Page 40 - index

2020 ‫מועד קיץ‬ - 39 - ‫ פרק ראשון‬- ‫אנגלית‬

Reading Comprehension

This part consists of two passages, each followed by several related questions. For each
question, choose the most appropriate answer based on the text.

Text I (Questions 13-17)

(1) While some shoe brands come and go, the Hush Puppies brand hit the ground
running in 1958 and is still around over fifty years later. It has the distinction of being
the world's first casual shoe.

Back in 1958, James Muir, a sales manager for the Wolverine World Wide shoe
(5) company, was traveling in Tennessee to market a new line of comfortable suede shoes.

He stopped overnight at a friend's house, where he was served a dinner of fried catfish
accompanied by deep-fried cornmeal dough balls called hush puppies. When he asked
how this food got its unusual name, he was told that farmers used it to quiet their
barking dogs, or "hush their puppies". Ever the shoe salesman, Muir immediately noted
(10) that "barking dogs" was also an expression meaning tired, sore feet. The result? That
very day, the new line of shoes was renamed Hush Puppies, the comfortable shoe that
soothes aching feet.

Soon the Hush Puppies brand, with its famous basset hound logo, became part of
American popular culture. The photo of the dog could be seen all over: on shoe boxes,

(15) in store displays, and in television and magazine advertisements. Within a few years,
the shoes were being worn by young and old from all walks of life. The brand quickly
spread across North America and beyond. Hush Puppies were popular with everyone
from royalty to rock stars. Britain's Prince Philip wore a pair when he visited the U.S.
in 1959. In the mid-1960s, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and other rock bands

(20) sported Hush Puppies. Today, millions of pairs of Hush Puppies are sold every year in
over 130 countries.

The Hush Puppies story is far from over. The Wolverine World Wide shoe company

has, in recent years, produced everything from lightweight to environmentally friendly
shoes. Though there were a few times in its history when Hush Puppies appeared to be
(25) going to the dogs, somehow the brand has kept right on walking.

Questions

13. It can be understood from the text that Hush Puppies are especially known for being -

(1) cheap
(2) comfortable
(3) strong
(4) lightweight

)‫© כל הזכויות שמורות למרכז ארצי לבחינות ולהערכה (ע"ר‬
.‫ בלא אישור בכתב מהמרכז הארצי לבחינות ולהערכה‬- ‫ כולה או חלקים ממנה‬- ‫ או ללמדה‬,‫אין להעתיק או להפיץ בחינה זו או קטעים ממנה בכל צורה ובכל אמצעי‬