Some 72% of American consumers say that product packaging influences their purchase decisions — a statistic not lost on food producers. This applies to not just the appearance design of packaging but what the labels say as well.
Louis Biscotti, the National Leader for Food & Beverage (饮料) Services Group, says that when the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) updated its nutrition facts label for packaged foods in 2020, companies found new opportunities to increase sales. “The information on the FDA label and what you pack onto your label and packaging can be important factors in boosting sales.” He adds that 30% of U.S. consumers surveyed are more likely to buy products with sustainable certificates and that “clean label” characteristics can “win over consumers”.
A new report from the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) Economic Research Service takes a look at the popularity of the “natural” claim on food packaging — and it’s eye-opening. Study after study on the topic reveals that people think a product labeled as “natural” delivers benefits far beyond what it does, with most consumers mistakenly assigning health and environmental stewardship (管理) attributes to natural-labeled food.
At first, this might simply seem frustrating—that food producers capitalize on consumer simplicity to boost prices. And that consumers aren’t getting what they think they’re getting. But the more serious problem is how this harms food producers who are actually meeting the standards for more strict labels that are actually doing good, like ones around organic practices or animal welfare. Farmers and producers doing the work end up at a competitive disadvantage in the marketplace if consumers treat foods labeled natural as alike.
“The economic problem raised by natural labels is that consumers could be paying extra for product attributes they are not receiving while producers of products with those attributes lose sales,” says Louis Biscotti. “As a consequence, any health and environmental stewardship benefits that might have been realized from consumers choosing products that matched their preferences could be lost.”
1. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?| A．The label’s influence on marketing. | B．The FDA study on nutrition facts. |
| C．The market theory of Louis Biscotti. | D．The basic data of the food producers. |
| A．Turn a deaf ear to. | B．Make use of. |
| C．Meet the needs of. | D．Break away from. |
| A．Critical. | B．Favorable. | C．Tolerant. | D．Unclear. |
| A．The Marketing Strategy of Packaging |
| B．The Function of Food Packaging and Labels |
| C．The Misleading Nature of “Natural” Labels on Food |
| D．The Consumers’ Purchasing Preference and Guideline |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Whether it’s a supermarket or a car commercial, many of the prices you experience are likely to have something in common. Prices are more likely to end in .99 more than any other pair of numbers — and certainly more than the even .00. We probably don’t think twice about buying something for $5.99 or $16.99, but it is a little strange when you think about it. Why aren’t prices just even dollar amounts? Is it a carefully organized marketing plan to get you to spend more?
Well, basically … yes. But there’s really nothing that is carefully planned about it. It’s actually pretty simple. “It’s a type of psychological (心理的) pricing,” says Julie Ramhold, a consumer (消费者) expert. “Because we read from left to right, we pay less attention to the end of the number versus the beginning.” This is especially effective if you’re just quickly reading several prices in a row. Therefore, the first number will definitely stand out to you more.
Of course, we still know that $9.99 is basically ten dollars, not nine dollars. But the $.99 trick takes advantage of the way our brains process prices. When we see a price of $9.99, we associate it as part of the $9-$9.99 range rather than the $10-$10.99 range. “Consumers don’t want to go beyond a certain type, so even a penny less may make a huge psychological difference,” explains Subimal Chatterjee, a successful and respected teaching professor of Marketing at Binghamton University School of Management.
This strategy is especially effective when it’s a change in the number of digits (数位). $99.99 is just inside the two-digits range, so it seems like a score … even though you basically are paying a hundred dollars. And, of course, the sellers are getting the most money they possibly could within that lower range, because 99 cents is only a cent below the higher range.
1. What does the first paragraph say about goods in stores?| A．They are of high quality. | B．They are available at a discount. |
| C．They tend to be priced at $.99. | D．They are always in great demand. |
| A．First come first serve. | B．Psychological pricing. |
| C．Small profits but quick returns. | D．Buy one and get one free. |
| A．The bag costs not more than $100. |
| B．The bag is sold at a reasonable price. |
| C．The price is a lucky number. |
| D．The price is within the four-digits range. |
| A．Sales Strategy Consumers Fail to Realize |
| B．Buying Habits Most Consumers Share |
| C．Promotion Plans Stores Have in Common |
| D．The Real Reason Most Prices End in .99 |
$129. 95 ; Available for Immediate Shipment; Order by Phone :1-800-321-1484
This is the pen that has a built-in video camera, capturing(拍摄，录制)videos or still images with a click of its button. Ideal for use while secured in a pocket, it can capture up to five hours of video. Its battery provides up to two hours of power before requiring a recharge.
Item 78098 The Wristwatch Camcorder
$149. 95; Available for 3-day Shipment; Order by Phone :1-800-321-1484
This is the men's watch with an unnoticeable camera located at the two-o'clock position, yet the watch's hands never make it covered. So you'll be always ready to capture a famous person or a pet's ridiculous actions. The camera's rechargeable battery provides up to two hours of use from a four-hour charge.
Item 77918 The only 55 Inch Widescreen Personal Movie Theater
$ 249. 95 ; Available for Immediate Shipment; Order by Phone:l-800-321-1484
This is the only personal media viewer that provides a private viewing experience just like watching a widescreen 55 inch television from 10 meters away. It connects to a video iPod, iPhone, portable DVD player with two AA batteries providing up to six hours of continuous operation.
Item 77281 The Digital Phone Album Watch
$ 99. 95 ; Available for Immediate Shipment; Order by Phone :1-800-321-1484
This is the watch that vividly displays 120 of your favorite digital photographs. You can download digital photographs to the watch. The watch can be viewed in the Photo Album mode (模式) or digital mode ( time and date view). A six-hour charge provides up to 10 days of use.
1. What's the purpose of this passage?
| A．To show how fashionable the items are. |
| B．To compare some goods. |
| C．To teach how to operate the items. |
| D．To advertise some goods. |
| A．They both sell well. |
| B．They both have unusual appearances. |
| C．They both can take photos. |
| D．They are both cheap. |
| A．Item 77918 | B．Item 78431 |
| C．Item 77281 | D．Item 78098 |
| A．In fact, Item 78098 cannot tell time. |
| B．In a way, Item 77281 is convenient for users. |
| C．Item 77918 works as a DVD player. |
| D．All the items include rechargeable batteries. |
◆Protect the natural and cultural heritage. Don’t damage or deface any buildings, displays and other facilities. Take care of all plants. Put rubbish in the bins provided.
◆Take care when you are going up and down steps or stairs and when you are walking nearby the waters.
◆Please buy tickets before entering the scenic spot. One ticket is only for one person.
Adult：＄60 per ticket.
Children over 6 and under 18: half price.
People over 60 and children under 6: free.
◆If you are going into the wooded and hilly lands，for your own safety，please go with three people at least and don’t take any tinder(易燃物）along with you. The hill is steep, so please take care of yourself.
◆This scenic spot is the reserve of water source: No fishing，swimming，washing and any behaviors that are harmful to the water source. Meanwhile, please follow the management rules of the scenic spot conscientiously.
◆Opening time：
From Monday to Friday: 8:00 a. m.～18:00 p.m.
From Saturday to Sunday: 6:00 a. m. ～24:00 p. m.
◆Small animals such as rabbits，peacocks，squirrels，frogs must be taken care of. None of them shall be killed.
If you have any trouble in visiting our world natural park, please call 477-866-7044．
Our staff will do our best to help you.
1. How much will be paid for a 65-year-old man with his 8-year-old grandson?
| A．＄30. | B．Free. | C．＄60. | D．＄120. |
| A．4 | B．6 | C．10 | D．8 |
| A．taking some tinder | B．hiking |
| C．damaging some facilities | D．littering |
| A．Tourists can have a swim in the water. |
| B．Tourists can hike alone in the hilly lands. |
| C．Small animals are under protection in the park. |
| D．Children can play with small animals and take some away. |
【推荐1】When the author Nicholas Carr began researching his book on whether the Internet was ruining our minds, he restricted his online access and e-mail. His new book argues the modern technology renders us less capable of deep thinking. Carr found himself so distracted that he couldn’t work on the book while staying connected. After initially feeling confused by his sudden lack of online connection, he was able to stay focused on one task for a long period within several weeks.
“Reading on the Internet has changed how we use our brains. Facing lots of text, videos, music and links to other webpages, our minds have become used to skimming and scanning information. As a result, we have developed sharper skills at making fast decisions, particularly visual ones,” Carr wrote.
But now most of us rarely read books that would help us focus. We are becoming more like librarians — able to find information quickly — than scholars who digest and interpret information. That lack of focus hinders (阻碍) our long term memory, leading many of us to feel distracted.
“What we are losing is a whole other set of mental skills, the ones that require not the shifting of our focus but the maintaining of our focus,” Carr said, adding that for centuries books had shielded our brains from distractions.
But with devices such as Apple’s iPad becoming common. Carr predicts books will change, too. “New forms of reading always require new forms of writing,” he wrote. Carr gives a tip to those who feel Web-surfing has left them incapable of concentration — slow down, turn off the Internet and practice the skills of reflection. “It is pretty clear from the brain science that if you don’t exercise particular cognitive skills, you are going to lose them,” he said. “If you are constantly distracted, you are not going to think in the same way that you would think if you paid attention.”
1. What does the underlined word “renders” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?| A．Protects. | B．Prevents. | C．Makes. | D．Discovers. |
| A．Whether our minds are being influenced by the Internet. |
| B．Why people like making fast decisions today. |
| C．Whether it is important for us to surf the Internet. |
| D．What we should keep in mind when surfing the Internet. |
| A．Because now most of us hardly read books. |
| B．Because we can find out the information quickly than the scholars. |
| C．Because there are so many distractions on the Internet when reading online. |
| D．Because we always read online instead of reading books helping us concentrate. |
| A．To read more interesting books. | B．To get away from the Internet. |
| C．To spend more time doing exercise. | D．To try to improve their sleep quality. |
【推荐2】Kids Do More Sports After Tutoring Ban
China Central Television reported that 33,000 arts and sports stores were launched in just over a month after the government published its “Double Reduction” document in late July.
The government tutoring restriction is supposed to help improve the health of young people. Some China’s school children are short-sighted and nearly one in five between the ages of 6-17 is overweight or obese, National Health Commission data show.
Schools are taking action to provide a variety of PE classes and clubs for children. Some schools are providing ice and snow sports optional courses for students.
Parents hold positive attitudes towards the new policy. China’s Tiger moms used to find classes after school to give our children an advantage in the intensely competitive education.
| A．But now they aren’t enrolling their children just to give them something to do. |
| B．The Double Reduction policy also gives students time for exercise after school. |
| C．Some children are addicted to the video games and have no time to do homework. |
| D．Parents are busy enrolling their children to all kinds of classes after school to improve their scores. |
| E．So the government plans to get almost 20 million more people to participate in regular exercises within five years. |
| F．Some schools are organizing a variety of sports games like rope-skipping game, basketball, badminton, volleyball game and so on. |
| G．It banned academic tutoring during weekends and holidays and ordered schools to reduce both the amount and time needed for assignments. |
【推荐3】Tens of thousands of ancient pictures carved into the rocks at one of France’s most important tourist sites are being gradually destroyed. Scientists and researchers fear that the 36,000 drawings on rocks in Mont Bego in the French Alps are being damaged so rapidly that they will not survive for future generations.
The mountain, believed to have once been a site for prayer, is scattered (散布) with 4,000-year-old drawings cut into bare rock. They include pictures of cows with horns, cultivated fields and various gods and goddesses. But as the popularity of the site increases, the pictures are being ruined by thoughtless graffiti (涂鸦).
Jean Clottes is the chairman of the International Committee on Rock Art. He says, “People think that because the pictures have been there so long they will always continue to be there. But if the damage continues at this rate there will be nothing left in 50 years.”
He describes seeing tourists stamping on the drawings, wearing away the rock and definition (清晰) of the artwork as they do so. Some visitors, he says, even cut off parts to take home as souvenirs. “When people think they can’t take a good enough photograph, they rub the drawings to get a clearer picture,” he said. “The drawings are polished by the weather, and if the sun is shining and the visitors can’t see them properly they simply rub them to make them look fresher.” Other researchers describe how people arrive carrying long sticks with sharp ends to scratch (刮) their own drawings, or even their names, in the rocks.
But experts are divided over the best way to preserve the drawings. Henry de Lumley, director of the Museum of Natural History in Paris, believes that the only way to save the site is to turn the whole mountain into a “no-go” area, preventing the public from going there except on guided tours. Otherwise, he says, not only will the site be completely destroyed but important research work will be reduced.
Clottes disagrees, “The measure suggested by Henry de Lumley is the most severe, and while it is the most effective, it is also certain to bring about protests from people who live there,” he said. “The site was classified as a historic monument years ago by the Ministry of Culture, and we must do as much as possible to save what is there.”
David Lavergne, the regional architect, also wants to avoid closing the site. “Henry de Lumley’s idea isn’t ideal,” he said. “Our department feels that the best solution is to let people look at the site, but because the area is very big it is difficult to prevent visitors from damaging it. I would prefer that everyone was able to look at it, but the main problem is money. We do not have the funds to employ the necessary number of guards. We may have to consider charging a fee. It doesn’t seem to be possible to get the government support.”
1. Jean Clottes says that people who visit the mountain____.| A．do not believe the drawings are old. | B．believe they are allowed to paint there |
| C．think the drawings should be left alone | D．think the drawings will not disappear |
| A．helped to clean the drawings | B．taken bits of the rock home |
| C．been unable to take photographs | D．misunderstood what the pictures mean |
| A．set up research projects | B．protect public rights |
| C．keep out individual visitors | D．ban traffic in the area |
| A．advertise the closing of the site |
| B．warn visitors about the dangers of the site |
| C．encourage scientists to visit the site |
| D．describe fears for the future of the site |
【推荐1】Every week, Wu Lin, a 19-year-old college student, will wait at a store selling food nearing its expiration date(保质期), and return to school with a bag of snacks. “These products are usually sold at 30% to 50% off and many of them are from big brands. I’m really a big fan of them, ”she said.
Wu is among a growing number of young Chinese who buy near-expired food. According to a report by iiMedia Research, China’s near-expired food market went beyond 30 billion yuan last year and 47. 8 percent of the consumers were aged 26 to 35. Unlike the traditional thought that buying such food is penny-pinching or embarrassing, more and more young people like Wu regard it as a way to help reduce food waste. “I don’t care much about the date, as long as I can eat them before their expiration dates. It meets my needs while saving resources and protecting the environment, which is a good thing, ” says Wu.
Physical stores selling near-expired food have sprung up(突然兴起)in cities across China. HotMaxx, a chain store that opened in 2020 in major Chinese cities, has increased to more than 200 in number across the country. Online shops selling such food are growing rapidly, too. On Taobao, around 2. 1 million people buy near-expired food every year.
From a food safety standpoint, which may concern many consumers, experts believe that such products won’t do any harm. “Near-expired food is safe and buying these products is a good practice to help prevent waste of resources, which should be encouraged, ” says Zhou Yu, a professor of food nutrition(营养)and safety at Anhui Agricultural University.
1. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 mean?| A．I am crazy about snacks. |
| B．I like this store very much. |
| C．I prefer branded products. |
| D．I’m into buying near-expired food. |
| A．Near-expired food is very popular with all customers. |
| B．Near-expired food was the best seller last year. |
| C．The young are the main buyers of such food. |
| D．There will be a bigger market for food. |
① Saving money.
②Saving resources.
③ Protecting the environment.
④Encouraging the development of stores.
| A．①②④ |
| B．①②③ |
| C．①③④ |
| D．②③④ |
| A．Good taste, no waste |
| B．A safer shopping choice |
| C．Advice on buying near-expired food |
| D．Success of the near-expired food business |
Come along to one of our four public lectures held in the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education throughout this term. These talks are given by leading experts from the University of Cambridge and beyond. | |
| Roman Britain as a“foreign country”Event date：April 28，16：20-18：30 Professor Martin Milett speaks on the interactions（相互影响）between native people and the Roman Empire. His research interests focus on the social and economic archaeology（考古学）of the Roman World and the interactions between native people and Roman Empire. | The world of new ideas Event date：March 3，18：20-20：30 Professor Mike Gregory will explore recent developments in innovation（创新）and production，and coming opportunities for Cambridge and beyond. New ideas-who has them，who develops them, who uses them? |
| Other worlds：the rise of the multiverse（多元宇宙）in fundamental physics Event date：June 2，17：15-19：30 The idea that our universe is just one of a vast number has been growing increasingly obvious in physics over the past decade. In this lecture，Physicist Harry Cliff will explore the reasons why some physicists have become convinced that we live in a multiverse, and whether experiments will ever be able to tell us something. | Antarctica: another world for peace and science Event date: May 28, 18:30-20:40 Understanding the changes that are taking place in Antarctica is vital for us all-when climate changes, it is the sensitive polar zones that signal the first signs of change to come. The lecturer. Professor Jane Francis, is director of the British Antarctica Survey(BAS), the first woman to hold that position. |
1. What does Mike Gregory mainly talk about in his lecture?
| A．The secret of the vast universe. |
| B．The exploration of future development. |
| C．The side effect of climate change. |
| D．The development of Roman Empire. |
| A．Antarctica is the most peaceful place in the world. |
| B．Protecting the polar environment is urgently needed. |
| C．Climate changes usually happen to polar zones first. |
| D．Changes in Antarctica are a predictor of global climate. |
| A．Marin Millett’s. | B．Mike Gregory’s. |
| C．Harry Cliff’s. | D．Jane Francis’ |
【推荐3】As early as 1894, the newly formed International Olympic Committee (IOC) considered ice skating as a possibility for the first modern Olympic Games which would be held in 1896.
In 1911, a member of the IOC suggested that winter sports should be staged as part of the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm. Some opposed the idea. At last, the IOC decided to hold Winter Olympic Games in 1916. However, World War I broke out in 1914. After 1920, the national governing bodies for winter sports in several countries began talking about the possibility of a separate Winter Olympics.
The town of Chamonix, in the French Alps, planned to hold a winter sports festival in 1924; at the same time Paris was to host the Olympics. The Marquis de Polignac, a member of the IOC, suggested that the festival be formally recognized as the “Winter Olympic Games”. The IOC didn’t go that far, but did agree that Chamonix could call its festival an “Olympic Winter Carnival”.
The festival drew 258 athletes from 16 countries to compete in bobsledding (雪橇比赛), figure-skating, hockey, Nordic skiing and speed skating. Charles Jewtraw from the United States won the first gold medal in the 500-metre speed skating, but the festival’s hero was Claus Thunberg from Finland. He won five medals, three of which were gold in speed skating.
Weather has often been a major story at the Winter Olympics and so it was at Chamonix. The festival opened with rain and the unseasonably warm temperature turned snow and ice to mud. Then temperature dropped as far as 25 below zero and the mud became ice.
Despite the weather, more than 10,000 people showed up. In 1926, the IOC recognized the Chamonix festival as the first Winter Olympics and decided that the Winter Games would be held every four years, just like the Summer Olympics.
1. Why were the first Winter Olympic Games not held in 1916?| A．Because the IOC didn’t agree to it. | B．Because it was still under discussion. |
| C．Because World War I broke out in 1914. | D．Because some people disliked the idea. |
| A．economy has often been a major story at the Winter Olympics |
| B．people from 16 countries watched the first Winter Olympics |
| C．Charles Jewtraw won the most medals in the first Winter Olympics |
| D．Finland got 3 gold medals in speed skating in the first Winter Olympics |
| A．The Winter Olympics depend much more on the weather. |
| B．The 1924 Winter Olympics and Summer Olympics were held in the same city. |
| C．The Winter Olympics were held every two years in the beginning. |
| D．The IOC agreed to recognize the festival as the first Winter Olympics in 1924. |
| A．The development of the speed skating. | B．How the Winter Olympics came into being. |
| C．The story of the first Olympic Games. | D．The importance of weather in the Olympics. |
