Compulsive(狂热的) shoppers may have a new psychological excuse to blame for their shopping. Psychologists at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand are studying the “shop-till-you-drop” habit as a behavioral disorder similar to compulsive eating. Compulsive shoppers frequently buy more than they can afford or more than they need, and it causes them anxiousness.

  “ It becomes a problem when you are out of control,” psychology lecturer Neville Blampied said. “ When you are feeling bad and blue, what do you do? Some people eat chocolate cake and ice cream. Some people take the credit card and go out to the shop.” Bank managers understand the problem because they have to deal with people who have to be persuaded to stop using their cards drawing money.

  An advertisement in a Christchurch paper, calling for people to take part in an experimental treatment program designed by Mr. Wilson, attracted 10 replies. But the problem, said Mr. Wilson, is “clearly not rare.” He thinks that compulsive shopping should be treated with drugs. “As psychologists We are interested in non-drug treatments for behavioral difficulties,” Mr. Wilson said.

  Compulsive eaters or shoppers get a kick from their habit. “ Both activities provide an immediate kind of kick and you feel a bit better,” he said. “ You have long-term problems, but human beings are extremely good at not seeing long-term problem and are very sensitive to short-term benefits,” he said.

  The aim of the treatments was to help people find better ways of managing their emotions. The program, consisting of 10 one-hour weekly lessons and two follow-up treatments, is loosely based on teaching stress management.

  “ You often have to start to get people to correctly recognize their emotions. Not being able to know what you really feel weakens your ability to solve the problems.” Mr. Wilson said.

What is this article mostly about?

   A. Signs of compulsive shopping.

   B. Studies of compulsive shopping.

   C. A comparison of shopping and eating.

   D. An experimental treatment program.

The compulsive shoppers will go shopping when they        _.

   A. have lots of money      B. are taking drugs

   C. are feeling sad          D. win a prize

Which of the following is considered important in treating compulsive shoppers?

   A. Teach them to understand their emotions.

   B. Teach them to manage their money better.

   C. Persuade them not to draw money from the bank.

   D. Treat them with some right drugs.

When the writer says that compulsive shoppers get a kick from their habit, he means that they           _.

   A. feel anxious after their wild shopping

   B. feel better after treatment from psychologists

   C . are better able to deal with stress problems

   D. have a feeling of excitement after shopping


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 store, but instead will alert 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 frequent their competitors, according to a study jointly conducted by Verde group and Wharton school.
“Storytelling hurts the boss 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 other, and will no longer visit the specific store for every dissatisfied customer, a store will lose up to three more due to negative reviews. The resulting “snowball effect” can be bad to bosses.
According to the research, shoppers who bought clothing met 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 the parking problems by getting moonlighting local police to work as parking attendants. Some hired flag wavers to direct customers to empty parking spaces. This guidance eliminated the need for customers to circle the parking lot endlessly, and avoided fight between those eyeing the same parking space.
Bosses can relieve the headaches by redesigning store layouts, pre-stocking sales items, hiring speedy and experienced cashiers, and having sales representatives on hand to answer questions.
Most importantly, salespeople should be diplomatic 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 filling complaints to the boss, instead of complaining to the rest of the world. Bosses are hard-pressed to improve when they have no idea what is wrong.
1. Why are store managers often the last to hear complaints?
A. Most customers won’t bother to complain even if they have had unhappy experiences.
B. Customers would rather relate their unhappy experiences to people around them.
C. Few customers believe the service will be improved.
D. Customers have no easy access to store managers.
2. What does Paula Courtney imply by saying “ … the shopper must also find a replacement” (Line 2, Para. 4)?
A. New customers are sure to replace old ones.
B. It is not likely the shopper can find the same products in other stores.
C. Most stores provide the same
D. Not complaining to the manager causes the shopper some trouble too.
3. Shop owners often hire moonlighting police as parking attendants so that shoppers_____
A. can stay longer walking in the store  B. won’t have trouble parking their cars
C. won’t have any worries about safety  D. can find their cars easily after shopping
4. 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 the store layout.
5. To achieve better shopping experiences, customers are advised to _________.
A exert pressure on stores to improve their service
B. settle their problem with stores in a diplomatic(外交)way
C. voice their dissatisfaction to store managers directly
D. shop around and make comparisons between stores

Online clothes shoppers will be told exactly what size is best. for them using new software which combines with their web camera or smart phone to form a“3D tape measure”.
Scientists from Surrey University and design experts from the London College of Fashion are developing a program which can take precise (精确的) waist, hip, chest and other measurements from camera images.
Using the person’s height as a starting point,the software will be able to build up a 3D image and estimate their size at various different points on the body, based on their overall proportions.
The result will be a more accurate sizing guide than previous systems based on waist size or a “small/medium/large”scale, which rely on limited measurements and the buyer’s perception of their own body size.
Shoppers and retailers(零售商)who choose to sign up for the project could save millions of pounds a year in postage costs by removing the need to order multiple sizes of the same garment(服装) and send back ill-fitting clothes, researchers claimed.
The project, sponsored by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council(EPSRC), is expected to be brought to market within two years.
After choosing an item, the shopper will activate the software, enter their height, stand in front of their webcam or smart phone in their underwear and take a photograph.
The software will not store or transmit the image to the internet, but will use it to judge the person’s dimensions at various points on their body.
Philip Delamore of the London College of Fashion said:“The potential benefits for the fashion industry and for shoppers are huge. Currently, it’s common for online shoppers to order two or three different sizes of the same item of clothing at the same time, as they’re unsure which one will fit best.”
【小题1】What is the essential part of a 3D tape measure?

A.a software B.a webcam
C.a microphone D.a smart phone
【小题2】What can we learn about the 3D tape measure?
A.It will store or transmit the image to the internet.
B.It is based on the buyer’s perception of their size.
C.It will be a co-working production.
D.It uses a person’s weight as a starting point.
【小题3】Compared with the traditional sizing system, a 3D tape measure is_______.
A.quicker B.more precise
C.more beautiful D.more vivid
【小题4】How can the 3D tape measure benefit online shoppers?
A.Online shoppers will get their ordered garment in time.
B.Online shoppers will get their ordered garment more quickly.
C.Online shoppers will get an ordered garment of high quality.
D.Online shoppers will get an ordered garment to their measure.
【小题5】What is the right order for a shopper to form a 3D tape measure?
①to take a photo with a webcam
②to activate the software
③to enter his/her height
④to judge his size by analyzing his image
A.①②③④B.②①③④C.②③①④D.②③④①

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