阅读理解。
Advertising informs consumers about new products available on the market. It gives us information
about everything from shampoo to tooth-paste to computers and cars. But there is one series problem
with this. The "information" is actually very often "misinformation". It tells us the products, benefits but
hides their disadvantages. Advertising not only leads us to buy things that we don't need and can't afford,
but it also confuses our sense of reality.
Advertisers use many methods to get us to buy their products. One of their most successful methods
is to make us feel dissatisfied with ourselves and our imperfect lives. Advertisements show us who we
aren't and what we don't have. "Why don't I have any dates (约会)?" a good-looking girl sadly asks in a
commercial. "Here," replies her roommate, "Try Zoom tooth-paste!" Of course she tried it, and immediately
the whole football team falls in love with her. "That's a stupid commercial," we might say. But we still buy
Zoom tooth-paste out of fear of being unpopular and having no friends.
If fear is the negative motive (动机) for buying a product, then wanting a good self-image is the positive
reason for choosing it. Each of us has a mental picture of the kind of person we would like to be. For
example, a modern young woman might like to think that she looks like a beautiful movie star. A middle-aged
man might want to see himself as a strong, attractive athlete. Advertisers know this. They write specific ads
to make certain groups of people choose their products.
Advertisers get psychologists to study the way consumers think and their reasons for choosing one brand
instead of another. These experts tell advertisers about the motives of fear and self-image. They also inform
them about recent studies with colors and words. They have found that certain colors on the package of an
attractive product will cause people to reach out and take that package instead of buying an identical (同一的、
相等的) product with different colors.
Many people believe that advertising does not affect them. They like to think they make wise choices.
Unfortunately, they probably don't realize the powerful effect of advertising. They may not clearly understand
that advertisers spend billions of dollars each year in aggressive (强有力的) competition for our money, and
they are extremely successful.
1. Advertising _____. [ ]
A. gives us valuable information about new products
B. misinforms us
C. doesn't influence us very much
D. doesn't always tell us everything about a product
2. "A modern young woman might like to think that she looks like a beautiful movie star" That means _____. [ ]
A. a modern young woman wants to be as attractive as possible
B. every modern young woman wants to act in movies
C. most modern women think that they are beautiful
D. modern woman are not always satisfied with themselves
3. Advertisers _____ to make us buy their products. [ ]
A. offer very low prices
B. get information from psychologists
C. use similar method
D. need to use better detergent (洗涤剂) and shampoo
4. Psychologists tell advertisers _____. [ ]
A. which brands of tooth-paste to produce
B. to stop influencing shoppers
C. about people's motives for buying
D. how much money to spend on television
