B
In today's world of smart phones and notebook computers, most people have at least one time-telling thing with them. Since these digital products are so common, is time running out for the 500-year-old watch? According to some consumers, the answer is yes. New Jersey teenager Charlie Wollman says a watch is “an extra piece of equipment with no necessary function.” Many young adults think so and use their smart phones to tell time. It is said that fewer young people wear watches today than ten years ago. As a result, some people say that the watch industry is at a crossroads.
However, watchmakers optimistically say that watches redeem popularity when consumers reach their 20s and 30s. By then, they are willing to spend money on a quality watch that doesn’t just keep good time. Fifty years ago, watchmakers took pride in their products’ accuracy. But in recent years, the watch industry has changed itself into an accessory business. And today, the image a watch communicates has become more important than the time it tells.
“Complications” — features that go beyond simple timekeeping — are an important part of a watch’s image. Today’s watches offer lots of features that meet almost any personality. These features include compasses, USB drivers, and even other functions that measure the effectiveness of golf swings!
Creativity also plays a key role in designing today’s watches. For example, Japanese watchmaker Tokyoflash makes watches that don’t even look like watches. The company’s popular Shinshoku model uses different color lights to tell time. It looks more like a fashionable bracelet than a watch.
Whether a watch communicates fashion sense, creative talent of a love sports, consumers want their watches to stand out. Nowadays, everyone has the same kind of gadget in their bags, so people want to make a statement with what’ s on their wrists. Will this interest in wrist fashion last? Only time will tell!
25. What can we know from the first paragraph?
A. As most people see, watches are out of fashion.
B. The watch industry will close down sooner or later.
C. Some people feel that watches have been of no use.
D. There are so many choices of watches for teenagers today.
26. The underlined word “redeem” in Paragraph 2 can be replaced by _________.
A. enlarge B. change C. regain D. win
27. Japanese watchmaker Tokyoflash is mentioned in Paragraph 4 to _________.
A. show why Shinshoku watches are popular
B. tell that today’s watches need more imagination
C. advertise Shinshoku watches made by Tokyoflash
D. make a comparison between watches and bracelets
28. What might be the most suitable title for the passage?
A. Japanese Watches Stand Out
B. Watches Tell More Than Time
C. Watch Industry Is in a Bad Situation
D. Watches Are Becoming Less Popular
