High-quality customer service is preached (宣扬) by many, but actually keeping customers happy is easier said than done.
Shoppers seldom complain to the manager or owner of a retail store, but instead will warn their friends, relatives, co-workers, strangers—and anyone who will listen.
Store managers are often the last to hear complaints, and often find out only when their regular customers decide to frequent their competitors, according to a study jointly conducted by Verde Group and Wharton School.
“Storytelling hurts retailers and entertains consumers,” said Paula Courtney, President of the Verde Group. “The store loses the customer, but the shopper must also find a replacement.”
On average, every unhappy customer will complain to at least four others, and will no longer visit the specific store. For every dissatisfied customer, a store will lose up to three more due to negative review. The resulting “snowball effect” can be disastrous to retailers.
According to the research, shoppers who purchased clothing experienced the most problems. Ranked second and third were grocery and electronics customers.
The most common complaints include filled parking lots, cluttered (塞满了的) shelves, overloaded racks, out-of-stock items, long check-out lines, and rude salespeople.
During peak shopping hours, some retailers solved parking problems by getting moonlighting (业余兼职的) local police to work as parking attendants(服务员). Some hired flag wavers to direct customers to empty parking spaces. This guidance rid the need for customers to circle the parking lot endlessly, and avoided conflict between those eyeing the same parking space.
Retailers can relieve the headaches by redesigning store layouts(布局), pre-stocking sales items, hiring speedy and experienced cashiers, and having sales representatives on hand to answer questions.
Most importantly, salespeople should be diplomatic(外交手腕的) and polite with angry customers.
“Retailers who’re responsive and friendly are more likely to smooth over issues than those who aren’t so friendly,” said Professor Stephen Hoch. “Maybe something as simple as a greeter at the store entrance would help.”
Customers can also improve future shopping experiences by filing complaints to the retailer, instead of complaining to the rest of the world. Retailers are hard-pressed to improve when they have no idea what is wrong.Why are store managers often the last to hear complaints?
| A．Most customers won’t take the trouble to complain even if they have had unhappy experiences. |
| B．Customers would rather tell their unhappy experiences to people around them. |
| C．Few customers believe the service will be improved. |
| D．It’s difficult for customers to get in touch with store managers. |
What does Paula Courtney imply by saying “…the shopper must also find a replacement” (Para. 4)
| A．New customers must replace old ones. |
| B．It is not likely the shopper can find the same products in other stores. |
| C．Most stores provide the same kind of service. |
| D．Not complaining to the manager causes the shopper some trouble too. |
Shop owners often hire moonlighting police as parking attendants so that shoppers________.
| A．can stay longer buying goods in the store |
| B．can park their cars without trouble |
| C．won’t have any worries about safety |
| D．can find their cars easily after shopping |
What contributes most to smoothing over issues with customers?
| A．Manners of the salespeople. |
| B．Hiring of efficient employees. |
| C．Huge supply of goods for sale. |
| D．Design of store layout. |
To achieve better shopping experiences, customers are advised to ________.
| A．put pressure on stores to improve their service |
| B．settle their arguments with stores in a diplomatic way |
| C．voice their dissatisfaction to store managers directly |
| D．shop around and make comparisons between stores |
Few laws are so effective that you can see results just days after they take effect. But in the nine days since the federal cigarette tax more than doubled----to $1.01 per pack---smokers have jammed telephone ‘quit lines’ across the country seeking to kick the habit.
This is not a surprise to public health advocates. They’ve studied the effect of state tax increases for years, finding that smokers, especially teens, are price sensitive. Nor is it a shock to the industry, which fiercely fights every tax increase.
The only wonder is that so many states insist on closing their ears to the message. Tobacco taxes improve public health, they raise money and most particularly, they deter people from taking up the habit as teens, which is when nearly all smokers are addicted. Yet the rate of taxation varies widely.
In Manhattan, for instance, which has the highest tax in the nation, a pack of Marlboro Light Kings cost $10.06 at one drugstore Wednesday. In Charleston, S.C., where the 7-cent-a-pack tax is the lowest in the nation, the price was $4.78.
The influence is obvious.
In New York, high school smoking hit a new low in the latest surveys----13.8%, far below the national average. By comparison, 26 % of high school students smoke in Kentucky, Other low-tax states have similarly depressing teen-smoking records.
Hal Rogers, Representative from Kentucky, like those who are against high tobacco taxes, argues that the burden of the tax falls on low-income Americans “who choose to smoke.”
That’s true. But there is more reason in keeping future generations of low-income workers from getting hooked in the first place. As for today’s adults, if the new tax drives them to quit, they will have more to spend on their families, cut their risk of cancer and heart disease and feel better.
31. The text is mainly about___________.
A the price of cigarettes
B the rate of teen smoking
C the effect of tobacco tax increase
D the differences in tobacco tax rate
32. What does the author think is a surprise?
A Teen smokers are price sensitive.
B Some states still keep the tobacco tax low.
C Tobacco taxes improve public health.
D Tobacco industry fiercely fights the tax rise.
33. The underlined word "deter" in Paragraph 3 most probably means .
A. discourage B. remove C. benefit D. free
34. Rogers’ attitude towards the low-income smokers might be that of .
A. tolerance B. unconcern C. doubt D. sympathy
35. What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A. The new tax will be beneficial in the long run.
B. Low-income Americans are more likely to fall ill.
C. Future generations will be hooked on smoking.
D. Adults will depend more on their families.
C
Some people believe that international sport creates goodwill between the nations and that if countries play games together, they will learn to live together. Others say that the opposite is true: international competitions encourage false national pride and lead to misunderstanding and hatred（憎恨）. There is probably some truth in both arguments, but in recent years the Olympic Games have done little to support the view that sport encourages international brotherhood. Not only was there the tragic incident including the murder of athletes, but the Games were also ruined by incidents caused mainly by smaller national contests.One country received its second-place medals with visible anger after the hockey(曲棍球) final. There had been noisy scenes at the end of the hockey match, the losers objecting to the final decisions. They were sure that one of their goals should not have been disallowed and that their opponents’ victory was unfair. Their manager was in great anger when he said, “This wasn’t hockey. Hockey and the International Hockey Federation are finished.” The president of the Federation said later that such behavior could result in the suspension（停赛） of the team for at least three years.
Incidents of this kind will continue as long as sport is played competitively rather than for the love of the game. The suggestion that athletes should compete as individuals, or in non-national teams, might be too much to hope for. But in the present organization of the Olympics there is far too much that
encourages aggressive patriotism(爱国主义).
36. According to the author, recently the Olympic Games have ______.
A. created goodwill between the nations
B. brought about only false national pride
C. hardly showed any international friendship
D. put an end to misunderstanding and hatred
37. The underlined word “disallowed”(in Paragraph 2) means “______”.
A. permitted to pass
B. considered as reasonable
C. won by the other side
D. refused to accept
38. What did the manager mean by saying, “Hockey and the International Hockey Federation are finished”?
A. His team would no longer take part in international games.
B. Hockey and the Federation are both ruined by the unfair decisions.
C. There should be no more Hockey matches organized by the Federation.
D. The Federation should break up.
39. The author gives the example in paragraph 2 to show ______.
A. how false national pride led to undesirable incidents in international games
B. that sportsmen are often against the final decisions
C. that competitiveness in the games discourages international friendship
D. that unfair decisions are common in the Olympic Games
40. What conclusion can be drawn from the passage?
A. The organization of the Olympic Games must be improved.
B. Athletes should compete as individuals in the Olympic Games.
C. A game should be played competitively rather than for the love of the game.
D. More and more athletes will compete for their own honor.
B
Solar energy for your home is coming. It can help you as a single home owner. It can help the whole country as well. Whether or not solar energy can save your money depends on many things. Where you live is one factor and the type of home you have is another. Things like insulation (绝缘材料), present energy costs, and the type of system you buy are added factors.Using solar energy can help save our precious fuel. As you know, our supplies of oil and gas are very limited. There is just not enough on hand to meet all our future energy needs. Sooner or later Mother Nature will say that’s all. The only way we can delay hearing those words is by starting to save energy now and by using other sources, like the sun.
We won’t have to worry about the sun’s running out of energy for another several billion years or so. Besides, the sun doesn’t offer as many problems as other energy sources. For example, fossil fuel(矿物燃料) adds to already high pollution levels. With solar energy, we will still need sources of energy, but we won’t need as much. That means we can cut down on our pollution problems.
With all these good points, why don’t we use more solar power? There are many reasons for this. The biggest reason is money. Until now, it was just not practical for a home owner to put in a solar unit. There were cheaper sources of energy.
All that is changing now. Solar costs are starting to equal the costs of oil and electricity. Experts say that gas, oil and electricity prices will continue to rise. The demand for electricity is increasing rapidly. But new power plants will use more gas, oil or coal. Already in some places the supply of electricity is being rationed (限量供应). Solar energy is now in its infancy (初期). It could soon grow to become a major part of our nation’s energy supply.
31. What’s this passage mainly about?
A. Something about solar energy and pollution. B. Solar energy.
C. Energy and pollution. D. Energy and money.
32. Solar energy can help us _____.
A. escape punishment from nature B. become home owners
C. get rid of present energy D. save our precious fuel
33. The sun is an endless source of energy, and it will not run out of energy for _____.
A. several million years B. several hundred years
C. several billion years D. several thousand years
34. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. Energy from coal would not pollute our living environment.
B. Energy from natural gas would not pollute our living environment.
C. Energy from the sun would not pollute our living environment.
D. Energy from oil would not pollute our living environment.
35. Solar energy is now in its infancy, _____.
A. but in the future it will become an important part of our nation’s energy supply
B. so we will build more power plants
C. and the supply of electricity will be rationed throughout the country
D. so we don’t need it
II 阅读（共两节，满分40分）
第一节：阅读理解（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳答案。
A
We are all called upon to make a speech at some point in life, but most of us don’t do a very good job. This article gives some suggestions on how to give an effective speech.So, you have to give a speech-- and you’re terrified. You get nervous, you forget what you want to say, you stumble over words, you talk too long, and you bore your audience. Later you think, “Thank goodness, it’s over. I’m just no good at public speaking. I hope I never have to do that again. ”
Cheer up! It doesn’t have to be that bad. Here are some simple steps to take the pain out of speech making. Ask yourself the purpose of your speech. What is the occasion? Why are you speaking? Then, gather as many facts as you can on your subject. Spend plenty of time doing your research. Then spend plenty of time organizing your material so that your speech is clear and easy to follow. Use as many examples as possible, and use pictures, charts, and graphs if they will help you make your points more clearly. Never forget your audience. Don’t talk over their heads, and don’t talk down to them. Treat your audience with respect. They will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Just remember: be prepared. Know your subject, your audience, and the occasion. Be brief. Say what you have to say and then stop. And be yourself. Let your personality come through so that you make person-to -person contact with your audience.
If you follow these simple steps, you’ll see that you don’t have to be afraid of public speaking. In fact, you may find the experience so enjoyable that you volunteer to make more speeches! You’re not convinced yet? Give it a try and see what happens.
26. The main idea of this article is _________.
A. you can improve your speaking ability B. a poor speaker can never change
C. always make a short speech D. it is hard to make a speech
27. Paragraph 2 implies that ________.
A. many people are afraid of giving a speech B. many people are happy to give a speech
C. many people do not prepare for a speech D. many people talk too long
28. The phrase “talk over their heads” means ________.
A. speak too loudly B. look at the ceiling
C. look down upon them D. use words and ideas that are too difficult
29. All of the following statements are true except that ___________.
A. few people know how to make good speeches
B. a lecturer does not need to organize his speech
C. research is important in preparing a speech
D. there are simple steps you can take to improve your speaking ability
30. The title for this passage may be _______.
A. Do Not Make a Long Speech B. How to Give a Good Speech
C. How to Prepare for a Speech D. Try to Enjoy a Speech
E
The Pathfinder
When we found him, he was a sorry sight. His clothes were torn, his hands bleeding. Before we reached him, we saw him fall. He lay a moment. Then he pulled himself to his feet, walked unsteadily a few yards through the woods and fell again.
After we got him out, we went back to find the gun that he had thrown down. His tracks showed that for two days he had circled in the forest, within 200 yards of the road. His senses were so dulled by fear and tiredness that he did not hear the cars going by or see the lights at night.
We found him just in time.
This man, like others before him, had simply been frightened when he knew he was lost. What had been a near disaster might have turned out as only a pleasant walk, had he made a few preparations before he stepped from the highway or off a known path.
Whatever sense of direction that a man may have, it’s still largely a question of observation. A skilled woodsman always keeps an eye on his surroundings. He notes that the shape of a mountain, the direction water flows through a swamp, and the way a tree leans across a path. With these in mind, he may be turned around many times, but he is seldom lost.
There are exceptions, of course, and once in a while a man does come across some strange problem that puts him into the “lost” situation. A rainstorm or sudden blizzard may catch him without a compass（指南针）in his pocket. Darkness may find him in a rough area, where travel is dangerous without a light.
When this happens, the normal first reaction（反应）is the fear of being laughed at as a result of his poor knowledge in the woods. He may also be concerned about the inconvenience that he will cause his friends when he doesn’t show up. This false pride may lead him to keep on the move in a false effort to find his way against all difficulties.
The person who thinks ahead is seldom in great danger. He’ll be safe if he observes carefully, thinks ahead, and remains calm.
72. The author suggested that if the man had not been found, he would have __________.
A. been shot by a gun
B. become confused
C. been attacked by wild animals
D. been in great danger
73. According to the passage, if a person gets lost in the forest, at the very beginning, he would __________.
A. worry about being laughed at
B. push himself to find his way out
C. feel it is convenient to ask for help from his friends
D. be concerned about being frightened by wild animals
74. When a person tries to find his way in the woods, __________ is the most important.
A. intelligence B. observation C. direction D. chance
75. The author tells the story of the lost man as an example of people who __________.
A. go into the woods by themselves
B. don’t know how to signal for help properly
C. are frightened when they think they are lost
D. notice everything when stepping from the highway
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