are now used to imply social standing, while ordering food and shopping online is the perfect way to prove to neighbors that you are simply too busy and important to go to the supermarket.

“Movies, magazines, and popular TV shows often highlight (强调) the abundance (富足) of money and leisure time among the wealthy,” said Neeru Paharia, an assistant professor at Harvard University.

“In recent years, featuring wealthy people relaxing by the pool or on a yacht (游艇), playing tennis or skiing and hunting are being replaced with advertisements featuring busy individuals who work long hours and have very limited leisure time,” he said. “Displaying (how busy you are at work) and a lack of leisure time operates as a visible signal of status in the eyes of others.”

The researchers pointed out that the Wall Street Journal’s 2016 advert campaign featured celebrities (名人) complaining about their busy lives, with the slogan (标语). “People who don’t have time, make time to read the Wall Street Journal.”

The report, which was published in the Journal of Consumer Research, also found that brands that marketed themselves as timesaving were becoming increasingly high-status, because of the people who used them.

According to the authors, this trend of humblebragging is due to people’s shit of focus-they now value “the preciousness und scarcity (稀缺) of individuals" more than “the preciousness and scarcity of goods”.

“Busy individuals possess desirable characteristics, leading them to be viewed as scarce and in demand,” the authors concluded.

12. The main idea of this article is about         ?

A. the trend of “humblebragging”.

B. characteristics of people who lead a busy life.

C. why people today are becoming increasingly busy.

D. why some people like to brag about their social status.

13. People today prefer to        to display their social status

A. share their passion for tennis or skiing

B. show how fast-paced their work life is

C. tell people about the wonderful holidays they take

D. show off their abundance of money and leisure time

14. The Wall Street Journal’s 2016 advert campaign implies that        .

A. busy people always have a better life than others

B. it’s important to read newspapers however busy you are

C. busy individuals should learn to manage their time better

D. a lack of time is a typical characteristic of people of high social status

15. From the article we can conclude that America people today         .

A. all brag about themselives.

B. value individuals, the preciousness and scarcity

C. order food and shop online to show they are rich

D. work long hours and don’t have enough leisure time.

【回答】

ABDB

知识点：阅读理解

题型：阅读理解