Amtrak(美国铁路客运公司)was experiencing a downswing in ridership(客运量)along the lines comprising its rail system. Of major concern to Amtrak and its advertising agency DDB Needham, were the long-distance western routes where ridership had been declining significantly. At one time, trains were the only practical way to cross the vast areas of the west. Trains were fast, very luxurious, and quite convenient compared to other forms of transportation existing at the time. However, times change and the automobile became America's standard of convenience. Also, air travel had easily established itself as the fastest method of traveling great distances. Therefore, the task for DDB Needham was to encourage consumers to consider other aspects of train travel in order to change their attitudes and increase the likelihood that trains would be considered for travel in the west.
Two portions of the total market were targeted: 1)anxious fliers—those concerned with safety, relaxation, and cleanliness and 2)travel-lovers—those viewing themselves as relaxed, casual, and interested in the travel experience as part of their vacation. The agency then developed a campaign that focused on travel experiences such as freedom, escape, relaxation, and enjoyment of the great western outdoors. It stressed experiences gained by using the trains and portrayed western train trips as wonderful adventures.
Advertisements showed pictures of the beautiful scenery that could be enjoyed along some of the more famous western routes and emphasized the romantic names of some of these trains (Empire Builder, etc. ) These ads were strategically placed among family-oriented TV shows and programs involving nature and America in order to most effectively reach target audiences. Results were impressive. The Empire Builder, which was focused on in one ad, enjoyed a 15 percent increase in profits on its Chicago to Seattle route.
1.What's the authors purpose in writing this passage?
2.It can be inferred from the passage that the drop in Amtrak ridership was due to the fact that( ).
3.To encourage consumers to travel by train, DDB Needham emphasized( ).
4.The train ads were placed among family-oriented TV programs involving nature and America because( ).
5.According to the passage, the Empire Builder enjoyed an increase in ridership and profits
because( ).
问题1选项
A.To show the inability of trains to compete with planes with respect to speed and convenience
B.To stress the influence of the automobile on America's standard of convenience
C.To emphasize the function of travel agencies in market promotion
D.To illustrate the important role of persuasive communication in changing consumer attitudes
问题2选项
A.trains were not suitable for short distance passenger transportation
B.trains were not the fastest and most convenient form of transportation
C.trains were not as fast and convenient as they used to be
D.trains could not compete with planes in terms of luxury and convenience
问题3选项
A.the freedom and convenience provided on trains
B.the practical aspects of train travel
C.the adventurous aspects of train trips
D.the safety and cleanliness of train trips
问题4选项
A.they could focus on meaningful travel experiences
B.they could increase the effectiveness of the TV programs
C.their profits could be increased by some 15 percent
D.most travel-lovers and nervous fliers were believed to be among the audiences
问题5选项
A.the attractiveness of its name and route was effectively advertised
B.it provided an exciting travel experience
C.its passengers could enjoy the great western outdoors
D.it was widely advertised in newspapers and magazines in Chicago and Seattle
第1题:D
第2题:B
第3题:C
第4题:D
第5题:A
第1题:
【选项释义】
What’s the author’s purpose in writing this passage? 作者写这篇文章的目的是什么?
A. To show the inability of trains to compete with planes with respect to speed and convenience. A. 表明火车在速度和便利方面无法与飞机竞争。
B. To stress the influence of the automobile on America’s standard of convenience. B. 强调汽车对美国便利标准的影响。
C. To emphasize the function of travel agencies in market promotion. C. 强调旅行社在市场推广中的作用。
D. To illustrate the important role of persuasive communication in changing consumer attitudes. D. 说明说服性沟通在改变消费者态度方面的重要作用。
【答案】D
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】本文主要讲述了美国铁路客运公司为应对飞机和汽车的竞争所采取的应对策略,Amtrak将焦急的飞行者和旅游爱好者视为目标群体,然后对其进行广告的投放,最终取得一定效果。所以作者的意图是强调广告的劝说性功能在改变消费者态度方面的作用。故D选项正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“表明火车在速度和便利方面无法与飞机竞争”和B选项“强调汽车对美国便利标准的影响”是作者在第一段分析火车客运量下降原因时提到的,剩下篇幅主要阐述如何利用广告来应对客运量下降的,属于以偏概全;
C选项“强调旅行社在市场推广中的作用”原文并不是强调旅行社的作用,而是强调广告的劝说性功能在改变消费者态度方面的作用,属于偷换概念。
第2题:
【选项释义】
It can be inferred from the passage that the drop in Amtrak ridership was due to the fact that ________. 从文章中可以推断出,美铁客运量的下降是由于________。
A. trains were not suitable for short distance passenger transportation A. 火车不适合短途客运
B. trains were not the fastest and most convenient form of transportation B. 火车不是最快最方便的交通工具
C. trains were not as fast and convenient as they used to be C. 火车不像过去那样快捷方便了
D. trains could not compete with planes in terms of luxury and convenience D. 在豪华和方便方面,火车比不上飞机
【答案】B
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】第一段第五句讲“然而,时代变了,汽车成为了美国方便的标准。而且,航空旅行很容易就成为长途旅行最快的方法。”由此可知,美国铁路客运量下降主要是由于汽车和飞机的出现,火车不再是最快且最方便的交通方式。故B项正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“火车不适合短途客运”并不能从文中推断出来,文中只说了“美国铁路公司及其广告代理DDB Needham主要关注的是客流量大幅下降的西部长途线路(the long-distance western routes)”,属于无中生有;
C选项“火车不像过去那样快捷方便了”曲解了原文,文章是说由于汽车和飞机的出现,火车不再是过去交通工具中唯一快捷方便的出行方式了,而不是说火车不像过去那样快捷方便了,属于曲解原文;
D选项“在豪华和方便方面,火车比不上飞机”原文并没有将火车和飞机在豪华与方便方面进行比较,属于无中生有。
第3题:
【选项释义】
To encourage consumers to travel by train, DDB Needham emphasized ________. 为了鼓励消费者乘坐火车旅行,DDB Needham强调了________。
A. the freedom and convenience provided on trains A. 火车提供的自由和方便
B. the practical aspects of train travel B. 火车旅行的实用性方面
C. the adventurous aspects of train trips C. 火车旅行的冒险方面
D. the safety and cleanliness of train trips D. 火车旅行的安全和清洁
【答案】C
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】题干的关键词emphasized与第二段最后一句的stressed对应,该句讲“它强调了乘坐火车所获得的体验,并将西方火车旅行描述为美妙的冒险(wonderful adventures)。”由此可知,DDB Needham强调火车旅行的冒险性。故C选项正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“火车提供的自由和方便”由上一题可知,与汽车和飞机相比,火车在自由和方便方面不再具有优势,因此不可能成为DDB Needham要强调的内容,属于曲解原文;
B选项“火车旅行的实用性方面”原文没有提及,属于无中生有;
D选项“火车旅行的安全和清洁”根据safety和cleanliness可定位到第二段第一句,该句是说“焦急的飞行者比较关心的是安全、方式和清洁”,而不是说“火车旅行的安全和清洁”,属于张冠李戴。
第4题:
【选项释义】
The train ads were placed among family-oriented TV programs involving nature and America because ________. 火车广告之所以出现在“自然”“美国”等面向家庭的电视节目中,是因为________。
A. they could focus on meaningful travel experiences A. 它们可以专注于有意义的旅行体验
B. they could increase the effectiveness of the TV programs B. 它们可以提高电视节目的效果
C. their profits could be increased by some 15 percent C. 它们的利润可能会增加15%左右
D. most travel-lovers and nervous fliers were believed to be among the audiences D. 大多数旅行爱好者和紧张的飞行员被认为是观众中的一员
【答案】D
【考查点】细节事实题。
【解题思路】第三段第二句讲“这些广告被战略性地放置在以家庭为导向的涉及自然和美国的电视节目中,以便最有效地触及目标观众(in order to most effectively reach target audiences)。”由此可知,这些广告投放主要是为了能让目标观众看到,其中target audiences(目标观众)是指在第二段中提到的anxious fliers(紧张的飞行员)和travel-lovers(旅行爱好者),故D选项正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“它们可以专注于有意义的旅行体验”根据travel experiences可定位到第二段倒数第二句“该机构随后发展了一项活动,专注于旅行体验,如自由、逃避、放松和享受西部大户外”,不是该问题的答案出处,属于出处错位;
B选项“它们可以提高电视节目的效果”原文中没有提及,属于无中生有;
C选项“它们的利润可能会增加15%左右”是广告投放到电视节目中产生的结果,属于本末倒置。
第5题:
【选项释义】
According to the passage, the Empire Builder enjoyed an increase in ridership and profits because ________. 根据这篇文章,帝国建造者的客流量和利润都有所增加,原因是________。
A. the attractiveness of its name and route was effectively advertised A. 它的名字和路线的吸引力被有效地宣传了
B. it provided an exciting travel experience B. 提供了令人兴奋的旅行体验
C. its passengers could enjoy the great western outdoors C. 它的乘客可以享受西部的户外风光
D. it was widely advertised in newspapers and magazines in Chicago and Seattle D. 它在芝加哥和西雅图的报纸和杂志上做了广泛的宣传
【答案】A
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】第三段第一句讲“广告展示了一些更著名的西部路线沿线可以欣赏的美丽风景的图片(pictures of the beautiful scenery),并强调了这些火车的浪漫名字(the romantic names)。”由此可知,帝国建造者号列车的客流量上升是源于列车的名字和广告中宣称的路线和风景。故A选项正确。
【干扰项排除】
B选项“提供了令人兴奋的旅行体验”和C选项“它的乘客可以享受西部的户外风光”在文章第二段提及,主要讲的是广告公司针对目标人群而发起的活动,这个活动集中提供令人兴奋的旅行体验和西部的户外风光,与本题无关,属于出处错位;
D选项“它在芝加哥和西雅图的报纸和杂志上做了广泛的宣传”与原文不符,文章是说将广告投放在了面向家庭的电视节目中,属于偷换概念。
【文章来源】2000年英语四级真题
【参考译文】
美国铁路公司铁路系统沿线的客流量正在下降。美国铁路公司及其广告公司DDB Needham最关注的是客流量大幅下降的西部长途线路。曾经有一段时间,火车是穿越西部广大地区的唯一可行途径。与当时的其他交通工具相比,火车快速、豪华且方便。然而,时代变了,汽车成了美国的便利标准。此外,航空旅行也很容易地确立了自己作为最快的长途旅行方式的地位。因此,DDB Needham的任务是鼓励消费者考虑火车旅行的其他方面,以改变他们的态度,增加火车被考虑用于西部旅行的可能性。
整个市场的目标人群有两部分:1)焦虑的乘客——关心安全、放松和清洁的人;2)旅行爱好者——认为自己是轻松、随意的,并对旅行体验感兴趣,将其作为假期的一部分。该机构随后开展了一项宣传活动,重点宣传自由、逃避、放松和享受西部户外等旅游体验。它强调乘坐火车获得的体验,并将西部火车旅行描述为美妙的冒险。
广告展示了一些较为著名的西部线路沿途可以欣赏到的美丽风景的图片,并强调了一些列车的浪漫名字(帝国缔造者等)。为了最有效地接触目标受众,这些广告被策略性地放在面向家庭的电视节目和涉及自然与美国的节目中。结果是令人印象深刻的。在一则广告中重点介绍的帝国缔造者,在其芝加哥至西雅图的路线上获得了15%的利润增长。