Question

Vans, Keds, Dollies—they sound like the names of rock bands, but if you have teenagers, you'll know they're actually the latest in teenage footwear．

But experts are now warning that the current shoe fashions will be causing teenagers discomfort in the short term and storing up years of foot, knee and back pain in the future．

Here, the experts identify the problems caused by teenagers' shoe choice．

KEDS/VANS

Slip-on shoes with elastic （彈性的）sides are particularly popular among teenage boys - with Keds and Vans the most sought-after brands．

The main problem is that they are just too flat—so flat that the heel, which strikes the ground first, also becomes damaged and painful．

BALLET PUMPS

The worst shoes of all are such light and thin dolly shoes．The problem is partly their flatness, as with Keds and Vans． However ballet pumps, which have no string or heel, have other specific problems．

“As the shoe has no fastening device, it relies on the toes to keep the shoe on, causing an awkward gait（步法）, this leads to short- and long-term problems such as calluses（繭子）, heel and knee pain．”

WEDGES AND STILETTOS

These shoes can also cause problems with gait． They may look good, but the heels on these are so high they can force the wearer's body weight forward, making them very unstable．

Teens who wear these shoes regularly are also in danger of joining those millions of women with constant back pain．

SCHOOL SHOES

So what do podiatrists（足科醫(yī)生）have on their wish list, especially for everyday wear?

Something in a natural, breathable fabric, with a string to hold it on, with a small heel and a deep toe-box that does not press the toes, such as Clark's, Marks & Spencer or Rhino．

If your teen insists on wearing 'bad' shoes, get them some simple foot orthotics（矯形器） in the shoes．These support and correct the movement of the foot and, properly fitted by a podiatrist, can often transform their walk and halt the damage．

1．Of all the shoes mentioned in the passage, which can cause the worst problems?

A． Marks & Spencer．                               B． Wedges & Stilettos．

C． Keds and Vans．                                   D． Ballet Pumps．

2．Which pair of shoes may not be found on the podiatrists’ wish list?

A．            B．               C．              D．

3．The underlined word “halt” in the last paragraph probably means _______．

A． increase           B． worsen              C． stop           D． cure

4．From this passage we can infer _______．

A． trendy shoes may ruin teenagers’ health

B． fashionable shoes all have orthotics in them

C． experts are strongly against wearing popular shoes

D． podiatrists are expert at producing branded shoes

5．In which column of Mail Online can you find this passage?

A． Sports．            B． Science．           C． Health．            D． Shopping．

Answer 1

DBCAC