Why did the woman have to change the way?
A. She lost the way.
B. An accident just happened.
C. Something was wrong with her car.
How does the man find the film?
A. Boring. B. Thrilling. C. Fantastic.
When is Mark's birthday?
A. January 30. B. January 31. C. February l.
How did the man come to school today?
A. By Taxi. B. On foot. C. By bike.
What is the woman now?
A. A shop assistant. B. A tour guide. C. A saleswoman.
SECRETS
YOUR
MENU
WON’T TELL YOU
Have you ever entered a restaurant craving a spinach salad, only to end up ordering the pig roast special? Chances are, the owners had a hand in that outcome. Be it a high-end restaurant or a fast-food joint, the owners have clever ways to influence your choice. The soft background melody? A Scottish study found that diners spent 23 percent more when slow-tempo music was played. The red walls? That color stimulates appetite. And then there’s the menu. With its mouthwatering prose and ample use of consumer psychology, of course you want to sample every dish. We’ve annotated a menu you might find at a typical medium-priced restaurant. Which of these tricks have you fallen for?
APPETIZERS
APPETIZERS
Crispy Fried Mozzarella Sticks ................................... 12
THE FINE PRINT For some consumers, the dollar sign apparently scream, “watch your wallet” A Cornell University study found that guests at one restaurant, “given the numeral-only menu, spent significantly more than those who received a menu with prices showing a dollar sign.”
Panko-Fried Calamari..............................................9.95
THE FINE PRINT Prices ending with a 9 such as 9.99, “ tend to signify value but not quality,” says the New York Times. Most restaurants round up; if not, they’ll go with .95.
Bourbon-Braised Beef Short Ribs..........................10.95
THE FINE PRINT Names with lots of consonants that start with the lips and end in the throat (such as b) tend to mimic the mouth movements of eating. These dishes were rated more flavored than dishes with names featuring consonants that start from the back of throat (e.g., the c in corn), says a study from the University of Cologne in Germany.
MAIN COURSES
MAIN COURSES
Cheeseburgers and Fries ...........................................................12
THE FINE PRINT “ Italic typeface conveys a perception of quality,” reports the BBC. A study conducted by Swiss and German researchers found that a wine labeled with a difficult -to-read script was liked more by drinkers than the same wine carrying a label using a simpler typeface.
Meat loaf with summer-whipped potatoes drenched in autumn root vegetables, winter squash, and who knows what else because by this point we’re just making things up to pad the dish’s name so you’ll notice it.....................................................14.95 THE FINE PRINT if boxes, huge fonts, and italics don’t catch your eye, how about a super-long dish name? As the restaurant-software company Toast points out on its blog, anything that is different will draw the eye. | |
DESSERTS |
|
Sweet Georgia Peach Cobbler .................................... 5.95
THE FINE PRINT Restaurants use regional names to entice customers into ordering a particular dish, says Wansink. Want a good peach tart? Well, then, the peaches have to be from Georgia.
Godiva Chocolate Brownie Sundae...............................6.95
THE FINE PRINT Brand names in menu items confer a built-in trust and create a guarantee to diners that they will love the dish.
1.The restaurant owners influence the customers’ choice through ___________.
A. Fast-paced music in the restaurant B. Color pictures on the menu
C. Colorful decorations on the wall D. Elaborate menus for the customers
2.According to the passage, which name can best promote the sales of the dish?
A. Best Chicken Burger......................................................$ 13.95
B. Bourbon-Barbecued Beef Brisket .................................$ 14.95
C. Route 66 Banana Split ...................................................$13.99
D. Dove Chocolate Smoothies............................................$9.99
3.Where can you probably find this article?
A. A general-interest magazine. B. A linguistic scholarly journal.
C. A menu from a restaurant. D. A guidebook on cooking.
