考研英语阅读理解B型题(十五) 英语, 考研, 阅读

幽幽草

Directions:　　In the following article, some sentences have been removed. For Questions 1-5, choose the most suitable one from the list A—G to fit into each of the numbered blank. There are two extra choices, which do not fit in any of the gaps.
　　During the early stages of the Industrial Revolution, 1）But when factory production got into full swing and new products, e. g. processed foods, came onto the market, national advertising campaigns and brand-naming of products became necessary. Before large-scale factory production, the typical manufacturing unit had been small and adaptable and the task of distributing and selling goods had largely been undertaken by wholesalers. The small non-specialized factory which did not rely on massive investment in machinery had been flexible enough to adapt its production according to changes in public demands.
　　2）From the beginning of the nineteenth century until the 1870s, production had steadily expanded and there had been a corresponding growth in retail outlets. But the depression brought on a crisis of over-production and under-consumption—manufactured goods piled up unsold and prices and profits fell. Towards the end of the century many of the small industrial firms realized that they would be in a better position to weather economic depressions and slumps if they combined with other small businesses and widened the range of goods they produced so that all their eggs were not in one basket. They also realized that they would have to take steps to ensure that once their goods had been produced there was a market for them. This period ushered in the first phase of what economists now call 'monopoly capitalism', which, roughly speaking, refers to the control of the market by a small number of giant，conglomerate enterprises. Whereas previously competitive trading had been conducted by small rival firms, after the depression the larger manufacturing units and combines relied more and more on mass advertising to promote their new range of products．
　　A good example of the changes that occurred in manufacture and distribution at the turn of the century can be found in the soap trade. From about the 1850s the market had been flooded with anonymous bars of soap, produced by hundreds of small manufacturers and distributed by wholesalers and door-to-door sellers. 3）For instance, the future Lard Leverhulme decided to brand his soap by selling it in distinctive packages in order to facilitate recognition and encourage customer loyalty．
　　Lard Leverhulme was one of the first industrialism to realize that advertisements should contain logical and considered arguments as well as eye-catching and witty slogans. 4）For example, one contemporary Pears soap ad went into great detail about how the product could enhance marital bliss by cutting down the time the wife had to spend with her arms in a bowl of frothy suds. And an ad for Cadbury's cocoa not only proclaimed its purity but also detailed other benefits: 'for the infant it is a delight and a support; for the young girl, a source of healthy vigour；for the young miss in her teens a valuable aid to development…' and so on. As the writer E. S. Turner rightly points out, the advertising of this period had reached the 'stage of persuasion as distinct from proclamation or iteration'.5）
　　[A]The leading companies develop more aggressive selling methods such as keeping contact with their customers.
　　[B]Indeed advertise or bust seemed to be the rule of the day as bigger and more expensive campaigns were mounted and smaller firms who did not, or could not, advertise, were squeezed or bought out by the larger companies.
　　[C] But the economic depression which lasted from 1873 to 1894 marked a turning point between the old method of industrial organization and distribution and the new．
　　[D]advertising was a relatively straightforward means of announcement and communication and was used mainly to promote novelties and fringe products．
　　[E]Competition grew steadily throughout the latter half of the century and eventually the leading companies embarked on more aggressive selling methods in order to take customers away from their rivals．
　　[F]Contemporary products also display details of the main ingredients.
　　[G]Many advertisers followed his lead and started to include 'reason why' copy in their ads．
　　答案及详解
　　1.D。“工业革命初期的广告主要用于新奇和装饰性的产品”与后句中的national compaigns and brand-naming of products became necessary对照，我们可知此时的广告应用还不是很普及，所以选D。
　　2.C。承上启下句，广告开始发出重要演变（“a turning point”。）
　　3.E。从后面一家公司通过采取独特的包装方法销售肥皂，而顾客在选择时能轻易辨别出来的实例中可知大公司开始了更强有力的推销手段，所以选E
　　4.G。第四段论述了大公司如何通过广告以及广告方式提高竞争力，上一句指出Lard leverhulme意识到广告标语“吸引眼球”与富有情趣的重要性。下一句通过肥皂和可乐的广告词，表明现代的广告越来越重视对产品作用的描述。
　　5.B。总结全文，做广告已成为现代商业社会的法则，许多负担不起大规模或昂贵广告的公司只有被并购或者逐渐萎缩。
　　中心思想
　　本文论述了广告的演变历史，工业革命初期，广告主要用于新奇或装饰性产品，接着大公司开始采取越来越强有力的推销手段。现代社会，广告更是成功决定商家命运的重要竞争力之一。