Have you ever been on social media and seen your favourite celebrity talking about a product? These endorsements—might not be totally random, and are actually seen as a vital part of the marketing process. The question is: How do social media influencers ‘influence’ what you buy?
Human desire for status and making friends, combined with our need to belong to a group, make us susceptible to being ‘socially influenced’. Companies often use that desire to have a similar lifestyle to a celebrity we admire to hawk or launch a product. So, what do these endorsements actually do?
Firstly, they can be used to build brand awareness. A social media influencer should have a strong understanding of the platform they operate on, and therefore can create engaging content that not only adheres to the brand image, but sparks their followers’ interests in a product they might never have seen before.
Secondly, influencers can improve a company or product’s relationship with their customer base. According to In Moment’s 2018 US Retail CX Trends Report on customer loyalty, 77% of buyers have been brand loyal for more than ten years. This is also true of 60% of millennials. popular celebrity can target key demographics and talk or blog about a product, which can create an instant and lasting bond with the consumer.
Lastly, influencers can improve customer buying habits with seemingly ‘unbiased opinions’. We are more likely to respond to ‘peer recommendation’ than traditional ads, meaning the fact we see an influencer as a ‘friend’ can make us less likely to be sceptical about what we are seeing.
So, the next time you see a celebrity talking about a product, you might want to consider that this could be a carefully crafted marketing strategy designed to target your core needs. If you find yourself perusing a product you’ve seen on social media, you may well have been influenced.
1．Why can social influencers make such engaging content? Because they ________.| A．are internet celebrities |
| B．know how to use the platform they are working on. |
| C．have used the products themselves |
| D．are involved in the making of the products |
| A．Being independent | B．Making friends |
| C．Belonging to a group. | D．Human desire for status |
| A．We are not much influenced. |
| B．We believe everything they say. |
| C．We are less doubtful about adverts we are seeing. |
| D．We want to make friends with them. |
| A．It is exactly what I need. |
| B．We don’t need it at all. |
| C．There’s more to learn about the celebrity. |
| D．Our essential needs are being targeted. |
Have you ever left a cinema shaking your head after seeing a film with an ending that you could see coming from ten kilometres away? Most of us have. A film can have many stars and beautiful locations, but if the screenplay is poor, it’s unlikely that it will be a hit with audiences.
Being a screenwriter can be a profitable career and there is no shortage of candidates for the job. However, although the major studios receive thousands of scripts every year, only a few make it to the silver screen. The studios have very set ideas about what makes a good screenplay and if a script doesn’t match them, it hasn’t got a chance.
The art of screenwriting is greatly influenced by Poetics, the book on the theory of literature written by Aristotle in about 350 B.C. Aristotle proposed that a storyline should consist of three parts: a beginning in which we meet the characters and the place where the action occurs, a middle in which a problem that has to be overcome is introduced and finally an end, where the problem, at least in Hollywood films, is solved. It may surprise you to discover that the ancient Greek philosopher’s ideas should have so much influence on such a modern art form. It will surprise you even more to learn that his ideas are more popular than ever.
In the seventies, Hollywood scriptwriter, Syd Field, discovered that films that followed Aristotle’s plan did much better at the box office than those that didn’t. Field studied the most successful films and came up with a more rigorous version of Aristotle’s theory. The beginning of the film should last no longer than half an hour, at the end of which a turning point must occur. Field even suggested that the perfect moment for this turning point is the twenty-seventh minute! Then, for the following sixty minutes the main character is involved in facing the challenge that has been set. At the midpoint of this period, the writer may introduce another turning point which must be a reversal in the character’s fortunes. The final quarter of the film is for the climax of the story, as the character fights to achieve their aims.
Does it sound familiar? It should do, because virtually all Hollywood films follow this scheme. So the next time you accuse a film of being unoriginal, you’ll know who to blame!
1．If a script________, it has a greater chance to be chosen by studios.| A．is written by a well-known screenwriter |
| B．matches the audience’s set idea of a good story |
| C．agrees with studios’ standards of a good screenplay |
| D．is considered to be a good screenplay by the public |
| A．The setting should be revealed in the beginning. |
| B．A problem has to be introduced in the beginning. |
| C．The solution doesn’t necessarily appear in the end. |
| D．More time should be devoted to the end than to the middle. |
| A．modern and relaxed |
| B．thorough and strict |
| C．simple but efficient |
| D．complex but understandable |
| A．Why many Hollywood films look similar to each other. |
| B．How a storyline can be improved based on Aristotle’s theory. |
| C．What kinds of Hollywood films appeals more to the audience. |
| D．Who should be to blame for the decline of the quality of films. |
If you are a fan of US TV series, you’ll be familiar with the morning breakfast routine: Each family member pours a mound of cereal into a bowl, adds enough milk to send it flowing over the top, before getting stuck into their sugary start to the day.
For generations, cereal has been the bedrock of the American breakfast, but it now seems to be losing some of its momentum. Sales of breakfast cereals in the US have gone stale, owing to concerns about the morning food’s lack of nutrition, as well as a rise in demand for more convenient options for those constantly in a hurry.
There’s nothing new about cereal being labeled less than nutritious and too high in calories.
But the consumer’s desire for a healthier way to start the day is now at its highest ever. Shoppers are seeking out “high protein and fiber content and natural ingredients,” the US-based research firm Mintel Group Ltd said in a report. “Consumers today believe cereal is overly processed and doesn’t contain enough nutrients.”
“Consumers are increasingly seeking products that match their personal definition of real food, and that can mean foods that are less processed and have simple labels with recognizable ingredients,” Kendall Powell, chairman of the US-based food company General Mills, said at an investors’ conference in July.
However, manufacturers and industry analysts say that if breakfast cereal makers can keep on adapting to changing consumer needs, especially among millennials, the business can grow again.
“While millennials may look at breakfast differently, they are still eating a lot of cereal, just not always for breakfast,” “According to Nielsen data, ready-to-eat cereal is in 90 percent of all households and nearly 94 percent of millennial households.
| A．That means cereal is facing stiff competition from fresh fruit, yogurt, breakfast bars and drinks, and even all-day breakfast meals at McDonalds or other fast-food chains |
| B．Millennials want something quick and simple in the morning, and they love variety. |
| C．Another big challenge for the industry is the ever-changing pattern of breakfast eaters, with an emphasis increasingly being placed on satisfying time-squeezed lifestyles. |
| D．Brand-name cereal prices jumped after the financial crisis in 2008, owing largely to the higher prices of grains and other ingredients. |
| E．For this group, cereal is more than just a breakfast item, it is also a popular snack option. |
| F．Critics for years have been saying that some cereals are laced with too much sugar. |
In a coastal village named Seaford, lived a courageous young woman named Amelia. Amelia was known throughout Seaford for her adventurous nature. From the moment she could walk, she would eagerly run towards the crashing waves, feeling the sand between her toes and the cool spray of the ocean mist on her face. She was a woman with a strong will and possessed a heart full of kindness. Amelia’s love for the ocean was intense, and she spent most of her days exploring the beautiful beaches and sparkling waters that surrounded her house.
One sunny morning, while Amelia was walking along the shore, she noticed a group of restless seagulls abnormally circling above the crashing waves. Their unusual calls echoed (回) through the air. Concerned for their well-being, she followed their flight pattern, her instincts guiding her toward danger.
As she approached a towering cliff, Amelia gasped in horror. On a narrow ledge (岩架), high above the violent waves, was a young dolphin trapped in a thick fishing net. Its shiny body shone under the golden rays of the sun, but its freedom was cruelly limited by the trap. With each struggle, the net tightened around its delicate body, leaving painful marks on its skin. Its tail flapped helplessly, each movement a request for help, while its desperate cries for assistance echoed through the air.
A sense of urgency filled her, pushing her forward with determination and resolve. Realizing that time was tight, Amelia knew she had to act instantly to free this innocent creature from its difficult position before it submitted to exhaustion or the force of the tides.
Family values are principles that help to define us as human beings. These values are learned, usually passed down
We always admire a person
These values or principles—respect, fairness and
Finally, family values make us who we are.
| A．rescued | B．was rescued | C．has rescued | D．had been rescued |
Fitness and health
Yours,
Li Hua
12-year-old Adele was from a poor family. Her parents struggled to make a living, so she still felt lucky they sent her to school.
One day, on her way home, Adele slowed down after hearing beautiful sounds from the corner of the street. “Wow! It’s lovely!” she said as she went closer to a small art school. She struggled to peep (偷看) in and saw that it was a piano. For some reason, her eyes were filled with tears. She wished to play the instrument, but her parents couldn’t afford to send her there.
Adele returned home with a heavy heart and couldn’t wait to pass by the art school again. She even pretended to press piano keys on the wall near her bed just like she was playing them for real. Seeing her do this, her parents were hurt but ignored it, because she was wishing for something beyond their means (钱财).
The following afternoon, after class, Adele silently went to the place she had stood the previous day. Almost one hour later she walked away unwillingly. Her wish to play the piano grew stronger.
Then as she crossed the street, she heard beautiful sound on the piano she’d never heard before. Curiously, she followed the sound and soon reached the doorstep of an old house. The door was open, so she invited herself into the house. “Hello… Is anybody in there?” she shouted.
The music stopped at once. An elderly woman stood there, smiling. Her wrinkled skin and gray hair showed her aged beauty. “Come here, sweetheart! How can I help you?” she asked Adele. The girl was scared, but she approached the woman and after seeing her warm smile. “I’m Adele, and I was walking by your house when I heard someone playing the piano… It’s so beautiful!” she said. The woman then invited Adele to sit with her and began playing again. Soon, the girl was lost in the different classic melodies (旋律) that afternoon. At one point, Adele began to cry, and the elderly woman stopped playing.
“What’s up, my child? Why are you upset?” She asked with worry.
Adele cried in joy and promised to keep the piano forever.
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