In an attempt to win back old customers, restaurants and companies often introduce new menu items or new flavors. Most of these are successful with customers because they have always been researched and tested by companies before they meet the public. However, there are still some that are so unpopular with customers and they fail so badly as a product that they become infamous.
One of the most well-known marketing failures happened in 1985 with New Coke, a soft drink created to replace the original Coca-Cola flavor. The Coca-Cola Company tested several new flavors and found that people always preferred a sweeter soda. As a result, the CEO decided that the sweeter soda would replace the original Coca-Cola drink.
Many customers, however, soon started to express their dissatisfaction with the new drink. The Coca-Cola Company received over 1,500 angry telephone calls every day. The Coca-Cola Company actually employed special experts to talk to customers because they were so angry and sad about the change. Some Americans were buying old Coca-Cola drinks from overseas where the new drink had not yet been introduced. And in some parts of America people were so angry that they emptied bottles of New Coke into the street.
So many people were unhappy with Coca-Cola’s new drink that the company decided only three months later to return to the old Coca-Cola drink. On July 10,1985, the Coca-Cola Company said that it would bring back the old Coke and rename the drink “Coca-Cola Classic” or “Coke Classic”. Thousands of customers phoned the company to express their support.
Even today, business experts are interested in this case. Even though the Coca-Cola Company had carefully tested and experimented with New Coke before introducing it to customers, the New drink was still very unpopular. So, what did Coca-Cola do wrong? It seems the company simply did not understand customers’ deep historical and emotional attachment to the drink.
1.Why do companies usually introduce new menu items?
A.To attract past customers.
B.To attract new customers.
C.To attract elderly customers.
D.To attract customers with special needs.
2.What is the difference between New Coke and the original one?
A.New Coke is sweeter.
B.New Coke is more acidic.
C.New Coke’s color is lighter.
D.New Coke’s bottle is bigger.
3.What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?
A.Why New Coke failed in America.
B.The harm New Coke did to people’ s health.
C.How customers acted in answer to the introduction of New Coke.
D.The comparison between sales of New Coke and the original one.
4.When was New Coke put on the market?
A.In May 1985. B.In April 1985.
C.In June 1985. D.In July 1985.
5.What is most likely to be discussed in the paragraph that follows?
A.The reasons why New Coke succeeded overseas.
B.The history of the Coca-Cola Company in the 1990s.
C.The difference between New Coke and Coke Classic.
D.The importance of people’s feelings about old products.
Matilda
By Roald Dahl
Price: $ 10.25
Gifted and sweet, Matilda White goes largely unnoticed by her less-than-loving parents. Things only get worse when she goes to school. Luckily, her teacher, Miss Honey, helps Matilda discover how special she is and encourages her to create the life she dreams about.
Ivy & Bean
By Annie Barrows
Price: $4.59
When Ivy moves in across the street, Bean is sure they won’t be friends. They are just too different. However, when Ivy helps Bean get away from her sister, who is trying to get Bean in trouble, a friendship blossoms between the unlikely pair. Kids who enjoy this book can read the whole series over the summer.
Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed
By Emily Pearson
Price: $ 7.99
When Mary decides to give some fresh-picked wild blueberries to a neighbor, she starts a chain reaction of kindness. After Mrs. Bishop makes and shares newly-made cake, her recipients go on to spread kindness to others they meet. Mary might be a common little girl, but she learns that even children can help make the world a better place.
Frederick
By Leo Lionni
Price: $ 14.39
Frederick is a mouse who lives with his family in a large field. During the summer, all of the mice begin to store food to prepare for the cold winter months. All of the mice except Frederick, that is. Instead, Frederick collects things such as rays of sun, rainbows and words. Although the others think he is stupid, they come to learn that everyone’s contribution counts.
1.Who helps Matilda discover how special she is?
A.Her friend, Annie. B.Her neighbor, Mary.
C.Her father, Mr. White. D.Her teacher, Miss Honey.
2.Whose book is mainly about friendship?
A.Roald Dahl’s. B.Leo Lionni’s.
C.Emily Pearson’s. D.Annie Barrows’s.
3.What does Mary decide to give to her neighbor ?
A.Cakes. B.Blueberries.
C.Books. D.Flowers.
4.How much should you pay for a book of animals?
A.$4.59. B.$7.99.
C.$14.39. D.$10.25.
5.Where is the text most likely to have been taken from?
A.A story book. B.A lesson plan.
C.A book review. D.A kid’s magazine.
When I was a child, my mother didn't force me to eat everything in my dish. She said I had to______every food three times. Her ____ was the first time to try it, the second time to get over the fact that you had just tried it, and the third to ______that you don't like it. After that, if I still______the taste, she would ____make me eat it again. Her reasonable approach _______almost every time----except with bananas, which I still don't eat now.
As I grew older, I brought that simple _____ into my life. I had been _____the diving(跳水) board at the pool, but I had______ to make the first jump off the board. When I breathed in water, my mother jumped in to ____ me. Before she could even reach me, I was up and out of the pool, heading back to that diving board. I jumped off______．More coughing followed, but I was determined to get over the fear. When I ______the pool the second time, my mom tried to cover me with a towel._____, I threw off the towel and_______trying. The third time there was no _____ and no water in my nose. In fact, there were_____ from the others at the pool. At that point, I fell in love with the pool.
In my mid-thirties, I ____ a successful job that didn't satisfy me in order to achieve my dream of being a writer. Having been ____ twice, I tried for a third time. I have been happily living the life of a writer ever since. We are all afraid of something _____. But how can we be sure that something won't be ____ unless we give it a try.
1.A.smell B.cook C.try D.share
2.A.reason B.decision C.dream D.order
3.A.point out B.make sure C.agree D.imagine
4.A.remembered B.required C.missed D.hated
5.A.even B.never C.still D.ever
6.A.worked B.changed C.formed D.developed
7.A.answer B.plan C.game D.rule
8.A.excited about B.afraid of C.bored with D.proud of
9.A.hoped B.waited C.managed D.continued
10.A.help B.watch C.warn D.praise
11.A.as usual B.by chance C.just now D.once again
12.A.fell into B.looked at C.got out of D.ran away from
13.A.Instead B.Besides C.Therefore D.Moreover
14.A.began B.regretted C.avoided D.kept
15.A.fear B.sadness C.surprise D.anger
16.A.invitations B.cheers C.replies D.thanks
17.A.left B.needed C.took D.offered
18.A.forgotten B.punished C.refused D.caught
19.A.dangerous B.unknown C.difficult D.strange
20.A.important B.special C.enjoyable D.similar
— Tony, any plans tonight?
— ______ I may do some washing and homework.
A.It’s up to you B.That’s a good idea
C.Nothing particular D.How about seeing a movie
Sales director is a position ______ communication ability is just as important as sales skills.
A.whose B.where C.what D.that
— I like your new shoes!
— Thanks. I had to try on almost a dozen pairs _________ I decided to get them.
A.as B.when
C.after D.before
