Most of us are expecting high-quality customer service in our daily life, but actually enjoying a happy purchase is easier said than done.
Shoppers seldom complain to the manager or owner of a retail store, but instead they will alert their friends, relatives, co-workers, strangers—and anyone who will listen.
Store managers are often the last to hear complaints, and often find out only when their regular customers decide to frequent their competitors, according to a study jointly conducted by Verde Group and Wharton School.
“Storytelling hurts retailers and entertains consumers,” said Paula Courtney, President of the Verde Group. “The store loses the customer, but the shopper must also find a replacement.”
On average, every unhappy customer will complain to at least four others, and will no longer visit the specific store. For every dissatisfied customer, a store will lose up to three more due to negative review. The resulting “snowball effect” can be disastrous to retailers.
According to the research, shoppers who purchased clothing encountered the most problems. Ranked second and third were grocery and electronic customers.
The most common complaints include filled parking lots, cluttered (塞满了的) shelves, overloaded racks, out-of-stock items, long check-out lines, and rude salespeople.
During peak shopping hours, some retailers solved parking problems by getting moonlighting (业余兼职的) local police to work as parking attendants. Some hired flag wavers to direct customers to empty parking spaces. This guidance eliminated the need for customers to circle the parking lot endlessly, and avoided confrontation between those eyeing the same parking space.
Retailers can relieve the headaches by redesigning store layouts, pre-stocking sales items, hiring speedy and experienced cashiers, and having sales representatives on hand to answer questions.
Most importantly, salespeople should be diplomatic and polite with angry customers.
“Retailers who’re responsive and friendly are more likely to smooth over issues than those who aren’t so friendly,” said Professor Stephen Hoch. “Maybe something as simple as a greeter at the store entrance would help.”
Customers can also improve future shopping experiences by filing complaints to the retailer, instead of complaining to the rest of the world. Retailers are hard-pressed to improve when they have no idea what is wrong.
1.Why are store managers often the last to hear complaints?
A. Most customers won’t bother to complain even if they have had unhappy experiences.
B. Customers have no easy access to store managers.
C. Few customers believe the service will be improved.
D. Customers would rather relate their unhappy experiences to people around them.
2.What does Paula imply by saying “the shopper must also find a replacement” ?( Para. 4)
A. New customers are bound to replace old ones.
B. Most stores provide the same kind of service.
C. Not complaining to manager causes the shopper some trouble too.
D. It is not likely the shopper can find the same products in other stores.
3.Shop owners often hire moonlighting police as parking attendants so that shoppers________.
A. can stay longer browsing in the store
B. won’t have trouble parking their cars
C. won’t have any worrier about security
D. can find their cars easily after shopping
4.What contributes most to smoothing over issues with customers?
A. Design of store layout.
B. Hiring of efficient employees
C. Huge supply of goods for sale.
D. Manners of the salespeople.
5.To achieve better shopping experiences, customers are advised to ________.
A. exert pressure on stores to improve their service
B. voice their dissatisfaction to store managers directly
C. settle their disputes with stores in a diplomatic
D. shop around and make comparisons between stores
书面表达
假如你是李华，前几天你收到了你的朋友Vince的来信，询问你的高三生活，你打算在回信中介绍以下三个方面的内容：
1．生活安排； 2．学习计划； 3．理想的大学及专业。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2．可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3．开头与结尾已为你写好，不计入总词数。
Dear Vince，
I'm very glad to hear from you._________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Best wishes!
Yours sincerely，
Li Hua
短文改错
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改：在错的词下画一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词。
2．只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
How can a person recover from emotional problems? Many people suggest that he or she watches humorous films. And a recent study proves it to be wrong. The study also shows that watching at sad films can make getting over a negative mood a easier job.
Emotional experiences is important to people's wellbeing. People are less likely to share their feelings with these who have had similar experiences. Similar, people prefer movies that reflect their mood. That's the reason a sad film rather than a pleasant one can contribute to comfort a sad person.
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。
Are you too old for fairy tales? If you think 1._ __， Copenhagen is sure to change your mind.
See the city first from the water. In the harbor sits Denmark's bestknown landmark: the Little Mermaid. Remember her? She left the world of the Sea in search of a human soul in one of Andersen's popular 2._ __(fantasy). From the harbor you can get a feel for the
3. _ _ (attraction) “city of green spires”. At twilight(黎明) or in cloudy weather, the spires of old castles and churches lend the city a dreamlike atmosphere. You'll think you've stepped into a watercolor painting.
Churches and castles are almost all that are left over in the original city. Copenhagen became 4.__ __ capital of Denmark in 1445. During the late 16th century, trade grew, and so did the city. But fires in 1728 and 1795 5.__ _(terrible) destroyed the old wooden structures. Much of what we see today 6._ __(date) from the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Copenhagen was the first city 7._ __(declare) a street for pedestrians only. The city has the 8. _ (little) traffic noise and pollution among European capitals. 9.__ _ you're from, you can come to dance, dine, and take in outdoor and indoor concerts. Even without money, you can still enjoy the proud old trees, the colored night lights and the beautiful gardens. You might feel as if you 10. .
完形填空
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
After giving a talk at a high school, I was asked to pay a visit to a special student. An__________had kept the boy home, but he had expressed an interest in meeting me. I was told it would mean a great ____________ to him, so I agreed.
During the ninemile drive to his home, I found out something about Matthew. He had muscular dystrophy(肌肉萎缩症). When he was born, the doctor told his parents that he would not live to five, and then they were told he would not___________it to ten. Now he was thirteen. He wanted to meet me___________I was a goldmedal power lifter, and I knew about____________obstacles and struggling to achieve my dreams.
I spent over an hour talking to Matthew. Never once did he ___________ or ask, “Why__________？” He spoke about winning and succeeding and achieving his dreams.____________， he knew what he was talking about. He didn't mention that his classmates had___________him because he was different. He just talked about his___________for the future, and how one day he wanted to lift weights with me.
When we had finished talking, I went to my briefcase and___________out the first gold medal I had won and put it around his___________. I told him he was more of a ___________ and knew more about success and conquering difficulties than I ever would. He looked at it for a moment, then took it__________and handed it back to me. He said, “You are a champion. You____________ that medal. Someday when I get to the Olympics and win my own medal, I will show it to you.” Last summer I received a ________ from Matthew's parents telling me that Matthew had___________away. They wanted me to have a letter he had written to me a few days before:
Dear Dick，
My mum said I should send you a thankyou letter for the picture you sent me. I also want to let you know that the doctors tell me that I don't have a__________time to live any more, but I still smile as much as I can.
I told you someday that I would go to the Olympics and win a gold medal, but I know now I will never get to do that.__________， I know I'm a champion, and God knows that too. When I get to Heaven, God will give me my____________and when you get there, I will show it to you. Thank you for loving me.
Your friend，
Matthew
1.A. order B. illness C. instruction D. idea
2.A. desire B. conscience C. deal D. intention
3.A. manage B. rid C. survive D. make
4.A. because B. until C. before D. though
5.A. overcoming B. overlooking C. overtaking D. overflowing
6.A. explain B. laugh C. panic D. complain
7.A. you B. us C. me D. it
8.A. Strangely B. Obviously C. Abruptly D. Occasionally
9.A. made use of B. made notes of C. made fun of D. made out of
10.A. hopes B. fears C. standards D. illusions
11.A. carried B. pulled C. sucked D. wiped
12.A. hand B. arm C. head D. neck
13.A. lifewinner B. fortuneteller C. troublemaker D. fatechallenger
14.A. in B. off C. out D. over
15.A. regained B. matched C. lost D. deserved
16.A. card B. gift C. prize D. letter
17.A. given B. passed C. faded D. run
18.A. ripe B. flexible C. long D. good
19.A. However B. But C. Thus D. Therefore
20.A. certificate B. opportunity C. picture D. medal
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
Nobel Prize Winner Studied How People Spent Their Money
The winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences studies how people spend their money.__ 1.__The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences is presenting the Economics Prize to Professor Angus Deaton of Princeton University in New Jersey. The Nobel committee says his research has mainly dealt with three questions：__2.__How much of society's wealth is spent and how much is saved? And, how do we best measure and study wellbeing and poverty?
Mr. Deaton used household surveys to collect detailed information about how families spend their money. People often asked him the question why he paid so much attention to household information. __3.__“Well, it's individually... it's about people in the end. You have to understand what makes people tick, and what's good for them. And for me it's always been about trying to understand behavior and to try to infer from that behavior, you know, how people are doing.”
The Nobel committee said Mr. Deaton's research has shown “how the clever use of household data can shed light on(阐明)issues such as the relationship between income and calorie intake, and the extent of gender discrimination with the family.”__4.__rather than theoretical ideas. Subjects of his research have included happiness, wellbeing and aging. At a press conference last month, the Nobel Prize winner said he was pleased that his work had been recognized. __5._“I think we have had a remarkable decrease for the past 20 to 30 years. I do expect that to continue，” he said.
A. Are you a saver or a spender?
B. He told reporters he believed poverty would decrease.
C. How do consumers distribute their spending among different goods?
D. He said that his studies were mainly about people and their behavior.
E. He also has explored how spending can affect both living conditions and poverty.
F. He examined the close relationship between poverty and the amount of calories in the food people ate
G. The Nobel committee also praised Mr. Deaton's work because it used detailed information about real people
