109 學年度學測英文 第 41 題

The flip-flop is the simplest shoe on the planet. It consists of a piece of rubber, plastic, leather, or woven material in the outline of a foot, with a strap holding the sandal to a wearer’s toes. The name comes from the sound the sandals make when they slap the walking feet.

The earliest record of people wearing the flip-flop comes from Egypt, but many ancient cultures had their own variants of the footwear. In the Greek version, the toe strap ran between the first and second toes, while Roman sandals had the strap between the second and third toes. The Mesopotamians wore the strap between the third and fourth toes. In India, “toe knob” sandals had a knob between the first and second toes.

Modern flip-flops derive from Japanese zōris, which were often worn with socks dividing the big toe from the rest, and were typically made of rice straw. During World War II, Japan seized much of Southeast Asia’s rubber. In 1945, devastated from the war, the country set about establishing a cheap industry that could rebuild its economy. The Japanese used their rubber reserves from the war to mass-produce the simplest Japanese footwear. Rubber thus replaced rice straw as the major material for the flip-flop.

In the 1950s, flip-flops became popular in the United States as soldiers returning from occupied Japan brought zōris home. The sandals have subsequently undergone redesign, often appearing in bright colors in line with Californian beach culture. They have remained popular due to their convenience, and are often worn with bathing suits or summer clothing. Some people also wear dressy versions for more formal occasions.

Despite their popularity, flip-flops provoke some questions. Their simple design is responsible for many foot injuries. Another issue is the suitability of exposing feet on the street and places other than the beach. But even more serious is their environmental impact: Millions of plastic discards end up in landfills or the ocean, releasing chemicals and at the same time taking centuries to decompose.