17.Most American teenagers can't wait to get rid of their"metal mouth"nickname.They count down the days they can finally take their braces(牙箍) off.However,trendy teenagers in Indonesia,Malaysia and Thailand can't wait to get them on,even if they don't need them.
Braces are the latest teenage fashion trend in Southeast Asia.Having a mouthful of metal has become so popular with Asian teens that there have been reports of many teens wearing fake braces.Many Asian beauty shops are now offering to put in cheap fake braces.There are even cheaper do-it-yourself braces such as"Hello Kitty,""Mickey Mouse"or others for a price of around $100.
Braces are considered as a sign of wealth in Southeast Asia.A real set of braces in Bangkok,the capital city of Thailand,for example,will cost around﹩1,200,which is a large amount for the country with a GDP of﹩345 billion(one billion is 1,000 million),compared to the US which had a GDP of $15.06 trillion (one trillion is 1,000 billion) last year.
While Asian teens may think that their colorful fake braces are cool,experts say that these trendy fashion braces can cause illness and can even lead to death.According to the New York Daily News,fake fashion braces have already been linked to the deaths of two teens in Thailand.A 17-year-old in the northeast city of Khon Kaen died from heart failure caused by a thyroid infection (甲狀腺感染) from a pair of fake fashion braces.Police also linked the death of another 14-year-old girl in Chonburi to a pair of fashion braces she had bought from an illegal shop.
Although the government is giving warnings about fake braces,the trend has been going strong for at least four years.What's worse,the trend for fake braces shows no sign of slowing down.
32.Teens in Southeast Asia wear fake braces mainly toA.
A.follow fashion.
B.protect their teeth
C.show their DIY ability.
D.prove their social position.
33.Why does the author compare Thailand GDP with that of the US?D
A.To explain the importance of the GDP.
B.To introduce the capital city of Thailand.
C.To describe the development of Thailand.
D.To show the high cost of braces in Thailand.
34.According to Paragraph 4,fake bracesA.
A.a(chǎn)re very dangerous.
B.need to be improved
C.can treat tooth disease.
D.cost as much as real ones
35.What does the author think of the fashion trend?B
A.Exciting.B.Worrying.C.Boring.D.Acceptable.