题目
Picture this：You're at a movie theater food stand loading up on snacks.You have a choice of a small，medium or large soda.The small is ﹩3.50 and the large is ﹩5.50.It's a-tough decision：The small size may not last you through the whole movie，but ﹩ 5.50 for some sugary drink seems ridiculous.But there's a third option，a medium soda for ﹩5.25.Medium may be the perfect amount of soda for you，but the large is only a quarter more.If you're like most people，you end up buying the large （and taking a bathroom break midshow）. If you're wondering who would buy the medium soda，the answer is almost no one.In fact，there's a good chance the marketing department purposely priced the medium soda as a decoy （诱饵） ，making you more likely to buy the large soda rather than the small. I have written about this peculiarity （怪异） in human nature before with my friend Dan Ariely，who studied this phenomenon extensively after noticing pricing for subscriptions （订阅） to The Economist.The digital subscription was ﹩ 59，the print subscription was ﹩ 125，and the print plus digital subscription was also﹩ 125.No one in their right mind would buy the print subscription when you could get digital as well for the same price，so why was it even an option？Ariely ran an experiment and found that when only the two "real" choices were offered，more people chose the less-expensive digital subscription.But the addition of the bad option made people much more likely to choose the more expensive print plus digital option. Brain scientists call this effect "asymmetric dominance" and it means that people prefer the choice nearest a clearly bad option.Marketing professors call it the decoy effect，which is certainly easier to remember.Lucky for consumers，almost no one in the business community understands it. The decoy effect works because of the way our brains assign value when making choices：Value is almost never absolute；rather，we decide an object's value relative to our other choices.If more options are introduced，the value equation changes.（1）Why does the author ask us to imagine buying food in the movie theater？ ____ A．To show people's peculiar shopping behavior.B．To show the increasing variety of snacks there.C．To show how hard it can be to choose a drink there.D．To show how popular snacks are among movie fans.（2）Why is the medium soda priced the way it is？ ____ A．To attract more customers to buy it.B．To show the price matches the amount.C．To ensure customers drink the right amount of soda.D．To make customers believe they are getting a bargain.（3）For what purpose is "the bad option" （Para.3）added？ ____ A．To cater to the peculiar needs of some customers.B．To help customers to make more rational choices.C．To trap customers into buying the more pricey item.D．To provide customers with a greater variety of goods.（4）How do we assess the value of a product，according to the passage？ ____ A．By considering its usefulness.B．By comparing it with other choices.C．By taking its quality into account.D．By examining its value equation.
Picture this：You're at a movie theater food stand loading up on snacks.You have a choice of a small，medium or large soda.The small is ﹩3.50 and the large is ﹩5.50.It's a-tough decision：The small size may not last you through the whole movie，but ﹩ 5.50 for some sugary drink seems ridiculous.But there's a third option，a medium soda for ﹩5.25.Medium may be the perfect amount of soda for you，but the large is only a quarter more.If you're like most people，you end up buying the large （and taking a bathroom break midshow）.
If you're wondering who would buy the medium soda，the answer is almost no one.In fact，there's a good chance the marketing department purposely priced the medium soda as a decoy （诱饵） ，making you more likely to buy the large soda rather than the small.
I have written about this peculiarity （怪异） in human nature before with my friend Dan Ariely，who studied this phenomenon extensively after noticing pricing for subscriptions （订阅） to The Economist.The digital subscription was ﹩ 59，the print subscription was ﹩ 125，and the print plus digital subscription was also﹩ 125.No one in their right mind would buy the print subscription when you could get digital as well for the same price，so why was it even an option？Ariely ran an experiment and found that when only the two "real" choices were offered，more people chose the less-expensive digital subscription.But the addition of the bad option made people much more likely to choose the more expensive print plus digital option.
Brain scientists call this effect "asymmetric dominance" and it means that people prefer the choice nearest a clearly bad option.Marketing professors call it the decoy effect，which is certainly easier to remember.Lucky for consumers，almost no one in the business community understands it.
The decoy effect works because of the way our brains assign value when making choices：Value is almost never absolute；rather，we decide an object's value relative to our other choices.If more options are introduced，the value equation changes.
（1）Why does the author ask us to imagine buying food in the movie theater？ ____
A．To show people's peculiar shopping behavior.
B．To show the increasing variety of snacks there.
C．To show how hard it can be to choose a drink there.
D．To show how popular snacks are among movie fans.
（2）Why is the medium soda priced the way it is？ ____
A．To attract more customers to buy it.
B．To show the price matches the amount.
C．To ensure customers drink the right amount of soda.
D．To make customers believe they are getting a bargain.
（3）For what purpose is "the bad option" （Para.3）added？ ____
A．To cater to the peculiar needs of some customers.
B．To help customers to make more rational choices.
C．To trap customers into buying the more pricey item.
D．To provide customers with a greater variety of goods.
（4）How do we assess the value of a product，according to the passage？ ____
A．By considering its usefulness.
B．By comparing it with other choices.
C．By taking its quality into account.
D．By examining its value equation.
If you're wondering who would buy the medium soda，the answer is almost no one.In fact，there's a good chance the marketing department purposely priced the medium soda as a decoy （诱饵） ，making you more likely to buy the large soda rather than the small.
I have written about this peculiarity （怪异） in human nature before with my friend Dan Ariely，who studied this phenomenon extensively after noticing pricing for subscriptions （订阅） to The Economist.The digital subscription was ﹩ 59，the print subscription was ﹩ 125，and the print plus digital subscription was also﹩ 125.No one in their right mind would buy the print subscription when you could get digital as well for the same price，so why was it even an option？Ariely ran an experiment and found that when only the two "real" choices were offered，more people chose the less-expensive digital subscription.But the addition of the bad option made people much more likely to choose the more expensive print plus digital option.
Brain scientists call this effect "asymmetric dominance" and it means that people prefer the choice nearest a clearly bad option.Marketing professors call it the decoy effect，which is certainly easier to remember.Lucky for consumers，almost no one in the business community understands it.
The decoy effect works because of the way our brains assign value when making choices：Value is almost never absolute；rather，we decide an object's value relative to our other choices.If more options are introduced，the value equation changes.
（1）Why does the author ask us to imagine buying food in the movie theater？ ____
A．To show people's peculiar shopping behavior.
B．To show the increasing variety of snacks there.
C．To show how hard it can be to choose a drink there.
D．To show how popular snacks are among movie fans.
（2）Why is the medium soda priced the way it is？ ____
A．To attract more customers to buy it.
B．To show the price matches the amount.
C．To ensure customers drink the right amount of soda.
D．To make customers believe they are getting a bargain.
（3）For what purpose is "the bad option" （Para.3）added？ ____
A．To cater to the peculiar needs of some customers.
B．To help customers to make more rational choices.
C．To trap customers into buying the more pricey item.
D．To provide customers with a greater variety of goods.
（4）How do we assess the value of a product，according to the passage？ ____
A．By considering its usefulness.
B．By comparing it with other choices.
C．By taking its quality into account.
D．By examining its value equation.
题目解答
答案
A 45．D 46．C 47．B
【导语】这是一篇说明文。文章介绍商品销售中的诱饵效应：当我们在做出选择时，受大脑分配价值方式的影响，在有更多选择的时候，我们会被最接近劣势的选项所吸引。诱饵效应之所以起作用，是因为我们的大脑在做出选择时分配价值的方式，我们"通过与其他选择进行比较"评估商品的价值。44．推理判断题。根据第一段"Picture this：You're at a movie theater food stand loading up on snacks.You have a choice of a small，medium or large soda.The small is ﹩3.50 and the large is ﹩5.50.It's a-tough decision：The small size may not last you through the whole movie，but ﹩ 5.50 for some sugary drink seems ridiculous.But there's a third option，a medium soda for ﹩5.25.Medium may be the perfect amount of soda for you，but the large is only a quarter more.If you're like most people，you end up buying the large （and taking a bathroom break midshow）.（想象一下：你在电影院的小吃摊上买零食。你可以选择小杯、中杯或大杯的苏打水。小的是3.5美元，大的是5.5美元。这是一个艰难的决定：小杯可能撑不了你看完整部电影，但5.50美元的含糖饮料似乎很荒谬。但还有第三种选择，5.25美元的中杯苏打水。中杯可能是最适合你的苏打水，但大杯只多了四分之一。如果你和大多数人一样，你最终会买大号的（并且在演出中途去洗手间休息一下））"以及第三段"I have written about this peculiarity （怪异） in human nature before with my friend Dan Ariely，who studied this phenomenon extensively after noticing pricing for subscriptions （订阅） to The Economist.（我以前和我的朋友Dan Ariely一起写过关于人性中的这种独特的文章，Dan Ariely在注意到《经济学人》的订阅定价后对这一现象进行了广泛的研究）"提到作者和朋友对人性的这种独特性行为进行过研究，可推知，作者让我们想象在电影院买食物是为了来说明人们独特的购物行为。故选A。
细节理解题。根据第二段中In fact，there's a good chance the marketing department purposely priced the medium soda as a decoy （诱饵） ，making you more likely to buy the large soda rather than the small.（事实上，营销部门很有可能故意将中杯苏打水定价为诱饵，让你更有可能购买大杯苏打水而不是小杯苏打水）"可知，中号汽水的定价是让顾客相信他们买到了便宜货。故选D。
推理判断题。根据第三段"But the addition of the bad option made people much more likely to choose the more expensive print plus digital option.（但是，不良选项的增加使人们更有可能选择更昂贵的印刷版加数字版选项）"可推知，添加"坏的选择"的目的是诱骗顾客购买更昂贵的商品。故选C。
推理判断题。根据最后一段中"The decoy effect works because of the way our brains assign value when making choices：Value is almost never absolute；rather，we decide an object's value relative to our other choices.（诱饵效应之所以有效，是因为我们的大脑在做出选择时赋予价值的方式：价值几乎从来不是绝对的；相反，我们决定一个对象的价值相对于我们的其他选择）"可推知，我们可以"通过与其他选择进行比较"评估商品的价值。故选B。
【导语】这是一篇说明文。文章介绍商品销售中的诱饵效应：当我们在做出选择时，受大脑分配价值方式的影响，在有更多选择的时候，我们会被最接近劣势的选项所吸引。诱饵效应之所以起作用，是因为我们的大脑在做出选择时分配价值的方式，我们"通过与其他选择进行比较"评估商品的价值。44．推理判断题。根据第一段"Picture this：You're at a movie theater food stand loading up on snacks.You have a choice of a small，medium or large soda.The small is ﹩3.50 and the large is ﹩5.50.It's a-tough decision：The small size may not last you through the whole movie，but ﹩ 5.50 for some sugary drink seems ridiculous.But there's a third option，a medium soda for ﹩5.25.Medium may be the perfect amount of soda for you，but the large is only a quarter more.If you're like most people，you end up buying the large （and taking a bathroom break midshow）.（想象一下：你在电影院的小吃摊上买零食。你可以选择小杯、中杯或大杯的苏打水。小的是3.5美元，大的是5.5美元。这是一个艰难的决定：小杯可能撑不了你看完整部电影，但5.50美元的含糖饮料似乎很荒谬。但还有第三种选择，5.25美元的中杯苏打水。中杯可能是最适合你的苏打水，但大杯只多了四分之一。如果你和大多数人一样，你最终会买大号的（并且在演出中途去洗手间休息一下））"以及第三段"I have written about this peculiarity （怪异） in human nature before with my friend Dan Ariely，who studied this phenomenon extensively after noticing pricing for subscriptions （订阅） to The Economist.（我以前和我的朋友Dan Ariely一起写过关于人性中的这种独特的文章，Dan Ariely在注意到《经济学人》的订阅定价后对这一现象进行了广泛的研究）"提到作者和朋友对人性的这种独特性行为进行过研究，可推知，作者让我们想象在电影院买食物是为了来说明人们独特的购物行为。故选A。
细节理解题。根据第二段中In fact，there's a good chance the marketing department purposely priced the medium soda as a decoy （诱饵） ，making you more likely to buy the large soda rather than the small.（事实上，营销部门很有可能故意将中杯苏打水定价为诱饵，让你更有可能购买大杯苏打水而不是小杯苏打水）"可知，中号汽水的定价是让顾客相信他们买到了便宜货。故选D。
推理判断题。根据第三段"But the addition of the bad option made people much more likely to choose the more expensive print plus digital option.（但是，不良选项的增加使人们更有可能选择更昂贵的印刷版加数字版选项）"可推知，添加"坏的选择"的目的是诱骗顾客购买更昂贵的商品。故选C。
推理判断题。根据最后一段中"The decoy effect works because of the way our brains assign value when making choices：Value is almost never absolute；rather，we decide an object's value relative to our other choices.（诱饵效应之所以有效，是因为我们的大脑在做出选择时赋予价值的方式：价值几乎从来不是绝对的；相反，我们决定一个对象的价值相对于我们的其他选择）"可推知，我们可以"通过与其他选择进行比较"评估商品的价值。故选B。
解析
本文是一篇说明文，介绍了商品销售中的“诱饵效应”：人们在做选择时，会偏好靠近明显劣势选项的选择，营销人员常利用这一点促进销售，而消费者可以通过理解这一效应做出更理性的决策。
（1）作者为何让我们想象在电影院购买食物？
作者通过电影院买汽水的场景，描述了人们面对小杯（$3.5）、中杯（$5.25）、大杯（$5.5）时，因中杯作为“诱饵”而更倾向选择大杯的行为。结合第三段提到的“this peculiarity in human nature”（人性的怪异之处），可知作者是为了展示人们独特的购物行为。
（2）中杯汽水为何这样定价？
第二段明确指出：“marketing department purposely priced the medium soda as a decoy，making you more likely to buy the large soda rather than the small”（营销部门故意将中杯定价为诱饵，让你更可能买大杯而非小杯）。中杯价格（$5.25）仅比大杯（$5.5）少0.25美元，消费者会觉得大杯“更划算”，实则是被引导购买更贵的大杯。
（3）添加“坏选项”的目的是什么？
第三段以《经济学人》订阅为例：数字版$59，印刷版$125，印刷+数字版$125。印刷版是“坏选项”（没人会单买更贵的印刷版），但添加它后，更多人选择了“印刷+数字版”（更昂贵的组合）。这说明“坏选项”的作用是诱骗顾客购买更贵的商品。
（4）我们如何评估产品价值？
最后一段指出：“Value is almost never absolute；rather，we decide an object's value relative to our other choices”（价值几乎不是绝对的，而是相对于其他选择来决定的）。即通过与其他选项比较来评估产品价值。