請依下文回答第 28 題至第 32 題 The recent controversies surrounding priority seats on public transportation in Taiwan have
highlighted the need for clearer guidelines and better public understanding of their purpose. While the
“People with Disabilities Rights Protection Act” __28__ the provision of priority seats on public
transportation, the law does not specify who is eligible to _29___ them.
Despite the frequent news of people fighting over priority seats, the Welfare Ministry in Taiwan has
stated that priority seats will not be abolished, but __30__ to the law may be considered. In the face of
recent controversies, it’s about time to consider expanding the definition of “those with actual needs” to
include more groups, which has been proposed but was not passed by the previous legislature.
In addition to top-down legal regulations, it is also important to __31__ a spirit of mutual
understanding from the bottom up through public education. Everyone needs to learn to identify who is
most in need, and should not hastily judge who is eligible to sit in priority seating based solely on age and
appearance. To better avoid unnecessary conflicts and misunderstandings, clearer guidelines, public
education, and a spirit of mutual respect among passengers are all __32__ . Only through collective effort
can we create a more inclusive and considerate public transportation environment.
請依下文回答第 33 題至第 37 題
How do we know if the economy is in decline? The answer might be on our lips. Estee Lauder
chairman Leonard Lauder created the “lipstick index” during the economic downturn following September
11, 2001. He noticed that the purchase of cosmetics, particularly lipsticks, tends to be inversely related to
the economy because women replace more expensive purchases with small pick-me-ups. In the fall of
2001, US lipstick sales increased by 11%. During the Great Depression, cosmetics sales overall increased
by 25%.
In 2020, at the height of the Covid economic downturn, Estee Lauder’s CEO Fabrizio Freda said that
the lipstick index had been replaced by a skincare item as customers donned masks and worked from
home. “The lipstick index has been substituted with the moisturizing index,” said Freda. “But the concept
of the index is still there.”
Now we may be seeing that phenomenon rear its ugly head once more. The retailer Sephora recently
announced a record sales year, and data from consumer research group Circana shows that prestige beauty
growth has outpaced mass beauty sales, growing 9% and 2%, respectively in the first quarter of the year.
Of course, the so-called lipstick index is a less technical — and more fun — measure of economic
downturn and is not always entirely accurate. But as the free-spending post-pandemic party comes to an
end in the US, it’s something worth exploring.
Before the Bell (the CNN business newsletter) spoke with Neela Montgomery, CEO of Overeon (a
collective of premium cosmetics brands including BareMinerals and Laura Mercier), about the outlook
for beauty in an uncertain economic climate in an interview below.
Before the Bell: What do you see dominating the beauty market in the second half of the year?
Neela Montgomery: Clean has become a real buzzword in this industry, but this whole idea of no-tox
(anti-botox) remains a really important thing. The market is bifurcating between this very authentic, real
look and people who are getting more cosmetic work done. What we see is a need for more of these kinds
of efficacious products for people who don’t want to go down the cosmetic procedure or injectables route.
And then we continue to see that sort of clean girl with a pop of color look. So, you know, we have this
sort of red lip…We continue to see that grow and expand.
What is the main idea of this passage?
A
The cosmetics sales increased during the Great Depression in the U.S.
B
Estee Lauder’s CEO explained the concept of the index.
C
Economists say we look at women’s lips to see if a recession is coming.
