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阅读理解
WearingtieswasoriginallythemarkofBritain'smostpowerfulclasses.Thatmadethetieitselfasymbolofpowerandrespect.Andthatledittobeadoptedbyamuchlargertribe(部族)-thebusinesstribe.
Youcannotwearatieifyouworkwithmachinery.Sowearingatiebecameasignthatyouwereamanwhousedhisbraintomakealivingratherthanhishands.Itshowedyouwereserious.Itshowedyouwereaprofessional.Itmeantthateveryonewhowantedajobinbusinesshadtowearone.Itwasjustimpossibletotakeseriouslyamanwhodidn'twearapieceofcoloredsilkaroundhisneck.
Thisishowmillionsofpeoplecametobewearingtiesacrosstheworld.Theyarepartoftheuniformofbusiness.
“Tiesofferapointofdifference”saysJohnMilneheadoftheBritishGuideofTieMakers.“Theygiveachancetosaysomethingabouttheirownpersonality.”
Soifyouhappentomeetamanwithaverybrightlycoloredtiethere'sagoodchancethatheistheofficejoker.There'salsoagoodchancethathewillbewearingbrightlycoloredsocks.
Isthereafutureforties?Thesignsarenotpromising.Tiewearingseemstoberareamongstthenewbreadofentrepreneurs(创业者)intheinternetandnewtechnologyindustries.ManypoliticalleadersincludingBritishPrimeMinisterTonyBlarenowgowithoutties.Thisshowstheyaremenofthepeople-butnotthepeoplewearingties.
Upuntilaround1960itwascommonformenacrossthewesternworldtowearhatsaspartoftheirbusinessuniform.ThatchangedwiththeelectionofJohnF.KennedytothepresidencyoftheUnitedStates.Kennedyneverworeahat-infacthisnicknamewas“hatlessJack”.Seeingthatthemostpowerfulmanintheworlddidnothavetowearahatmillionsofothermendecidedthattheydidnothavetoeither.Hatssimplyvanishedacrossthewesternworld.Perhaps“tielessTony”(UKPrimeMinisterTonyBlare)willhavethesameeffectas“hatlessJack”.