The lights _______ and I found myself back at home in front of the telly._
The lights _______ and I found myself back at home in front of the telly._
阅读新视界大学英语第五单元课文，完成以下练习。 Leisure inactivities – or how to relax and do nothing 1 Centuries ago people didn’t have much free time, because everyone was working too hard. In Britain in the 19th century, people had more free time, but the Victorians thought relaxing and doing nothing was a sin. So to avoid temptation, they invented football and cricket. People took up more gentle leisure activities like bird-watching, and gardening, and it was even possible simply to watch a sport and be satisfied that you were actually doing something useful. 2 One instance of this is cricket, which is a peculiar game with weird rules, where nothing happens for five days, at the end of which the players often decide to call it a draw. And everyone playing or watching feels perfectly fulfilled by this non-event. It’s a good example of what we now call a leisure inactivity. 3 Gradually over the years, leisure inactivities have involved even less interaction. In the 1990s a new leisure creature evolved, one who thinks that lying on the sofa watching sport or DVDs on the television is the most exciting inactivity they can manage. This is the couch potato. 4 So who wants to be a couch potato? Well, as a matter of fact, many people do, and for very good reasons. Maybe it’s your one day off in the week, maybe you just got back from work or school. Maybe you’re tired and just want to chill. For the couch potato, every activity is too much trouble, and being idle is an art form. 5 How do you become a couch potato? It’s easy. Sit down in a comfortable place, such as a nice soft chair, or ... you knew it was coming ... a couch. Don’t sit on a potato. Make sure you have everything you need, things to eat (especially potato chips – no serious couch potato would eat anything else), drinks, magazines and a telly. 6 The most important piece of equipment is of course, the remote control. Without the freedom to change channels without moving from the couch, no couch potato would be worthy of the name. In fact, watching TV without a remote control becomes dangerously like physical exercise, and probably should be avoided. 7 Now just start watching the telly. Change channels every ten seconds, and then move on. Try your best to lose concentration quickly, in order to maintain your status as a couch potato. (Remember that you also have the attention span of a potato.) Finally, ask other people to do things for you, like get more food, or rent a movie. But be nice to them! If you aren’t nice, you’ll probably have to do it yourself. 8 But with every new trend, there’s a reaction. British farmers were recently reported by the BBC to be angry at the use of the expression couch potato, because it gave the vegetable a negative image. Potatoes are inherently healthy, says the British Potato Council, and is organizing protests to demand the removal of couch potato from the Oxford English Dictionary. 9 So there you are! Couch potatoes are healthy. 10 Of course, for the true couch potato, there are inherent risks. Perhaps the greatest of these results from the lack of exercise, and is referred to by professional couch potatoes as telly belly. Some, however, see their telly belly as a mark of their commitment to their leisure inactivity, and wear it proudly over the top of their trousers. (Interestingly, this is a highly fashionable style known as a muffin top. Find out why next time you’re in Starbucks.) 11 But time moves on, and in the 21st century we now have a version of the couch potato specially for the online activities on the computer. This is called the mouse potato. A mouse potato spends excessive amounts of time in front of a computer monitor, with the same absence of interest in the outside world as their older cousin, the couch potato. Mouse potatoes are hooked on online games with other fellow potatoes around the world. In fact, leaving the computer not only lacks purpose but also risks a threat by some rival or more skilful mouse potato in a brighter time zone across the world. For time off, their routine includes performing extensive Internet searches or participating in online chat rooms, leaving ill-informed and badly spelt opinions around the virtual world, causing offence or generally insulting one’s intelligence. 12 For mouse potatoes with an aspiration for adventure, you can even travel the world and visit countries you might otherwise never see by going to CouchPotatotravel.com. You can also find out how much time you spend on your computer by logging the distance your mouse travels. These are called mouse miles, and who knows, maybe one day you can exchange them for more potato chips at all good computer stores. 13 So with a minimum of effort you too can have your own leisure inactivity. Become a couch potato! Earn that telly belly! Train hard as a mouse potato, and earn mouse miles. Get started today. There’s so much time, and so little to do.
阅读新视界大学英语第五单元课文，完成以下练习。 Leisure inactivities – or how to relax and do nothing 1 Centuries ago people didn’t have much free time, because everyone was working too hard. In Britain in the 19th century, people had more free time, but the Victorians thought relaxing and doing nothing was a sin. So to avoid temptation, they invented football and cricket. People took up more gentle leisure activities like bird-watching, and gardening, and it was even possible simply to watch a sport and be satisfied that you were actually doing something useful. 2 One instance of this is cricket, which is a peculiar game with weird rules, where nothing happens for five days, at the end of which the players often decide to call it a draw. And everyone playing or watching feels perfectly fulfilled by this non-event. It’s a good example of what we now call a leisure inactivity. 3 Gradually over the years, leisure inactivities have involved even less interaction. In the 1990s a new leisure creature evolved, one who thinks that lying on the sofa watching sport or DVDs on the television is the most exciting inactivity they can manage. This is the couch potato. 4 So who wants to be a couch potato? Well, as a matter of fact, many people do, and for very good reasons. Maybe it’s your one day off in the week, maybe you just got back from work or school. Maybe you’re tired and just want to chill. For the couch potato, every activity is too much trouble, and being idle is an art form. 5 How do you become a couch potato? It’s easy. Sit down in a comfortable place, such as a nice soft chair, or ... you knew it was coming ... a couch. Don’t sit on a potato. Make sure you have everything you need, things to eat (especially potato chips – no serious couch potato would eat anything else), drinks, magazines and a telly. 6 The most important piece of equipment is of course, the remote control. Without the freedom to change channels without moving from the couch, no couch potato would be worthy of the name. In fact, watching TV without a remote control becomes dangerously like physical exercise, and probably should be avoided. 7 Now just start watching the telly. Change channels every ten seconds, and then move on. Try your best to lose concentration quickly, in order to maintain your status as a couch potato. (Remember that you also have the attention span of a potato.) Finally, ask other people to do things for you, like get more food, or rent a movie. But be nice to them! If you aren’t nice, you’ll probably have to do it yourself. 8 But with every new trend, there’s a reaction. British farmers were recently reported by the BBC to be angry at the use of the expression couch potato, because it gave the vegetable a negative image. Potatoes are inherently healthy, says the British Potato Council, and is organizing protests to demand the removal of couch potato from the Oxford English Dictionary. 9 So there you are! Couch potatoes are healthy. 10 Of course, for the true couch potato, there are inherent risks. Perhaps the greatest of these results from the lack of exercise, and is referred to by professional couch potatoes as telly belly. Some, however, see their telly belly as a mark of their commitment to their leisure inactivity, and wear it proudly over the top of their trousers. (Interestingly, this is a highly fashionable style known as a muffin top. Find out why next time you’re in Starbucks.) 11 But time moves on, and in the 21st century we now have a version of the couch potato specially for the online activities on the computer. This is called the mouse potato. A mouse potato spends excessive amounts of time in front of a computer monitor, with the same absence of interest in the outside world as their older cousin, the couch potato. Mouse potatoes are hooked on online games with other fellow potatoes around the world. In fact, leaving the computer not only lacks purpose but also risks a threat by some rival or more skilful mouse potato in a brighter time zone across the world. For time off, their routine includes performing extensive Internet searches or participating in online chat rooms, leaving ill-informed and badly spelt opinions around the virtual world, causing offence or generally insulting one’s intelligence. 12 For mouse potatoes with an aspiration for adventure, you can even travel the world and visit countries you might otherwise never see by going to CouchPotatotravel.com. You can also find out how much time you spend on your computer by logging the distance your mouse travels. These are called mouse miles, and who knows, maybe one day you can exchange them for more potato chips at all good computer stores. 13 So with a minimum of effort you too can have your own leisure inactivity. Become a couch potato! Earn that telly belly! Train hard as a mouse potato, and earn mouse miles. Get started today. There’s so much time, and so little to do.
SalesPromotion on the Internet By anonymous At http://www.mosaicmarketing.co.uk/sales-promotion-blog/2012/jan/sales-promotion-on-the-internet-is-becoming-dull-and-formulaic-our-hopes-for-2012.aspx 1. Not so very long ago there wasn't an internet. Back in the days whenevening telly was good, Britons weren't obese and fuel was less than 50p alitre. Imagine that. What we did to fill the time was far less virtual and verymuch more real. 2. 20 years or so later and the internet is so fundamental to ourexistence that it's a wonder we ever survived without it. It has broughtamazing convenience, unbelievable information and an equal amount ofdisinformation, anytime, at the click of a mouse. Of course marketers haveembraced the medium as much as anyone and it's hard to find any sales promotionwhich doesn't have a web element. But with so many sales promotions out therewhy do we mourn for the sales promotions of yesteryear when people used heatand reveal labels, inserted blue sachets containing fivers into packets ofcrisps and even a miniature plastic house inside your tin of beans to tell you,in no uncertain terms that you had won, a house? It might be the excitement,buzz and awe-inspiring creativity which seems so lacking in their internetdescendents. 3. Looking at the 88 or so promotions which we featured on PromoWatch lastyear, 56% of them had exactly the same mechanic: "enter a unique code frompromotional packs on the website to qualify". Assuming our blog isrepresentative of the sales promotion industry as a whole, if more than half ofall brands thought that running a competition with a unique code entrymechanic was the best way of establishing a point of difference withtheir competitors, they were sadly mistaken. Why has the internet stifledcreativity? 4. In the early days, putting up a microsite for an on-pack promotion wasrelatively pricey and they were primarily used by market leading brands to supportthe principle activity. But before too long the microsite has evolved torepresent the promotion in its entirety encompassing the customer journey fromstart to finish. The reasons are obvious -- money. Websites are now cheaper tocreate than ever before, while producing innovative promotional devices and customised product packaging has become, for the most part, more expensive or in somecases a logistical headache. 5. Now, in the same way that nearly all TV programmes seem to be about property or cooking, once a winning formula has been established promotions agenciesrealise they can re-package a successful concept and sell it in to clientsagain and again. Taking it to its logical conclusion, a general acquiescence inmediocrity increases the profusion of mediocrity to the point where it becomesthe accepted norm. This all leads to one big yawn for the consumer -- and theintrepid sales promotion commentator. Injecting innovation into salespromotion 6. The Sales Promotion Industry's utilisation of the internet is a bitlike most people's use of the processing power of their home computer -- barelytaxing its capabilities at all. The internet is far more than just aninterpreter of unique codes or a means of plotting pretty dots on a map. So howelse can we maximise the power of the web within our sales promotion activity? 7. If we assume that most brands need to prove that a purchase has beenmade, can we first look beyond the reliance on unique codes? 8. Small and discreet, QR codes or Snaptags could easily beincorporated into product packaging and, using a simple reader, wouldautomatically take consumers to the promotional website right on their device(think webcam, tablet or smartphone). As they would have to be in possession ofthe product to access the on-pack graphic it is fair to assume that they'vemade a legitimate purchase and have qualified for entry. This would make theall important 'simplicity of entering your promotion' integral to the customerjourney. 9. Can't fit a graphic on your pack -- develop a barcode reader for yourmicrosite. With such a heavy penetration of smartphones , tablets and webcams and even smart TVs now, most devices will have the necessary lensto view the barcode for your chosen platform. The CD and DVD purchasingwebsite Music Magpie employs this to great effect. 10. Go a bit retro. Combine the online and offline worlds by cutting out atoken / logo / masthead or whatever from the offline packaging and affix it toa downloaded voucher as the ultimate photocopy / scanner proof online coupon.NB only works for proper redbrick high street retailers (Available while shopslast). 11. If you just can't get away from using a unique code why not try andwean yourself off the Instant Win habit? Here's a few ideas for using aunique code, some of which you may have seen in the wild already or covered inother posts: in-game currency for afreemium or bespoke online / mobile game proof of purchasetoken for a collector scheme validation forsubmitting user content for an online competition discount / promo code for athird party partner site a security tag for adownloaded voucher - could be used in conjunction with the physical proof foroffline venues unlock treasure huntclues - again possibly for the pursuit of an offline treasure 12. If you can't avoid 'instant win' why not make the act of tellingpeople the win/lose verdict more interesting? In keeping with the theme of yourbrand / promotion it could be the turning wheel on the front of a safe oranimated lottery balls which might match up with your unique reference. Thissimple animation would not be expensive but it would make the engagement andoverall impression of the promotion, feel like it was given some modicum ofthought rather than just being churned out on a conveyor belt. The Good News... 13. The dominance of Twitbook provides a ready platform for smaller brandsto promote themselves with very little capital outlay. We should be celebratingthe fact that a lower cost of entry means that smaller brands can contemplatesales promotion at all. 14. Some brands are doing great promotions which really harness the powerof social media, sharing user-generated content and integrating their activityacross multiple channels. We featured one such promotion from Visit Britain today.So there are reasons to be optimistic. But, woe-betide the sales promotionindustry if we have a similar proportion of 'instant win unique referencenumber monotony' in 2012. You've been warned!!! 15. P.S. If this blog existed 50 years ago (and I had been born) no doubtI'd have been writing a provocative article about how television had madepromotions less personal or relevant. Blah, blah, blah, moan, moan... Reading Comprehension Decide whether the followingstatements are true (T) or false (F). 1. More than half of the promotions on line in the blogger’s survey havethe same mechanic and the authors think this mechanic is wrongly headed. 2. Money is the major reason for marketers to choose the internet thanother innovative devices to do promotion. 3. Promotion on TV, quite unlike that on the internet, is full ofinnovation and customization. 4. Unique codes should always remain the perfect and reliable way ofonline promotion. 5. The combination of online and offline promotion will do better thansimply promoting online. 6. The blogger thinks that 2012 is a year of great prospect for onlinepromotion and there is nothing to worry about. Sales Promotion on the Internet.docx/js/editor20150812/dialogs/attachment_new/fileTypeImages/icon_doc.gif
SalesPromotion on the Internet By anonymous At http://www.mosaicmarketing.co.uk/sales-promotion-blog/2012/jan/sales-promotion-on-the-internet-is-becoming-dull-and-formulaic-our-hopes-for-2012.aspx 1. Not so very long ago there wasn't an internet. Back in the days whenevening telly was good, Britons weren't obese and fuel was less than 50p alitre. Imagine that. What we did to fill the time was far less virtual and verymuch more real. 2. 20 years or so later and the internet is so fundamental to ourexistence that it's a wonder we ever survived without it. It has broughtamazing convenience, unbelievable information and an equal amount ofdisinformation, anytime, at the click of a mouse. Of course marketers haveembraced the medium as much as anyone and it's hard to find any sales promotionwhich doesn't have a web element. But with so many sales promotions out therewhy do we mourn for the sales promotions of yesteryear when people used heatand reveal labels, inserted blue sachets containing fivers into packets ofcrisps and even a miniature plastic house inside your tin of beans to tell you,in no uncertain terms that you had won, a house? It might be the excitement,buzz and awe-inspiring creativity which seems so lacking in their internetdescendents. 3. Looking at the 88 or so promotions which we featured on PromoWatch lastyear, 56% of them had exactly the same mechanic: "enter a unique code frompromotional packs on the website to qualify". Assuming our blog isrepresentative of the sales promotion industry as a whole, if more than half ofall brands thought that running a competition with a unique code entrymechanic was the best way of establishing a point of difference withtheir competitors, they were sadly mistaken. Why has the internet stifledcreativity? 4. In the early days, putting up a microsite for an on-pack promotion wasrelatively pricey and they were primarily used by market leading brands to supportthe principle activity. But before too long the microsite has evolved torepresent the promotion in its entirety encompassing the customer journey fromstart to finish. The reasons are obvious -- money. Websites are now cheaper tocreate than ever before, while producing innovative promotional devices and customised product packaging has become, for the most part, more expensive or in somecases a logistical headache. 5. Now, in the same way that nearly all TV programmes seem to be about property or cooking, once a winning formula has been established promotions agenciesrealise they can re-package a successful concept and sell it in to clientsagain and again. Taking it to its logical conclusion, a general acquiescence inmediocrity increases the profusion of mediocrity to the point where it becomesthe accepted norm. This all leads to one big yawn for the consumer -- and theintrepid sales promotion commentator. Injecting innovation into salespromotion 6. The Sales Promotion Industry's utilisation of the internet is a bitlike most people's use of the processing power of their home computer -- barelytaxing its capabilities at all. The internet is far more than just aninterpreter of unique codes or a means of plotting pretty dots on a map. So howelse can we maximise the power of the web within our sales promotion activity? 7. If we assume that most brands need to prove that a purchase has beenmade, can we first look beyond the reliance on unique codes? 8. Small and discreet, QR codes or Snaptags could easily beincorporated into product packaging and, using a simple reader, wouldautomatically take consumers to the promotional website right on their device(think webcam, tablet or smartphone). As they would have to be in possession ofthe product to access the on-pack graphic it is fair to assume that they'vemade a legitimate purchase and have qualified for entry. This would make theall important 'simplicity of entering your promotion' integral to the customerjourney. 9. Can't fit a graphic on your pack -- develop a barcode reader for yourmicrosite. With such a heavy penetration of smartphones , tablets and webcams and even smart TVs now, most devices will have the necessary lensto view the barcode for your chosen platform. The CD and DVD purchasingwebsite Music Magpie employs this to great effect. 10. Go a bit retro. Combine the online and offline worlds by cutting out atoken / logo / masthead or whatever from the offline packaging and affix it toa downloaded voucher as the ultimate photocopy / scanner proof online coupon.NB only works for proper redbrick high street retailers (Available while shopslast). 11. If you just can't get away from using a unique code why not try andwean yourself off the Instant Win habit? Here's a few ideas for using aunique code, some of which you may have seen in the wild already or covered inother posts: in-game currency for afreemium or bespoke online / mobile game proof of purchasetoken for a collector scheme validation forsubmitting user content for an online competition discount / promo code for athird party partner site a security tag for adownloaded voucher - could be used in conjunction with the physical proof foroffline venues unlock treasure huntclues - again possibly for the pursuit of an offline treasure 12. If you can't avoid 'instant win' why not make the act of tellingpeople the win/lose verdict more interesting? In keeping with the theme of yourbrand / promotion it could be the turning wheel on the front of a safe oranimated lottery balls which might match up with your unique reference. Thissimple animation would not be expensive but it would make the engagement andoverall impression of the promotion, feel like it was given some modicum ofthought rather than just being churned out on a conveyor belt. The Good News... 13. The dominance of Twitbook provides a ready platform for smaller brandsto promote themselves with very little capital outlay. We should be celebratingthe fact that a lower cost of entry means that smaller brands can contemplatesales promotion at all. 14. Some brands are doing great promotions which really harness the powerof social media, sharing user-generated content and integrating their activityacross multiple channels. We featured one such promotion from Visit Britain today.So there are reasons to be optimistic. But, woe-betide the sales promotionindustry if we have a similar proportion of 'instant win unique referencenumber monotony' in 2012. You've been warned!!! 15. P.S. If this blog existed 50 years ago (and I had been born) no doubtI'd have been writing a provocative article about how television had madepromotions less personal or relevant. Blah, blah, blah, moan, moan... Reading Comprehension Decide whether the followingstatements are true (T) or false (F). 1. More than half of the promotions on line in the blogger’s survey havethe same mechanic and the authors think this mechanic is wrongly headed. 2. Money is the major reason for marketers to choose the internet thanother innovative devices to do promotion. 3. Promotion on TV, quite unlike that on the internet, is full ofinnovation and customization. 4. Unique codes should always remain the perfect and reliable way ofonline promotion. 5. The combination of online and offline promotion will do better thansimply promoting online. 6. The blogger thinks that 2012 is a year of great prospect for onlinepromotion and there is nothing to worry about. Sales Promotion on the Internet.docx/js/editor20150812/dialogs/attachment_new/fileTypeImages/icon_doc.gif