Question

Why are we addicted to upgrades? According to Donald Norman, American author of the book The Design of Everyday Things, “planned obsolescence”（计划性报废） is the trick behind the upgrading culture of today’s consumer electronics industry.

The New York Times cited Norman last month, saying that electronics manufactures strategically release new upgrades periodically, both for hardware and software, so that customers on every level feel the need to buy the newest version.

“This is an old-time trick– they’re not inventing anything new,” he said.

Thomas Wensma, a Dutch designer, despises the “planned obsolescence” of companies, as recently reported by UK-based The Guardian.

Wensma said this is a wasteful system through which companies – many of them producing personal electronics – release shoddy products simply because “they know that, in six months or a year, they’ll put out a new one”.

But the new psychology of consumers is part of this system, as Wensma said to the newspaper: “We now want something new, something pretty, the next shiny thing.”

____________________

“It’s to the damage of the consumer and the environment,” as the New York Times quoted Norman. “But perhaps to the betterment of the stockholder.”

In its most recent fiscal(财务的) year, Apple’s profit margin was more than 21 percent, reported the Los Angeles Times. At Hewlett-Packard, the world’s biggest PC manufacturer, it was only 7 percent.

“Steven Jobs pushed the principle of ‘planned obsolescence’ to new heights,” the newspaper commented on the company’s profits and marketing strategy. “Apple’s annual upgrades of its products generate sales of millions of units as owners of one year’s MacBook or iPhone line up to buy the newest version, even when the changes are incremental.”

Peer pressure

As to Li Jijia, the need for upgrading his smart phone comes mainly from friends and classmates. When the majority of friends are switching to the latest devices, he worries about feeling left out.

“Some apps and games require better hardware to run,” said Li. “If you don’t join in, you lose part of the connection to your friends.”

1.Donald Norman believes that electronics makers strategically release new upgrades periodically because __________.

A．customers need the latest version          B．technology is developing so fast

C．they want to invent something new          D．they can make a lot of money

2.Thomas Wensma’s attitude to the “planned obsolescence” is __________.

A．positive           B．negative          C．indifferent         D．neutral

3.What subtitle can best fit into the blank in the text?

A．Huge profits                           B．Apple’s principle

C．Environmental damage                   D．Marketing strategy

4.The writer takes the example of Li Jijia to show that __________.

A．the new psychology of consumers is also to blame for the wasteful system

B．young people are always fond of something new, pretty and shiny

C．if you don’t upgrade your smart phone, you will lose contact with your friends

D．needs of consumers help to promote the development of electronics industry

 

Answer 1

【答案】

1.D

2.B

3.A

4.A

【解析】

试题分析：本文主要讲述的是现在在技术领域出现的更新的现象，文章分析了这种现象出现的根本原因还是利润。

1.D 推理题。根据文章第二段The New York Times cited Norman last month, saying that electronics manufactures strategically release new upgrades periodically, both for hardware and software, so that customers on every level feel the need to buy the newest version可知用户要购买这些新的更新，要花钱，也许经济上的要求是最根本的原因。故D正确。

2.B 推理题。根据Wensma said this is a wasteful system through which companies – many of them producing personal electronics – release shoddy products simply because “they know that, in six months or a year, they’ll put out a new one”.可知他认为这是一种浪费，故说明他是反对这一看法的，故B正确。

3.A 推理题。根据“We now want something new, something pretty, the next shiny thing.”

____________________

“It’s to the damage of the consumer and the environment,” as the New York Times quoted Norman. “But perhaps to the betterment of the stockholder.”可知这里是指利润才是最终的追求。经济利益才是这样做的目的，故A正确。

4.A 推理题。根据文章最后2段As to Li Jijia, the need for upgrading his smart phone comes mainly from friends and classmates. When the majority of friends are switching to the latest devices, he worries about feeling left out.

“Some apps and games require better hardware to run,” said Li. “If you don’t join in, you lose part of the connection to your friends.”

可知消费者这种追求最好的心理也是这一现象出现的原因。故A正确。

考点：考查经济类短文阅读

点评：本文主要讲述的是现在在技术领域出现的更新的现象。要求考生读懂文章中的每个句子的意思还要推理它们之间的关系，结合自己的生活常识和经验，再通过逻辑推理和判断，理解文章的言外之意，从而揭示文章的深层涵义。任何一篇文章都有其特定的写作目的，读者应当知道如何去做或按照某种方式传递思考问题。推理判断题的答案不可能在文章中直接找到，因此推理时我们务必要忠于原文，在文章中寻找并确定可推论的依据，即：已知部分－推论的前提，从中推测出未知部分－推理的结论，切忌妄加评论，把自己的观点当成作者的观点。