阅读理解。
To understand the marketing concept, it is only necessary to understand the difference between marketing
and selling. Not too many years ago, most industries concentrated primarily on the efficient production of
goods, and then relied on "persuasive salesmanship" to move as much of these goods as possible. Such
production and selling focuses on the needs of the seller to produce goods and then convert (使转换) them
into money.
Marketing, on the other hand, focuses on the wants of consumers. It begins with first analyzing the
preferences and demands of consumers and then producing goods that will satisfy them. This
eye-on-the-consumer approach is known as the marketing concept, which simply means that instead of trying
to sell whatever is easiest to produce, the makers and dealers first find out what the consumer wants to buy
and then go about making it available for purchase.
This concept does not imply that business is benevolent (慈善的) or that consumer satisfaction is given
priority over profit in a company. There are always two sides to every business transaction-the firm and the
customer-and each must be satisfied before trade occurs. Successful merchants and producers, however,
recognize that the surest route to profit is through understanding and catering to (迎合) customers. A striking
example of the importance of catering to the consumer presented itself in mid-1985, when Coca Cola changed
the flavor of its drink. The non-acceptance of the new flavor by a significant portion of the public brought
about a prompt restoration (恢复) of the Classic Coke, which was then marketed alongside the new.
1. The marketing concept discussed in the passage is ______.
A. the practice of turning goods into money
B. making goods available for purchase
C. the customer-centered approach
D. a form of persuasive salesmanship
2. What was the main concern of industries before the marketing concept was widely accepted?
A. The needs of the market.
B. The efficiency of production.
C. The satisfaction of the user.
D. The preferences of the dealer.
3. According to the passage, "to move as much of these goods as possible" ( in Paragraph 1) means "______".
A. to sell the largest possible quantity of goods
B. to transport goods as efficiently as possible
C. to get rid of these goods in large quantities
D. to redesign these goods for large-scale production
4. What does the restoration of the Classic Coke best prove?
A. Traditional goods have a stronger appeal to the majority of people.
B. It takes time for a new product to be accepted by the public.
C. Consumers with conservative tastes are often difficult to please.
D. Products must be designed to suit the taste of the consumer.
