Advertising informs consumers about new products available on the market.It gives us i
nformation about everything from shampoo to tooth-paste to computers and cars.But there is one series problem with this.The "information" is actually very often "misinformation".It tells us the products, benefits but hides their disadvantages.Advertising not only leads us to buy things that we don't need and can't afford, but it also confuses our sense of reality.
Advertisers use many methods to get us to buy their products.One of their most successful methods is to make us feel dissatisfied with ourselves and our imperfect lives.Advertisements show us who we aren't and what we don't have."Why don't I have any dates (约会)?" a good-looking girl sadly asks in a commercial."Here," replies her roommate, "Try Zoom tooth-paste!" Of course she tried it, and immediately the whole football team falls in love with her."That's a stupid commercial," we might say.But we still buy Zoom tooth-paste out of fear of being unpopular and having no friends.
If fear is the negative motive (动机) for buying a product, then wanting a good self-image is the positive reason for choosing it.Each of us has a mental picture of the kind of person we would like to be.For example, a modern young woman might like to think that she looks like a beautiful movie star.A middle-aged man might want to see himself as a strong, attractive athlete.Advertisers know this.They write specific ads to make certain groups of people choose their products.
Advertisers get psychologists to study the way consumers think and their reasons for choosing one brand instead of another.These experts tell advertisers about the motives of fear and self-image.They also inform. them about recent studies with colors and words.They have found that certain colors on the package of an attractive product will cause people to reach out and take that package instead of buying an identical (同一的、 相等的) product with different colors.
Many people believe that advertising does not affect them.They like to think they make wise choices.Unfortunately, they probably don't realize the powerful effect of advertising.They may not clearly understand that advertisers spend billions of dollars each year in aggressive (强有力的) competition for our money, and they are extremely successful.
1.What’s the purpose of advertising()?
A.To introduce people the feature of the goods.
B.To have people to buy new products on the market.
C.To make people know how to use the products.
D.To tell people how to save money while buying goods.
2.One of the disadvantages of advertising is to().
A.lead people to buy bad-quality things
B.make people confused about choosing goods
C.make people buy more things than needed
D.inform. people the products’ benefits
3.Advertisement may make people think that()
A.their lives are not good enough
B.their behaviors are imperfect
C.they don’t have enough money to buy things
D.they look poor without buying advertise goods
4.What can psychologists tell the advertisers()
A.The reasons for bad sale of some goods.
B.What brand is better than others?
C.How to control the qualities of goods.
D.People’s opinions about current colors.
5.It’s implied in the last paragraph that those who don’t believe
advertising().
A.should refuse to buy goods advertised
B.may also be influenced by advertising
C.have more freedom to buy things than others
D.can save money without buying the advertised goods