问题 填空题

[A] Refuse Gimmicks

[B] Be Wary of Price Levels

[C] Say No to Useless Things

[D] Never Pay List Price

[E] Stand up to Temptations

[F] Switch — or Threaten to

[G] Don’t Buy on Impulse

In recent years the basic market principles of competition and choice have expanded into new aspects of American life. Consumers now face a bewildering array of options for air travel, phone service, medical care, even postal service. Car buyers can shop on the Internet for the best price at any dealership in their area. In some parts of the country, homeowners can purchase electricity from a menu of companies. All this choice translates into unprecedented consumer power.

One of the persistent myths of capitalist culture is that business people love competition. They don’t. They spend their waking hours plotting ways to avoid it, and keep prices high. These days they use information technologies that give them intricate data on individual shoppers, and then present multiple prices to get each consumer to cough up the maximum he is willing to pay. The airlines have mastered this game, offering many levels of fares.

So how can you make the most of your new power as a consumer Here are rules to help you find your way.

41.______

In the New Economy, competition is so p that fewer stores and services are immune to price pressure, so sharpen your bargaining skills. Ask retailers to match prices you’ve seen on the Internet. Ask at the checkout counter if there are any coupons or discounts you can use. Ask hotel clerks if there are better rates available. You’ll be surprised how often the answer is yes.

42.______

As competition heats up and pushes prices down, businesses scramble to boost their profits by heaping on extras: rust proofing your car, service contracts on your appliance, prepaid gasoline for your rental car. These stunts are devised to make you pay more at the last minute and probably aren’t a good deal.

43.______

The information highway is a two-way street. As a consumer, you can get more data. But while you are roaming the Web, businesses are studying your habits and vulnerabilities.

Have a weakness for chocolates Don’t be surprised if Amazon. Com offers to sell you a box while you’re browsing for books. They’re using a wrinkle on the last-minute marketing pitch perfected by McDonald’s: “Would you like fries with that” The ploy works remarkably well.

44.______

Versioning is a tactic used by businesses to separate status-conscious consumers from the bargain-hungry ones — since the former mean bigger profit margins. “Deluxe” and “platinum” are code words used to entice status seekers to open their wallets.

Add a third price level and the purses of even bargain-hungry shoppers can be pried open. Research shows that many consumers who might pick the lower-priced option when given just two choices will choose the medium-priced alternative if given three. “Consumers try to avoid extreme options,” write Carl Shapiro and Hal R. Varian in their book Information Rules.

Consumers in .the New Economy face more demands on their time and attention than ever before, so they’re inclined to make the most familiar choice. Consider this: it had been a decade and a half since the breakup of AT&T, yet it is still by far the largest long-distance provider — even while other phone companies offer $ 50 worth of free service for switching. More than ever, it pays to change services and brands.

If you don’t want the hassles of switching remember that businesses are eager to hang on to consumers. The next time you get a tempting offer from a credit-card issuer or a phone company, call your current provider and ask them to match the deal. You’ll be pleased to find how often they’ll agree.

44()

答案

参考答案:B

解析:

第八段谈到,对商品进行不同描述(versioning)是商家们用来区分有身份意识的顾客和热衷于杀价的顾客的一种策略,因为前者追求的是身份,所以会为“豪华型的” (deluxe)或“铂金级”(platinum)的商品掏钱;而第九段谈到,再增加一个价格标准(price level),即使热衷于杀价的人的钱包也会被撬开。由此可见,这两段主要在介绍商家们利用消费者的心理所制定的一些“价格标准”,故选[B],选项中的price levels为原词复现。

问答题

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[说明]


某信息网络建设项目主要包括网络系统建设、综合布线、机房建设及系统集成等实施内容。建设单位甲经招标,选定承建单位乙承担该项目的总集成工作,单位丙承担该项目的监理工作。单位乙根据项目批复的可行性研究报告给出了实施设计方案。
事件1:单位乙确定了整个网络建设项目的实施设计方案交由单位丙审核。监理工程师在审核方案时发现以下疑点:
①综合布线的楼层配线间的湿度正常范围:20%~90%。
②传输视频信号的电缆一般选用100Ω同轴电缆。
③垂直干线子系统布线走线应选择干线线缆最短、最经济、最安全的路由。
④信息座与计算机设备的距离保持在8米范围内。
⑤综合布线系统的设备间地板承重压力不能低于500kg/m2
⑥机房场地的位置应该于海拔0至4570米的高度之间。
⑦机房内预留维护工作空间和设备有效散热空间,机柜的前后左右至少各留55cm以方便日后的维护和散热。
⑧机房火灾报警系统除了火灾探测器完成火灾的自动探测外,还需要手动报警按钮联动控制模块、声光报警、信号输入模块、总线隔离模块。
⑨网络通信中,如果要实现双向同时通信就必须要有两条数据传输线。
⑩网络中通常使用电路交换、报文交换和分组交换技术。
事件2:单位乙在网络系统建设中为了确保安装质量,在组织实施原定检测计划的基础上,又委托一家检测单位加强安装过程的检测。安装工程结束时,单位乙要求项目监理机构同意向单位甲索要其增加的检测费用,但被总监理工程师拒绝。
事件3:在建设过程中,由于单位甲的需求有较大的变更,单位乙在单位甲的要求下对设计方案做了重大修改,征得单位甲和单位丙同意并办理变更手续后,按照变更后的方案实施项目,完成了整个变更过程。
事件4:机房工程建设完成后,单位乙向单位丙提出验收申请,监理工程师在审核单位乙的验收材料时,发现建设文档不完整,要求单位乙将文档补齐后方可进行验收。单位乙解释道:“这是单位甲的要求,为了赶工期,需机房验收后马上进入网络系统安装调试阶段,缺少的文档在整体工程验收时补齐”,监理工程师依然坚持自己的做法。

事件3中,对项目设计变更的处理方法是否完整如果完整,请说明理由;如果不完整,请补充。

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