文章大意：本文是一篇说明文。实践和研究显示，人们网购时下意识更倾向点击圆角矩形按钮(如“立即购买”、“加入购物车”等)，而非直角矩形按钮。这带来不少商机，也提醒我们理性消费。
9 . As you shop online, you may be drawn to digital ads with curvy(圆角)designs without even realizing it. According to a new study from the University of South Florida, consumers click on curvy call-to-action buttons, such as “Shop Now” or “Add to Cart”, at a significantly higher rate than those with sharp angles.
“It’s actually rooted in natural instincts(本能),” says Dipayan Biswas, professor of marketing. “According to research from different disciplines, our natural instincts send us signals that sharp angles usually indicate danger and that we’re more likely to get hurt. In contrast, curvy designs are perceived as friendlier and more approachable.”
This feeling leads people to subconsciously prefer things, including digital ad designs, which are soft-edged and curvy. As published in the Journal of Consumer Research, Biswas tested this concept through click rates and eye movement studies in the Muma College of Business Customer Experience Lab. The novel findings reveal how the shapes of virtual elements can subconsciously influence click-through rates.
“We studied a hotel search button and we consistently found the click rate was higher when the elements were curved,” Biswas says. “It translated to an increase of nearly 15percent in total revenue(收入).” According to Biswas, this means companies can potentially manipulate consumers as they will unconsciously click and spend more through the use of curved call-to-action buttons. For companies that put little thought or reasoning behind their design element choices, this study could be eye-opening for them.
For shoppers, this means when they’re surfing the web around a holiday shopping season, they are subject to the marketing practice, such as design elements, which can lead to more unplanned purchases. Biswas encourages online shoppers to set a budget to balance such digital influence. “Having a budget will give you a benchmark to keep things more conscious-oriented and you’re less likely to be influenced by variables like these.”
1. Why do people tend to click curvy buttons when shopping online?
| A．They make shopping convenient. | B．They give us a sense of security. |
| C．They often mean trade discounts. | D．They offer various easy options. |
2. Which is closest in meaning to “manipulate” in paragraph 4?
| A．Respect. | B．Block. | C．Track. | D．Affect. |
3. What do we know about curvy designs?
| A．They have been used by all businesses. | B．They stop us making decisions quickly. |
| C．They are a powerful tool for companies. | D．They enable websites to function well. |
4. What does Biswas probably suggest readers do?
| A．Be reasonable consumers. | B．Frequent physical stores. |
| C．Become aware of their right. | D．Avoid surfing the Internet. |
