Does style really sell? How can the appearance of a product be more important than what it does? The battle between form and function rose again when James Dyson, British inventor of the Dvson vacuum cleaner that has sold in millions around the world, resigned as chairman of London's Design Museum. It is widely believed that Mr. Dyson felt that the museum put too much stress on style at the expense of serious industrial design.
Mr. Dyson accused the museum of not keeping true to itself. He may be right, but these days, museums everywhere can no longer afford to be unique centers of scholarship and learning. Among competition for sponsorship, they must use exhibitions of populist culture, nice cafes and shops or, best of all, a new building by Frank Gehry to increase visitor numbers.
On the one hand, some producers can be too old-fashioned and too concerned with the importance of product engineering and the functionality of their goods. On the other hand, there are those who believe that how a product looks is more important. Design is indeed a broad term, involving both function and form. Typically, in any given product area, it changes from the former to the latter. Clothing is a good example. But surely you would have to be a very shallow person to think something's appearance is more important than what it does.
Today nearly all goods at any given price point do much the same job. So almost the only way producers can differentiate their products from those of their competitors is to create some sort of emotional connection with the consumer, which could be through the visual appeal of the product or its packaging, or the imagery(意象) created by advertising. And what of the Dyson vacuum cleaner? Mr. Dyson may believe that people buy these machines because of the graphs showing their superior suction, but most vacuum cleaners do a good job; the main reason people pay extra for a Dyson is that it is a vacuum cleaner with a fashionable brand. With its inside workings exposed, it is a bit like a Richard Rogers building with all its pipes shown in bright colors on the outside instead of being hidden inside. Functional it may be, but it is a bit of a trick, too.
【小題1】Mr. Dyson left the Design Museum because he thought the museum .
A.didn't increase the number of visitors |
B.couldn't provide scholarships for learners |
C.wasn't loyal to its original purpose of learning |
D.didn't have great appeal for serious industrial design |
A.A product with convenient packaging sells well. |
B.The majority of consumers prefer to buy branded goods. |
C.Most similarly priced products are of a comparable standard. |
D.Emotion contributes much to the development of advertising industry. |
A.it has very good suction | B.it is fashionable |
C.it sells well around the world | D.it is invented by James Dyson |
A.Optimistic. | B.Doubtful. |
C.Disapproving. | D.Objective. |
【小題1】C
【小題2】C
【小題3】B
【小題4】D
解析試題分析:文章介紹現(xiàn)在的設(shè)計(jì)者和廠家更在乎產(chǎn)品的包裝形式和品牌效應(yīng),但是產(chǎn)品的功能都是差不多的。
【小題1】細(xì)節(jié)題:從第一段的句子:It is widely believed that Mr. Dyson felt that the museum put too much stress on style at the expense of serious industrial design. 可知Mr. Dyson離開了博物館因?yàn)樗J(rèn)為它沒有忠實(shí)于最初的學(xué)習(xí)的目的,選C
【小題2】細(xì)節(jié)題:從第四段的句子:Today nearly all goods at any given price point do much the same job.可知大部分相似價(jià)格的產(chǎn)品會(huì)有可比較的水平的,選C
【小題3】細(xì)節(jié)題:從第四段的句子:but most vacuum cleaners do a good job; the main reason people pay extra for a Dyson is that it is a vacuum cleaner with a fashionable brand. 可知人們購買Dyson vacuum cleaner因?yàn)樗軙r(shí)尚,選B
【小題4】寫作態(tài)度題:從第三段的句子:On the one hand, some producers can be too old-fashioned and too concerned with the importance of product engineering and the functionality of their goods. On the other hand, there are those who believe that how a product looks is more important. 可知作者對產(chǎn)品形式的分析是客觀的,選D
考點(diǎn):考查社會(huì)現(xiàn)象類短文
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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解
We’ve considered several ways of paying to cut in line:hiring line standers,buying tickets from scalpers (票販子),or purchasing linecutting privileges directly from,say,an airline or an amusement park.Each of these deals replaces the morals of the queue (waiting your turn) with the morals of the market (paying a price for faster service).
Markets and queues—paying and waiting—are two different ways of allocating things,and each is appropriate to different activities.The morals of the queue,“First come,first served,”have an egalitarian(平等主義的) appeal.They tell us to ignore privilege,power,and deep pockets.
The principle seems right on playgrounds and at bus stops.But the morals of the queue do not govern all occasions.If I put my house up for sale,I have no duty to accept the first offer that comes along,simply because it’s the first.Selling my house and waiting for a bus are different activities,properly governed by different standards.
Sometimes standards change,and it is unclear which principle should apply.Think of the recorded message you hear,played over and over,as you wait on hold when calling your bank:“Your call will be answered in the order in which it was received.”This is essential for the morals of the queue.It’s as if the company is trying to ease our impatience with fairness.
But don’t take the recorded message too seriously.Today,some people’s calls are answered faster than others.Call center technology enables companies to“score”incomings calls and to give faster service to those that come from rich places.You might call this telephonic queue jumping.
Of course,markets and queues are not the only ways of allocating things.Some goods we distribute by merit,others by need,still others by chance.However,the tendency of markets to replace queues,and other nonmarket ways of allocating goods is so common in modern life that we scarcely notice it anymore.It is striking that most of the paid queuejumping schemes we’ve considered—at airports and amusement parks,in call centers,doctors’offices,and national parks—are recent developments,scarcely imaginable three decades ago.The disappearance of the queues in these places may seem an unusual concern,but these are not the only places that markets have entered.
【小題1】According to the author,which of the following seems governed by the principle“First come,first served”?
A.Taking buses. |
B.Buying houses. |
C.Flying with an airline. |
D.Visiting amusement parks. |
A.the necessity of patience in queuing |
B.the advantage of modern technology |
C.the uncertainty of allocation principle |
D.the fairness of telephonic services |
A.justify paying for faster services |
B.discuss the morals of allocating things |
C.a(chǎn)nalyze the reason for standing in line |
D.criticize the behavior of queue jumping |
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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解
A survey reveals that employees in China say they are not engaged in their jobs. Judging by the survey data, many Chinese workplaces are black holes of misery and despair.
Only 6% of Chinese employees said they are "engaged" in their jobs, according to a global Gallup survey released this month. China's numbers equal the numbers out of war-weary(厭戰(zhàn)的) Iraq.
Workers across all income levels and industries were surveyed by Gallup in China, defined by Gallup to mean they were "psychologically committed to their jobs and likely to be making positive contributions to their organizations".
Out of 94 countries polled, only six countries scored lower rates of job engagement than China, including Tunisia, Israel and Syria. Unsurprisingly, 0% of Syrians admitted to being engaged at work.
In a related survey, China ranked near the bottom in a poll measuring job satisfaction among 22 Asian countries. Only 49% of Chinese respondents said they were happy in their jobs.
Part of the problem, I suspect, is that very few in China have the luxury to pursue a career that truly interests them.
Even university graduates often feel they have no choice but to choose the positions with the government or state-run enterprises, since those jobs are thought to be stable.
That makes those who are happy at work in China a rare find indeed.
【小題1】What can we infer from Paragraph 4?
A.The people in Israel are not engaged in their jobs. |
B.People in Syria are more engaged at work than the Chinese. |
C.Most Chinese people are happy in work. |
D.China ranked the top in the job engagement. |
A.happiness | B.dream | C.willing | D.courage |
A.Because they don’t take the jobs they really like |
B.Because many Chinese workplaces are full of misery and despair. |
C.Because they have no choice but to choose the stable jobs. |
D.Because they are not psychologically committed to their jobs. |
A.Lawyers | B.Civil Servants (公務(wù)員) |
C.self-made men | D.Doctors |
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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解
Endless playing of songs like All I Want For Christmas in shops during the festive season doesn’t just drive us mad—the songs also make us more careless with our money, research has warned.
While repeated performance of Jingle Bells may seem like an innocent attempt to raise customers’ spirits during the nightmare of Christmas shopping, the songs also have a more delicate impact.[來源:學(xué)科網(wǎng)ZXXK]
“Background music, or ‘muzak’, can be used by marketers to impose cultures—such as the commercialization of Christmas—onto consumers and influence their behaviour, ”experts said.
Dr. Alan Bradshaw of Royal Holloway, University of London, said, “Festive jingles are force-fed to Christmas shoppers in a bid to change their mood, influence their sense of time and what sort of products they buy. In other words, this is an attempt to control your shopping habits in a way that you might hardly be aware of.”
“Often we are told that we have the freedom to choose where we want to shop, but during Christmas the use of music in this way is so common that our freedom to choose disappears.”
Dr. Bradshaw and Prof Morris Holbrook of Columbia University examined the phenomenon and found that retailers often “dumb down” the music played in shops to relax customers, meaning it is easier to control their behaviour.
It is thought that slowing down the rhythm of music in shops can trick customers into thinking less time has passed, and therefore spend more time examining the shelves, for example.
Some providers of background music have been known to promote their services by claiming they can boost profits by controlling the behaviour of customers.
“A common trick is to take a popular current song and record an instrumental version which can be slowed down or sped up at different time of the day to influence behaviour in different ways,” Dr Bradshaw said.
Background music is often classed as “Muzak” in honor of the Seattle-based company which began producing its soft-sounding melodies in the 1930s.
【小題1】According to Dr. Bradshaw, in what ways does Christmas music influence customers?
①their mood ②their income ③their sense of time ④the sort of products they buy
A.①②③ | B.①③④ | C.②③④ | D.①②④ |
A.let customers spend more time shopping |
B.make customers and sales assistants relaxed |
C.let customers enjoy the beautiful music |
D.help customers find what they really want |
A.Classical music. | B.Popular modern songs. |
C.Folk songs. | D.Jazz music. |
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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解
Transportation and communication networks bring people together. Yet sometimes people themselves create barriers to transportation and communication. In some countries, laws stop people from moving freely from place to place.
Over the centuries, many groups of people have been denied the freedom to travel because of their race, religion, or nationality. In the Middle Ages, for example, Jews were often forbidden to move about freely within certain cities. South Africa's government used to require black Africans to carry passes when they travel within the country. Some governments require all citizens to carry identification papers and to report to government officials whenever they move.
Countries set up Customs posts at their borders. Foreign travellers must go through a Customs inspection before they are allowed to travel in the country. Usually travellers have to carry special papers such as passports and visas(簽證). Some countries even limit the number of visitors to their country each year. Others allow tourists to visit only certain areas of the country, or they may require that travellers be with an official guide at all times during their stay.
Many of those barriers to travel also act as barriers to communication. When two governments disagree with each other on important matters, they usually do not want their citizens to exchange news or ideas freely. Countries often try to keep military or industrial information secret.
Today, people have the ability to travel, to communicate, and to transport goods more quickly and easily than ever before. Natural barriers that were difficult or dangerous to cross a hundred years ago can now be crossed easily. The barriers that people themselves make are not so easy to overcome. But in spite of all the different kinds of barriers, people continue to enjoy travel and the exchange of goods and ideas.
【小題1】The examples in paragraph 2 are used to tell the readers that _______
A.Customs posts are necessary at the borders of the countries |
B.people have been allowed to travel freely within the country |
C.people have not been permitted to travel freely for various reasons |
D.travellers have to carry special papers such as passports and visas |
A.they think such freedom will lead to wars |
B.they more often than not agree with each other on important matters |
C.they intend to keep their national secrets unknown to others |
D.they want to show their authority over communication |
A.people do not care about the removal of barriers between countries. |
B.people can not remove the obstacles made by themselves |
C.barriers should be taken for granted as they always exist |
D.man-made barriers are sometimes harder to overcome than natural ones |
A.Functions of Communication | B.Barriers Made by People |
C.Restrictions on Transportation | D.Progress of Human Society |
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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解
Travelling abroad for leisure is becoming more and more popular for Chinese. The UK is high up in the list of places that the Chinese want to visit. There is a sense of mystery about the UK; it’s often the images of England’s green parks, countryside and Victorian houses that people point to as an alternative to polluted, overcrowded cities such as Beijing and Guangzhou.
The capital is viewed as modern and dynamic, while being filled deep with history. When asked what other images are thought of by the UK, the reply is often “the Queen, tea and Oxbridge”. So what’s stopping them actually coming? Sebastian Wood ,the British ambassador in Beijing, has described the UK as a “fortress”, and while this is perhaps an exaggeration(夸張),Britain does have a reputation as a country that is harder to access.
The main problem for Chinese tourists is obvious. Although visa applications are now completed online, visitors are still required to visit one of 12 UK centers across the country for a face-to-face interview and fingerprinting. If you don’t live near one of these enters already, you’d have to travel some distance to get there.
Another problem is also to be mentioned. If travelers from China visit the UK, they also want to cover as much ground as possible. But the UK is not included in the Schengen visa, which allows access to a host of 26 European countries such as France and Germany. So it makes the former seem a less worth it.
There is also the issue of cost: £47 for a Schengen visa, £82 for the UK. On top of this, the UK is viewed as stricter in its handing of visas compared with the rest of Europe, fed by urban legends of rejected applications. In the end, the decision comes down to one question: Is Britain worth a visit?
【小題1】 The underlined word “fortress ” in paragraph2 is something similar to ______.
A.temple | B.a(chǎn)partment | C.castle | D.market |
A.One can apply for a visa online. |
B.One must have a face-to-face interview. |
C.No one can get a visa without a fingerprinting. |
D.No one needs to travel a long distance to get a center. |
A.He can only visit the UK. |
B.He can only visit 26 European countries. |
C.He can visit the UK and France. |
D.He can travel to any country he likes. |
A.He really supports Chinese people to visit the UK. |
B.He suggests Chinese people visit London strongly. |
C.He thinks it is troublesome to visit the UK. |
D.He believes everyone should go to see the Queen and Oxbridge. |
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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解
In business, there’s a speed difference: It’s the difference between how important a firm’s leaders say speed is to their competitive(競爭的) strategy(策略) and how fast the company actually moves.The difference is important regardless of industry and company size. Companies fearful of losing their competitive advantage spend much time and money looking for ways to pick up the speed.
In our study of 343 businesses, the companies that chose to go, go, go to try to gain an edge ended up with lower sales and operating incomes than those that paused at key moments to make sure they were on the right track.What's more, the firms that “slowed down to speed up” improved their top and bottom lines, averaging 40% higher sales and 52% higher operating incomes over a three-year period.
How did they disobey the laws of business physics, taking more time than competitors yet performing better? They thought differently about what “slower” and “faster” mean.Firms sometimes fail to understand the difference between operational speed (moving quickly) and strategic speed (reducing the time it takes to deliver value).Simply increasing the speed of production, for example, may be one way to try to reduce the speed difference.But that often leads to reduced value over time, in the form of lower-quality products and services.
In our study, higher-performing companies with strategic speed always made changes when necessary. They became more open to ideas and discussion.They encouraged new ways of thinking.And they allowed time to look back and learn.By contrast (相比而言), performance suffered at firms that moved fast all the time, paid too much attention to improving efficiency, stuck to tested methods, didn't develop team spirit among their employees, and had little time thinking
about changes.
Strategic speed serves as a kind of leadership.Teams that regularly take time to get things right, rather than plough ahead full bore, are more successful in meeting their business goals.That kind of strategy must come from the top.
【小題1】What does the underlined part “gain an edge” in Paragraph 2 mean?
A.Increase the speed. | B.Reach the limit. |
C.Get an advantage. | D.Set a goal. |
A.spending more time and performing worse |
B.spending more time and performing better |
C.spending less time and performing worse |
D.spending less time and performing better |
A.How fast a firm moves depends on how big it is. |
B.How competitive a firm is depends on what it produces. |
C.Firms guided by strategic speed take time to make necessary changes. |
D.Firms guided by operational speed take time to develop necessary team spirit. |
A.Improve quality? Serve better. | B.Deliver value? Plough ahead. |
C.Reduce time? Move faster. | D.Need speed? Slow down. |
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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解
Big Brothers Big Sisters is based on the simplicity and power of friendship. It is a program which provides friendship and fun by matching vulnerable young people (ages 7-17) with a volunteer adult who can be both a role model and a supportive friend.
Volunteer tutors come from all walks of life—married, single, with or without children. Big Brothers and Big Sisters are not replacement parents or social workers. They are tutors: someone to trust, to have fun with, to talk and go to when needed.
A Big Sister and Little Sister will generally spend between one and four hours together three or four times each month for at least twelve months. They enjoy simple activities such as a picnic at a park, cooking, playing sport or going to a football match. These activities improve the friendship and help the young person develop positive self-respect, confidence and life direction.
Big Brothers Big Sisters organizations exist throughout the world. It is the large and most well-known provider of tutor services internationally and has been operating for 25 years.
Emily and Sarah have been matched since 2008. Emily is a 10-year-old girl who has experienced some difficulties being accepted by her schoolmates at school. “I was pretty sure there was something wrong with me.”
Emily’s mum came across Big Brothers Big Sisters and thought it would be of benefit to Emily by “providing different feedback (反饋) about herself other than just relying on schoolmates to measure her self-worth.”
Sarah wanted to get involved in a volunteer program. “I googled it and found out how to be a part of it. I thought it would be fun for me to get involved in making time to do something because sometimes it is all work and no play.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters has been of great benefit and enjoyment to both Emily and Sarah. They love and look forward to their time together and the partnership has certainly helped Emily be more comfortable in being the wonderful, happy and unique girl she is!
【小題1】What is the aim of Big Brothers Big Sisters?
A.To offer students public services. |
B.To help students improve their grades. |
C.To organize sport activities for young people. |
D.To provide partnership and fun for young people. |
A.24 hours | B.36 hours | C.48 hours | D.72 hours |
A.a(chǎn)dvice from her teachers |
B.a(chǎn) new way to judge her schoolmates |
C.a(chǎn) new way to assess herself |
D.more comments from her schoolmates |
A.She used to be a volunteer. |
B.She felt a bit bored with her life. |
C. She needed a part-time job. |
D.She wanted to get a challenging job. |
A.popular at school | B.rather weak physically |
C.confident in themselves | D.easily hurt emotionally |
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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解
Shopping for clothes is not the same experience for a man as it is for a woman. A man goes shopping because he needs something. His purpose is settled and decided in advance. He knows what he wants, and his objective is to find it and buy it; the price is a secondary consideration. All men simply walk into a shop and ask the assistant for what they want. If the shop has it in stock, the salesman promptly shows it, and the business of trying it on follows at once. All being well, the deal can be and often is completed in less than five minutes, with hardly any chat and to everyone's satisfaction.
For a man, slight problems may begin when the shop does not have what he wants, or does not have exactly what he wants. In that case the salesman, as the name implies, tries to sell the customer something else, he offers the nearest he can to the article required. No good salesman brings out such a substitute(替代品)impolitely; he does so with skill: "I know this jacket is not the style you want, sir, but would you like to try it for size? It happens to be the colour you mentioned. Few men have patience with this treatment, and the usual response is: “This is the right colour and may be the right size, but I should be wasting my time and yours by trying it on.”
Now how does a woman go about buying clothes? In almost every respect she does so in the opposite way. Her shopping is not often based on need. She has never fully made up her mind what she wants, and she is only "having a look round". She is always open to persuasion; indeed she sets great store by what the saleswoman tells her, even by what companions tell her. She will try on any number of things. Uppermost in her mind is the thought of finding something that everyone thinks suits her. Contrary(相反的) to a lot of jokes, most women have an excellent sense of value when they buy clothes. They are always on the lockout for the unexpected bargain. Faced with a roomful of dresses, a woman may easily spend an hour going from one rail to another, to and fro(來回地), often retracing her steps, before selecting the dresses she wants to try on. It is a laborious process, but apparently an enjoyable one. Most dress shops provide chairs for the waiting husbands.
【小題1】According to the passage, when a man is buying clothes, ________.
A.he buys cheap things, regardless of quality |
B.he chooses things that others introduce |
C.he does not mind how much he has to pay for the right things |
D.he buys good quality things, so long as they are not too dear |
A.They welcome suggestions from anyone. |
B.Women rarely consider buying cheap clothes. |
C.Women often buy things without giving the matter proper thought. |
D.They listen to advice but never take it. |
A.He buys a similar thing of the colour he wants. |
B.He usually does not buy anything. |
C.At least two of his requirements must be met before he buys. |
D.So long as the style is right, he buys the thing. |
A.they waste money on inferior(劣質(zhì)的) goods |
B.they should buy only the best clothes |
C.they are much more sensible than men |
D.they think of the price of clothes and nothing else |
A.The fact that men do not try clothes on in a shop. |
B.Women bargain for their clothes, but men do not. |
C.Women stand up to shop, but men sit down. |
D.The time they take over buying clothes. |
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