Question

In ancient Egypt, a shopkeeper discovered that he could attract customers to his shop simply by making changes to its environment. Modern businesses have been following his lead, with more tactics(策略).

One tactic involves where to display the goods. For example, stores place fruits and vegetables in the first section. They know that customers who buy the healthy food first will feel happy so that they will buy more junk food(垃圾食品) later in their trip. In department stores, the women’s shoe section is generally next to the women’s cosmetics(化妆品) section: while the shop assistant is going back to find the right size shoe, bored customers are likely to wander over and find some cosmetics they might want to try later.

Besides, businesses seek to appeal to customers’ senses. Stores notice that the smell of baked goods encourages shopping, so they make their own bread each morning and then fan the bread smell into the store throughout the day. Music sells goods, too. Researchers in Britain found that when French music was played, sales of French wines went up.

When it comes to the selling of houses, businesses also use highly rewarding tactics. They find that customers make decisions in the first few seconds upon walking in the door, and turn it into a business opportunity. A California builder designed the structure of its houses smartly. When entering the house, the customer would see the Pacific Ocean through the windows, and then the pool through an open stairway leading to the lower level. The instant view of water on both levels helped sell these $10 million houses.

1.Why do stores usually display fruits and vegetables in the first section?

A. To save customers times.

B. To show they are high quality foods.

C. To help sell junk food.

D. To sell them at discount prices.

2.According to Paragraph 3, which of the following encourages customers to buy?

A. Opening the store early in the morning.

B. Displaying British wines next to French ones.

C. Inviting customers to play music.

D. Filling the store with the smell of fresh bread.

3.What is the California builder’s story intended to prove?

A. The house structure is a key factor customers consider.

B. The more costly the house is, the better it sells.

C. An ocean view is much to the customers’ taste.

D. A good first impression increases sales.

4.What is the main purpose of the passage?

A. To explain how businesses turn people into their customers.

B. To introduce how businesses have grown from the past.

C. To report researches on customer behavior.

D. To show dishonest business practices.

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.D

4.A

【解析】

试题分析:本文在解释为什么要水果放要店里的最显眼的位置，目的是促进后面的商业交易。

1.C推理判断题。根据第二段提到they know that customers who buy the healthy food first will feel happy so that they will buy some more junk food later in their trip为了是能够在稍后卖出那些垃圾食品，故选C。

2.D推理判断题。根据第三段提到Stores notice that the smell of baked goods encourages shopping ,so they make their own bread each morning and then fan the bread smell into the store throughout the day可知烤面包的味道能促进购物，因此他们让面包味充满着整个商店，故选D。

3.D推理判断题。根据最后一段提到When entering the house,the customer would see the Pacific Ocean throught the windows, and the the pool throught an open stairway leading to the lower level. The instant of water on both levels helped sell these $10million houses当人们进入房间，看到窗外的太平洋和游泳池时，销售业绩会增长，故选D。

4.本文在解释为什么要水果放要店里的最显眼的位置，目的是促进后面的商业交易，故选A。

考点：考查日常生活类短文阅读