C

What do consumers really want? That’s a question market researchers would love to answer. But since people don’t always say what they think, marketers would need direct access to consumers’ thoughts to get the truth.

    Now, in a way, that is possible. At the “Mind of the Market” laboratory at Harvard Business School, researchers are looking inside shoppers’ skulls to develop more effective advertisements and marketing styles. Using imaging techniques that measure blood flow to various parts of the brain, the Harvard team hopes to predict how consumers will react to particular products and to discover the most effective ways to present information. Stephen Kosslyn, a professor of psychology at Harvard, and business school professor Gerald Zaltman, oversee the lab. “The goal is not to influence people’s preferences,” says Kosslyn, “just to speak to their actual desires."

    The group’s findings, though still preliminary (初步的), could change how firms develop and market new products. The Harvard group use position emission tomography (PET) scans to monitor the brain activity. These PET scans, along with other imaging techniques, enable researchers to see which parts of the brain are active during specific tasks(such as remembering a word).Correlations (相互關(guān)系) have been found between blood flow to specific areas and future behavior. Because of this, Harvard researchers believe the scans can also predict future purchasing patterns. According to an unpublished paper the group produced, “It is possible to use these techniques to predict not only whether people will remember and have specific emotional reactions to certain materials, but also whether they tend to want those materials months later.”

The Harvard group is now moving into the next stage of experiments. They will explore how people remember advertisements as part of an effort to predict how they will react to a product after having seen an ad. The researchers believe that once key areas of the brain are identified, scans on about two dozen volunteers will be enough to draw conclusions about the reactions of specific sections of the population. Large corporations-including Coca Cola, Eastman Kodak, General Motors, and Hallmark-have already signed up to fund further investigations.

    For their financial support, these firms gain access to the experiments but cannot control them．If Kosslyn and Zahman and their team really can read the mind of the market, then consumers may find it even harder to get those advertising jingles-out of heir heads.

66. Which of the following statements can be the best title for this passage?

A. Reading the Mind of the Market.    

B. Influencing the Customers’ Choice.

C. Influencing the Style of Advertising.      

D. Experimenting with the Way to Foretell

67. Why do the Harvard researchers use scientific technology in the experiments?

A. Because they want to find a better way to persuade people into purchasing patterns in the future in the different market.

B. Because they don’t trust the findings already done by other researchers.

C. Because they want to see how particular products can influence consumers and find out the most effective ways to advertise.

D.Because they think the marketing strategies can actually be changed after the experiments.

68. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

A. People sometimes hide their true feelings when questioned by the marketing surveyors.

B. Stephen Kosslyn and Gerald Zaltman are in charge of the experiment and think ill of the study.

C. Harvard researchers have found some relation between people’s brain and future behavior.

D. Many large companies finance the Harvard group’s further investigations.

69. What does “to speak to” in the 2nd paragraph mean?

   A. To communicate with. B. To say to.     C. To talk to.      D. To respond to.

70. The last sentence of the passage implies that ___________.

A. it is very likely that customers will buy unnecessary things just depending on the ads in the future.

B. in fact, the real purpose of Harvard group’s research is to attract more consumers into the market.

C. Coca Cola or the General Motors can exploit the findings of the experiments in their own marketing.

D. Consumers may find it more difficult to get out of the advertising jungle and it may cause them headaches.

How do apology languages work? Have you ever tried to apologize, only to be refused? It may be that you were offering a partial apology in a “l(fā)anguage” , that was foreign to your listener．The five languages of apology include:

Apology Language 1: “I am sorry.”

List the hurtful effects of your action．Not “I am sorry if …”, but “I am sorry that…”．You might ask if they want to add any points that you have not recognized.

Apology Language 2:“I was wrong.”

     Name your mistake and accept fault．Note that it is easier to say “You are right” than “ I am wrong”, but the latter carries more weight.

Apology Language 3: “ What can I do to make it right?”

     How are you now? How shall I make amends(彌補(bǔ)) to you? How can I restore your confidence that I love you— even though I was so hurtful to you?

Apology Language 4: “I’ll try not to do that again.”

     Engage in problem-solving．Don’t make excuses for yourself such as, “Well, my day was just so…” Instead, offer what you will change to prevent yourself from putting them in the same bad situation again．

Apology Language 5: “Will you please forgive me?”

      Be patient in seeking forgiveness．They may need some time or greater clarification of your input from Apology Languages 1-4.

      Finally, your apology may not be accepted, but at least you know that you have been faithful in offering a sincere olive branch of peace.

The passage mainly talks about___________

     A．5 tips for apologies that work          B．5 ways of refusing apologies

     C．the function of apology languages       D．the importance of apology languages

According to Paragraph 1, your apology may be refused mainly because________

     A．your listeners can’t understand your dialect.

     B．your listeners can’t hear what you said clearly.

     C．your apology is not sincere.

     D．your apology is not expressed well enough.

When offering an apology, which of the following does the author prefer?

     A．“You are right”                   B．“I am sorry if …”

       C.“I was wrong.”                   D．“Well, my day was just so…”

In the last paragraph, the author tells us even if your apology may not be accepted, at

least ___________.

     A．It’s your fault any more                B．your mind will be at peace

     C．your friend will make peace with you   D．your apology is true to your heart

A little under one-third of U.S. families have no Internet access and do not plan to get it, with most of the holdouts seeing little use for it in their lives, according to a survey released on Friday.

Park Associates, a Dallas-based technology market research firm, said 29 percent of U.S. families, or 31 million homes, do not have Internet access and do not intend to subscribe（預(yù)訂） to an Internet service over the next 12 months. The second annual National Technology Scan conducted by Park found that the main reason why potential customers say they do not subscribe to the Internet is because of the low value to their daily lives rather than concerns over cost.

Forty-four percent of these families say they are not interested in anything on the Internet, versus just 22 percent who say they cannot afford a computer or the cost of Internet service, the survey showed. The answer "I'm not sure how to use the Internet" came from 17 percent of participants who do not subscribe. The response "I do all my e-commerce shopping and YouTube-watching at work" was cited by 14 percent of Internet-access refuseniks. Three percent said the Internet doesn't reach their homes.

The study found U.S. broadband adoption grew to 52 percent over 2006, up from 42 percent in 2005. Roughly half of new subscribers converted（轉(zhuǎn)變） from slower-speed, dial-up Internet access while the other half of families had no prior access.

"The industry continues to chip （擊破）away at the core of non-subscribers, but has a long way to go," said John Barrett, director of research at Parks Associates. "Entertainment applications will be the key. If anything will pull in the holdouts, it's going to be applications that make the Internet more similar to pay-TV," he predicted.

What does the underlined word “holdouts” in the first paragraph most probably mean?

A. some American families      

B. those who hold out one’s opinions

C. those who have been surveyed    

D. those who still haven’t access to the Internet currently

Many potential customers refuse to subscribe to the Internet mainly because __________.

A. they show too much concern about the cost

B. they can find little value of it

C. they do most YouTube-watching at work

D. the Internet doesn’t reach their homes

From the passage we can infer that _____________.

A. It is not an easy job to transform those holdouts into the Internet users

B. people will adopt dial-up Internet access no more

C. many Americans enjoy doing e-commerce shopping at home

D. more than half of the population are using the Internet in 2005

According to John Barrett, what is the key to attracting more U.S. families to broadband service?

A. making the Internet look more similar to TV set

B. applying the Internet more to entertainment

C. providing more pay-TV programs

D. chipping away at the core of non-subscribers

Which is the best title for the passage?

A. Web develops with technology

B. The present situation of web

C. Many Americans see little point to web

D. It is urgent to promote web service

How to protect children Web fans from unsuitable material on-line while encouraging them to use the Internet has long been discussed in the U.S.

For some parents, the Internet can seem like a jungle, filled with danger for their children. But jungles contain wonders as well as dangers and with good guides, some education, and a few precautions(預(yù)防措施), the wilds of the Internet can be safely navigated(航行). “Kids have to be on-line. If we tell our kids they can’t have access(機(jī)會) to the Internet, we’re cutting them off from their future,” said an expert.

Most kids have started to use search engines. Many of them are great for finding tons of interesting Internet sites, and they can also locate places where you might not want your kids to go. There are search engines designed just for kids. A certain software contains only sites that have been selected as safe. The most popular way to limit access would be to use what is known as a “content screener(過濾器)”. But this can’t be wholly reliable(可靠), and the best thing parents can do is to talk to their kids and let them know what is OK or not OK to see or do on the Internet. Another way is that mum or dad is nearby when the child is surfing(瀏覽) the Internet.

A few other tips

●Don’t put the PC in a child’s room but keep it in an area where mum or dad can keep an eye on things. That also makes the Internet more of a family activity.

●Ask your child what he or she has been doing and about any friends they make on-line.

●Tell your child not to give on-line strangers personal information, especially like address and phone number.

●And tell your children never to talk to anyone they meet on-line over the phone, send them anything, accept anything from them or agree to meet with them unless you go along.

The passage is mainly about the subject of _______.

A. American children going on-line             B. Internet in America

C. appreciating Internet                              D. opposing children’s on-line

The best way to protect children from improper material is _______.

A. to install(安裝) a content screener on the computer

B. to buy some search engines for the children

C. to be nearby when they are surfing the Internet

D. to talk to the children and persuade them to tell right from wrong

Which of the following is right according to the passage?

A. Surfing the Internet is the best method of educating children.

B. Children’s not having access to Internet may have effect on their progress.

C. Using a content screener is most reliable for keeping children having access to Internet.

D. Searching engines can help children to select materials fit for them.

According to the passage, we can infer that _______.

A. soft wares fit for children want programming

B. a child who is on-line is in danger

C. Internet is a jungle full of danger

D. Internet contains a lot of harmful sites

A few years ago, I took a sightseeing trip to Washington, D.C．Standing outside the Ronald Reagan Center, I heard a voice say, “Can you help me?” When I turned around, I saw an elderly blind woman with her hand extended．In a natural reflex （反應(yīng)）, I reached into my pocket, pulled out all of my loose change and placed it on her hand without even looking at her．I was annoyed at being bothered by a beggar．But the blind woman smiled and said, “I don’t want your money．I just need help finding the post office.”

     In an instant, I realized what I had done．I judged another person simply for what I assumed she had to be．I hated what I saw in myself．This incident re-awakened my belief in humility(謙恭), even though I’d lost it for a moment．

     The thing I had forgotten about myself is that I am an immigrant．I left Honduras and arrived in the U.S．a(chǎn)t the age of 15．I started my new life with two suitcases, my brother and sister, and a strong, serious-minded mother．Through the years, I have been a dishwasher, mechanic and pizza delivery driver among many other humble jobs, and eventually I became a network engineer.

     In my own life, I have experienced many open acts of prejudice (偏見)．I remember a time, at age 17 ----- I worked as a waiter, and I heard a father tell his little boy that if he did not do well in school, he would end up like me．I have also witnessed the same treatment of my family and friends, so I know what it’s like, and I should have known better．

     But now, living in my American middle-class lifestyle, it is too easy to forget my past, to forget who I am and where I have been, and to lose sight of where I want to be going．That blind woman on the streets of Washington, D.C., cured me of my blindness．She reminded me of my belief in humility and to always keep my eyes and heart open．By the way, I helped that lady to the post office．And in writing this essay, I hope to thank her for the priceless lesson．

We can learn from the first two paragraphs that __________ ．

       A．the author regretted his act of prejudice

       B．the blind woman needed the money badly

       C．the author was as poor as the blind woman

       D．the author was a native American

According to Paragraph 4, hearing the father’s words, the author was probably _____ ．

       A．rather hurt     B．very excited      C．deeply moved      D．greatly inspired

According to the passage, the author probably agrees that one should ________ ．

       A．be nice to the elderly and the disabled

       B．try to experience different kinds of life

       C．treat others equally with love and respect

       D．think about one’s past as often as possible

Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

       A．Learn from your past

       B．How my dream comes true

       C．A belief that will never change

       D．A priceless lesson in the street