This year, Havaianas is celebrating 50 years of business. The advantage it has over the competition is that it does not cut corners on the soles of their flip-flops. Unlike competitors, Havaianas has formulated a very comfortable and long-lasting sole made of aerated rubber. Everything from the formula of the rubber to the processing is a tightly guarded secret. All that is known is that it is a mixture of domestic and imported rubber that gets tougher with extended wear.
Color options, on the other hand, are no secret. Twenty-three ever-changing colors are available at one time, along with interesting sole designs and strap embellishments. Amazingly, 210 million pairs of Havaianas were sold last year in 80 different countries with only one factory in Brazil producing them. As the company expands, they are working with other businesses like jewelry labels to create ever more unique and personalized flip- flops.
While in the past, elite feet would not be caught dead in a pair of flip-flops, today it is a much different story. They now grace boardwalks, runways, and red carpet events by the rich and famous worldwide. Even so, Havaianas has not forgotten whom they originally were making the shoes for. Basic flip-flops are still available in Brazil for about US$5, keeping feet of every class covered. From a working-class citizen's point of view, being able to wear the same brand of shoes that top-paid executives wear offers a sense of pride and accomplishment. Such things prove that Havaianas is not just about making money. Instead, it is about the people of Brazil and their commitment to quality, both in flip-flops and in life.
1. What is the main idea of the article?
(A) Only poor people in Brazil wear
flip-flops.
(B) The history of shoes in Brazil.
(C) The rise of a shoe company in Brazil.
(D) Manufacturing changes that have been happening in Brazil.
2. For whom did Havaianas first produce footwear for?
(A) Children that needed shoes to attend school.
(B) Lower class communities on limited incomes.
(C) Workers in industries that needed shoes for hot conditions.
(D) Upper-class housewives that hung out by the pool all day long.
3. What is NOT a quality known about Havaianas' flip-flops?
(A) They are made using pour-and-press molds.
(B) They are made from aerated rubber.
(C) They are made from foreign and domestic materials.
(D) They get tougher the longer they are worn.
4. According to the article, what is Havaianas committed to?
(A) Profits.
(B) Creating affordable footwear for everyone.
(C) Becoming the biggest supplier of shoes for low income people in South America.
(D) Making sure everyone wears their flip-flops during the hotter seasons of the year.
今年，哈瓦仕即将庆祝开幕 50 周年。哈瓦仕比竞争对手占优势的地方在于他们不会在人字拖的鞋底偷工减料。和竞争对手不同的是，哈瓦仕构想出了一种非常舒服且又持久耐用的鞋底，鞋底由充气橡胶制成。从橡胶的配方到加工程序，这一切都是高度机密。我们所知道的就只有这种橡胶是混合了当地及进口的橡胶，长时间穿着之下橡胶会变得更坚韧。
另一方面来说，颜色的选择就不是什么秘密了。同时期会有 23 种持续更新的颜色可供选购，还有有趣的鞋底设计以及鞋子的系带装饰。令人惊讶的是，去年在 80 个国家售出的两亿 1 千万双哈瓦仕人字拖，只靠巴西当地一家工厂独力生产。随着该公司扩大业务，哈瓦仕即将与其他企业合作，诸如珠宝公司等，目的是要创造出比以往更加独特且个性化的人字拖。
虽然过往那些菁英阶层不愿被人撞见他们脚上踩着一双人字拖，但时至今日却已完全不是这么一回事。现在世界各地的富人及名人会穿着人字拖为各式大道、舞台及红毯活动等增添了不少光辉。即便如此，哈瓦仕未曾忘记他们当初制鞋的初衷。现在在巴西大约美金 5 元就可以买得到基本款的人字拖，这让每个不同阶层的人都有鞋可穿。从一个工人阶级公民的观点来看，能和那些高薪主管穿着同一品牌的鞋子，这给了他们一种自豪感和成就感。这样的事证明了哈瓦仕目的不只是要赚钱。他们在乎的是巴西人民及对质量的承诺，对人字拖及人生的质量皆是如此。
答案： 1. C 2. B 3. A 4. B
巴西联邦共和国是拉丁美洲最大的国家，人口数居世界第五。其国土位于南美洲东部，毗邻大西洋，面积为世界第五大，仅次于俄罗斯、加拿大、美国与中国。巴西拥有辽阔的农田和广大的雨林。国名源于巴西苏木（Brazilwood）。其国旗之含义为：绿色─广大的丛林；黄色─丰富的矿产；蓝色─南半球的星空，其中 27 颗星分别代表 26 个州与 1 个联邦特区，一道国家格言『纪律与进步』横跨其中。由于历史上曾为葡萄牙的殖民地，巴西的官方语言为葡萄牙语。
巴西经济以农业、采掘业、制造业和服务业较为发达，劳动力充足。主要出口商品有：咖啡、大豆、铁矿石、柳橙汁、钢铁、蔗糖以及飞机。得益于丰厚的自然资源和充足的劳动力，巴西的国内生产总值位居南美洲第一，世界排名第七位，对世界市场影响日益扩大。
（数据源：维基百科）
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