Match the words from the text with their definitions.
| 1. brisk 2. dot 3. rectify 4. perishable 5. subtle 6. surveillance 7. disguise | a. to correct something that is wrong b. likely to decay if it is not kept properly c. quick and full of energy d. careful watching of a person or a place e. to change someone’s appearance so that they look like someone else f. not easy to notice unless you pay careful attention g. to spread things over a wide area |
3. How do you understand the following phrases?
subtleties of the language; be the soul of discretion; keep sb/sth under surveillance; blessing in disguise; dot the i’s and cross the t’s; on the dot; the year dot; Perish the thought!
4. Answer the following questions.
- How does supermarkets size influence sales?
- What are the advantages of Sunday trading?
- Which brands are the most profitable?
- How are essential products displayed and priced?
- How is supermarket customers’ shopping behaviour studied?
- What specific factors are designed to increase sales?
- How are the interiors of supermarkets designed?
A number of sales tactics are mentioned in the article.
Example: Main doors are on the left so that people move clockwise around the store.
Look at the article again and find six more sales tactics.
● What about sales tactics used in our country? Are they similar to those used abroad? What about entrance doors, are they on the right or on the left?
6. Find the following sentences in the article and answer the questions about the words and expressions in italics. What is their meaning in the context? Use a dictionary to check.
1. 'In-store cameras backed up by discreet human surveillance ...'
Does this mean that cameras are not the only means of watching people?
2. 'Everything is geared to increased sales and profits, ...'
Are increased sales and profits a priority?
3. '... the eye reads left to right and will spot the store's brand first.'
Why is the store's own label displayed to the left of other brands?
4. 'Second, dot the KVIs around the store, ...'
Are the KVIs all likely to be grouped together?
5. '...so customers will have to hunt them out...'
Are they likely to be easy or difficult to find?
6.'It is kept soft in the wine section to encourage browsing, ...'
Are shoppers likely to spend more or less time in the wine section?
7. 'They also try to bounce you back and forth across the aisle ...' Are things arranged so they are easy to find?
Comment on the title of the article and sum up the findings of the author.
C. Group Discussion. Brainstorm Ideas.
● Why do you think supermarkets do not like talking openly about sales tactics? Do you think that if you are aware of the various tactics used to encourage you to spend, these tactics are less likely to work?
D. Vocabulary in Focus
Read the following sentence from the article, paying special attention to the underlined word.
Everything is thought out in minute detail and geared to increased sales and profits, which means getting consumers to buy things they don't really need, but cannot resist.
Study the words which can combine with amount and match the words that collocate.
| tiny minute minuscule meager scanty sparse scarce | resources wages minority population risk clothes detail |
| considerable gigantic overwhelming sizeable immense abundantly copious | majority income notes clear influence skyscraper distance |
1.4 E. Creative Consolidation
1. Make a synthetic review of the article “How Hidden Persuasion Makes Shoppers Spend”, supporting it with the information from other sources, revealing the situation in different countries.
Write an article to a magazine for professionals, advising them on the ways to boost trades.
3. Write a letter of concern to the editor of a magazine supporting customers’ rights.
Raise the Issue
➢ What do you think about the future of ethically responsible companies which tend to conduct business for the benefit of the environment, community and society as whole, without engaging in eg. corrupt behaviour in our country?
A. Words in Context
1. Tick the word closest in meaning to that of the each boldfaced word. Use the context of the sentences to help you figure out each word’s meaning.
disparage (v)Companies in the clothing industry have
been disparaged more than once for poor health and safety records.
Disparage means a. praise b. criticize c. applaud
exoneration (n)When a million dollars mysteriously vanished, the company decided to fire its accountant. The exoneration came after the cause was traced to a computer malfunction.
Exoneration means a. harm b. proof of guilt c. rehabilitation
indigenous (adj)Manufacturers tend to move their
production to developing countries where they can use underpaid indigenouslabour force.
Indigenous means a. important b. native c. welcomed
liability (n)My shyness with strangers would be a
liability in any job that involved
meeting the public, such as sales.
Liability means a. an asset b. a handicap c. a necessity
ostracize (v)High-profile companies will never
condone the infringement of codes of ethics from their employees. They will ostracize any manager behaving unethically.
Ostracize means a. reject b. feel sorry for c. control
proliferation (n)Rapid development of capitalism
triggered the proliferation of workshops, involving sweatshop labour with terrible working conditions.
Proliferation means a. damage b. shortage c. rapid increase
rudimentary (adj)The factory was just a caricature of a
modern enterprise. The equipment was rudimentary, the personnel unqualified, the management inadequate.
Rudimentary means a. not advanced b. intermediate
c. advanced
squelch (v)Such rigid control can only squelch
employees’ initiative.
Squelch means a. encourage b. hold back c. release
tenet (n)Our company’s main tenet is: “Ethically
responsible business is profitable”.
Tenet means a. a principle b. a ritual c. a prediction
ubiquitous (adj)Though labor abuse is ubiquitous and
seen in every corner of the world and industry, companies in the clothing industry are particularly open to criticisms about sweatshop labor.
Ubiquitous means a. scarce b. newly discovered
c. found everywhere
vociferous (adj)A quite, polite discussion may be better
than a vociferous argument, but some people get more satisfaction out of yelling and shouting.
Vociferous means a. distant b. mild c. loud