TEXT F After the events of
September 11, 2001, people in the US definitely needed to feel better. They had
just suffered one of the worst terrorist attacks ever known. Shortly afterwards,
US President George W Bush appeared on TV with words of advice, for his people.
"Go Shopping." he said. Is that the right response to a
terrorist outrage It was necessary from an economic point of view. The US was
already suffering economically before the attacks. That’s why the US president
spoke out and why the government started a campaign called "America: Open for
Business". In a country where prosperity is based on commerce, shopping is not
just a personal choice-it can be a patriotic act. In the first
few months after September 11, many people did not feel much like buying or
selling. Anyone working in sales will say that to be successful, a salesperson
has to believe in the product. After September 11, who could really believe in
new cars or the latest technological gadget But salespeople
will also say that every disaster is an opportunity in disguise. And soon,
entrepreneurs began to wonder what opportunities were disguised in the ruins of
the World Trade Centre. The first answer was flags. Many
Americans fly the "stars and stripes" outside their homes. Last year, the whole
country seemed to turn into one big flag festival as people turned to their
national symbol for comfort. Soon the commemorative goods began
to flow freely. Images of the burning World Trade Centre can be found on medals,
T-shirts, jewelry and beach towels. "It can be found in statuettes made of gold,
silver and glass. Hundreds of New York police and firefighters died trying to
rescue the people trapped in the Twin Towers. Consumers can remember them by
buying a range of attractive dolls in police and fire-fighter
uniforms. Let’s not forget the terrorists. Osama bin Laden’s
face has been printed on golf bails, toilet paper and posters with the words
"Wanted: dead or alive". People can Buy Osama dolls, too--with pins sticking out
of them. And your dog will have hours of fun with the Osama bin Laden rubber
chew! Many commentators in the US were shocked by these examples
of "kitsch". It showed a lack of respect for the victims, they said. But the
attack on New York was also an attack on the whole idea of modernity and
capitalism. Turing it into a business opportunity is a good way of showing how
much the attack failed. And all these products may be part of
the healing process for ordinary Americans. At first, people were too shocked
and angry to even consider expressing their feelings by buying things. But a
year on, many people seem to feel the need to reinforce their memories by buying
a commemorative product. As time goes by, these products will be stored away,
just like memories of September 11. People will never forget.
But life goes on-and so does shopping. According to the passage, a good way of showing how much the terrorist attack failed is to______.
A.trade in a product B.buy an American national flag C.turn the disaster into a business opportunity D.forget the tragedy and go on living a happy life