第二篇Shopping at Second-hand Clothing StoresWhen 33-year-old Pete Barth was in college, s

第二篇

Shopping at Second-hand Clothing Stores

When 33-year-old Pete Barth was in college, shopping at second-hand clothing stores was just something he did - "like changing the tires on his car." He looked at his budget, and decided he could save a lot of money by shopping for clothes at thrift shops.

"Even new clothes are fairly disposable (用后即丢掉的) and wear out after a couple of years," Barth said. "In thrift shops, you can find some great stuff whose quality is better than new clothes."

Since then, Barth, who works at a Goodwill thrift shop in the US state of Florida, has found that there are all kinds of reasons for shopping for second-hand clothing. Some people like him, shop to save money. Some shop for a crazy-looking shirt. And some hop as a means of conserving energy and helping the environment.

Pat Akins, an accountant at a Florida Salvation Army (SA) (救世军) thrift shop, said hat, for her, shopping at thrift shops is a way to help the environment.

"When my daughter was little, we looked at it as recycling," Akins said. "Also, why ay 30 dollars for a new coat when you can get another one for a lot less？"

Akins said that the SA has shops all over the US - "some as big as department stores." All of the clothes are donated (捐赠), and when they have a surplus (盈余), they'll have "stuff a bag" specials, where customers can fill a grocery sack with clothes for only or 10 dollars.

Julia Slocum, 22, points out, however, that the huge amount of second-hand clothing in the US is the result of American wastefulness.

I'd say that second-hand stores are the result of our wasteful, materialistic culture," said Slocum, who works for a pro-conservation organization, the Center for a New American Dream. "Thrift shops prevent that waste from going to landfills (垃圾填埋场); they give clothing a second life, provide cheaper clothing for those who can't afford to buy new ones and generate (生成) income for charities. They also provide a way for the wealthy and middle classes to shed (摆脱) some of the guilt for their level of consumption."

36 Which statement about Barth is NOT true？

A He is 33 years old now.

B He works at a Goodwill thrift shop.

C He works at a Salvation Army thrift shop.

D He was a college student many years ago