人教全日制普通高中英语（必修）高三UNIT5-1

Ads are tbund almost everywhere -- they are broadcast on TV and over the radio, posted on the Intemet and printed in newspapers and on posters in our cities. Advertising¹ is a highly² developed industry. The develooment of radio, television and other media has gone hand in hand with the development of advertising.
 
       People react to advertisements in different ways. Some people find ads useful and entertaining; others think that they are annoying. Defenders³ of ads say that ads help us make informed choices as consumers by introducing good quality products. On the other hand, critics sometimes accuse companies of using ads to mislead⁴ us by making us believe that a certain product is better than it really is or that we will be happier if we buy it.
 
       The basic principle of advertising is fairly simple. By introducing a brand name to potential customers, and by associating the product with the customers' needs, companies are able to influence the choices customers make. Customers see so many ads every day that advertisers must work hard to get their message across. For that reason, companies spend large amounts of money employing advertisers. The best chance to reach customers is to appeal to their emotions. Thus, instead of selling them the product, the ads sometimes seem to be selling them what money cannot buy: love, happiness and success.
 
       Ads help companies and customers in a variety of ways. It has been proven again and again that frequent advertising increases product sales. Since an increase in sales means an increase in production, the price may be reduced. Therefore advertising, instead of making a product more expensive, often makes it cheaper. Advertisements also help consumers choose among all the available products. There are many things we need to take into consideration before we buy an expensive product, such as a car or a computer, and ads can help us make the fight decision.
 
       Perhaps the most important function of advertising is to introduce new products. Truthful⁵ ads provide good information that helps customers to decide whether they want or need the advertised product. By explaining the features, functions and costs of a product or service, ads also allow customers to compare prices and quality before they actually go to the store. Armed with facts and figures, customers are better able to deal with the often powerful arguments given by a salesman or saleswoman.
 
       Not all ads are used to promote a product or to increase a company's profits. Many governments use ad campaigns to make people aware of social problems and government policies. Aid organizations often name a well-known person as their spokesman⁶ or spokeswoman in order to get their message across. For example, the United Nations selected the soccer star Ronaldo, pop singer Tetsuya Komuro and other famous people to represent the UN and make its programmes known to the public. By using the techniques developed by the advertising industry, govemments and other non-profit organizations can spread knowledge, change attitudes and improve society.
 
      There are some ads that are not helpful. These "bad ads" use illegal ways to mislead consumers. It is not always easy to spot a bad ad, but there are a few things we can look out for. First of all, we should always keep an eye out for "hidden information". Some ads hide important information by using small print or colours. Other ads mislead us by showing pictures that are only partly true or have been changed to look better. A similar trick is used in so-called⁷ "bait-and-switch" ads, that is the customer is shown one product (the bait) and then given another.
 
      There is no clear evidence to show just how well ads work, but they are important to both companies and consumers. Good advertisements make it possible for companies to introduce new products and increase sales. If the ads provide accurate⁸ information, they also help the average consumer to find the right product at the best price. Because ads are powerful and some companies try to mislead us, we must be careful when we read ads. If we cannot distinguish⁹ between fiction and facts, we will become easy targets for ad makers¹⁰. If, on the other hand, we learn to analyse ads, we may be able to protect ourselves from false advertisements and make good choices.

1 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

2 highly   

adv.高度地，极，非常；非常赞许地

参考例句：

• It is highly important to provide for the future.预先做好准备非常重要。
• The teacher speaks very highly of the boy's behaviour.老师称赞这个男孩的表现。

3 defenders   

n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者

参考例句：

• The defenders were outnumbered and had to give in. 抵抗者寡不敌众，只能投降。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• After hard fighting,the defenders were still masters of the city. 守军经过奋战仍然控制着城市。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 mislead   

vt.误导，使产生错误印象，欺骗，使误入歧途

参考例句：

• Don't let his friendly words mislead you.别让他那友好的言词把你蒙混住。
• I understand,sir.You didn't willfully mislead the police.我了解，先生。你并非有意误导警察。

5 truthful   

adj.真实的，说实话的，诚实的

参考例句：

• You can count on him for a truthful report of the accident.你放心，他会对事故作出如实的报告的。
• I don't think you are being entirely truthful.我认为你并没全讲真话。

6 spokesman   

n.发言人，代言人

参考例句：

• The government spokesman gave a quick briefing to the reporters.政府发言人向记者们作了情况简介。
• They drew lots to decide who should be their spokesman.他们抽签决定谁是他们的发言人。

7 so-called   

adj.所谓的，号称的

参考例句：

• These were the so-called mainframe machines.它们被称为主机。
• Let's see what this so-called button does.让我们来看看为什么这个按钮叫这个名字。

8 accurate   

adj.正确无误的；准确的，精确的

参考例句：

• He has made an accurate measurement of my garden.他准确地丈量了我的花园。
• He is always accurate in what he says and does.他说的和做的总是正确无误。

9 distinguish   

vt.区别，辩明，识别，辨认出；vi.区别，辨别，识别

参考例句：

• It is not easy to distinguish cultured pearls from genuine pearls.辨别真正的珍珠与养殖的珍珠不容易。
• Some people find it difficult to distinguish right from wrong.一些人认为很难辨对与错。

10 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》