SSS 2011-02-02_在线英语听力室_免费在线英语听力学习网站

(单词翻译:双击或拖选)

Companies spend billions on advertising¹ every year. But they're not just pushing products—they're selling their brand's "personality," too. Think: Red Bull. What comes to mind? Most people say things like speed...power...hyper...extreme.

Well, a pair of scientists wanted to see if the energy drink's alleged² qualities would influence people's performance in a racecar video game—without sipping³ Red Bull. So they had 70 volunteers race cars with identical specs, but different paint jobs. Four with the logo and colors of a drink—Guinness, Tropicana, Coca-Coca or Red Bull—and one car just plain green.

The drivers clocked similar times with most of the cars. But behind the wheel of the Red Bull car, they actually drove more aggressively, scoring either incredibly fast race times, or their slowest—by driving recklessly and crashing. The study appears in the Journal of Consumer Psychology⁴.

Polled after the game, the players didn't realize the Red Bull image apparently⁵ influenced their driving. Which suggests marketing⁶ doesn't just influence a brand's personality. It could be shaping our personalities⁷, too, without our even knowing it.

Thanks for the minute. For Scientific American's 60-Second Science, I'm Christopher Intagliata.

点击

收听单词发音

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 alleged
a.被指控的，嫌疑的
参考例句：
It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。 alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

3 sipping
v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的现在分词 )
参考例句：
She sat in the sun, idly sipping a cool drink. 她坐在阳光下懒洋洋地抿着冷饮。 She sat there, sipping at her tea. 她坐在那儿抿着茶。

4 psychology
n.心理，心理学，心理状态
参考例句：
She has a background in child psychology.她受过儿童心理学的教育。 He studied philosophy and psychology at Cambridge.他在剑桥大学学习哲学和心理学。

5 apparently
adv.显然地；表面上，似乎
参考例句：
An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。 He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

6 marketing
n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西
参考例句：
They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。 He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

7 personalities
n. 诽谤，（对某人容貌、性格等所进行的）人身攻击；人身攻击；人格, 个性, 名人( personality的名词复数 )
参考例句：
There seemed to be a degree of personalities in her remarks.她话里有些人身攻击的成分。 Personalities are not in good taste in general conversation.在一般的谈话中诽谤他人是不高尚的。