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低迷的经济形势让许多行业举步维艰，但欧洲奢侈品行业却逆流而上，发展蓬勃。它们在中国市场的表现如何？哪个国家会是其中最大的赢家？
测试中可能遇到的词汇和知识：
downturn ['daʊntɜːn] 衰退（经济方面）；低迷时期
commissioned [kə'mɪʃənd] 受委任的，受任命的
Rémy Cointreau 人头马集团
like-for-like fall 同比下降
exposure [ɪk'spəʊʒə; ek-] 暴露；曝光
flagship ['flægʃɪp] 旗舰
阅读马上开始，建议您计算一下阅读整篇文章所用的时间，对照下方的参考值就可以评估出您的英文阅读水平。
The European luxury sector has shaken off the wider economic downturn as the number of people employed making high-end cars, wines and clothing rose 11 per cent between 2010 and 2013.
A new report from consultants Frontier Economics, commissioned by the European Cultural and Creative Industries Alliance trade body, suggests that the luxury sector added more than 100,000 jobs in the period and now directly employs about 1.1m people in Europe.
The figures come as luxury retailers have warned of slowing sales growth in Asia, particularly China. Consumer confidence in the world's second-largest economy has softened and new anti-corruption legislation has depressed demand for luxury goods as business gifts. Last month Rémy Cointreau reported a 14.6 per cent like-for-like fall in half-year operating profit, amid its heavy exposure to the slowing Chinese market.
But according to Harrods' boss Michael Ward, who is also president of the ECCIA, the slowdown is a positive sign for the wider industry.
“We have seen a slowdown in spend from the Chinese. But in fairness it's actually the right thing, a lot of it was in gift-giving. A lot of it was in expensive watches and expensive wines. That market has now cooled and it has moved back to core demand,” he said.
The report suggests that Europe's luxury sector has thrived despite problems in the rest of the economy. From 2010 to 2013, Europe's luxury goods sales, including high-end cars, wines and clothing, grew almost 28 per cent to €547bn, according to the report.
The UK could benefit most from the continued strength of the sector, according to retail consultants Conlumino, which has predicted that the country it will overtake Italy and France to become the largest luxury goods market in Europe by 2018, largely owing to the effect of London.
“London's status as a global luxury destination has increased as more and more luxury brands have opened flagship stores,” said Maureen Hinton, group research director.
The luxury sector's sales as a proportion of EU gross domestic product rose from 3 per cent to 4 per cent between 2010 and 2013, according to 1.ECCIA report.
请根据你所读到的文章内容，完成以下自测题目：
A.Offering discounts.
B.Improving quality.
C.Creating employment.
D.Reducing prices.
答案 (1)
A.New anti-corruption legislation was announced in China.
B.Consumer confidence in Asia is powerful.
C.The market of other consumer items boom in Asia.
D.Asia has suffered from a wider downturn.
答案 (2)
A.London has become the largest luxury goods market in Europe.
B.A growing number of new luxury business is starting in London.
C.The European Union is giving the efficient and direct support a lot.
D.The UK's luxury goods sales profit most from gift-giving.
答案 (3)
(1) 答案：C.Creating employment.解释：文章第二段，欧洲奢侈品行业繁荣带来的是新增了100000个工作岗位，1100000人直接被雇佣，促进了就业。
(2) 答案：A.New anti-corruption legislation was announced in China.解释：文章第三段，欧洲奢侈品在亚洲销售量减少主因是，打击用奢侈品行贿受贿的行为。
(3) 答案：B.A growing number of new luxury business is starting in London.解释：倒数第二、三段，英国可能成为奢侈品行业的赢家主要得益于伦敦成为了全球奢侈品的供应基地。