No one can avoid being influenced by advertisements. Much as we may pride ourselves on our good taste, we are no longer free to choose the things we want, for advertising exerts a subtle influence on us. In their efforts to persuade us to buy this or that product, advertisers have made a close study of human nature and have classified all our little weaknesses. Advertisers discovered years ago that all of us love to get something for nothing.
An advertisement which begins with the magic word FREE can rarely go wrong. These days, advertisers not only offer free samples but free cars, free houses, and free trips round the world as well. They devise hundreds of competitions which will enable us to win huge sums of money. Radio and television have made it possible for advertisers to capture the attention of millions of people in this way.
During a radio programme, a company of biscuit manufacturers once asked listeners to bake biscuits and send them to their factory. They offered to pay $10 a pound for the biggest biscuit baked by a listener. The response to this competition was tremendous. Before long, biscuits of all shapes and sizes began arriving at the factory. One lady brought in a biscuit on a wheelbarrow. It weighed nearly 500 pounds. A little later, a man came along with a biscuit which occupied the whole boot of his car. All the biscuits that were sent were carefully weighed. The largest was 713 pounds. It seemed certain that this would win the prize. But just before the competition closed, a lorry arrived at the factory with a truly colossal biscuit which weighed 2400 pounds. It had been baked by a college student who had used over 1000 pounds of flour, 800 pounds of sugar, 200 pounds of fat, and 400 pounds of various other ingredients. It was so heavy that a crane had to be used to remove it from the lorry. The manufacturers had to pay more money than they had anticipated, for they bought the biscuit from the student for $24,000.
没有人能避免受广告的影响。尽管我们可以自夸自己的鉴赏力如何敏锐，但我们已经无法独立自主地选购自己所需的东西了。这是因为广告在我们身上施加着一种潜移默化的影响。做广告的人在力图劝说我们买下这种产品或那种产品之前，已经仔细地研究了人的本性，并把人的弱点进行了分类。
做广告的人们多年前就发现我们大家都喜欢免费得到东西。凡是用“免费”这个神奇的词开头的广告很少会失败的。目前，做广告的人不仅提供免费样品，而且还提供免费汽车，免费住房，免费周游世界。他们设计数以百计的竞赛，竞赛中有人可赢得巨额奖金。电台、电视使做广告的人可以用这种手段吸引成百万人的注意力。
有一次，在电台播放的节目里，一个生产饼干的公司请听众烘制饼干送到他们的工厂去。他们愿意以每磅 10 美元的价钱买下由听众烘制的最大的饼干。这次竞赛在听众中引起极其热烈的反响。不久，形状各异， 大小不一的饼干陆续送到工厂。 一位女士用手推车运来一个饼干， 重达 500 磅左右。 相隔不一会儿， 一个男子也带来一个大饼干，那个饼干把汽车的行李箱挤得满满的。凡送来的饼干都仔细地称量。最重的一个达 713 磅，看来这个饼干获奖无疑了。但就在竞赛截止时间将到之际，一辆卡车驶进了工厂，运来了 一个特大无比、重达 2,400 磅的饼干。它是由一个大学生烘制的，用去 1,000 多磅的面粉、 800 磅食糖、 200 磅动物脂肪及 400 磅其他各种原料。饼干份量太重了，用了一台起重机才把它从卡车上卸下。饼干公 司不得不付出比他们预计多得多的钱，因为为买下那学生烘制的饼干他们支付了 24,000 美元。
influence [‘ɪnflʊəns]
n. 影响
the influence of … on / upon …
the influence of parents on / upon their children
the effect of … on / upon …
the effect of fertilizers on / upon the crops
the impact of … on / upon …
the impact of the oil spill on / upon marine life
pride [praɪd]
v. 骄傲
be proud of …
take pride in …
pride oneself on …
taste [teɪst]
n. 鉴赏力，品味
Phoebe: Oh that’s good, I guess she’ll have a choice between my guy and your weirdo. Chandler: Why would our guy be a weirdo?
Phoebe: Because that’s just your taste.
a man / woman of taste
have … taste in …
She has good taste in music.
He has terrible taste in clothing.
tasteless
exert [ɪɡ’zɜ:t]
v. 施加
exert … on …
My wife exerts a lot of pressure on me to make more money.
…, for advertising exerts a subtle influence on us.
Antique shops exert a peculiar fascination on a great many people.
impose sth. on sb.
Some parents impose their own moral values on their children.
inflict sth. on sb.
Please don’t inflict your love on me.
devise [dɪ’vaɪz]v. 设计，想出
The cartoon character Mickey Mouse was devised by Walt Disney in 1928.
conceive
come up with
(A) Very few people come to it.
(B) A good name hasn’t been found for it.
(C) People don’t like climbing the stairs to get there.
(D) She has decided to phone the ticket office.
M: What had they decided to call the stadium?
W: No one has come up with a good name.
Q: What does the woman say about the stadium? Answer: (B) A good name hasn’t been found for it.
wanted: 诚聘, 求购
help wanted section
(A) He wants help improving his vocabulary.
(B) He plans to read the entire newspaper.
(C) He rarely has time to read the newspaper on Sunday. (D) He’s interested in finding a job.
W: Since when do you read the Sunday Times?
M: Since I discovered its big help-wanted section.
Q: What can be assumed about the man?
Answer: (D) He’s interested in finding a job.
The fugitive is wanted by the police.
avoid v. 躲避，避免
avoid sb. like the plague
avoid doing
造句:没有人可以避免受到社会的影响。 No one can avoid being influenced by society.
造句:没有人可以避免受到金钱的引诱。 No one can avoid being tempted by money.
造句:没有人可以避免犯错误。No one can avoid making mistakes.
Everyone is influenced by advertisements.
No one can avoid being influenced by advertisements.
Everyone admits that …
No one can deny that …
Everyone is attracted by …
No one can resist …
Much as we may pride ourselves on our good taste, we are no longer free to choose the things we want, for advertising exerts a subtle influence on us.
pride oneself on …
take pride in …
be proud of…
让步状语从句中的强调：副词，形容词，动词，名词
Although we may much pride ourselves on our good taste, …
Much as we may pride ourselves on our good taste, …
Although I much admire Newton as a scientist, I don’t like him as a man.
Much as I admire Newton as a scientist, I don’t like him as a man.
Although we may be proud of our good taste, …
Proud as we may be of our good taste, …
Although she is beautiful, I still don’t like her.
Beautiful as she is, I still don’t like her.
Although he tries, he never seems able to do the work beautifully.
Try as he does, he never seems to do the work beautifully.
Although he is a child, he can make a living.
Child as he is, he can make a living.
be free to do …
You are free to choose the things you want.
freely
You can choose the things you want freely.
be at liberty to do
You are at liberty to choose the things you want.
In their efforts to persuade us to buy this or that product, advertisers have made a close study of human nature and have classified all our little weaknesses.
in sth. / doing
In trying to persuade us to buy …
In seeking independence, they do not sacrifice their human dignity.
persuade sb. to do / into doing
talk sb. into doing
We talked Father into buying the car.
get sb. to do
The rough road across the plain soon became so bad that we tried to get Bruce to drive back to the village we had come from.
persuade sb. not to do / out of doing
talk sb. out of doing
get sb. not to do
dissuade sb. from doing
造句:我劝他不要自杀 (commit suicide)
I persuaded him not to commit / out of committing suicide.
I talked him out of committing suicide.
I got him not to commit suicide.
I dissuaded him from committing suicide.
this or that product
one product or another
some product or other
study …
make a study of …
Recently the New York Animal Medical Center made a study of 132 cats over a period of five months.
make a close study of …
discover
make an interesting discovery of …
Some time ago, an interesting discovery was made by archaeologists on the Aegean island of Kea. describe
make a vivid description of …
investigate
make a thorough investigation of …
summarize
make a comprehensive summary of…
analyze
make a detailed analysis of …
weakness1. 懦弱, 软弱 [U]
So let us begin anew —remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate.
— John F. Kennedy
weakness1. 懦弱, 软弱 [U] 2. 弱点, 缺点 [C]
反义:strength 优点, 长处 [C]strengths and weaknesses
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and nonbelievers.
Advertisers discovered years ago that all of us love to get something for nothing.
for nothing / for free / free of charge adv. 免费……
Guests can park for nothing / for free / free of charge.
no charge for … ……免费
There is no charge for parking.
be on the house 店主请客
How much do I owe you?
Well, that’ll be eighteen dollars and seventy cents. No charge for the cleanup. It’s on the house.
An advertisement which begins with the magic word FREE can rarely go wrong.
begin with …
Let’s go into the kitchen, and maybe you can help me set the table. Sounds good to me. What are we having? I prepared lamb chops, mashed potatoes, and a tossed green salad to begin with. Grandpa, you are a terrific guy!
begin with …
end with …
The rally ended with the singing of national anthem.
go wrong 出错，出问题，不顺利
Something ’s gone wrong with my computer.
We have all experienced days when everything goes wrong.
round / around the world
throughout the world
all over the world
the world over
Michael Jackson was popular ~.
enable sb. to do …
make it possible for sb. to do …
Radio and television have made it possible for advertisers to capture the attention of millions of people in this way.
Radio and television have enabled advertisers to capture the attention of millions of people in this way.
capture / attract / draw / catch / arrest / command / get (one’s) attention / the attention of …
This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England.
True eccentrics never deliberately set out to draw attention to themselves.
bake
baker
baker’s/bakery
roast
roast turkey
Peking roast duck
grill / broil
grilled / broiled chicken
barbecue (BBQ)
She paid me $30 for my bike.
She bought my bike for $30.
Advertisers discovered years ago that all of us love to get something for nothing.
The manufacturers had to pay more money than they had anticipated, for they bought the biscuit from the student for $24,000.
the response to … is / was tremendous / lukewarm
造句:学校提供了一笔 1000 美元的奖金给第一个能解决这个问题的学生。大家对这次比赛 的反应很热烈/很平淡。
In 1908 Lord Northcliffe offered a prize of ₤1,000 to the first man who would fly across the English Channel.
The university offered a prize of $1,000 to the first student who would find a solution to the problem. The response to the competition was tremendous / lukewarm.
before (very / too) long
before much longer
shortly afterwards
Shortly afterwards, the police stopped the car and both men were arrested.
a little later
A little later, a man came along with a biscuit which occupied the whole boot of his car.
before (very / too) long
before much longer
shortly afterwards
a little later
after a little / short time / while
After a little time, she chose one of the most expensive dresses in the shop and handed it to an assistant who wrapped it up for her as quickly as possible.
all sorts / kinds / types of sth.
He added that a student had dressed up as a policeman and was playing all sorts of silly jokes on people.
造句:她每天必须要处理各种各样的投诉。
She has to deal with all kinds of complaints every day.
weigh …
The boy weighs 50 kilos.
be … (in weight)
The boy is 50 kilos (in weight).
be / stand … high / tall
She stood three feet high and her hands rested on her hips.
He stands / is 1.8m tall.
rise to a height of …
Above the surface of the water, the towers rise to a height of nearly 700 feet.
be … deep / in depth
The hole is 2 feet deep / in depth.
extend to a depth of …
The platforms extend to a depth of over 100 feet under the sea.
be … long / in length
The bed is 2 meters long / in length.
be … wide / across / in width
The river is 20 meters wide / across / in width.
along with …
Mr. Taylor, along with two assistants, is trying to stop the thieves.
together with … accompanied by … followed by … besides …
no less than …
coupled with …
as well as … including …
The largest was 713 pounds (in weight).
The largest weighed 713 pounds.
But just before the competition closed, a lorry arrived at the factory with a truly colossal biscuit which weighed 2400 pounds.
造句:箱子太沉了，用了一辆卡车才把它运到目的地。
The box was so heavy that a lorry had to be used to carry it to the destination.
造句:两年多来这条街上新开了很多商店。
In the past two years many shops have been set up in the street.
A new government was organized after the war. 战后成立了新政府。