Question

If a business wants to sell its products internationally, it had better do some market research first. This is a lesson that some large American corporations have learned in the hard way.

What’s in the name?

   Sometimes the problem is the name. When General Motors introduced its Chevy Nova into Latin America, it overlooked the fact that Nova in Spanish means “It doesn’t go”. Sure enough, the Chevy Nova never went anywhere in Latin America.

   Translation problems

   Sometimes it is the slogan that doesn’t work. No company knows this better than Pepsi-Cola, with its “Come alive with Pepsi!” campaign. The campaign was so successful in the United States that Pepsi translated its slogan literally for its international campaign. As it turned out, the translations were not quite right. Pepsi was begging Germans to “Come out of the grave” and telling the Chinese that “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave.”

   A picture is worth a thousand words

   Other times, the problem involves packaging. A picture of a smiling baby has helped sell countless jars of Gerber baby food. When Gerber started selling baby food in Africa, they used the same packaging as in the US, with the smiling baby on the label. Later they learned that in African countries, the picture on the jar shows what the jar has in it, for many people there can’t read.

   Twist of fate

   Even culture and religious factors and pure coincidence can be involved. Thorn McAn shoes have a Thorn McAn “signature” inside. To people in Bangladesh, which is a Muslim country, this signature looked like Arabic script for the word Allah. In that country, feet are considered unclean, and Muslims felt the company was offending God’s name by having people walk on it.

51. From the text we learn that ________.

   A. Chevy Nova was brought into Latin America

   B. General Motors did the best market research of all companies

   C. Pepsi still sold well in China owing to the translation problems

   D. the “Come alive with Pepsi” campaign worked well in the US

52. What was Gerber’s problem?

   A. A translation problem.                B. Cultural factor.

   C. Religious factor.                         D. The picture on the jar.

53. For what reason were Thorn McAn shoes turned down in Bangladesh?

   A. They are not designed attractively.

   B. Their advertisements are not persuasive.

   C. A signature looking like the word Allah was in the shoes.

   D. Problem for Thorn McAn was the company’s name.

54. The intended readers of the passage are ________.

   A. product advertisers                    B. market researchers

   C. managers of Sales Department    D. businesses to promote products abroad

55. What does the text mainly tell us?

   A. Lessons from some large corporations.

   B. How to make use of advertisements.

   C. The importance of market research.

   D. The importance of packaging

Answer 1

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