新托福阅读练习资料：英一学院开设女性穿高跟鞋专业

高跟鞋是很多女性的至爱，有的人甚至养成了收集高跟鞋的习惯。近期，英国一所学院为了增强女性的自信心专门开设了一门教学生穿高跟鞋走路的课程。

Students have been taught how to walk in stilettos as part of a government-funded course, a south London college said on Wednesday.

伦敦南部一所学院于本周三称，受政府资助，该校开设了一门教学生穿高跟鞋时如何走路的课程。

The six-week "Sexy Heels in the City" course was offered as an extra-curricular activity at South Thames College and finished in May.

“都市性感高跟鞋”课程为时六周，是南泰晤士学院开展的一项课余活动。该课程已于五月份结束。

The college said five students aged between 16 and 50-plus took part in the classes, and said the reactions were overwhelmingly positive.

据南泰晤士学院介绍，共有五名学生修了这门课，年龄最小的有16岁，最大的有50多岁，学生对课程的反响非常好。

"The course improved students' confidence, it was a fun, sociable activity for them to do in their free time," a college spokeswoman said.

该学院的一名女发言人说：“这门课程增强了学生的自信心，是课余时间里进行的一项有趣的社交活动。

"They practiced the Alexander Technique and learned how to walk responsibly and carefully in high heels." The Alexander Technique is a method that helps to improve a person's posture and balance.

“学生们在课上练习了亚历山大健身术，并学会了在穿高跟鞋时如何小心稳当地走路。”亚历山大健身术是帮助人们改善体态和身体平衡的一种方法。

Professional singer China Whyne -- who has worked with Eric Clapton, Seal and Peter Gabriel -- was paid 750 pounds (1,000 dollars, 900 euros) to teach the six-week course.

南泰晤士学校花费750英镑(1000美元或900欧元)请来职业歌手柴娜•薇妮来执教这一为期六周的课程。柴娜•薇妮曾与埃里克•克莱普顿、席尔和彼得•盖布瑞尔合作过。

On her website, the tutor promises to teach women teetering in high heels how to improve their posture, reduce back pain and "achieve that gliding feeling when walking".

这位老师在她的网站上承诺，要帮助那些不懂如何穿高跟鞋的女性改善体态，减少背部疼痛，找到“走路时那种飘逸的感觉”。

One of the college students who completed the course said she now "felt more comfortable in my heels." 新托福阅读练习资料：英一学院开设女性穿高跟鞋专业

修完这门课的一名学生说她现在“穿高跟鞋感觉舒服多了”。

"I no longer feel pain on a night out because I know what exercises to do beforehand," said 16-year-old Celina Mystery. "Now I can finally rock my heels."

16岁的塞丽娜•密斯特里说：“我现在晚上出去玩再也不觉得脚疼了，因为我知道事先要做哪些练习。现在我终于可以轻松穿高跟鞋了。”

South Thames College said it was still evaluating whether to run the course again.

南泰晤士学院称，目前学校仍在考虑是否将再次开设这门课程。

Meanwhile, the TaxPayers' Alliance campaign group dismissed the course as a waste of money.

而纳税人联盟的活动组织则认为开设这样的课程是浪费钱。

"This is a silly gimmick that's most likely diverting money away from more needy parts of the college," chief executive Matthew Elliott told the Daily Mirror website.

纳税人联盟的执行总监马修•埃利奥特告诉《镜报》网站说：“这是个愚蠢的噱头，本来应该用在刀刃上的钱却用在了这里。”

Vocabulary:

stiletto: a woman's shoe with a very high narrow heel; the heel on such a shoe 细高跟女鞋;(女鞋的)细高跟

Eric Clapton: 埃里克·克莱普顿，1945年出生，英国吉他手、歌手和作曲家。他曾经获得过格莱美奖，是20世纪最成功的音乐家之一，在摇滚名人堂里有三项成就。

Seal: 席尔，1963年出生，自上世纪90年代以来，Seal一直都是英国最受欢迎的男歌手之一，90年代中期以后，他把灵魂乐、民谣、摇滚、舞曲等不同的风格融入到自己的音乐中去，自成一派。

Peter Gabriel: 1950 年出生，20世纪70年代红极一时的摇滚乐团「创世纪」(Genesis)的团长，是当代摇滚音乐史上的一位音乐鬼才。

teeter: to stand or move in an unsteady way so that you look as if you are going to fall 摇晃;蹒跚行走;踉跄;摇摇欲坠

gimmick: an unusual trick that is intended to attract attention 花招，噱头